Raspberry Pi Overview West Chester Amateur Radio Association - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Raspberry Pi Overview

West Chester Amateur Radio Association January 14, 2013 Monthly Program Meeting Presenter: Scott Pettigrew - N8VSI

What is a Raspberry Pi?

• Credit-card sized general-purpose

computer

• Boots from SD Card
• “System on Chip” design provides:

–

700 MHz ARM11 CPU

–

VideoCore GPU

• Linux-based OS (Android in dev)
• 2 USB ports
• 10/100 Wired Ethernet
• Designed to plug into TV (HDMI /

Composite video out)

• Can play full HD Video

“Overall real-world performance is something like a 300MHz Pentium 2, only with much, much swankier graphics”

• www.raspberrypi.org/faqs

What do you need?

Basic Setup

• Micro-USB Cell Phone

Charger

• SD Memory Card

– 4 GB or greater – Class 4 or better

(Class 10 preferred!)

• Operating System Image

– Written to SD Card

What else do you need?

Basic Setup

• USB Keyboard
• USB Mouse

What else do you need?

Basic Setup

• Ethernet Connection
• TV or Monitor capable of

HDMI or Composite connection

– DVI possible with adapter

Advanced Operations

• Powered USB Hub

– Total USB output from

Raspberry Pi: 200 mA

• USB Sound Card
• USB WiFi Adapter
• Battery Pack
• Pi-Cobbler
• TTL Converter

What Can You Do With It?

General Uses

• Learn Linux!
• Web Server
• Print Server
• Network Attached Storage (NAS)
• Inexpensive Media Center

(xbmc)

• Programming

– Python – Ruby

Amateur Radio Uses

• Satellite tracking

(gpredict)

• Station logging

(xlog)

• APRS tracking

(xastir)

• Packet Station

(minicom +TNC or soundmodem)

• Portable D-Star Gateway &

Repeater

Amateur Radio Uses

• Remote Station Control (rigctl)
• Station Grounding via Internet

– Use GPIO to switch coaxial relays

• Low Power Consumption Digital Station?

– Fldigi currently does not run well, but code is

being worked on to make it more efficient.

– Some reports on success with WSPR, particularly

with transmit. However, 25 – 60 second decode times are being reported

Where To Get One

MCM Electronics MCM Electronics

www.mcmelectronics.com Order on internet. Your order can be:

• Shipped (~ $13)
• r
• Picked up at will call in

3 hours (free)

Adafruit Adafruit

www.adafruit.com Order on internet, orders fulfilled by mail (from ~$4.55) Pis are a little more expensive ($40) Also carries many accessories!