I have a new ASL server which I have setup. RPi 4 running 2.0 Beta 6. I have 2 nodes connected (both with RA-42 soundcards) and registered.
The issue I am running in to is that I can only transmit audio from one node at a time. For example, I have a macro that says the time at the top of each hour. Both nodes will key up, but the audio will only transmit from one of them.
The other example would be, say I interdependently connect each node to an active net. Both will “PTT” as expected with the traffic but the audio will only transmit from one soundcard at a time, the other will just be dead air. If I only connect one of the nodes, sound works perfectly (on both nodes, as long as only one is connected).
Yes, they are both simplex nodes. I would think that the two simplex nodes could act independently though, wouldn’t they?
So to be clear, two simplex nodes connected to one server, only one of the two nodes can transmit (send audio). Strange how they would both PTT at the same time…
You mentioned that there was a macro to say the time at the top of the hour. Both nodes would be attempting to transmit at the same time in that case. Depending on how you’re doing the time announcement it could be playing on both nodes causing a conflict / race condition.
But more likely you have the wrong duplex= setting for your radios. Carefully read the comments for the duplex= setting in rpt.conf.
The idea is to the announcement to play on both nodes at the same time (one is a 2M repeater and the other a 70cm)
I set everything to full duplex. The nodes in rpt.conf and both USB interfaces in simpleusb.conf
No change.
The on the hour announcement will only play out of one of the two nodes, both of them keying up, one playing blank air. The node that it plays from is random.
I think I will just move the setup to two physical pi servers.
I think what may be the case in what you are seeing is a bit normal.
If you play the time naturally in a node, it plays back in a ‘localplay’ mode as opposed to ‘playback’.
If you want it to play on the other node, you need to set it to do the same or create you own time play consisting of a command to use a ‘playback’ of the unix time so that it will also play on connected nodes.
So it is intended by default to keep everyone’s local talk/allison from polluting any larger network connection.
Same as a node ID.
And you might find some pushback if you connect to a larger network and start speaking local telemetry on the network.
The scheduled events are to play the time locally on each node locally and not globally. Here is the code in rpt.conf:
[macro]
1 = *711,*712# ; Say time of Day Macro, 711 being status,11 and 712 being status,12
[schedule_597980]
1=00 * * * * ; Say the time of day each hour
[schedule_597981]
1=00 * * * * ; Say the time of day each hour
The expected result should be both nodes saying their callsign and the time at the top of each hour, locally and not broadcast anywhere else. The nodes are not connected to anything or each other. Sitting there unlinked. What we are getting is one node keying up and saying its callsign and time, the other node keying up and playing blank air for the exact time it would take to complete the task.
To simplify the issue, I cant get the two RA-42 USB soundcards to “play” sound at the same time. It doesn’t matter if its macro 1, or if both nodes are connected to another, third unrelated, allstar node. Only one of them will play audio.
I guess essentially what I am hearing is that having 2 nodes connected to the same server and having those nodes be totally independent of each other isn’t supported. Each node is assigned its own USB soundcard and is connected to its own physical radio repeater, 2M and 440.
If I wanted one node to connect to one allstar node (say for one net) and the second local node to connect to a completely different outside node (say for some other net), and have both of my nodes transmit at the same time (different audio since its two different end connections), also isn’t possible (since, as my problem actually is, both nodes can’t transmit at the same time).
I have ordered a second Pi. I am going to have both of my local nodes on its own pi. That should solve my problem.
Can you test this again with a different, preferably larger power supply ?
It at least looks like there is some starving for current on the USB.
Lets eliminate that as a possibility before you attack the software.
If no result,
Could you post your simpleusb or usbradio .config for both nodes and the rpt,conf
in there entirety.
I think you are on to something (USB power delivery issue). I have read in some other threads issues with Beta 6 running on Pi 4Bs… I don’t know if that is a contributing factor. The URIs I am using (Masters communications RA-42s) have amplified outputs that I am running off of 5V. They could be more power hungry then I think, especially since I am running 2 of them on one Pi.
I think either way I will separate it into two servers, one node per server. I will PM you the configs either way in case its some sort of bug.
You do need to add the wattage consumed by the URI x2
And I am not familiar with what you are using. COS/PTT logic also has a play here and it is a Pi4 which likely needs more than a 3, but I never looked, just assume.
If you can power the URI externally instead of from the USB, I think that would do it.
But I suggest 20w+ power considering 2xURI on a 4. That should allow for some headroom.
Yes, that is 4 amp.
Many of these do not actually give you what is stated. Or only 80-85% cleanly.
Guessing you need 3watts just for the 2xURI.