Playing with Pi-Star: Revisions – Recent

Mar 23, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210322:
Minor updated related to how the aprs and ircddb hostnames are displayed when they are enabled.

Mar 20, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210319:
Minor fix related to how DMRGateway logins are handled.

Mar 16, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210316:
Minor fix related to display of YSF2DMR configuration settings.

Mar 12, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210312:
If one of your DMR services is failing to log in, in the Network Status module, DMR Net will now be highlighted yellow.

Revised Current status of Pi-Star note

Added the following:

Mar 12, 2021: DMR Host Files - Changes

Pi-Star User Forum message from Andy Taylor: The DMR Host file content is changing, in-line with a coming change in MMDVMHost, the Pi-Star DMR host file will include more DNS names (rather than being mostly full of IP addresses). What this means for you:

The next time you visit the config page after getting the new layout host file [edit: after performing a Pi-Star Update], you need to make sure you check the DMR section and verify that the expected host is selected; it may jump to an un-expected host….
The repeater info panel on the front page of Pi-Star may also display the IP address of the connected DMR host, rather than its name, until the next time you use the config page and re-select your host.

Additional note: If you have updated to dashboard version 20210312 or later and this update changes your DMR Master, on the Admin page in the Network Status module, DMR Net might be highlighted yellow, which means one of your DMR services is failing to log in. If your DMR Master has been changed, reselect the correct one on the Configuration page, and then click Apply Changes.

Revised 6b) Admin view

Updated 2nd paragraph: Info and manager modules – The upper portion of Admin view shows Gateway Hardware Info and Service Status, as well as modules for D-STAR Link Info and Manager, BrandMeister Active Connections and Manager, YSF, P25, and NXDN Link Managers, and on the left: Modes Enabled, Network Status, and Radio Info.

Added a note: Network Status: If one of your DMR services is failing to log in, DMR Net will be highlighted yellow.

Mar 5, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210305:
Minor update to keep YSFGateway APRS description up to date.

Feb 25, 2021

Revised 5f) Yaesu System Fusion Configuration

Changed the section heading by adding "(YSF Config)" so that someone searching for "YSF Config" can find that section easily. To avoid search engine confusion, I also changed the section ID from id="fusionconfig" to id="ysfconfig" and the references to that section from href="#fusionconfig" to href="#ysfconfig".

Feb 24, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210224:
Minor fix related to handling of QuadNet (openquad.net).

Feb 21, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210221:
Increased the input length of the DMR Access List option.

Feb 20, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210220:
Added a DMR Access List option (see next for description).

Revised 5c) General configuration

Updated Node Type Note 2 description:

Note 2: If you're using Node Type = Public and DMR, an additional option is displayed:
☆ DMR Access List – You can create a comma-separated list of the DMR IDs that should have access to the hotspot. If you leave this blank, a yellow highlighted alert will be displayed above the dashboard: "Alert: You are running a hotspot in public mode without an access list for DMR, this setup *could* participate in network loops!"

Revised 5f) Yaesu System Fusion Configuration

Added a hint:

☆ YSF Startup Host – Choose the YSF startup host you want to use.
Hint: Don't choose Parrot as your startup host as that setting can interfere with using the WiresX All button to see the Reflector List. Thanks to Jordan, WC6J for figuring this out.
Note: FCS support, including the option to pick an FCS YSF Startup Host, requires Pi-Star Dashboard v20180503 or later.

Feb 14, 2021

Revised article

Revised Raspbian OS to Raspberry Pi OS to reflect the name change implemented by the Raspberry Pi Foundation.

Feb 13, 2021

Revised The current status of Pi-Star note

Revised it to reflect that version 3.4.x has been retired.

Feb 12, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210212:
Update to add APRS toggle.

Revised 5c) General configuration

Updated image:

Added this bullet:

☆ APRS Host Enable – When enabled (default), your location will be public.

