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by jeffdubin 1410 days ago
Raspberry Pi B: Stream a local ham radio repeater (weather spotters) to Broadcastify

Raspberry Pi Zero: Brachiograph

Raspberry Pi 4B: Octoprint

Raspberry Pi 4B: Home Assistant

Raspberry Pi 4B: NAS (running Kopia as backup target w/ USB HDD, not speed-critical)

Raspberry Pi Zero 2W: ham radio-related software for portable use (e.g. WSJT-X, etc.) using cell phone via WiFi as display/input via RDP

To do: MiniDexed synth module, eInk display driver, network a UPS via NUT, RetroPie, Ham Clock, etc., etc. I've also used them previously as a fax server, digital signage for office lobby, and other things I'm forgetting
2 comments
PenguinCoder 1410 days ago
> Raspberry Pi Zero 2W: ham radio-related software for portable use (e.g. WSJT-X, etc.) using cell phone via WiFi as display/input via RDP

I would be interested in a write up about this or hearing more. I let my HAM lapse, but recent got into GMRS. No test required for the license, and way more 'simple'.

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jeffdubin 1406 days ago
The very basics of it are that I'm trying to operate portable using HF (<30MHz, long range), including for digital comms such as FT8. Typically a computer generates the audio-band signals which are transmitted as RF by the radio. Skipping the laptop (less to carry/power), I've installed a few of these ham apps on the Pi, power it from the radio's battery, and use an adapter (Digirig) to give me serial and audio to the radio. I turn on my phone's hotspot, the Pi connects via WiFi, and I use RDP to remote into the Pi, using my phone as the input and display. The Pi Zero 2W is a little under-powered (mostly needs more RAM), but it does the trick.

The simplicity of GMRS can be good, but for me I rarely use a radio to talk locally on repeaters. I like the idea of communicating as far as possible on very little power (QRP) with a small footprint, and the experimentation angle of it all.

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asdff 1410 days ago
With this many pis, what's stopping you from buying an old workstation that can run all of those systems concurrently?
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solarkraft 1409 days ago
Management simplicity, probably. There are many pre-made images you can just flash on an SD card and have run perfectly. Computationally you could very likely run all of the services on a single Pi just as well.
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jeffdubin 1406 days ago
Most of these live in different locations, or are portable.
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