NOTES - DSP-10 Operation under Puppy Linux Bob W7PUA Rev 18 May 2014 This is a quick summary of using the Linux operating system in its "Puppy" form to run the DSP-10. This contrasts with using MS-DOS or variants as was the original plan. Why want to do this? First, DOS PC's (desktops and laptops) are becoming old and are being phased out. Second, the RS-232 COM port is being replaced by the USB serial interface. This precludes running the DSP-10 from PC's that are being sold today. Not a driving force, but rather a benefit of using Linux to run the DSP-10 is the ability to have multiple programs running simultaneously, such as the DSP-10 and a Web browser. Puppy Linux was created as a complete package for general operation on the Internet, editing documents or other media, writing programs and on and on. For those that have lived in the Windows world exclusively, Puppy has a desktop that will look familiar. There are minor differences at the user level, such as using single clicks to activate programs. But, the bigger differences are deeper in the operating system, and not obvious to the user. This includes greatly reduced time gaps due to maintenance tasks. allowing time critical programs, such as the DSP-10 to operate. This makes it possible to transmit CW, for instance, without the severe character distortions that occur under Windows. Internet searches for "Puppy Linux" will show vast amounts of information at all levels. There is no need to repeat any of that here. GETTING STARTED - The Puppy Linux operating system is normally started by placing a bootable medium into the PC and turning on the power. This medium is normally either a CD or a USB memory device, most commonly the ubiquitous sticks, called thumb drives and other names. Do not start out running from your hard drive, or you will loose several advantages Puppy offers. The file that has been posted for DSP-10/Puppy Linux is an .ISO file type (see the home page, http://www.proaxis.com/~boblark/dsp10.htm for the link). It contains all the information to create a CD that will be bootable and contain all needed files. The details of getting this .ISO file to a CD depends on the operating system being used, but is a standard procedure. In some PC's, the USB stick can be made bootable and used at start-up to load Puppy. This replaces the CD and the stick can contain other files that you choose. This puts the whole Puppy/DSP-10 world in one stick. Good information on using the USB memory stick was collected by KD7TS at home.comcast.net/~kd7ts/html/USB/USB.htm. This includes the case of working with an USB port but no CD drive. DOSBOX - Linux is not able to directly run a DOS program. Instead, an intermediate level is used, called DOSBox. This marvelous open source program handles almost all DOS and BIOS calls, producing a replica of a DOS screen running in a desktop "window." There is a virtual C: drive created as a file directory. This allows conventional file handling from either the Linux side, or from within DOSBox. It all works very well. The DSP-10/Puppy Linux CD contains all files needed. It is a bootable CD that installs Puppy Linux 5.2.8 in PC memory. This is a fundamental Puppy theme, in that the hard drive is not needed for installation or operation. When the Desktop is loaded there are two icons for DOSBox, a configure program and the program itself. The configure program allows selection of either small or large size graphics and a variable amount of processor time. The small or large choice depends on the monitor and graphics card, and is a personal choice. The processor time setting requires some experimentation. Starting low at 3000 is safe, and the response can be improved experimentally by increasing the number. Single clicking on the DOSBox icon brings up a familiar DOS window, ready to use. The DSP-10 UHFA.EXE and other support programs are ready to use with the instructions supplied on the DOS screen. SERIAL PORTS - If your PC has a conventional RS-232 COM port, this can be used to operate the DSP-10. Use either COM1 or COM2 (COM3 or 4 require modification of the configuration file for DOSBox). USB to Serial adapters are generally supported, and mapped to COM3 or COM4 in the DOSBox configuration file. Often, one need only connect up the adapter and bring up the DSP-10 as "UHFA 3" and everything works. However, experience has shown that sometimes Linux is unable to find a suitable driver and neither COM3 nor COM4 works. Two areas to explore if this is the case: 1-Open a Linux terminal by single clicking on the "Console" icon. The command "dmesg" will show a blow-by-blow recount of the system installation. It can be surprisingly big! Look for references to "usb" and see what errors might be shown, or what drivers were installed. This may lead to a useful Internet search. 2-Again, use the terminal, and type the command "usbview". This opens a graphical representation of the USB hardware and software. See if you can find the USB-serial adapter. Click on the adapter, and the right side will show details of the device that were sent to the PC at installation. The name of the device, references to chip sets might lead to useful searches. SOME HINTS - When shutting down Puppy for the first time, you will be asked about saving your settings and files to a personal lupsave file. This is very important, and needs a bit of planning. First, if you choose, "Do Not Save," all traces of your Puppy session will disappear. This is great if you borrowed your spouses PC and just wanted to experiment. For most people, the answer is to use a USB memory stick that can be plugged in before shutdown. This will appear as something like sdb1. The file size is selected, and for just running the DSP-10, this could be small such as 128MB. You can increase the size later, but not decrease it. Saving the file on the hard drive, like sda1, will work, but you loose portability. Your Puppy world will no longer be contained in the stick. Puppy has the programs for making the USB stick bootable: Menu/Setup/Bootflash install Puppy to USB - Caution: use an EMPTY USB stick. The directory structure under DOSBox supports two independent DSP-10. This may be convenient when moving the USB stick around. The same structure can easily be increased to more than two. You can install programs, make files, and the like and these will be saved to your personal lupusave file. They will automatically appear, just as if they were saved to a hard drive in a conventiional system. New files are not seen on the stick, but are inside the lupusave file. Read up on Puppy Linux to see the wide range of possibilities. Things like SFS files and PET or DEB files. The DSP-10 Puppy has Firefox installed and on a desktop icon. Other Web browsers are available. Puppies after about ver 5 came without browsers to keep everyone happy ;-) Other Puppy variations are around. Study up and play with them if you desire. After a while, if you make changes and want to make these distributable as a single file, it is not difficult. Just use Menu/Setup/Remaster Puppy Live CD. This also leads to a new ISO file to package all the contents of a CD. THANKS - Various parts of making the DSP-10 work well on a modern operating system came from KA7EXM, KD7TS, W7CQ, W7SZ, N7CCB as well as from my experimentation. Please report your experiences back to the DSP-10 reflector. Good luck! Bob