Icom RP2C config and ircDDBGateway binding error - RESOLVED

[KA0ZRW]

I'm setting up an RP2C with Pi-Star and need some help on an issue with ircDDBGateway. After working through a bunch of other issues/concerns, I've come up with the following errors, which I think are the last pieces I need to solve to get this Pi-Star operational for this repeater.

I can ping the RP2C at 172.16.0.1 because of eth0:1 being statically mapped to 172.16.0.20, by default. My LAN address is functional on DHCP (statically mapped in the router to 192.168.x.71).

As I understand it, reading from the few other posts/guidance there is, the only thing needed to change, from the start are:

• Change config radio button to DStarRepeater, hit Apply, reboot.
• Config the RP2C to use port 20000 for it's own UDP port, and then configure the Gateway (check the box) and point at 172.16.0.20 (just FYI, its the virtual NIC eth0;1 on Pi-Star, set in /etc/network/interfaces), port 20000. Write and then say yes to reboot.
• Go to Configuration, then Expert, then Quick Edit: ircDDBGateway
• Update icomAddress and icomPort to 172.16.0.1, 20000.
• I updated repeaterAddress1 and repeaterPort1, but I'm not sure what it should be. I've tried a few things and rebooted after each but have the same error in the ircDDB log. I'll edit this line when the solution is found.

I also don't see the APRS process and logging.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
73
Chris
KA0ZRW, "Zebras Running Wild"

From: /var/log/pi-star/ircDDBGateway-2020-09-17.log

Code: Select all

E: 2020-09-17 20:14:34: Cannot bind the UDP address (port: 20000), err: 99
E: 2020-09-17 20:14:34: Cannot open the Icom repeater protocol handler

From: /etc/ircddbgateway

Code: Select all

gatewayType=0
gatewayCallsign=KF7NPL
gatewayAddress=0.0.0.0
icomAddress=172.16.0.1
icomPort=20000
hbAddress=0.0.0.0
hbPort=20010
latitude=47.356766
longitude=-121.8852
description1=Ravensdale, WA
description2=United States of America
url=http://qrz.com/db/kf7npl
repeaterCall1=KF7NPL
repeaterBand1=B
repeaterType1=1
repeaterAddress1=127.0.0.1 <-- what's this supposed to be? 172.16.0.20?
repeaterPort1=20011 <-- what's this supposed to be? 20000?
reflector1=REF014 C
atStartup1=0
reconnect1=0
frequency1=442.67500
offset1=5.0000
rangeKms1=1.000
latitude1=47.356766
longitude1=-121.8852
agl1=3.000
description1_1=Ravensdale, WA
description1_2=United States of America
url1=
band1_1=0
band1_2=0
band1_3=0
repeaterCall2=
repeaterBand2=
repeaterType2=0
repeaterAddress2=127.0.0.1
repeaterPort2=20012
reflector2=
atStartup2=0
reconnect2=0
frequency2=0.00000
offset2=0.0000
rangeKms2=0.000
latitude2=0.000000
longitude2=0.000000
agl2=0.000
description2_1=
description2_2=
url2=
band2_1=0
band2_2=0
band2_3=0
repeaterCall3=
repeaterBand3=
repeaterType3=0
repeaterAddress3=127.0.0.1
repeaterPort3=20013
reflector3=
atStartup3=0
reconnect3=0
frequency3=0.00000
offset3=0.0000
rangeKms3=0.000
latitude3=0.000000
longitude3=0.000000
agl3=0.000
description3_1=
description3_2=
url3=
band3_1=0
band3_2=0
band3_3=0
repeaterCall4=
repeaterBand4=
repeaterType4=0
repeaterAddress4=127.0.0.1
repeaterPort4=20014
reflector4=
atStartup4=0
reconnect4=0
frequency4=0.00000
offset4=0.0000
rangeKms4=0.000
latitude4=0.000000
longitude4=0.000000
agl4=0.000
description4_1=
description4_2=
url4=
band4_1=0
band4_2=0
band4_3=0
ircddbEnabled=1
ircddbHostname=rr.openquad.net
ircddbUsername=KF7NPL
ircddbPassword=madeyoulook, ha ha
ircddbEnabled2=0
ircddbHostname2=group1-irc.ircddb.net
ircddbUsername2=
ircddbPassword2=
ircddbEnabled3=0
ircddbHostname3=
ircddbUsername3=
ircddbPassword3=
ircddbEnabled4=0
ircddbHostname4=
ircddbUsername4=
ircddbPassword4=
aprsEnabled=1
aprsPassword=24486
aprsHostname=northwest.aprs2.net
aprsPort=14580
dextraEnabled=1
dextraMaxDongles=5
dplusEnabled=1
dplusMaxDongles=5
dplusLogin=KF7NPL
dcsEnabled=1
ccsEnabled=1
ccsHost=CCS706
xlxEnabled=0
xlxOverrideLocal=0
xlxHostsFileUrl=
starNetBand1=B
starNetCallsign1=
starNetLogoff1=
starNetInfo1=
starNetPermanent1=
starNetUserTimeout1=
starNetGroupTimeout1=
starNetCallsignSwitch1=1
starNetTXMsgSwitch1=1
starNetReflector1=
starNetBand2=B
starNetCallsign2=
starNetLogoff2=
starNetInfo2=
starNetPermanent2=
starNetUserTimeout2=
starNetGroupTimeout2=
starNetCallsignSwitch2=1
starNetTXMsgSwitch2=1
starNetReflector2=
starNetBand3=A
starNetCallsign3=
starNetLogoff3=
starNetInfo3=
starNetPermanent3=
starNetUserTimeout3=
starNetGroupTimeout3=
starNetCallsignSwitch3=0
starNetTXMsgSwitch3=1
starNetReflector3=
starNetBand4=A
starNetCallsign4=
starNetLogoff4=
starNetInfo4=
starNetPermanent4=
starNetUserTimeout4=
starNetGroupTimeout4=
starNetCallsignSwitch4=0
starNetTXMsgSwitch4=1
starNetReflector4=
starNetBand5=A
starNetCallsign5=
starNetLogoff5=
starNetInfo5=
starNetPermanent5=
starNetUserTimeout5=
starNetGroupTimeout5=
starNetCallsignSwitch5=0
starNetTXMsgSwitch5=1
starNetReflector5=
remoteEnabled=1
remotePassword=madeyoulooktwice
remotePort=10022
language=6
infoEnabled=1
echoEnabled=1
logEnabled=1
dratsEnabled=1
dtmfEnabled=1
mobileGPSEnabled=0
mobileGPSAddress=127.0.0.1
mobileGPSPort=7834
windowX=-1
windowY=-1

