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Installing LinBPQ under Ubuntu Linux - Step by Step Guide

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Linux Pinguin with APP Window
Linux Pinguin with APP Window
By Andreas Peters (DC6AP)
5 min read
Installing LinBPQ under Ubuntu Linux - Step by Step Guide

LinBPQ is the Linux version of the BPQ32 packet radio node and provides node, BBS, and chat server functions for amateur radio operators. It enables a packet radio backend to run on a Linux system – ideally on a small server or Raspberry Pi without a graphical interface (headless mode).

This article shows step-by-step how to install and run LinBPQ on a minimal Linux system. The focus is on the basic installation: download, extract, make executable, and run the software. Configuration of ports or BBS services will follow in a later article.

Requirements

Make sure you have the following:

  • Linux system (headless) – e.g. Debian, Ubuntu Server, or Raspberry Pi OS Lite
  • Internet connection – for downloading LinBPQ
  • User with sudo privileges
  • Basic shell knowledge
  • Amateur radio license and callsign (if used on CB radio, a callsign is sufficient)

Install recommended tools and libraries:

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sudo apt update
sudo apt-get install wget unzip libcap2-bin screen
sudo apt install libpcap0.8-dev libasound2-dev libz3-4 zlib1g libminiupnpc17

Step 1: Download LinBPQ

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mkdir ~/linbpq
cd ~/linbpq
wget http://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Downloads/linbpq -O linbpq

Step 2: Make the File Executable

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chmod +x linbpq

It’s important to set capabilities on the LinBPQ binary if you don’t run the service as root.

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sudo setcap "CAP_NET_ADMIN=ep CAP_NET_RAW=ep CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE=ep" linbpq

Step 3: HTML Pages (Web Interface, optional)

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mkdir HTML
cd HTML
wget http://www.cantab.net/users/john.wiseman/Downloads/HTMLPages.zip
unzip HTMLPages.zip
cd ..

Step 4: Configuration

Create a file bpq32.cfg:

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vim bpq32.cfg

A working example for a CB radio node is provided below. Before starting LinBPQ, make sure to adjust the callsign and node alias.

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SIMPLE
LOCATOR=JO43US
NODECALL=DNO349
NODEALIAS=KORNOD
AUTOSAVE=1

CTEXT:
-

 _____  _   _  ____ ____  _  _   ___
|  __ \| \ | |/ __ \___ \| || | / _ \
| |  | |  \| | |  | |__) | || || (_) |
| |  | | . ` | |  | |__ <|__   _\__, |
| |__| | |\  | |__| |__) |  | |   / /
|_____/|_| \_|\____/____/   |_|  /_/


Welcome to the DNO349 LinBPQ Node in Koelln-Reisiek (JO43US)

COMMAND> BBS CHAT CONNECT BYE INFO NODES ROUTES PORTS USERS MHEARD

***

FULL_CTEXT=1

IDMSG:
LinBPQ Node (DNO349), CHAT (DNO349-8) and BBS (DXB349)
***

BTEXT:
!5345.38N/00942.78E#DNO349 LinBPQ BBS/CHAT @ CH 24
***

INFOMSG:
-
 _____  _   _  ____ ____  _  _   ___
|  __ \| \ | |/ __ \___ \| || | / _ \
| |  | |  \| | |  | |__) | || || (_) |
| |  | | . ` | |  | |__ <|__   _\__, |
| |__| | |\  | |__| |__) |  | |   / /
|_____/|_| \_|\____/____/   |_|  /_/

CB Node in Koelln-Reisiek
SysOp : DGR349 (Andreas)
Mail  : DGR349@DBX349.#PI.SLH.DEU.EU
Loc   : JO43US

***

MAPCOMMENT="BBS: DBX349 * NODE: DNO349 * CH 24 1200bd"
EnableM0LTEMap=1
NODEMAPSERVER="update.g8bpq.net"

