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--- member-projects:m0jqq_-_bpq_for_beginners [2024/02/10 22:40] – [Hierarchical addressing] mm0uhr
+++ member-projects:m0jqq_-_bpq_for_beginners [2024/12/15 12:44] (current) – [Monitoring a Remote Battery Voltage] section added m0jqq
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 Or "What I have learnt on my journey"...
+==== Things to check... ====
+  - What s the relationship between NODESINTERVAL within the port config and SIMPLE in the config header?
+  - Found a new command to temporarily stop ports (needs SYSOP access) <STOPPORT n> & <STARTPORT n>
+  - Writeup Node Help: Create a NodeHelp.txt file in /opt/oarc/bpq. This can contain anything you like. The command <help> from node level will present the contents of this file to the user.
+  - Mine is
+<code>
+****************************
+*         Ask Tom!         *
+* Always the best route :) *
+****************************
+</code>
 ==== Configuring your node for mail ====
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 === Status ===
-{{ :member-projects:mail_mgmt-status.jpg?600 |}}
+{{ :member-projects:mail_mgmt-status.jpg?600|}}
+The status page does not really show much. Here you can monitor live use of your node, see who is logged in to each (virtual) stream.
+You can also see a count of messages in the system.
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+**NOTE:-** Message count needs verification.
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 === Main configuration ===
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 Many boxes to complete and lots of checks to get right. Let's try to take these one at a time.
-  * BBS Call: Your node callsign
+  * **BBS Call:** Your node callsign
-  * SYSOP Call: Your callsign.
+  * **SYSOP Call:** Your callsign.
-  * H Route: Your node's 'address'; the # indicates the county, followed by country and continent codes a.. separated by a dot.
+  * **H Route:** Your node's 'address'; the # indicates the county, followed by country and continent codes a.. separated by a dot.
-  * Redirect msgs to BBS Call to SYSOP Call: Self explanatory (I think)
+  * **Redirect msgs to BBS Call to SYSOP Call:** Self explanatory (I think)
-  * BBS APPL No: The SSID of your BBS; by convention usually 1
+  * **BBS APPL No:** The SSID of your BBS; by convention usually 1
-  * Streams: Maximum number of simultaneous contacts. 32 is good enough
+  * **Streams:** Maximum number of simultaneous contacts. 32 is good enough
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 == Now the check boxes ==
-Mostly self explnanatory but beware of the double negatives
+Mostly self explanatory but beware of the double negatives.
+  * Send System Msgs to SYSOP Call
+  * Refuse Bulls
+  * Enable FBB UI System
+  *     Send Mail For Beacons every  30    Minutes
+  * Don't Hold Messages From New Users
+  * Set Don't add WINLINK.ORG flag on new users
+  * Don't Request Name
+  * Don't Request Home BBS
+  * Dont Check From Call
+  * Allow users to kill T messages
+  * Forward Messages to BBS Call
+  * Don't allow unknown users
+  * Enable Event Reporting
 == Ignore the rest until you get to **WP Params** ==
 WP Destinations is where you would list stations you wish to receive any WP Updates generated by your node Housekeeping (more of which later)
+You have the option to reject WP bulletins and to sent yours either as bulletins or personals.
+\\
+**NOTE:-** Further research needed here :(
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 == Message Filters ==
+Here you can define rules to filter messages accepted by your node.
+You can filter by message **From, To or AT** fields to accept, reject or hold (for other users).
 TBH - not really sure of these. We need an edit...
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-Initial description which can be fully completed at a later date
 === Users ===
+{{ :member-projects:users2.jpg?600|}}
-Example of a node and a BBS - descriptions as required
+Illustrated are my node settings for GB7IOW, is it fully correct? Not sure: Does it work? Yes!
+We are only concerned, at present, about packet mail routing but not email via winlink.
-=== Messages ===
+The meaning of the fields are:
+  * **BBS:** A BBS system. Allows the BBS to queue messages for forwarding to it, to use compressed (B/B1/B2) forwarding protocols and to accept messages sent on behalf of other users..
-Screensnip & description
+   * **PMS:** Personal Message System. Allows use of software such as Winpack, to use FBB compressed forwarding, even though it isn't a BBS.
+   * **Expert:** Changes the BBS prompt, normally to just >, but can be configured.
+   * **Excluded:** Prevents the user from connecting.
+   * **Hold Messages:** Prevents messages being seen by other users or forwarded until released by the sysop. This allows the sysop to review messages, as required by some licensing authorities
+   * **NTS MPS:** Message pickup station. Allows stations to retrieve NTS messages that would normally be forwarded to them on a "first come first served" basis.
+   * **Redirect to RMS:** Messages for this user will be forwarded to [email protected].
+   * **Send Mail For to APRS:** Whan a message arrives for this user send an APRS message to User-SSID.
+   * **Permit Email:** Allows users to use the ISP Gateway. Any user can send via RMS, so long as the RMS gateway is configured.
+   * **Poll RMS for SSID's:** This allows the BBS to download messages for the user from the Winlink system, for local storage or onward forwarding. You can specify up to 3 SSIDs to poll, as Winlink. unlike the packet system, treats for example G8BPQ and G8BPQ-2 as separate accounts.
+   * **RMS Express User:** This allow a user (who is not also a BBS) to connect to the BBS using RMS Express. Specifically it includes B2 in the SID, which RMS needs. It isn't needed for Airmail, which doesn't require any special SID.
