Applications for Amateur Radio

Fedora includes a number of applications and libraries that are of interest to amateur radio operators and electronic hobbyists. This note outlines those applications. Many of these applications are included in the 'Fedora Electronic Lab' spin. Fedora also includes a number of VLSI and IC design tools which have been omitted from this list.

Sound Card Modes
Fedora includes a number of applications that allow the radio amateur to use the various sound card modes. These applications range from multi mode packages like and  to specialized single mode applications like and  and the SSTV package.

The table below shows which applications support which modes:

SDR
The package is a collection of software designed to implement software defined radio. This is a scheme where fairly minimal hardware is used, and much of the common receiver circuitry is replaced by software.

Basic AX.25 packet
The foundation for AX.25 packet implementations is provided by three packages:


 * provides the underlying AX.25 capabilities


 * provides tools used to configure those capabilities


 * Provides a few basic AX.25 applications:


 * axcall: a general purpose AX.25, NET/ROM and ROSE connection program.


 * axlisten: a network monitor of all AX.25 traffic heard by the system.


 * ax25ipd: an RFC1226 compliant daemon which provides encapsulation of AX.25 traffic over IP.

Packet Applications
colrdx DX-cluster client with curses color support

Colrdx is a simple client for amateur radio dx-clusters. In a split-screen display you can type commands for the cluster in the bottom part. Messages from the dx-cluster will appear in the main window. There is also a status line at the top with some basic information.

node Simple node front end, modelled after the node shells of TheNet and G8BPQ nodes

This is a simple node frontend for Linux kernel AX.25, NETROM, ROSE and TCP. It's based on pms.c by Alan Cox (GW4PTS) but has been heavily modified since.

xdx DX cluster TCP/IP client for amateur radio

xdx is a client to connect to a DX-cluster. DX messages will be displayed in a list, announcements will go to a text display.

As well as the usual functions, if you have hamlib installed it can control the radio and set the frequency simply by double clicking a DX-spot (using rigctl).

APRS
aprsd Internet gateway and client access to amateur radio APRS packet data

APRSd is an APRS daemon that uses amateur radio and the Internet to convey weather and positional data in real-time.

xastir Amateur Station Tracking and Reporting System

xastir is a graphical application that uses amateur radio and the Internet to map and report in real-time using APRS data.

gEDA
The gEDA suite consists of an integrated set of schematics applications for capture, net listing, circuit simulation and PCB layout.

geda-docs-20080127-1 Documentation for gEDA

This package contains documentation for the gEDA project.

geda-examples-20080127-2 Circuit examples for gEDA

This package contains circuit examples for the gEDA project.

geda-gattrib-20080127-2 Attribute editor for gEDA

gattrib is gEDA's attribute editor. It reads a set of schematic files and creates a spreadsheet showing all components in rows with the associated component attributes listed in the columns. It allows the user to add, modify, or delete component attributes outside of gschem, and then save the schematic files. Component attribute editing is implemented while pin and attributes are read-only.

geda-gnetlist-20080127-1 Netlister for the gEDA project

gnetlist generates net lists from schematics drawn with gschem (the gEDA schematic editor). Output formats include:
 * native
 * tango
 * spice
 * allegro
 * PCB
 * verilog

and others.

geda-gschem-20080127-2 Electronics schematics editor

gschem is an electronics schematic editor.

geda-gsymcheck-20080127-1 Symbol checker for electronics schematics editor

gsymcheck is a utility to check symbols for gschem.

geda-symbols-20080127-1 Electronic symbols for gEDA

This package contains symbols of electronic devices used by gschem, the gEDA project schematic editor.

geda-utils-20080127-2 Several utilities for the gEDA project.

gerbv-2.0.0-1 Gerber file viewer from the gEDA toolkit

Gerber Viewer (gerbv) is a reader for Gerber files. Gerber files are generated from PCB CAD systems and sent to PCB manufacturers as the basis for production. The standard supported by gerbv is RS-274X.

gerbv also supports drill files. The formats supported include NC-drill and Excellon. Drill file formats are not standardized.

pcb-0.20080202-2 An interactive printed circuit board editor

PCB is an interactive printed circuit board editor for the X window system. PCB includes a rats nest feature, design rule validation, and industry standard RS-274-X (Gerber), NC drill, and centroid data (X-Y data) output for use in the board fabrication and assembly process. PCB offers high end features such as an autorouter and trace optimizer which can tremendously reduce layout time.

