I really like the features of the remote base on app_rpt. I have ran into
many walls, and am getting annoyed at the limits. First, why can't I have
custom remote commands that run a shell script?
I have written my own shell scripts that steer my radio to where I want it
to go, because cop commands are not valid in a function-remote stanza, I
have had to set up my entire node as a standard allstar node, and make it
private so only select people can transmit on it. Although it would have
been neat to let anyone listen, and permit TX to stations with the login, I
have not found a way to do so while allowing my shell scripts to be
executed being a user of the remote base.
Second, I wish there were more options for telemetry. If I run a playback,
it will transmit out of my remote base (now in a standard node
configuration) as well as a remote link. I really wish there was a playback
style command that ONLY plays remotely, not locally. I can't have my custom
audio files giving channel steering confirmation announcements coming out
of 52 simplex.
What I have been able to do is hack around it, use the event management
system, a few scripts, and the System disable / enable command so that when
a station connects, the transmitter automatically disables, plays a
message, and then requires DTMF to re-enable the transmitter. I also have
it automatically disable TX when the channel is steered so it can run a
playback without actually TX'ing over the remote base transmitter. The
problem I have run into is that the transmitter needs to be enabled for a
station to connect, so I have to re enable the transmitter when the number
of nodes = 0. It's almost too much hacky hacky for a mountaintop remote
base that needs to be reliable.
The other part that is sort of annoying is every time the TX is enabled
(*902 i think) , the user hears "TXENA" (I know, It is not RPTENA because
my distro has a modified source code which changed it to TX just to make it
a little shorter)
For anyone interested, this is my steer script : amsatnet.info/steer32.sh.
I made a few modifications after writing that script, ignore the re-enable
transmitter at the end, that is what the user has to do by DTMF. Feel free
to give suggestions or hints to features I don't know about.
73
Skyler KD0WHB
