Anybody out there using the USB port with Linux on a IC7410 for rig control with CQRLOG. The operating manual says it requires a windows driver to operate. I'am using Cinnamon Linux mint 18 and the C-IV for control under CQRLOG v 2.0.1 and it is working fine on a serial port.
73 John
Wed, 2016-07-27 13:42
#1
Icom USB operation with CQRLOG
Add your account to the dialout group?
I am using the latest CQRLOG on Linux Mint 17.3 with an IC-718. The first step is to assure your Linux account has access to the serial ports, (this has to be set in Mint and other Debian Linux derivatives/forks):
Even if you are using an FTDI USB-serial cable purchased for the purpose, (as I am) – you still have to be in the appropriate Linux “group”…
Added my account name to the “dialout” group via Menu | Administration | Users and groups
Click on your account, then in the right click on the groups you are currently a member of – a list will pop-up and all you have to do is put a check mark next to the “dialout” group
Why the group name “dialout”? Every file in linux has a security setting for access in terms of read/write/execute “permissions”. You are either the owner, member of a group, or “other” – the owner of most things in the system is “root”, but you should never use root as your normal user within linux to avoid accidents and security problems. So – the next best thing is to be member of the group that has rights on the item you want to use. For instance, in this case we want to access/control the ttyUSBx port. (Probably ttyUSB0, [“zero”], but it may be 1, 2 or 3 depending upon your computer/peripherals).
Back in the ’80s and early ’90s, most of us hooked up a telephone modem, which is a serial device, so they named the group given control over serial devices “dialout”. Know it seems a weird name today, but that is how it came about and it still is in use. Adding your account to Group dialout will give you the desired rights/control over serial communication on Linux, including ttyUSBx (usually ttyUSB0).
Hope this helps!
73 de W6TUX
Thanks for reply. Yes I have used the USB ports on my laptop with linux mint and CQRLOG. What I was asking about is the USB port now appearing on later model Icom radios such as my 7410. This port has 2 functions a) updating firmware and b) direct connection of audio and cat control without external interfaces such as acc or C-IV. The manual mentions a windows driver but is it possible to use on linux?
73
john-zl3aau
You could start by running the lsusb command from a terminal with the radio disconnected and running the command again after re-connecting the radio to usb. Comparing the two outputs you should be able to determine the usb chipset the Icom is using. Having that info would help sort out which driver is loading and if other configuration is necessary.
A more detailed description of the device and the driver its trying to load can be found by doing the same test with the dmesg command.
Let us know what you come up with!
Tim - KF5RLL
Hi Tim, Tried the lsusb command and found 2 extra devices listed as follows:
dev oo6 Cynal Integrated Products Inc CP210x UART Bridge / myAVR mySmart USB light
dev 003 Texas Instruments,Inc TUSB2046 Hub
I can send you a screenshot if you contact me via my QRZ.com email address
73
john-zl3aau
Well the good news is the system is recognizing the usb subsystem of the radio. So with that in mind run this command and examine the output.
"ls -l /dev/tty*" (quotes removed)
again run it with the usb to radio disconnected and then again with the radio connected. A ttyUSB0 or (...USB1-3 if you have several usb serial devices) should show up with the radio connected. That will be the device to give to CQRLOG in the TX/RX settings.
If no tty devices show up with the above command just "cd /dev" and look for a sub tty directory and look in there, some distro's might have a non-std dev directory structure.
If you find the port you will have to do some searching for the correct port speed and settings (ie. 8,n,1 stuff) and as someone stated earlier your user name has to be in the dialout group to access tty devices.
To find the audio devices for use with fldigi and other digital programs, if you have alsa installed you can try running the following:
aplay -l (should output all available playback-output devices)
arecord -l (should output all available record-input devices)
Sorry long winded, hope some of this helps, good luck with it.
Tim - KF5RLL
Thanks Tim, I have got the cat TRX working, but get funny results when I use the lsusb command, It is not consistent in listing the Cygnal device.Seems to be better on a USB3.0 port than a USB2.0 port on the computer. The Icom handbook lists the radio port as being suitable for USB1.1 or USB2.0 , I'm still investigating and will let you Know if I have success with the audio. Will be busy on other things for the coming week.
73
john-zl3aau
tried this on the rasp pi 3B and seems the radio gets usb0 and usb1 and 188 as port.
when entered in software it doesn't seem to get rig control.
user is in the outpu group , so should have acces to ports.
any tips to try out?
73
Hi
When you say usb0 or usb1 I'm sure you mean /dev/ttyUSB0. , eh?
With linux you have to use whole path of port, not like in windoze you say just com1.
Then you could try to start rigctrld from console. (Without starting cqrlog)
Rigctld -m(number of your rig) -r /dev/ttyUSB0 -vvvvv
You get rig number typing rigctld -l to get list of rig numbers.
Vvvvv sets debug an you can see errors from console.
If all looks good start another console an give
telnet localhost 4532
When get connected give f (enter) to query rig frequency.
From first console you see what happens inside of rigctld.
Cqrlog sends fmv so if f works fmv sould give freq,mode and vfo
when typed from console2
If it does not work, try with other port /dev/ttyUSB1
When it starts to work set the same port to cqrlog preferences.
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Saku
OH1KH
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Saku
OH1KH
Sorry wrong subject on last.
See this also. It is old, but might give a clue https://spinorlab.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/cqrlog-and-rigctld/
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Saku
OH1KH
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Saku
OH1KH