Linux and Yaesu CAT control.

Has anyone ever succeeded in figuring out how to make this combination work?

I tried a distribution from KB1OIQ without success, I also tried the latest Mint Linux with the same dismal results.

Audio transfers fine but there is no transmit capability nor any form of CAT control.

The radio in question is an FT-991A and the computer is an Acer AspireOne D255 netbook which originally had some form of Windows 7. I bought it from evilBay for $35 with a blank hard drive.

The size of this netbook is ideal for taking up north to a rented cabin with a wire antenna.

73s

 

Hi

I have successfully used WSJT-X with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 - The port is enumerated as /dev/ttyUSB0.

Bu there's a catch - By default non-privileged users has no rights to access /dev/ttyUSB0.

As the 'root' user, add your username to the dialout group - that will do the trick and then you will have access to the serial port. Try the below command:

Code:

# usermod -a -G dialout <your username>

Best of luck;
- RF.

 

I tried this command within Linux Mint, I had to put a "sudo" in front of it because it wouldn't accept it otherwise. Still there was no CAT control, no ability to toggle transmit even after this.

I ran "lsusb" with and without the Yaesu plugged in and I did note changes as the computer identified "something" on the USB port. And I tried to correlate this information with what the software (WSJT-X, FLRig, FLDigi) saw.

None of the software packages installed can even identify which port the Yaesu exists on. Within these software, when choosing a port, there seems to be about 70 choices many of which have "tty" in their identification. I tried as many as I could without success.

What happened next, my ability to administer to system from my regular login, using my password, to run Synaptic or do any software changes, it was blocked. I suspected it had to do with the "usermod" command.

I repeated the command then but changed it to # usermod -a G sudo <my username> and this restored my administrative ability but still didn't get the computer to be able to "talk" to the Yaesu.

The distro from KB1OIQ seems to be less manageable, there's something in the readme files about how to address it but I'm apt to dump it if it looks too much like a lab experiment and not something I should take up on a northern trip to a cabin.

I can control the Yaesu from a Macbook I have. That took some effort but it does work. But the Macbook isn't my first choice to take up north, I won't be totally alone and theft or loss remain a concern with such a device, hence the drive towards using an older cheaper Netbook.

73s

 

Hi

Try the hacky way - using udev rules.

See the second solution, the udev one:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/112...non-default-user-to-use-serial-device-ttyusb0

Also - ensure if the radio is indeed /dev/ttyUSB0. How to ensure that?

Check with ls with and without the radio connected to the USB port.

There should be no such device with the equipment disconnected from the usb port.

 

$sudo chmod 777 /dev/ttyUSB0

or

#chmod 777 /dev/ttyUSB0

(always works, but you have to do this every time you boot your computer)

 

I installed Ubuntu 20.02 now and have installed FLRig, FLDigi and WSJTX.

I tried "usermod -a -G dialout <your username>" and rebooted, with no success from FLRig.

I tried "sudo chmod 777 /dev/ttyUSB0" with no success.

I tried selecting any of a variety of TTY port choices and FLRig always returns this same answer:

"Transceiver not responding.
Check serial (COM) port connection.
Open menu Config/Setup/Transceiver
Press 'Ser Port' button, reselect port
Press 'Init' button."

I follow these instructions and nothing ever responds. I see the radio is set to 14.074. FLRig reports 14.070.

I know the radio and cable work. I can make it all work with Windows 10 desktop or a Macbook, same hardware, same radio.

73s

 

It's sort of working now all by itself. It took several reboots, cycling power on everything.

FLRig still doesn't work. I know on my Windows 10 box and my Macbook that FLRig is a necessity when talking to Yaesu radios.

On the Ubuntu 20.02 netbook I'm able to get both WSJT-X and FLDigi to work without FLRig. But like I said, there was some measure of power cycling/rebooting and a certain amount of cursing involved. Maybe the cursing solved it, Hi hi.

73s

 

Yes, I've experienced Ubuntu and its branches (such as Mint) have many of the drivers/codecs associated with ham radio. No need to try to load any of them.

$ dmesg | grep -w "USB*"

will show you what's been recognized. For example, I connected an MFJ TNC-X via a USB port on Mint and the above command has:

[ 1210.722597] usb 1-7: new full-speed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[ 1210.876415] usb 1-7: New USB device found, idVendor=0403, idProduct=6001, bcdDevice= 6.00
[ 1210.876420] usb 1-7: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 1210.876423] usb 1-7: Product: FT232R USB UART
[ 1211.111369] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[ 1211.123524] usbserial: USB Serial support registered for FTDI USB Serial Device
[ 1211.123583] ftdi_sio 1-7:1.0: FTDI USB Serial Device converter detected
[ 1211.124516] usb 1-7: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0

...this in it. (1210 seconds after boot up, it connected--that's when I plugged the USB cable in...)

This tells me the TNC-X is recognized and is functioning on /dev/ttyUSB0.

The above command should give you the necessary info for future reference. If it's not working, you should be able to determine at least which ttyUSB* it's trying to connect to. Then,

$ sudo chmod 777 /dev/ttyUSB*

or

# chmod 777 /dev/ttyUSB*

will open up the permissions to allow anyone/anything to use that USB port. THEN fire up FLRig and tell it to attach to that USB number (/dev/ttyUSB*) and it should work. Then tell FLDigi to use FLRig.

This works every time for me. Last time I did this was a few months ago.

 

Using 777 privileges for this purpose is like opening a window with a hammer.

644 would be my first try, and 666 my second--but never 777 outside of the home directory.

 

I don't disagree. But how many Icom, Yaesu and Kenwood radios have you heard of that've been taken over by malware? It might become an issue in the future. But I don't think it's anything to worry about now.