Deleted this note:

Note: You can disable APRS: Expert Editor > ircDDBGateway > aprsEnable = 0 (off) or 1 (on).

Feb 11, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210211:
Update to BrandMeister API v2.

Feb 10, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210210:
Minor updates and fixes.

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210209:
Minor updates and fixes.

Feb 8, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210208:
P25-related fix.

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210207:
Updates to the pistar-expand script and the apt tool, and a fix related to OLED screens.

Revised 6b) Admin view

Updated Admin view image:

Feb 6, 2021

Revised 6b) Admin view

Updated the Info and manager modules text, and the Link Managers note:

Info and manager modules – The upper portion of Admin view shows Gateway Hardware Info and Service Status, as well as modules for D-STAR Link Info and Manager, BrandMeister Active Connections and Manager, and YSF, P25, and NXDN Link Managers.

Link Managers: Optional way for reflector linking/unlinking. The D-STAR Reflector list includes a Text Entry option for linking to reflectors and repeaters. See also Linking to reflectors from the command line.

Feb 5, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210205:
New NXDNGateway and P25Gateway (need to click Apply Changes on the Configuration page), and added apt tool.

Feb 4, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210204:
Minor fixes related to NXDN and APRS.

Feb 3, 2021

Revised The current status of Pi-Star note

On Mar 26, 2020, Pi-Star V4.1.0 was released as a regular version. It can be downloaded from the Pi-Star website (now at V4.1.4):
Pi-Star_RPi_V4.1.4_03-Feb-2021.zip.

Feb 3, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210203:
Minor fixes related to YSF cross modes.

Feb 2, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210201:
Version number updated (changes noted in yesterday's revision).

Revised 5c) General Configuration

Added a note about APRS:

Note: You can disable APRS: Expert Editor > ircDDBGateway > aprsEnable = 0 (off) or 1 (on).

Feb 1, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star version 4.1.4 and dashboard version 20210131 (dashboard version number unchanged, even though there is a significant update on 20210201):
Added APRSGateway, and added an alert for people running older versions of Pi-Star (before 4.1) that there is a newer version available (displays in a yellow highlighted bar above the dashboard). Andy Taylor posted this in the forum:

dPRS was broken as part of an update to ircDDBGateway;
This has been solved in Pi-Star 4.1.4 (update > upgrade > head to the config page and press apply).
This adds APRSGateway (now required for ircDDBGateway and will soon be required for other daemons too).
Once I have added some more, I will also add a feature to turn APRS on/off more easily.

Jan 31, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210131:
Minor changes related to YSF.

Jan 29, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210129:
Minor fixes.

Jan 28, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210128:
Changed the callsign url link behavior, added a link to GPS coordinates, other minor changes/fixes.

Revised 5c) General Configuration

Updated the URL field description to correctly note its behavior:

★ URL – Based on the hotspot callsign, this link is presented to the networks you connect to, for example, BrandMeister. By default, the link is to QRZ: https://www.qrz.com/db/[CALLSIGN]. If you want to use this, select Auto; alternatively, you can select Manual and add whatever link you want, for example, a link to your own website.

Revised 6a) Dashboard view

Updated images to reflect new functionality, as well as that the words "Linked to:" have been removed from the Network fields. Also updated notes:

Hint: Click callsign to open linked info page at RadioID or QRZ (to switch between the two: Expert Editor > CSS Tool > Lookup > enter Service name exactly: QRZ or RadioID). Click GPS to open linked coordinates page.
Bandwidth: The dashboard is optional and takes a lot of bandwidth. If you have a metered data plan, you might want to run Pi-Star without it most of the time.
Src (source): Displays RF (Radio Frequency) when you transmit from your radio to the hotspot, which then sends data via internet. Displays Net (internet) when data is being received from internet by hotspot, which retransmits as RF to your radio.
Loss: Indicates data quality loss on data coming in from internet.
Modes & cross modes: When enabled, their info is displayed in left column.

Revised 6b) Admin view

Updated images to reflect new functionality.