+   * **Don't Add @winlink,org:** If an RMS Express user addresses a message to [email protected], RMS Express removes the winlink.org and only sends the callsign. Normally BPQ adds the winlink.org back if it receives just a callsign in the TO address. as that is what most RMS Express users would expect. However in some cases (eg a system without an interface to Winlink) this isn't appropriate, so can be disabled.
+   * **Allow Sending Bulls:** Enables the user to send B type messages.
+   * **CMS Pass:** This field holds the password required for Secure logon to Winlink servers.
+   * RMS Express can be used as a client to the BBS, but there are some issues to watch.
+ \\
+=== Messages ===
+{{ :member-projects:messages.jpg?600|}}
+Here you can view messages received and their forwarding status.
+top of the frame is the Message number which can be selected from the list of links to the left; there is also a filter if required.
+most of the fram is given over to displaying message fields. The most useful aspect is the coloured frames which indicate the state of each message as selected.
+  * **White:** No forwarding set
+  * **Yellow:** Message queued for this user
+  * **Green:** Message sent
+  * You can click on the field to cycle through status selections. Useful if you need to resend.
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 === Forwarding ===
+{{ :member-projects:forwarding.jpg?600|}}
+\\
 The complex bit - lots of work here
+\\
 The only problem to be solved in forwarding is where you should forward a message to next. If the message goes to the next-best BBS then it is assumed that BBS will pass it on correctly. Each BBS doing it's part correctly forms the network magic. All you need to do is work out one step.
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+=== Welcome Messages & Prompts ===
+{{ :member-projects:welcome_prompts.jpg?600|}}
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+Mostly self explanatory
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+=== Housekeeping ===
+{{ :member-projects:housekeeping.jpg?600|}}
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+=== WP menu ===
+{{ :member-projects:wp_updates.jpg?600|}}
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 ==== Hierarchical addressing ====
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 ==== Templates and scenarios ====
-| |One other BBS|Just your region | Gateway to the world | Through Traffic|
+^ ^One other BBS^Just your region^Gateway to the world^Through Traffic^
 |A personal is sent to you|The Big BBS delivers it to you|One of your neighbours passes it to you|One of your neighbours passes it to you| One of your neighbours passes it to you.|
 |You send a personal mail within your region|It goes to the only other BBS you know about. WW matches every HA rule|If you can see the BBS, an implicit AT rule will forward it that way. If you can't see it, then explicit HA rules will forward it to the next-best BBS you can see|You pass it into your region because those implicit or explicit rules match more specifically than the WW rule for outside the region|Forwarded by implicit or explicit rules|
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-=== Welcome Messages & Prompts ===
-Mostly self explanatory
-=== Housekeeping ===
+==== Monitoring a Remote Battery Voltage ====
+GB7AAAX is powered via solar panels and we found there was a need to monitor the battery voltage.
-=== WP menu ===
+I've elected to use the an ADC on an Arduino board to read the voltage from a divider circuit in order to reduce the input to no greater than 5 volts. The Arduino is  powered and communicates via USB to the RPi.
+=== Arduino Nano ===
+== Wiring ==
+{{:member-projects:voltage_monitor_wiring.png?400|}}
+== Arduino code ==
+<code>
+//To measure up to 15V dc
+#define inputPin A0
+// mvpc is a measurement of actual millivolsts per count (5v ref/1064)
+const float mvpc = 4.55;
+//counts are the ouput of the adc
+float counts = 0;
+float mv = 0;
+float multi = 3;
+//multi depends on voltage divider setup (3 x 5k in series)
+float output = 0;
+void setup() {
+  // put your setup code here, to run once:
+Serial.begin (115200);
+}
+void loop() {
+  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
+counts = analogRead (inputPin);
+mv = counts * mvpc;
+output = (mv * multi) / 1000;
+Serial.println("GB7AAX Solar Battery = " + String(output)+" Volts");
+delay (5000);
+}
+</code>
+== Create python3 script – battMonitor.py==
+Depending on RPI OS version, you may need to install Python and/or Python libraries
+<code>
+cd ~/
+nano battMonitor.py
+#!/usr/bin python3
+import serial
+import time
+sdata = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 115200, timeout=1.0)
+time.sleep(2)
+sdata.reset_input_buffer()
+print("Arduino Connected")
+try:
+        while True:
+                time.sleep(0.01)
+                if sdata.in_waiting >0:
+                        file = open("/opt/oarc/bpq/beacon" ,"w")
+                        battState = sdata.readline().decode('utf-8').rstrip()
+                        file.write(f"{battState}"+"\n")
+                        file.close()
+                        print (battState)
+except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        print("Serial Comms Closed")
+        sdata.close()
+        file.close()
+</code>
+Make it executable <code> chmod +x battMonitor.py </code>
+== Create bash startup script – getBattMonitor.sh ==
+<code>
+nano getBattMonitor.sh
+#!/bin/bash
+sudo python3 /home/robin/battMonitor.py
+sleep 1
+</code>
+Make it executable <code> chmod +x getBattMonitor.sh </code>
+ == Create beacon file ==
+<code> sudo touch /opt/oarc/bpq/beacon && sudo chown linbpq:linbpq /opt/oarc/bpq/beacon</code>
+Now is the time to test your work. Connect a variable power supply set to less tha 5 volts to the batt+ and Gnd connections of your Arduino and measure the voltage between GND & A0 It should be about one third of your variable power supply voltage.
+Start the script with <code> ~/getBattMonitor.sh </code> After a few seconds you should see something like the following...
+a <code> get /opt/oarc/bpq/beacon </code> from a second terminal should match and follow the output at 5 second intervals
-=== Return via Node Menu ===