BPQ¶

Set Up Repo¶

If you have not already done so, set up the repo as shown here.

Install¶

To install LinBPQ from the repo, run the below commands:

Terminal Commands

sudo apt update && sudo apt install linbpq

Pre-Configure¶

We need to prepare the system and get configuration files in place. This must be run on the command line, it's simply the fastest way.

Copy these three lines, one-at-a-time into your terminal and hit enter after each one.

Terminal Commands

sudo cp /usr/share/doc/linbpq/examples/bpq32.cfg /etc/bpq32.cfg
sudo chown :linbpq /etc/bpq32.cfg
sudo chmod 644 /etc/bpq32.cfg

Tip

Without a config file installed to /etc/bpq32.cfg, BPQ from the repo will not start. If you are looking to use a config file in a different location, remove or modify ConditionPathExists=/etc/bpq32.cfg in /usr/lib/systemd/system/linbpq.service

Configure¶

The configuration file I ship in the repo, there are hopefully some obvious fields to fill out.

You can find the configuration file at /etc/bpq32.cfg and use something like Featherpad to edit it.

Tip

To learn more about editing text in Linux, see here.

Field	Example	Purpose
NODECALL	MM0RFN	The callsign your node shall identify as
NODEALIAS	RFNNOD	The alias a calling NET/ROM station can use to connect directly to you
LOCATOR	IO87dc	A 6 figure Maidenhead square where you are
PASSWORD	test123	A sysop password for configuration activities
AUTOSAVE	1	Autosave the NET/ROM Nodes Table on shutdown
NODESINTERVAL	30	Interval between NET/ROM NODES broadcasts in minutes
MINQUAL	50	The minimum quality of NET/ROM node included in your NODES broadcasts.
CTEXT	`Hi you look great! ***`	Text displayed when a user connects

Ports¶

Port configuration blocks in BPQNode aren't too complicated. A common Gotcha is that you configure a port specific broadcast and end up double-broadcasting, both the node master broadcast and the port specific one.

KISS¶

A common port entry for a NinoTNC specifically (but also, more generally, a KISS Modem) looks like:

PORT
  PORTNUM=1
  ID=VHF
  TYPE=ASYNC
  PROTOCOL=KISS
  KISSOPTIONS=ACKMODE
  COMPORT=/dev/ttyACM0
  SPEED=57600
  FRACK=4000
  PACLEN=150
  DIGIFLAG=0
  QUALITY=192
  MINQUAL=20
ENDPORT

Key settings to observe are the COMPORT, which should be the serial port of the device, and SPEED. For a NinoTNC this is always 57600, but for QtSoundModem, Direwolf or older hardware may be 9600 or something else. Check your modem configuration!

QUALITY sets the assumed quality of connections coming in - I recommend higher quality (up to 200) for higher speed links. Setting this to 0 will disable NET/ROM on the port, and this is current recommended standard practise on HF within the UK Packet Radio Network.

Telnet¶

BPQ's Telnet Port sets the TCP Ports for Telnet, FBB and HTTP connections, alongside the username and password. This will come in useful when using QtTTCP as a monitor and control application.

PORT
  PORTNUM=9
  ID=Telnet
  DRIVER=Telnet
  CONFIG
    LOGGING=1
    CMS=1
    DisconnectOnClose=1
    TCPPORT=8010
    FBBPORT=8011
    HTTPPORT=8008
    LOGINPROMPT=user:
    PASSWORDPROMPT=password:
    MAXSESSIONS=10
    CTEXT=Thanks for connecting\n Enter ? for list of commands\n\n
    USER=username,xxxxxxxx,m0aaa,,SYSOP
ENDPORT

USER is the key configuration to change here - change username to your desired administrator username, xxxxxxx to the password and m0aaa to the callsign of the administrator.

Startup¶

Head back to the terminal and run

Terminal Commands

sudo systemctl start linbpq

This will tell the system you want to start the linbpq service. Navigate to http://127.0.0.1:8008 if you are on the systme you've performed the install on and you should see a webpage like below:

bpq welcome page