There seemed to be quite a bit of interest in the Raspberry Pi. Therefore,
here is some information that will help those who are unfamiliar with it and
who are interested in learning more about it.
A Raspberry Pi ("RPI") is a small computer using an ARM processer. It has
512 MB of RAM, two USB ports, an HDMI port, a component video port, audio
out port, Ethernet port and a slot for an SD card. You can learn more about
it at the Raspberry Pi Foundation web site http://www.raspberrypi.org .
The SD card is the key to this setup, as it will hold the operating system
and all software necessary to get the Pi up and running together. While
many articles I have read suggest that a 4 GB SD card is the minimum for a
RPI to be operational; I understand from what I have read, an 8 GB card is
more realistically the minimum and is pretty much a necessity.
Where does one get an RPI? Fortunately, there are many sources, from the
Raspberry Pi Foundation directly, to Amazon to MCM Electronics to others.
You can expect to pay a minimum of $25.00 to $35.00 for the RPI, but all you
get is the basic board with no frills. Make sure you don't buy the old
revision A. The newer revision B is the best board to obtain, and it is a
must for making this system work with many configurations used in ham radio.
This Raspberry Pi version has 512 MB of RAM, 2 USB 2.0 ports and other
enhancements.
The question I kept asking is: "Okay, that is just the basic board, the guts
of the little computer, but what else does one need to make it work and
really be useful? The answer I consistently came up with is that it really
depends on how you are going to use your Raspberry Pi system.
One user said that he "built his with an eye towards mobile and portable
use, but you could build one just to use at home. Here's the list of the
RPI/DVAP system components he purchased and why:
1.RPI Board (Basic component of the system)
2.Clear RPI case (The RPI does not come in a case, so he purchased a clear
case for around $10.00 to protect the components)
3.Power Supply (You have to provide power to the RPI, and this is not
supplied with the board. It requires a minimum of 5 volts DC and at least 1
amp; however, it is recommended to use a little more amperage, so a power
source, e.g. a Belkin iPad charger or a similar power source, that is rated
at 5 volts and 2.1 amps is really suggested. This is enough to power the
RPI, a DVAP and WIFI dongle, for instance. You may want to find a 3 amp
supply if you are going to be powering more devices. You will need a micro
USB plug to supply the RPI with power.)
4.SD Card (This will hold the OS and all other software. this user
purchased a 16 GB Sandisk card at Office Depot and it works just fine.
However, there are some cards that are not compatible. Check this web site
for compatibility http://elinux.org/RPi_SD_cards.
5.WIFI Dongle (This is optional, depending on how you are going to use your
RPI, but if you use it at home with the Ethernet connection built into the
board, you will need it. however, for portable or mobile use this is a
must-have. There are many of these little devices available for as little
as $10.00 on Amazon. This user has successfully used several of these
devices and the RPI has instantly recognized them with no problem. Here's a
link to one that he has used
http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-Wireless-Adapter-Wizard/dp/B005CLMJLU
/ref=pd_cp_pc_1 )
6.USB Mouse and Keyboard. (This is pretty obvious. You will need this at a
minimum to complete the initial setup of your RPI. Once it is setup, you
will no longer need to use these.)
7.Powered USB Hub. (If you connect the WIFI dongle, keyboard, mouse and any
other devices, you will need the extra USB ports and the extra power
provided by this device.)
8.Monitor. (Again, this will only be needed during setup. This Raspberry
Pi user used a monitor with a HDMI input, but you can use a component cable
or an adapter to fit your monitor).
9.Portable Power. (If you want a truly portable setup, you can buy any
number of battery powered devices to run your system. You can also build
one. This user opted to purchase a Powergen PGMPP12000 for $59.99 from
Amazon
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085OB0IE/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=U
TF8&psc=1 ). It is rated 5 volts at 12,000 mAh and powers the whole system
with no problem. It also comes with two cables and micro USB adapters.)
This information should help to give you with a pretty good idea what the
Raspberry Pi is all about. I'm interested in knowing more about precisely
how hams are using their RPI systems, and how blind hams, in particular, are
using them.
Ron, K8HSY
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