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Challenges while installing the LP700 Flow in Nodered 4.0 with node.js version 20.xx and npm version 10.8.2 and workarounds
Hello All,?
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I am sharing this information for the LP700 and LP500 users in this group. Recently I was helping my friend in VU to upgrade the NodeRed Setup to the latest NodeRed version. We have exported all the flows ( FlexRadio, SPE amp, LP700Power meter etc.) We setup a new PI4 with the Nodered 4.0 and imported the flows one after another, we could manage the flows except the LP700 .? Author of the LP700 flow is KD4Z , In this flow the HID node from this repo -robertslando/node-red-contrib-usbhid - is used to avoid any specific drivers.?
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I tried to follow the steps mentioned in the flow , and the npm install command (--sudo npm install robertsLando/node-red-contrib-usbhid --?) failed in the Node Red Version 4.0 .?
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Since it is failing in the latest version, I found another repo with similar implementation and that solved the problem of finding the right hid node that works with the LP700.? Here is the new repo of hid node --somebuddy87/node-red-contrib-usbhid? ?-- that works with the LP700.?
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Next challenge was to find the stoptimer3 node, I could find the stoptimer3 implementation in this repo -- zybron/node-red-contrib-stoptimer3--- . When I tried the npm install in a fresh installation of NodeRed 4? ( without any other flows) I could see the stoptimer3 node got installed properly and the LP700 flow got imported without any problems . When i repeated the same in my friend's system , I could not find stoptimer3 even after multiple npm install and reboot attempts. I am not sure why , but I noticed one major difference between these systems. Second PI had the stoptimer and stoptimer2 nodes present and importing the stoptimer3 is not bringing the node . So I had to change the flow to use the stoptimer2 instead of stoptimer3 in my friend's NodeRed system. As a result of this changes I could see the LP700 flow started working and the dashboard is fully functional.?
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To cut short the story, I have uploaded a modified version of the LP700 flow under the WattMeters folder.? The Prerequisites in the flow is updated with the changes.
Hope this will help the LP700 uses when migrating to NodeRed 4.0.
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73,?
LB9KJ/VU3ESV
Vinod Nair
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
Patrick,
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There are two APIs... See below:
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FRStackWebApi:?"http://127.0.0.1:5025"
FRStack:?"http://localhost:13522/api/"
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The FRStackWebApi is for a linux or OSX platform.? ? The 2nd one (FRStack) is the Windows API that interfaces to FRStack V3.? ?If you are running FRStack on? your PC you can point Node-RED to run on the FRStack API.? ?There are some differences that require modifying the payload in order for the W3II flow to work with the FRStack API.? ? ?
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If you are running Node-RED on the same device then the 127.0.0.1:5025 ip address correct.? If you run it on another host you would need to enter that host ip there.? ? I don't think the FRStackWebApi will work with the StreamDeck api commands.? ?One last item is to not forget the websocket set up for FRStackWebApi.? If you are running Node-RED and FRStackWebApi on the same device then you would use ws://127.0.0.1:5025/ws/meters for the web socket address.? ?If you plan to run the FRStack api in order to use your Stream Deck then I would point Node-RED to the FRStack api.? ?The reason is to keep the api load on the radio as lite as possible.? ?
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? Attached is the flow for the switch and StripFRStackQuote change node to correct the payload from the FRStack api? for use in the flow.? ?I have them inserted in 3 locations.? ?The switch node routes the payload depending on which api you run.? ?
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Hope this helps
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Regards
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
All issues 100% rectified. I was missing a / on the SD buttons I have that choose specific slices. Apparently it didn't matter with the /api/ on the windows URL, but it was a show stopper on the Pi. I now no way more than anticipated on the differences in running FRStack on Pi vs Windows! |
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýAlso Windows version of REST command use the /qpi/ and Pi version does not.?It is in the help section on FRStack site.? 73 Dave wo2x Sent from my waxed string and tin cans.? On Apr 27, 2025, at 2:27?PM, Patrick Lenn via groups.io <nwmtech@...> wrote:
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
Ok I'll just wait until someone chimes in. I'm sure it's just a URL change in the rest commands on the SD, but I can't quite figure it out. I tried the IP address of my Pi with port 5025. It's cycling the buttons now. It will communicate for a quick second and then throw an Error with the buttons that have feedback parameters on them so I'm close.
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It may even be a configuration node withing the FR Stack flow. Not sure.