Jan 27, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210127:
Added a way to control behavior of the callsign URL; other minor changes.

Revised 5c) General Configuration

Updated the URL field description to note its new behavior in dashboard version 20210127.

★ URL – Adds a link to data for the callsign associated with the hotspot at RadioID.net: https://database.radioid.net/database/view?callsign=[YourCallsign]. If you want to use this, select Auto; alternatively, you can select Manual and add whatever link you want, for example, a link to a different callsign or to your own website.
Hint: You also can switch to using QRZ lookups. To switch: Expert Editor > CSS Tool > Lookup. The Service name has to be entered exactly: QRZ (popupWidth: 800; popupHeight: 700) or RadioID (popupWidth: 600; popupHeight: 600).

Revised 5m) Remote Access Password

Changed the section title, added links to two new subsections, as well as subheaders for them:

★ 5m) Auto AP SSID PSK & Remote Access Password

Auto AP SSID PSK
Remote Access Password

Auto AP SSID PSK

Used to create a unique password for connecting to the Auto AP access point, which would then override the default password, "raspberry".

This override password is separate from the Remote Access Password (which is used for accessing Pi-Star Admin and Configuration settings, and for SSH access; see following section).

Remote Access Password

Jan 25, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210125:
Added Auto AP SSID PSK configuration option, changed behavior of callsign URL, other minor changes.

Revised 5c) General Configuration

Updated the URL field description to note its new behavior in dashboard version 20210125.

★ URL – Adds a link to data for the callsign associated with the hotspot at RadioID.net: https://database.radioid.net/database/view?callsign=[YourCallsign]. If you want to use this, select Auto; alternatively, you can select Manual and add whatever link you want, for example, a link to your website.

Revised 7) Backing up and restoring Pi-Star

Pi-Star Backup now backs up custom CSS settings, so removed the following bullet:

Expert Editor > CSS Tool – Custom CSS settings aren't backed up. If you change CSS settings, write them down so you can manually restore them.

Jan 13, 2021

Revised release number

Noted the release of Pi-Star dashboard version 20210111:
Merged updated Japanese translation, and a minor fix.

Jan 11, 2021

Revised section 5e) D-STAR configuration

Made a small correction to the following bullet point to update the reference from "see section 5l" to "see section 5m".

Note: This is different from the Remote Access Password (see section 5m below) that is used for accessing the Pi-Star Admin and Configuration settings, as well as for SSH access.

Revised section 7) Backing up and restoring Pi-Star

Clarified the following bullet point:

Remote Access Password – (For more info about this password, see section 5m.) For security reasons Pi-Star backup does not back up this password, and restoring your configuration settings from a backup will not reset this password. If you changed this password from the default "raspberry" to a stronger custom password (which for security purposes is a good idea), then subsequently forgot that custom password, the easiest thing to do is start over with a fresh Pi-Star image to regain access to Pi-Star Admin. and Configuration settings, as well as SSH access. Once you have installed a fresh image, you can restore your saved configuration to restore your other settings.

Revised section 4a) For all boot-ups

Clarified the following note:

Note: If your hotspot has an external display attached to its Raspberry Pi (unusual), you can watch Pi-Star start up until the login prompt is displayed, but don't log in there because you can't set up Pi-Star via the hotspot.

Jan 8, 2021

Revised The current status of Pi-Star note

Updated the final bullet point:

If you're running a hotspot based on a Raspberry Pi 3B, Zero W, or earlier, you can still download and use the Pi-Star V3.4.17 release; however, it hasn't been getting any new features for over a year now and in early 2021, an official member of the Pi-Star team described it⩘ as: "an outdated, no longer supported image." So at this time, Pi-Star V4.1.x is a much better choice.

Jan 2, 2021

Removed the note at the beginning of the article: "Nov 19, 2020: Important note about BrandMeister Security." But the note is still available in the 5d) DMR Configuration section of the article.