First I tried installing the packages myself on Raspian. It worked, but was very kludgy to install, start, operate and update.
Next I started downloading premade images...again from many sources, (Westernstar, Maryland D-star, DMR-Utah, etc) each more polished than the last. I was very happy with the package from KB5RAB...(apparently the link I had is no longer valid...not sure of it's status)
Anywho, I heard of another DVMega image for the Pi called Pi-Star, from Pi-Star UK. I immediately liked this software package because it was so polished.
Pi-Star can admin DMR, D-Star, YSF (Fusion), and P25...I don't know if they are all 100% functional right now, but DMR, and D-Star are for sure.
The biggest problem with Pi DVMega software packages is the ability to administrate them...you either SSL command line in, or VNC into the Pi. Both still leave you with some effort to change the settings you want...starting with the challenge of finding the Pi on a new network, or getting it logged into your hotel wifi etc.
So, Pi-Star boots up with a webserver running and advertises itself on the network as pi-star.local.
You point your web browser to pi-star.local, and you have the main screen, from there you can monitor on the dashboard, or dig into the system with other menu options.
INCLUDING, setting up the wifi and permanently saving the setting, or deleting the particular wifi connection.
Ok, all well and good, but what about at a hotel or other area? It will be a bit more challenging at a hotel where you log into the wifi via a web page...probably have to share it off your computer...
...but for a regular open network...
So here is my scenario this weekend. I am in a hotel room, with the open wifi, and need to get my Dvmega on it. I plug my laptop ethernet (acutally usb dongle in my case) into the Raspberry Pi eithernet port. I wait a bit, and see "PI-STAR" as an item on the local network...
...from there I just type pi-star.local into the browser, and I am in.
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