Pyssel

Updated 2024-06-06 ! After having tested several methods creating a bootable USB SSD, or other USB drive, for Raspberry Pi(RPi) 3 4 and 5, I finished with this simple method Create the setup you want on a ordinary SD card(Or use existing) Make a bootable backup/clone of the SD card saving it to the USB SSD Remove the SD card and boot from the USB SSD Having a RPi 4, 5 ? Use this post on how to write the OS direct to the SSD.  

Updated 2024-06-05 ! Yes, it's really true ! Thats the maximum time it takes to write the Raspberry Pi(RPi) OS to a bootable USB SSD and maybe read this post ? If you have a RPi 4, 5 and a USB SSD or  other USB drive , that works as a boot media, just use  the RPi imager which can write the image direct to  the USB  storage. Having an older RPi ? Use this post instead. If you already have a SD card with working applications and you want to "transfer",  copy/clone,  them to a bootable SSD use this post .

Im using NodeRed together with  Speedtest by Ookla  but just the other day it wasn't showing the right data so it was time for "Bredbandskollen", the command line version. Bredbandskollen has always been a reliable source when testing internet speed.  I'm using their WEB-site and the iPhone app and it have always worked very well. This post will show how to plot data in a graph according to the picture.

Just the other day the backlight for our classic Raymarine E 120, Navigator(MFD), stopped working. It's from 2006 so I'm not surprised that things happen. You may wonder why we keep it instead of buying a new one but the thing is that we have 2 installed together with a well functioning radar so buying new stuff will be a hefty price tag. After some Googling I found out that the backlight is produced by a CCFL , a type of neon light, and can give up after some years. The Googling also gave some tips how to change to a LED backlight. The picture above is showing a test with a short LED light strip to verify the solution, with dimming working, and checking the health of the MFD.

Updated 2024-05-03 ! In Signal K (SK) there are 2 applications, in SK appstore, that can handle charts Freeboard SK (FSK) Tuktuk Chart Plotter (TT) FSK, preinstalled, uses the OpenSeaMap charts(OSC)  when you are online.  If you want to use offline charts or other chart resources you have to install " @signalk/charts-plugin "(CP)

If you are running the IVT Anywhere or the  Bosch Easy remote  app you probably also can  retrieve its data with for example NodeRed.  With the nice application  Bosch XMPP you can set up an integration with the cloud service supplied by your vendor.

Updated 2024-03-01 ! OpenPlotter(OP), a Boat Navigation application, is really a nice and simple installation of OpenPlotter (OP) OpenCPN (OC) SignalK (SK)  and other supporting applications for Your boat. An overall information about the OP package is found here . Install guide for the new stable OP, version 4, is found here .

Updated 2024-02-20 ! A very nice way to fix a backup is to make a copy, bootable, of the actual SD card You are using on the Raspberry Pi(RPi). This will be done even when the RPi is up and running ! This application can also be used to make a bootable SSD or USB drive !! You clone from the command line so You don't need the standard GUI, Pixel, and the " SD card copier "  function. It is also possible to set up a a scheduled job, cronjob explained later, which for example makes a clone every night at 1 o'clock.

Updated 2024-02-08 GRIB is a data format , used for meteorology, to store historical and forecast weather data.  The use case for me was analyzing forecast data, from GRIB files, so an early warning could be rised before a high water level or coming storm appears. This could then be used at our weather site . There are several applications , also ones that visualizes the data, but this post will handle how to extract data from files using command line. Forecast without GRIB files ? Check this API for Europe.

I have used the TP-link Deco M9 for quite a while and it have worked very well. Since almost 2 years I have used mobile broadband as a source for the Mesh network, at home, via a   Nokia Fastmile (NF) with no direct flaws. Getting a very nice offer, half the monthly cost, for mobile Internet from our mobile phone  operator it was time to test something new. Since I probably will have to return the Nokia receiver quitting the old supplier I had to test the new provider with some other equipment. Running the Teltonika RUT 240 (TR) in our yacht, in the summertime, it was available for testing.

Updated 2024-01-20 !! OK with Bookworm !! This post covers the setup for a AIS, dual channel , receiver for Raspberry Pi(RPi) with systemd autostart. I'm using the RTL-SDR dongle V3 with almost zero temperature drift or the even better  NooElec NESDR Nano 3 AIS posts with charts/maps OpenSeaMap and dispatcher   OpenStreetMap and dispatcher Improve receiving range? Calibrate ! Instructions in this post The best AIS application ?  is found here  !

Updated 2024-01-07 ! OK with Bookworm & PHP 8.2 ! As a part of one of my project,  the ultimate Weather site ? Weather34 , I needed a WEB-host with PHP. I started up with a fresh Raspberry OS Lite SD Card  with Samba installed . Log on, with ssh/terminal to the RaspberryPi(RPi),  in this case hostname "pws01",  and update the OS with sudo apt update sudo apt full-upgrade -y sudo apt clean go on and install the Apache server with sudo apt install apache2

Updated 2024-01-05 OK with Bookworm ! If You want that the Raspberry Pi(RPi), shall appear in MS File Explorer or Mac Finder, as a File server, the easiest way is to install Samba. This also makes it much easier if You want to edit files on the RPi with editors from Your MS/Apple device. Or maybe moving files from/to the RPi.

