Yaesu FT-710 Configuration Files for Linux

I am not presenting this as the only way to configure an FT-710
under Linux. This is the way I have mine working. If you find
an error or a better way to accomplish something, I am always
interested in learning about it.

What We Are Configuring

There are three basic pieces to this configuration.

STEP 1

Create Stable USB Serial Device Names

The first problem I wanted to eliminate was changing USB
serial-port names.

Rather than configure software against whatever
/dev/ttyUSBx name Linux happens to assign,
I create persistent symbolic names with udev.

My serial-device rules are stored in:

My file contains rules for several pieces of station equipment.
The two important FT-710 rules are:

SUBSYSTEM=="tty", KERNELS=="3-2.1:1.0", SYMLINK+="FT-710-CAT-1"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", KERNELS=="3-2.1:1.1", SYMLINK+="FT-710-CAT-2"

This gives me two predictable device names:

/dev/FT-710-CAT-1
/dev/FT-710-CAT-2

My Complete Serial udev File

For reference, this is the larger rule set I use for several
devices in the station:

SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403", ATTRS{idProduct}=="6015", SYMLINK+="FT-840-CAT"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403", ATTRS{idProduct}=="6001", SYMLINK+="FT-818-CAT"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="067b", ATTRS{idProduct}=="23a3", SYMLINK+="FT-150"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", KERNELS=="3-2.1:1.0", SYMLINK+="FT-710-CAT-1"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", KERNELS=="3-2.1:1.1", SYMLINK+="FT-710-CAT-2"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="051d", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0002", SYMLINK+="UPS-APC1350"

After changing udev rules, reload them:

sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
sudo udevadm trigger

Then verify that the FT-710 links exist:

ls -l /dev/FT-710-CAT-*

STEP 2

Give the FT-710 Audio Interface a Stable ALSA Name

Serial ports are only half of the problem.

Dire Wolf also needs to know which Linux audio device belongs
to the FT-710. I do not want that configuration to depend on
the radio always being sound card 1, 2, 3 or some other number.

My audio naming rules are stored in:

SUBSYSTEM=="sound", KERNELS=="pci-0000:05:00.4-usb-0:1.3:1.0", ATTR{id}="HF_SL"
SUBSYSTEM=="sound", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0d8c", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0013", ATTR{id}="FT710"

The important result for this configuration is the ALSA
identifier:

That allows Dire Wolf to reference:

plughw:FT710,0

instead of depending on a numeric sound-card assignment.

STEP 3

Run Hamlib rigctld for the FT-710

I use Hamlib’s rigctld to provide network-accessible
rig control for the FT-710.

My service is:

[Unit]
Description=Hamlib rigctld for Yaesu FT-710
After=syslog.target network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=/usr/bin/rigctld -m 1049 -r /dev/FT-710-CAT-1 -t 4532 -s 38400 --set-conf=data_bits=8,stop_bits=1,serial_parity=None,serial_handshake=None -D NONE -vvv
ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
RestartSec=60
Restart=always
User=root
Group=root

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

The important settings in my configuration are:

Enable the service so it starts automatically:

sudo systemctl enable rigctld-710.service

Then start it:

sudo systemctl start rigctld-710.service

Check its status:

systemctl status rigctld-710.service

If you are troubleshooting the service, follow its log with:

journalctl -u rigctld-710.service -f

STEP 4

Configure Dire Wolf

Once the serial and audio device names are predictable and
rigctld is running, Dire Wolf can use those
interfaces without depending on changing Linux device numbers.

My Dire Wolf configuration is based in:

The old version of this page included most of the entire
Dire Wolf configuration file. Most of that is stock documentation
and commented examples, so I have reduced it here to the settings
that actually describe my FT-710 configuration.

FT-710 Audio Device

ADEVICE1 plughw:FT710,0
FX25TX 1
ACHANNELS 2

Notice that the audio device uses the FT710
identifier created earlier rather than a numeric sound-card
number.

HF Packet Channel

CHANNEL 2
MODEM 300 900:1100 E
PTT RIG 2 localhost:4532

The PTT RIG line connects Dire Wolf’s PTT control
to the Hamlib rigctld service running on TCP
port 4532.

Virtual TNC Ports

AGWPORT 8205
KISSPORT 8100

These provide interfaces that other packet applications can
use to communicate with Dire Wolf.

Bit Error Repair

FIX_BITS 0

Other Dire Wolf Configuration

My complete Dire Wolf configuration also contains settings
for other radios and packet functions. Those settings are
station-specific and are not necessary to explain how the
FT-710 is connected.

In particular, my configuration has included VHF APRS/packet
and experimental HF packet sections in addition to the FT-710
channel.

This is why copying an entire direwolf.conf from
another station is usually not the best approach. Start with
the configuration supplied with Dire Wolf and add the pieces
required for your own radios and applications.

STEP 5

Start and Test the Configuration

I prefer testing each layer separately. If everything is
started at once and something fails, you have several possible
places to look.

Where I Would Look First When It Doesn’t Work

Configuration Summary