IDINTERVAL=15
BTINTERVAL=15
NODESINTERVAL=25

PACLEN=236
BBS=1
NODE=1
HIDENODES=0

PORT
   PORTNUM=1
   ID=CH 24 1200 bps
   TYPE=ASYNC
   COMPORT=/dev/tnccb
   SPEED=9600
   FULLDUP=0
   COMPORT=/dev/tnccb
   PROTOCOL=KISS
   CHANNEL=A                ; A single channel TNC, A or B for multichannel
   QUALITY=203              ; Quality factor applied to node broadcasts
   MINQUAL=201              ; Entries in the nodes table with qualities
                            ; greater or equal to MINQUAL will be sent on
                            ; this port. A value of 0 sends everything.
   RESPTIME=1000            ; Level 2 delayed ack timer in milliseconds
   RETRIES=10               ; Level 2 maximum retry value
   PACLEN=236               ; Default max packet length for this port
   L3ONLY=0                 ; 1=No user downlink connects on this port
   DIGIFLAG=0               ; Digipeat: 0=OFF, 1=ALL, 255=UI Only
   USERS=0                  ; Maximum number of L2 sessions, 0 = no limit

   TXDELAY=400              ; Transmit keyup delay in milliseconds
   TXTAIL=100                ; TX key down, in milliseconds, at packet end
   M0LTEMapInfo=RF,27.235,FSK,1200,1200,Mixed
ENDPORT

PORT
   PORTNUM=2
   ID=Telnet (SysOP Only)
   DRIVER=Telnet
   QUALITY=0
   M0LTEMapInfo=PrivateNet,,Telnet,,,Other
   CONFIG
      SECURETELNET=1
      LOGGING=0
      DisconnectOnClose=0
      LOGINPROMPT=user:
      PASSWORDPROMPT=password:
      MAXSESSIONS=15
      USER=myusername,mypassword,DGR349,"",sysop
ENDPORT

PORT
   PORTNUM=3
   ID=AXIP Link
   DRIVER=BPQAXIP
   QUALITY=192           ; Quality factor applied to node broadcasts heard on
                         ; this port, unless overridden by a locked route
                         ; entry. Setting to 0 stops node broadcasts
   MINQUAL=50             ; Entries in the nodes table with qualities greater or
                         ; equal to MINQUAL will be sent on this port. A value
                         ; of 0 sends everything.
   MAXFRAME=7            ; Max outstanding frames (1 thru 7)
   FRACK=5000            ; Level 2 timout in milliseconds
   RESPTIME=1000         ; Level 2 delayed ack timer in milliseconds
   RETRIES=10            ; Level 2 maximum retry value
   UNPROTO=ID            ; BTEXT broadcast addrs format: DEST[,digi1[,digi2]]
   BCALL=DNO349          ; BTEXT call. unstated defaults to APPL1CALL
   PACLEN=236
   M0LTEMapInfo=Internet,,AXIP,,,Backbone
   CONFIG
      MHEARD on
      UDP 10094
      BROADCAST NODES
      BROADCAST ID
      MAP DBX349    127.0.0.1 UDP 4866 B          ; my own BBS
ENDPORT

APPLICATION 1,BBS,C 3 DBX349,DBX349,KORBBS,255
APPLICATION 2,CHAT,,DNO349-8,KORCHT,255
LINCHAT

Step 5: Start LinBPQ

To verify everything is set up correctly, run LinBPQ manually:

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./linbpq

To stop: Ctrl+C

Step 6: Run LinBPQ with systemd

To run LinBPQ in the background, use this systemd service file as a template:

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sudo vim /etc/systemd/system/linbpq.service

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[Unit]
Description=bpq service
After=network.target syslog.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=username
Group=usergroup
WorkingDirectory=/home/username/linbpq
ExecStart=/home/username/linbpq/linbpq
ExecStop=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
SyslogIdentifier=BPQ_HAM
Restart=no
RestartSec=90
StartLimitInterval=400

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Step 7: Start

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sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable bpq
sudo systemctl start bpq

Outlook

LinBPQ is now installed and ready. Next steps:

  • Configure ports (KISS, Telnet, UDP)
  • Enable BBS or chat
  • Set up the web interface
PacketRadio, LinBPQ, EmComm, HamRadio, CB
PacketRadio LinBPQ Node Linux HamRadio CB
This post is licensed under CC BY 4.0 by the author.