Circuit Simulation
gnucap-0.35-4 The Gnu Circuit Analysis Package

The primary component is a general purpose circuit simulator. It performs non-linear DC and transient analyses, Fourier analysis, and AC analysis. Spice compatible models for the MOSFET (level 1-7), BJT, and diode are included in this release. Gnucap is not based on Spice, but some of the models have been derived from the Berkeley models. Unlike Spice, the engine is designed to do true mixed-mode simulation. Most of the code is in place for future support of event driven analog simulation, and true multi-rate simulation.

gspiceui-0.9.65-2 GNU Spice GUI provides a GUI to freely available Spice electronic cicuit simulators such as GnuCAP and Ng-Spice. It uses gNetList to convert schematic files to net list files and gWave to display simulation results. gSchem is used as the schematic generation/viewing tool.

ngspice-17-16 ngspice is a general-purpose circuit simulator program implementing three classes of analysis:


 * Non-linear DC analyses
 * Non-linear Transient analyses
 * Linear AC analyses

ngspice implements the usual circuits elements, such as resistors, capacitors, inductors (single or mutual), transmission lines and a growing number of semiconductor devices including diodes, bipolar transistors, mosfets (both bulk and SOI), mesfets, jfet and HFET.

ngspice integrates Xspice, a mixed-mode simulator built upon spice3c1 and can be modififed to utilize spice3f5. Xspice provides a codemodel interface and an event-driven simulation algorithm. Users can develop their own models for devices using the codemodel interface. ngspice may be used for VLSI simulations as well.

qucs-0.0.14-1 Circuit simulator

Qucs is a circuit simulator with graphical user interface. The software aims to support all kinds of circuit simulation types, e.g. DC, AC, S-parameter and harmonic balance analysis.

Other schematic capture applications
iverilog-0.9.20080429-1 Icarus Verilog is a verilog compiler and simulator

Icarus Verilog is a Verilog compiler that generates a variety of engineering formats, including simulation. It strives to be true to the IEEE-1364 standard.

kicad-2007.07.09-4 Electronic schematic diagrams and printed circuit board artwork

Kicad is an open source (GPL) software package for the creation of electronic schematic diagrams and printed circuit board artwork up to 16 layers. Kicad is a set of four softwares and a project manager:


 * Eeschema: schematic entry
 * Pcbnew: board editor
 * Gerbview: GERBER viewer (photoplotter documents)
 * Cvpcb: footprint selector for components used in the circuit design
 * Kicad: project manager

xcircuit-3.4.28-1 Electronic circuit schematic drawing program

Xcircuit is a general-purpose drawing program and also a specific-purpose CAD program for circuit schematic drawing and schematic capture.

Rig Control
grig-0.7.2-5 A amateur radio control graphical user interface

Grig is a graphical user interface for the amateur radio control Libraries. It is intended to be simple and generic, presenting the user to the same interface regardless of which radio he or she uses.

hamlib-1.2.7-2 Hamlib radio control library.

Hamlib provides a standardised programming interface that applications can use to send the appropriate commands to a radio.

Also included in the package is a simple radio control program 'rigctl', which lets one control a radio transceiver or receiver, either from command line interface or in a text-oriented interactive interface.

Logging
LinLog-0.3-4 A amateur radio logbook for Linux

LinLogBook is a highly configurable amateur radio logbook for Linux that uses an SQL database to store its data. For the ease of use SQLite 3 is used but it should be possible to use other databases such as MySQL.

qle-0.0.10 A QSO Logger and log Editor

The qle-package is a graphic QSO log viewer, log editor and QSO logger for amateur radio operators. 'qle' stands for QSO Logger and  Editor. It is a Perl/Tk script that logs (or modifies)  QSOs directly  in a fast and  light-weight SQLite database. The term QSO comes from Q code used in commercial and amateur radio communication and in refers to a radio contact. Intended use: casual logging of rag-chew and contest QSOs. The logger caters for CW operators. Table headings, fonts, colours and  other  attributes are  set in  a user-editable configuration  file. The SQLite log schema supplied may be  altered to suit your  taste, provided  the configuration  file is updated accordingly.

