It’s coming this weekend, the MinnesotaDMR HotSpot Workshop at the Maplewood public library is just days away. Note the change in time. We are now able to get in early for setup so we will begin sharply at 2pm. Please arrive by 1:45 to get comfortable or 1:30 if you would like to help setup.
Please visit this survey to let me know if you are interested in attending. I need a good head count so I can prepare handouts for you. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YV776ZG
Location: Ramsey County Library – Maplewood – 3025 Southlawn Dr, Maplewood, MN 55109
The Presentation is available at: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1b9JXCMXYOVGXSE0_xZ7jYVDZOTpaNgmxYIRJ29m8CxA/edit?usp=sharing
Here’s a list of things you should be prepared to bring with you.
- Pen and notepaper if you wish to take notes…
- Raspberry Pi 3 or 2.
- SD flash card for your raspberry pi computer. You might want to bring a spare, just in case. 16Gb or larger recommended. 8Gb minimum size. You may also need an adapter to connect the SD card to your laptop to copy software for the first time.
- Power supply for your raspberry pi computer.
- DVMega radio board. (Note that I have them available for $105, but the library prohibits sales in their meeting spaces so we need to meet before hand.)
- You may wish to bring a case with a hole already in place for your antenna or I can sell you a case in advance (no sales allowed at library) for your Pi and the DVMega radio board. A case is optional if you are careful handling your Pi computer. I have them for 10 bucks.
- An antenna with an SMA Male connector for the DVMega radio board. I have antennas available too. Shorter ones for $7 and longer for $10. Most MD-380 and MD-390 radios were shipped with two antennas which are compatible. The two antennas I stock are identical to the stock TYT/Tytera UHF radio antennas.
- Extension cord 7 to 15 feet in length, preferably with an outlet bar so you can power your neighbors extension cord, a monitor, a laptop, your pi computer and maybe the same for the person next to you who didn’t bring one. The meeting space has very few outlets around the outside of the room. We need you to bring plenty of cords so everyone can power up. Please label your cords if you want them back.
- Keyboard if you have one you can bring. I may have a couple to loan, however you might want to use one without waiting.
- Laptop computer to connect with your pi for setup, to flash the SD card and to reprogram your DMR radio. If you do not have one, it’s OK, it is not absolutely necessary, but will delay things for everyone else.
- Your DMR handheld radio. Please bring a radio so you can test things out.
- Your programming cable for your DMR radio (If you don’t have a cable, I’m sure someone in attendance may be able to assist.
- Video cable? I will be bringing a dozen computer monitors which have a DVI video input. The Raspberry Pi computer has an HDMI output. I have 5 cables to connect the 12 monitors. We should only need a monitor and keyboard briefly to setup our network and WiFi settings… After these are known/configured, you will use a laptop if you have one for the rest of the configuration.
What you should preferably know and bring with you before you attend:
- Your DMR radio ID, they are 7 digits long and in Minnesota start with 3127???
- Your WiFi SSID Name (It is case sensitive and you should double check)
- Your WiFi Network Password
- If possible, find out if or what type of authentication/encryption your WiFi uses: WPA2, WPA or WEP. Next find if you have AES or TKIP… This information may be needed if you want to preconfigure your hotspot to connect with your wireless network at home, work, school, car, where ever.