Raspberry Pi - micro computer - any ideas for SOTA

Just thought I’d see if anyone had thought of any SOTA use for the recently announced very cheap (£26) Raspberry Pi micro computer. I’ve ordered one to play with, need to drag my UNIX skills back out of my memory! I’ve got a while… mines not scheduled for delivery until mid May (and I expect that to be delayed).

It measures less than 9cm by 6cm. I don’t know the weight but it will be minuscule. Runs off 5V DC.
See here for specs. Raspberry Pi - Wikipedia

73
Gerald
MW6AQU

In reply to MW6AQU:

I am hoping to make use of one in the Shack, but not for SOTA.

I’m still waiting to see if I can order one from RS.

Matt M3WDS has placed an order with Farnell, but his expected delivery date seems to slip almost everyday.

Stewart G0LGS

In reply to G0LGS:

Well I shall buy one second hand from eBay once the rush of people who must have one then find out they haven’t got a clue what to do with it cut their losses.

It will be fun to go back to dealing with such a vintage ARM CPU compared to the big.LITTLE ARMs I’m dealing with at work right now. :wink:

Farnell’s web site was still somewhat shaky when I tried it a few days after the initial rush. Took 48hrs for an email note to get sent and arrive.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

The Raspberry Pi website says Farnell’s notes about delays aren’t right and they have issued a correction, i.e. those who were told they would get one in March/April still should.

I’m going to get one to play with in due course, simply because it has Linux loaded and so should be a reasonable stand alone environment for playing. I want to play with lightweight Software Defined Radio and this might well be a fun way of doing it.

RS were reasonably efficient at registering interest. Like you I may wait, it ought to be possible to set up a processor farm very cheaply if what you think might happen does! It’s not such an enormous investment though as new, even for a skinflint like me!

73
John GM8OTI

Ordered mine on the day they went on sale. Expected delivery in a note from Farnell says 14/5.

In reply to MM0FMF:

Andy,

Congratulations on the Goat; as I nearly always look at the G and only rarely at the GM or GW I feel a bit detached. How about a pair of All Britain views for Activators and Chasers, the sort of thing you Admin people can do by writing your own SQL when you need to extract some stats.

This was supposed to be a reply on Raspberry Pi; I think I shall follow your lead on this and wait. However, if someone comes up with some good SOTA or PSK31 apps then I shall feel more like joining the rush.

Best wishes for the next 1000,
73,
Rod

In reply to M0JLA:

Fldigi is available for Debian ARM. The Pi has a 700MHz ARM1176 CPU with hardware floating point and runs Debian. Job done. :wink:

I did a lot of simulation work on ARM1176 back in 2007 for our mobile phone SoC customers. This was when their designs were still pre-silicon. They used our stuff to develop the boot code and TrustZone secure code so that as soon as early silicon was available they were ready to start porting the phone stacks and apps as they had their basic code booting on our simulations.

I did think of knocking up a quick and dirty simulation of the Pi without graphics and floating point maths. But we don’t support ARM1176 any more as it is considered obsolete so getting the CPU simulation to compile with the new tools would be a big job. That’s the problem of working in front of the leading edge, stuff we worked on for clients 2 years back is just on sale now and anything we did a while back is more dated flares and kipper ties!

I’m sure there will be a lot of 2nd hand (unused) Pi boards for sale by summer.

Andy
MM0FMF

Softrock SDR transceiver + Raspberry PI + 7" LCD screen + mini keyboard + headset = next super light SOTA radio?

Steve GW7AAV

In reply to GW7AAV:

Softrock SDR transceiver + Raspberry PI + 7" LCD screen + mini
keyboard + headset = next super light SOTA radio?

… add the weight of a sunshade so you can read the screen as you laze on the summit in the summer sun… and there would be even more bits to protect when it is raining! :frowning:

I’ll be another waiting to see what happens with the secondhand market, by which time someone might have had a truly excellent eureka moment and we’ll all want one for SOTA use.

Gerald G4OIG

In reply to GW7AAV:

Softrock SDR transceiver + Raspberry PI + 7" LCD screen + mini
keyboard + headset = next super light SOTA radio?

Didn’t notice an ADC last time I looked at the spec. However, looks very interesting. Pretty sure I’ll get one at some point but not holding my breath.

Rick

Steve GW7AAV

In reply to M0RCP:

There isn’t one, there’s only audio out. ISTR reading that you need to add a USB soundcard to capture audio.

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to MM0FMF:

There isn’t one, there’s only audio out. ISTR reading that you need to
add a USB soundcard to capture audio.

USB soundcard £2.35 from Hong Kong. Oh no I just broke the bank.

Having said that I am not sure it is quite up to the job, but wow it is tiny.

Edit: eBay 99p with free postage
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-Mic-Speaker-5-1-Audio-Sound-Card-Adapter-UK-/280839575030?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_SoundCards&hash=item416357d5f6

In reply to GW7AAV:

But do they come with Linux drivers?

Rick

In reply to M0RCP:
This one does :-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-USB-2-0-3-5mm-3D-Audio-Sound-Card-Adapter-External-Virtual-7-1-Channel-/251008652466?_trksid=p4340.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DDLSL%252BSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BUA%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D280839575030%252B280839575030%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6850705912265298863

or it doesn’t it emulates a generic device.

The cheaper ones only mention Windows - they probably work - at 99p worth a try ?

Roger G4OWG

In reply to GW7AAV:

The delay is now real. The manufacturer supplied boards without integrated chokes etc. so the network port won’t work. See the RaspberryPi Website

73
John GM8OTI