xlog-1.7-3 Logging program for amateur radio operators

xlog is a logging program for amateur radio operators. The log is stored into a text file. QSO's are presented in a list. Items in the list can be added, deleted or updated. For each contact, DXCC information is displayed and bearings and distance is calculated, both short and long path. xlog supports trlog, adif, cabrillo, edit, twlog and editest files.

Others
aldo-0.7.5-2 Aldo - Morse code learning tool

Aldo is a Morse code learning tool released under GPL, which provides four type of training methods:


 * Classic exercise - Identify random characters played in Morse code.
 * Koch method - Two Morse code characters will be played at full speed (20wpm) until you’ll be able to identify at least 90 percent of them. After that, one more character will be added, and so on.
 * Read from file - Identify the Morse code generated from a file.
 * Callsign exercise - Identify random callsigns played in Morse code.

dxcc-20080225-4 ARRL DXCC entity identification application

dxcc is a small utility which determines the ARRL DXCC entity of a amateur radio callsign, based on the cty.dat country file by Jim Reisert, AD1C. dxcc has an optional GUI showing the DXCC entity location on a world map.

demorse-0.9-2 Command-line tool for decoding Morse code signals

demorse is a command line tool for translating Morse code signals into text. demorse detects the "dihs" and "dahs" that make a Morse code character via the computer's sound card, which can be connected to a radio receiver tuned to a Morse code transmission or to a tone generator.

The input signal is processed by a Goertzel tone detector which produces "mark" or "space" (signal/no signal) outputs and the resulting stream of Morse code "elements" is decoded into an ASCII character for printing to the screen. Currently demorse is a non- interactive command line tool for the console and decoded Morse signals are sent to stdout.

gpredict-0.9.0-3 Real-time satellite tracking and orbit prediction program

Gpredict is a real-time satellite tracking and orbit prediction program written using the Gtk+ widgets. Gpredict is targeted mainly towards amateur radio operators but others interested in satellite tracking may find it useful as well. Gpredict uses the SGP4/SDP4 algorithms, which are compatible with the NORAD Keplerian elements.

gpsman-6.3.2 A GPS manager

GPS Manager (GPSMan) is a graphical manager of GPS data that makes possible the preparation, inspection and edition of GPS data in a friendly environment. GPSMan supports communication and real-time logging with both Garmin and Lowrance receivers and accepts real- time logging information in NMEA 0183 from any GPS receiver.

gresistor-0.0.1-12 Gnome resistor color code calculator

To allow for identification, resistors are usually marked with colored bands. Often refereed to as color codes, these markings are indicative of their resistance, tolerance and temperature coefficient. gResistor is a great program that will help you translate a resistor color codes into a readable value.

gridloc-0.6-5 gridloc is a ncurses console application for the calculation of Maidenhead QRA Locators from location coordinates, and vice-versa. gridloc also calculates distance and direction from a home location to another location.

gtkwave-3.1.13-1 GTKWave is a waveform viewer that can view VCD files produced by most Verilog simulation tools, as well as LXT files produced by certain Verilog simulation tools.

ibp-0.21 A tool to show which IBP beacons are transmitting

The International Beacon Project is a set of 18 amateur (ham) radio transmitters around the world, each of which transmit every 3 minutes on a set of 5 short-wave frequencies. This allows short wave radio users to quickly assess the current worldwide propagation conditions. Much more information can be found on http://www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html

tqsllib-2.0-4 Trusted QSL Library

tqsllib provides functions for signing amateur radio QSL data to create tQSLs. tQSLs can be uploaded to the ARRL Logbook of the World projct for credit towards amateur radio awards.

unixcw-2.3-2 Shared library for Morse programs

The UnixCW utilities add a general purpose Morse code library to your system, and a small set of applications based around this library. These applications form a Morse code tutor suite, useful for Amateur and Marine radio operators.