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Just a bit above my paygrade lol.? |
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
I got it figured out. I must have mis clicked and enabled an old CSS example flow you made. Once I disabled that it went away.?
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So, FR Stack is up and running on the Pi now. It's talking to the correct Flex, and I got the PGXL max drive power set.?
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Now I just need to get my StreamDeck working again as that is not functional anymore? |
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýDid you load the contest dashboard flow? Whatever they did in adding stuff to the head section has caused issues for some people.?In the editor go to dashboard and on top in Site where you set colors, set to Use Node Red Theme Everywhere instead of Angular. See if that helps.? A note to people using a UI Template to add info to the head section. This will be globally across all flows so be careful.? 73 Dave wo2x Sent from my waxed string and tin cans.? On Apr 27, 2025, at 1:00?PM, Patrick Lenn via groups.io <nwmtech@...> wrote:
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
Ok so I'm up and running. I got the FR Stack flows imported into NR and have confirmed that they are connecting to the radio properly.?
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First issue is it changed my entire background coloring on my NR Dashboard. I checked in the UI and it's still set to the custom colors I have, but something in those flows is changing the entire background so I need to find that first.? |
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýRon, ? This is a safety feature and can be changed to the maximum power you would want the PG XL to see. 100 would be too high and if a person was running 100 watts in amp standby and forgot to turn the power down it would hit the amp with 100 watts and fault the amp (and potentially damage it). This should be set to the maximum power drive you need on any band. ? Excessive input power is the #1 killer of LDMOS devices. ? 73 Dave wo2x ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Ronald Panetta, WB2WGH via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2025 12:28 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [nodered-hamradio] FR Stack on Pi questions ? Patrick, ? FRStack on RPi is configured via a text file,?appSettings.json. Look at the following link and search for the file name. A few weeks?ago I assisted Laci, HA8RD, with exactly the same issue. We changed the parameter from 50 to 100. I can't speak to the StreamDeck question. ? ? "PgxlRadioMaxPower": "50", // this is MAX radio power level when AMP is OPERATE ? 73, Ron WB2WGH ? On Sun, Apr 27, 2025 at 12:08?PM Patrick Lenn via <nwmtech=[email protected]> wrote:
? -- Ron |
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Re: FR Stack on Pi questions
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýYou can edit the appsettings.json file in the FRStack folder located in the /usr/local/frstack folder ? The latest FRStack webapi install does not set the amp to 50 watts after tuning. (previous versions did) ? There is a setting for maximum power when amp is in operate which? defaults to 50, so if your radio was at 100 watts on 10 meters for example and you QSY to 10 meters, power would be set to 50. If you had power for 10 meters set to 40 before QSYing, it would be 40. This is only to help protect the amp if you have the power too high and forget to adjust it lower to prevent overdriving the amp. You can disable it by changing to zero or set to whatever maximum power you want, but it is for all bands. ? Here is the PG XL settings from the appsettings.json file ? "PgxlTuneStandby": "true", // this will set AMP to STANDBY when TUNE is activated ??? "PgxlModeRestore": "true", // this will return AMP to OPERATE after TUNE complete ??? "PgxlRadioMaxPower": "50", // this is MAX radio power level when AMP is OPERATE ??? "PgxlRadioStandbyPower": "100", // this is MAX radio power level when AMP is STANDBY ??? "PGXLOnAntenna": "0", // 0 or 1 or 2; 0 for both, 1 for ANT1, 2 for ANT2 ? 73 Dave wo2x ? ? From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Patrick Lenn via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2025 12:07 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [nodered-hamradio] FR Stack on Pi questions ? I wanted to make sure I understand how this will work before I commit to trying it as I just got my NR all swapped over to a new Pi. I admit it would be nice to have one less program running on my PC.? ?
? Anyone who is running FRStack on a Pi I'd love to hear your experiences. I have no particular issues with it running on my PC, but I love the idea of having one less program running in the background on the PC.? |
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FR Stack on Pi questions
I wanted to make sure I understand how this will work before I commit to trying it as I just got my NR all swapped over to a new Pi. I admit it would be nice to have one less program running on my PC.?
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Anyone who is running FRStack on a Pi I'd love to hear your experiences. I have no particular issues with it running on my PC, but I love the idea of having one less program running in the background on the PC.? |
Vinod, LB9KJ/VU3ESV
Patrick Lenn
Dave wo2x