Difference between revisions of "RadioActivity Repeaters"

Revision as of 08:13, 19 September 2017

Starting release 1.6.2.0 of the ka_bst software (customization 008), KAIROS has special module named KAIROS-HAM which is targeted to make support of communications with BrandMeister DMR Server via special brand new External DMR Access Subsystem. This subsystem can be managed since the release 0.9.167 of the KAIROS_Manager Remote Control Tool.

RadioActivity KAIROS

RadioActivity KAIROS

Important Note

• KAIROS_Manager before v1.6.7 can’t access a KAIROS-HAM, while since this version you can access both a KAIROS and a KAIROS-HAM
• for KAIROS-HAM, the model type of KAIROS can be KA-160 or KA-450 only, no other models are admitted; if you upload this ka_bst software on another model, the KAIROS will look dead
• the ka_bst software, at start, automatically checks all the channels of the Channels Table for the frequency values in the correct range (now the admitted ranges are 144÷148 and 420÷450 MHz); the channels with frequencies out of range will be disabled, and if no channels are enabled after that check, it creates a new channel with predefined values; similarly, the frequency value of the Calibration Parameters will be checked and eventually adjusted

CronosAgent

Due some specific of original KAIROS protocols we made special tool named CronosAgent to provide functionality of link establishment, authentication and NAT-traversal. CronosAgent should be deployed on equipment near repeater. Specially for SysOps we prepared several packages to run CronosAgent on large count of hardware such as x86 servers, single-board computers like Raspberry Pi and BeagleBoard or routers based on open platform like OpenWRT.

Downloads

CronosAgent version 20160806/20160812

• CronosAgent for Mac OS X - http://www.dstar.su/files/KAIROS/CronosAgent/CronosAgent-macOS.zip
• CronosAgent for Debian Linux 8.x x64 - http://www.dstar.su/files/KAIROS/CronosAgent/cronosagent_20160806_amd64.deb
• CronosAgent for Debian Linux 8.x ARM (HF/ARMv7) - http://www.dstar.su/files/KAIROS/CronosAgent/cronosagent_20160806_armhf.deb
• CronosAgent for OpenWRT AR71xx/72xx - http://www.dstar.su/files/KAIROS/CronosAgent/cronosagent_20160812_ar71xx.ipk

If you have hardware which is not listed here please contact us. We can build the package for any OpenWRT target.
Packets for Raspberry Pi and Debian on ARM will be provided later.

Source code of CronosAgent

https://code.brandmeister.network/r3abm/CronosAgent

Configuration

cronosagent.conf

<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">

REPEATER_NUMBER=<repeater ID used to connect BrandMeister Server> REPEATER_ADDRESS=<IP address of repeater on your local network> SERVER_ADDRESS=<IP address or domain name of BrandMeister Server> SERVER_PASSWORD=<Access password for BrandMeister Server> SERVICE_MODE=1

</syntaxhighlight>

OpenWRT LuCI

Repeater Configuration

Mandatory

Optional

Issues with connectivity

Console or syslog messages of CronosAgent

• "Disconnect request received" after "Authenticating with agent". Probably you entered wrong access password.
• "Connection time-out expired". Mostly this status means that CronosAgent does not receive packets from the server. Please check condition of field "Interpretation" on status page of BrandMeister.
• "Repeater has disabled features DMR or/and HAM". Please check firmware version, customization type (should be 008) and presense of feature "Amateur Radio" at KAIROS_Manager. Mostly you have wrong configuration of active channel (DMR service disabled).

Field "Interpretation" on status page of BrandMeister

• Authenticating - BrandMeister requested authentication of CronosAgent. Mostly this status means that CronosAgent does not receive packets from the server. Please check you router or firewall for opened port.
• Gathering - BrandMeister requested configuration of your KAIROS repeater. Mostly this status means that CronosAgent does not receive packets from the repeater. Please check IP address and configured ports of repeater.
• Registering - BrandMeister requested registration of External DMR Server access on your KAIROS repeater. Mostly this status means that CronosAgent does not receive response message from the repeater. Please check firmware version, customization type (should be 008) and presense of feature "Amateur Radio" at KAIROS_Manager.
• Operational - whole system works fine.

Firmware, update procedure

Please read this text carefuly to avoid having a brick!

You can unzip it in a temporary folder, then copy the file <KAIROS_*.zip> into the C:\Radio_Activity folder and run <unzip here>, then run the new KAIROS_Manager and:
1.       upgrade the DSP with <KA_DSP-*.idm> without restart,
2.       upgrade the PLD with <KA_PLD-*.jed> without restart,
3.       upgrade the application with <ka_bst_*.tar.gz> with restart (KAIROS_Manager will be closed),
4.       wait for the application fully running again,
5.       upgrade the OS with <kk_v01-*.bin.gz> with restart (KAIROS_Manager will be closed).

Latest firmware is available here: http://www.radioactivity-tlc.it/support/download/KAIROS-HAM_2017-02-08.zip
Note: following firmware still rank of beta! After upgrading repeater to this firmware you will not be able to configure the repeater to work on commercial frequencies!