[KA0ZRW]

Alright, so solution found, and I think I know why I had issues.

Things that caught me up in this install:

• Inbound, iptables only allows a certain number (although a lot) of udp on private networks. Services sitting on 20000, 10022, 20001, 30001, 30051, 30061-30064, 40000. Sources from 41000-41010, 42000-43000, and 52000. So, the moral of the story here is that the web interface settings don't change iptables, so you can't use 20319 (the Icom RP2C default), or get creative otherwise without finding the script that setups and fixes iptables to allow the traffic.
• Thinking the RP2C is just some normal network device. I mean it is, but don't try to make it something you think you're going to touch on a regular basis. You're going to configure it, with an ethernet cable on the same switch, once or twice and never touch it again. Not worth trying to put it on a normal network with the primary interface of the Pi-Star.
• Just getting the four fields settled in ircDDBGateway. Details below.
• Making sure you've got DHCP handing the physical interface, eht0 everything it needs...IP, gateway, DNS...and not on the 172.16/12 network.

About the Icom RP2C config, do first:

1. Configure the RP2C with the challenging-to-find-and-really-expensive-if-you-buy-it "Utility for RP2C" from Icom. Default password to read is PASSWORD. (I would not recommend changing it because I haven't found a reset procedure for the RP2C if you forget it.)
   • By default the RP2C is configured from Icom as 172.16.0.1 (against all normal IP-ing conventions), without a gateway, which is fine, since its' only talking to the Pi-Star, and, presumably, the Pi-Star is in the same switched network as the RP2C.
   • By default, the Communications Settings port will be 20319. You need to change this to 20000.
   • Don't forget to go into Option/Network Setup to change the Port after you change it from the default of 20319 to 20000.

My relevant settings changes

1. Control Software: Set Controller Software to : DStarRepeater.
2. Control Software: Set Controller Mode to: Duplex Repeater
3. After changes in each section on the Configuration tab, click Apply Changes.
   --> Screen will refresh and give you more options to complete.
4. Radio/Modem Type: Set to Icom Repeater Controller ID-RP2C (DStar Repeater Only)
5. Set Node Callsign to your base callsign for the repeater
6. Set Radio Frequency RX: to the frequency the repeater is listening for (aka, what you're transmitting to on your HT/mobile)
7. Set Radio Frequency TX: to the frequency the repeater is transmitting on (aka, what you are listening to on your HT/mobile)
8. Set Lat/Long, Town, Country (no drop down so...US, USA, United States, United States of America, America all acceptable)
9. URL for information about the repeater
10. Node Type: set to Public? Not sure what this is for but Public seems to be the right answer.
11. Choose the closest/appropriate APRS Host.
12. Set Dashboard Language to english_us for me.
13. Set Remote Password
14. Set Default Reflector to one we use around here.
    ** --> Note: The radio buttons for Startup / Manual confused me. If you don't set it to Startup, ircDDBGateway won't start up without some manual intervention (that I didn't run across how to do)
15. Click Apply Changes.
    --> Screen will refresh and give you more options to complete.
16. Set Dashboard Access to Public
17. Left ircDDBGateway Remote and SSH Access to Private
18. Turned AutoAP off. Unnecessary for me.
19. Turned uPNP off, since I'm managing access on the router manually
20. Click Apply Changes.
    --> Screen will refresh and give you more options to complete.
21. Set pi-star user password so you don't expose the web interface to the internet with a default password.
22. Click Apply Changes.
    --> Screen will refresh and give you more options to complete.
23. Go to Power, Reboot.
24. After the interface comes back, go to Expert, Quick Edit: ircDDBGateway
25. icomAddress is actually your Pi-Star's virtual IP on the 172.16.0.0/12 network, set to 172.16.0.20/24 (no gateway). Leave this alone.
26. icomPort is 20000, the port that the Pi-Star is listening on. Leave this alone.
27. repeaterAddress1 is your RP2C on the 172.16.0.0/24 network. Defaults to 172.16.0.1. Leave this alone, assuming you didn't fiddle with the RP2C.
28. repeaterPort1 is 20000. I think this was default as well. See previous notes. Leave alone unless you want to do a bunch more work.
29. Add your ircddbPassword
30. Click Apply Changes.
31. Go to Power, Reboot.