Updated 2023-12-05 !! OK, with Bookworm (32/64 bit) !! To optimize the reception with SDR:s, Software Defined Radios, it is important to receive on the proper frequency. Due to variations in production there could be deviations. The calibration could be done against standard GSM transmitters which are providing a stable reference frequency. Another way is found in the AIS-catcher application and use the information supplied in the graphs "Frequency Shift". 

Updated 2023-11-09 ! The AIS posts on this blog have been very popular so this post will be a follow up which will enable You to show AIS targets, including AtoN:s, on  OpenSeaMap , (OSM), together with buoys and beacons. The application showing the map is SignalK , (SK) a OpenSource project for marine use.  With the " ais-forwarder " plugin you could send/dispatch the NMEA AIS data to   Marinetraffic  or  Vesselfinder . Another   AIS-dispatcher . The best AIS application ? is found here !

Updated 2023-11-06 ! I have searched for a solution transmitting the NMEA data, from the navigation network, via WiFi, to for example  iSailor  or other Tablet/Phone applications. Most of these applications just accepts NMEA0183(N1) but many boats are also using SeaTalk 1(ST1) and NMEA2000(N2K). This post will cover, kept compact, my best findings covering both a DIY and a commercial approach to handle the different protocols.

Updated 2023-11-05 ! An introduction to the SignalK, Marine application, is given here . A very easy way to measure temperature with Raspberry Pi, RPi, is to connect one wire (1W) DS18B20  (DS)temperature sensors direkt to the RPi GPIO. Here You find a post where the temperatures are transfered via WiFi

Updated 2023-11-04,  OK with Bookworm 32 bit ! Not Bookworm 64 Bit ! This is a setup, on a Raspberry Pi(RPi), with a software package, AIS Dispatcher, from  http://www.aishub.net  which includes receiving and processing of all standard AIS messages streaming raw AIS feeds to multiple destinations advanced monitoring of device status, coverage and message statistics embedded electronic map with all received vessels The best AIS application ?  is found here  !

 Updated 2023-10-30 ! OK with Bookworm ! New simple install !  For a new project I needed a small wireless temperature sensor, there You don't have to change battery so often, and this gave the RuuviTag . Having used Node-Red(NR) on Raspberry Pi before, the first application was this dashboard.  Tested and works with with Node.js V18 !

Updated 2023-10-26 ! HomeBridge (HB) is the software where You make Your home automation devices appear in the Apple Home App as native products. In this post a Raspberry Pi  is used as the HB server. There has really been big improvements in the installation process and I think the HB version is better/easier than HOOBS . Migrate from HOOBS ?! Link

Updated 2023-10-17 ! To make a headless, without monitor, keyboard and mouse, install of Raspberry Pi OS on a Raspberry Pi(RPi) with built in WiFi and no LAN cable connection, please follow the instructions below. For example the RPi Zero and Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ don't have any LAN cable port so the setup is quite usable. To make an active WiFi connection at first boot You have to use the "Advanced options" in Raspberry Pi Imager or create, old way, a configuration file called " wpa_supplicant.conf ".

Updated 2023-10-16 ! This post is the second post explaining the purpose with, and quick/simple install instructions for, OpenPlotter(OP) and some other applications that can be installed with OP.   The first post is found here and in this post we will proceed with the install of OpenCPN(OC). OpenCPN Install In OP:s " Application   Meny => Other =>  Settings" app,   mark "OpenCPN Installer"   and click on "Install", at  the upper right. 

Updated 2023-10-15 ! This post, a dditional posts will follow,  will explain the purpose with, and quick/simple install instructions for, OpenPlotter(OP) and some other applications that can be installed with OP.   OpenCPN (OC), is the plotter software where You navigate and handle charts  SignalK (SK), is the software where all the sensor inputs are handled. Could be NMEA data or SK formated inputs OpenPlotter (OP), is the administration shell where all is administrated As You investigate the different software packages You will see that there are some overlap in the functions. With OC 5.2 + there was  several updates ....

Updated 2023-10-13 ! There is a "new kid in the block" called NetworkManager (NM),  configuration of network interfaces,  which in OS "Bookworm", Debian 12, is replacing  the former used  dhcpcd . NM isn't really new since the first public release was made 2004. In this post I will write down some NM hints for an easy start since I didn't find any myself.

Updated 2023-10-12 ! In a former post I shared some thoughts about how to start using NetworkManager (NM), on a Raspberry, and here I will continue with additional examples that can help with network setup. NMTUI is NetworkManager text UI which can handle the most common tasks in a easy way. An access point or hotspot will be configured. " sudo nmcli connection edit xxxx " is a command that guides you throw a change of parameters.