radiolinux - linux tailored for ham radio and part 15 wireless communications

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Features:

- based on Slackware Linux
- Optimized for radio use
- Concentration on quality through simple, minimalistic design.
- VPN and crypto support

q: why a seperate distribution?
a: no linux distribution has complete and current radio tools with
completely debugged configurations.

q: why not just use windows?
a: why not just use AOL?

q: why linux and not freebsd, openbsd, or netbsd?
a: many of the ham radio utilities have not yet been ported to the BSD
platform. Most important of these is the soundmodem drives by thomas
sailer. While there is work being done towards these goals, it is too far
off to wait for. RadioBSD will have to wait.

q: why slackware?
a: because it has a history of being robust and not bloated, and also
because it is the linux distribution I have used for five years.

q: what slackware version will be used as a starting point?
a: There are two rough versions of radiolinux, one based on slackware 3.9
and the other on slackware 7.0. The architectural differences between them
give each its own advantages. Only as the project reaches completion will
the decision be made. However, all work done on both will be made
available to the public, but only one version will be actively supported.

q: What version of the linux kernel will be used?
a: We have been testing the 2.3.99 kernel and found it not close enough
   to production quality to be used. Hence, we will continue to use the
   2.2 branch, and are currently using kernel 2.2.16. When 2.4 becomes
   stable enough, a new version of radiolinux will come out with that
   branch.

q: what hardware is required to run radiolinux?
a: a chart:

		CPU		Disk Space       RAM	video
minimum		486-66		150M		 16M	mono text
recommended	P-90		250M		 24M	800 x 600 24 bit

q: what experience level is required to install and run radiolinux?
a: this project requires familiarity and comfort with pc hardware and unix
like operating systems. Some knowledge of electronics and radio would also
be handy. If you have never installed a linux or *nix before, you may want
to get some assistance from others. The author of this document and the
guerrilla.net project do not promise any support.



Amateur Radio devices
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AX.25: NET/ROM and Rose, YAM
KISS and 6PACK
BAYCOM: 1200 and 9600 bps models
Z8530 serial devices
SoundModem (use Sounndblaster compatible, WSS, or Crystal cards as a radio
modem) at 1200, 2400, 2666, 4800 (HAPN-1 and PSK), and 9600 baud.
HFMODEM modes for same cards
BPQ ethernet


Wireless LAN devices
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AT&T /NCR /Lucent Wavelan 915 Mhz and 2.4 Ghz (a.k.a. DEC/Compaq RoamAbout)
Wavelan/IEEE (a.k.a. Lucent Orinoco, DEC RoamAbout DS) 802.11b DSSS
Proxim Symphony
Proxim Rangelan 802.11b FHSS
Netwave Airsurfer, Airsurfer Plus 802.11
Xircom Netwave 802.11
Baystack 660 802.11
ZoomAir 802.11
YDI 802.11
Harris Prism based 802.11 cards
Intersil PrismII based 802.11 cards
DEC RoamAbout FH
Symbol Spectrum24
Aironet ARLAN
Aironet ARLAN 802.11
Raytheon Raylink 802.11 FH
Webgear Aviator 2.4 802.11 FH
No Wires Needed 802.11 DS
Zcom LANEscape 802.11 FH
Diamond Multimedia HomeFree
BreezeCom Breezenet 802.11 FH

Many more drivers are in some stage of development.


Other:
WetString