DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Help with D-Star related issues
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

All,

I currently have my Pi-Star setup as a DSTAR Repeater and am using it connected via USB to my IC-705. This works quite well with the exception of a few bugs that could probably be tweaked with some additional modifications. While USB works fine I’m interested to know if anyone has been able to get this to work over Bluetooth or via the Internal WLAN. Utilizing Bluetooth could the IC-705 present as a Modem like it does via USB? Could an additional feature of PiStar be created to function in some capacity like the new G3 gateways or the XLX gateways where you could direct attach via the Internal Gateway of the IC-9700 or IC-705 and then use the normal DSTAR linking / unlinking of Gateways and Reflectors.
In its current setup using the Internal Gateway seems more cumbersome than it should be.

I’m relatively new to PiStar and Terminal mode so if there are others that understand more about this and could add some information I’d be glad for your feedback!

Thanks!
73 de NI9K
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

I wasn’t aware of it being disabled on the PiStar Image but I like your idea of a USB Bluetooth Adapter. As for how the radio presents itself when in Terminal Mode via Bluetooth I need to check later. I’ll provide an update then

Thanks for the info!

-Nick
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

From Icom.co.uk

What version of Bluetooth does the IC-705 use?

Version 4.2. (Details below)

• Transmission Output: Class 2
• Profile: HFP, HSP, SPP, GATT (Serial) over LE
• The maximum number of paired Bluetooth devices either headsets or data devices are a maximum 4 devices, and the combination is 5 devices in total.
• Device name: ICOM BT(IC-705) (default value).
• Passkey: 0000 (four zeros)

05/01/2021

Looking at this suggests that it present as a Serial Device.
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

Thanks for doing the digging!

I just ordered a Bluetooth 4.0 LE micro adapter!

My guess is that you can go into the Dstar Repeater Expert Config and manually specify the /dev/rfcomm or whatever it shows up as just like it currently used /dev/ACMX for the USB.

Thanks for the help I’ll let you know how it goes once I get the adapter.

-Nick
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

Regarding the UDEV rules, yes, I think there will need to be something in there for that but I’m not sure exactly what. We need to make sure that the icom_ta file/link gets created so that the option of selecting Icom Radio in Terminal Mode appears. I can of course fake it by leaving the USB cable plugged into the radio while adding the Bluetooth Device. I may even be able to just create the Symlink to the Bluetooth Device. The UDEV rules should be similar to the commands already listed in the other post but we’ll need to determine the VendorID and ProductID which will be unique to the Bluetooth Adapter you choose.
Im not very familiar with UDEV rules but will be doing some more research while I wait for the Bluetooth Adapter.

Thanks!

-NI9K
BH1EWI
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:16 pm

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by BH1EWI »

Terminal mode has two modes: internal gateway and external gateway. The internal gateway is connected via Wi-Fi and the external gateway is connected via USB. I did not find that it can be connected via Bluetooth. I wish you success and look forward to the good news.
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

BH1EWI,

That's a very good point. It may not be passing that over Bluetooth, it does specifically say in Terminal Mode Setup that it can be Internal via WLAN or External via USB. This effort may prove to be a dead end. Were you able to get it paired with the IC-705?
I picked up a ASUS USB-BT400 USB Bluetooth Adapter, unfortunately it seems that even though it uses a common chipset ASUS has a very specific vendor ID that is not known by the raspberry pi. The solution is to add the the device id to the kernel source which I believe means the kernel would need to be recompiled to get this support which would probably take forever on a Pi Zero. Link to someone who had the same issue
with the ASUS adapter. https://practicingtechie.com/tag/raspberrypi/ I have another Bluetooth adapter on the way which will hopefully be recognized, but if the radio isn't using it for Terminal Mode it probably won't make a difference. <sigh>

-NI9K
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

Recieved the other USB Bluetooth Adapter today and did some testing.
Initially I was having the same errors of it not seeing the default bluetooth control as I did previously. I did some additional searches and found that I needed to run bluetoothctl with elevated privleges via sudo. Controller then was able to be seen. I was able to scan for, pair and connect to the IC-705 momentarily but then the connection would drop. Its similar to the behavior I experience with my iphone if I were to attempt to utilize the iOS remote app that works with the ID-4100, it pairs and connects momentarily and then it disconnects and goes into standby mode. The same App works fine for Android in controlling the radio IC-705 or ID-4100. I did see it present as an audio card, additionally, I found a setting in the Bluetooth setting as to what to set the DV Data Set Device to for Serialport Function and the choices are CI-V Echo Off, CI-V Echo On and DV Data.
It feels like some of the underpinnings are present for this to ultimately work, but I think they are doing some type of Device or Vendor ID checks that causes the radio to drop the Bluetooth connection. Maybe they will eventuallu release a firmware update that will expand on this and hopefully update iOS App Compatibility.

-NI9K
W4EAE
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 12:57 pm

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by W4EAE »

Terminal Mode over Bluetooth seems to be a non starter as the radio itself has no such settings.

I have been looking into another alternative that might be just as--if not more--effective.

For a little background, my repeater runs on Pi-Star and I also own an OpenSpot3. With the OpenSpot3, I can connect to my Pi-Star repeater's gateway. Whatever I transmit into the OpenSpot is transmitted on my Pi-Star repeater, and over whatever reflector it is connected to. This isn't ultimately very useful. After all, I can connect to whatever I would like using the OpenSpot3, but....

With the IC-705, it is a different story. If the IC-705 in terminal mode could connect to a Pi-Star installation that might be running at your house, or even in the cloud, all you would need to access it would be the 705 and a WiFi connection--no antenna connected, and no RF--from anywhere in the world.

My experience with the OpenSpot tells me that this is close to being possible, but unfortunately the IC-705 cannot connect to the Pi-Star gateway yet.
NI9K
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:35 am

Re: DSTAR Repeater - Terminal Mode over TCP/IP-Bluetooth

Post by NI9K »

Very interesting, so, in the 705 you go into Terminal mode over WiFi and place the IP of the PiStar. Is there anything In the logs to suggest what the issue is?
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