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Shane Rounce edited this page Jan 25, 2026 · 3 revisions

Applications

This page covers the primary applications installed via aiov2_ctl --add-apps, with practical tips and regional notes.

Meshtastic

meshtastic-mui

Meshtastic provides an off-grid, low-power LoRa mesh network for messaging and telemetry.

Power

Ensure the LoRa module is powered on:

aiov2_ctl LORA on

Meshtasticd boot control

meshtasticd is the backend service. By default, autostart is disabled so LoRa power controls when the service runs.

Check status:

aiov2_ctl --mesh-on-boot status

Force autostart on boot:

aiov2_ctl --mesh-on-boot

Disable autostart (default):

aiov2_ctl --mesh-on-boot off or aiov2_ctl --mesh-off-boot

After --add-apps or --update, the tool will show the current boot status and how to override it.

Regional configuration

Meshtastic must be configured for your regulatory region.

  • UK / EU
    • Set Region: EU_868
    • Observe duty cycle limits
  • US
    • Set Region: US
    • Set Frequency Slot = 20
  • Australia / NZ
    • Set Region: AU_915
  • Other regions
    • Always select the closest regulatory domain
    • Do not transmit outside your local band plan

Tips

  • Set your call sign and country in settings.
  • Initial pairing is easiest via the GUI.
  • Map packs go in: 
    /home/USER/.portduino/default/maps
  • If the device does not appear, power-cycle LoRa and restart Meshtastic.

SDR++ (Brown)

sdrpp

SDR++ Brown is a lightweight, bloat-free SDR application bundled for the uConsole AIO platform.

Power

aiov2_ctl SDR on

Basic use

  • Select RTL-SDR from the Sources dropdown (top-left)
  • Click ▶ Play to start receiving

Audio on Debian Trixie (PipeWire)

If no audio is heard on first launch:

  1. Open the left sidebar
  2. Scroll to Module Manager
  3. Search for audio
  4. Add linux_pulseaudio_sink
  5. Open Sinks and select your audio output device

Notes

  • Only one SDR application can access the device at a time
  • If SDR++ fails to start, ensure readsb or another SDR app is not running

tar1090

tar1090 provides a web interface for ADS-B aircraft tracking.

It runs on top of readsb, which takes exclusive control of the SDR.

Notes

  • Only one SDR application can run at once — this is expected
  • This setup starts readsb when tar1090 launches and stops it on exit
  • If aircraft do not appear:
    • Check antenna placement
    • Allow time for initial reception
    • Ensure the SDR rail is powered

PyGPSClient

pygpsclient

PyGPSClient is a graphical GNSS / GPS diagnostics and configuration tool.

Power

aiov2_ctl GPS on

Tips

  • Initial GPS lock may take several minutes depending on antenna quality
  • Indoor use may significantly delay or prevent a fix
  • On CM5, select the second serial device
  • Click the USB/UART icon to connect

General Notes

  • A reboot after installing applications is recommended
  • RF subsystems may take time to initialise after power-on
  • If something behaves unexpectedly:
    • Check power state with aiov2_ctl --status
    • Power-cycle the affected module
    • Ensure no conflicting applications are running

Power doesn’t lie.
Battery current is the truth source.


   db    88  dP"Yb      Yb    dP oP"Yb.
  dPYb   88 dP   Yb      Yb  dP  "' dP'
 dP__Yb  88 Yb   dP       YbdP     dP'
dP""""Yb 88  YbodP         YP    .d8888

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aiov2_ctl — HackerGadgets uConsole AIOv2 control + telemetry tool

https://hackergadgets.com/products/uconsole-upgrade-kit

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