This script automates installation of FreeDV RADE in modern Linux distibutions.

NOTE: It no longer supports earlier FreeDV sources that used Python.

It is currently tested in Mageia, MX Linux, LinuxMint, LMDE, Fedora, Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu, Manjaro, OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, Garuda, EndevourOS, Gentoo, PiOS (on RPi4/5), PCLinuxOS, Debian and ML4W OS.

If you are not interested in how this all works and just want to use it then skip to the Using the script section below.

N.B. Do NOT try to use the GitHub generated zip file for this project or you will create problems for yourself.

The system 'git' package MUST be installed manually prior to attempting to use the script(s). Ideally use the system package manager to do this.

It initially checks which Linux distribution is in use, that it is 64 bit, that disk space is adequate, whether internet with working DNS is available and that the script is being run as a regular user.

A check is made to be sure that your freedv-rade-build clone is up to date with GitHub and otherwise automatically updates it.

It also checks for a .freedv-rade-build.cfg file which may be used to set a specific build directory outside the user's home folder. This change has been made in response to Issue#3, however unless you have a specific need to use this feature then just ignore it, especially if you are not a regular Linux user. More help on this is in ~/freedv-rade-build/freedv-rade-anywhere.txt

Then it uses the distro's native package manager to install some essential system packages and for convenience checks the groups to which the user belongs. It then adds the user to the relevant dialout, uucp, plugdev and/or lock group(s) for the distro unless already there, for which it may request the root password.

The remaining script then continues as the regular user.

A working directory called freedv-rade is created in the user's home folder (or alternative 'base' folder) which is used to hold the complete installation.

The freedv-gui sources are cloned from github master branch.

build_linux.sh is then run to continue with the download and building of more dependencies and ultimately freedv.

On completion of the build a start script is written to the user's home folder called freedv-start which is then made executable ready for use. './freedv-start' or optionally './freedv-start -f yourfreedv.conf' (if you have made a custom config file) should start freedv.

The 'freedv-start' script already includes code (commented out by default) to start and stop hamlib rigctld, this needs editing to suit the user's radio. See notes in the script.

A desktop file to start FreeDV is added to the user's ~/Desktop (name adjusted for different locales) folder. This calls the 'freedv-start' script so changes there e.g. rigctld settings will still work.

Important If you start rigctld from 'freedv-start' and want to run two instances of FreeDV-RADE at the same time, e.g. a second one to monitor an SDR, then you must use two differently named start scripts.

Copy the original under a new name for the SDR instance without rigctld enabled and use the original for your TX/RX instance with rigctld activated.

If you want a second desktop file for the SDR instance then you can edit the original to point at the new start script and then create a new main one using the 'Update-RADE' script.

• 7 December 2024 Added a desktop icon to start FreeDV from the desktop

• 8 December 2024 mk-start and mk-desktop scripts may be used stand alone to create 'freedv-start' or install 'freedv-rade.desktop' files respectively, without running freedv-rade-build.

• 10 December 2024 Icon added to desktop for Update-FreeDV during a full build.

• 28 March 2025 Added option to use a build folder anywhere, not only in the user's home.

• 4 June 2025 Updated for the release of FreeDV-2.0.0 which now uses master branch.

• July 2025 Added log of the build to help with debugging when needed. Also added support for several Arch Linux based distros.

• July 2025 Added update logging and adds user to dialout/uucp/plugdev/lock groups as needed by the distro.

• August 2025 Automatic script updating during use so you always have the latest version. Added PCLinuxOS.

• January 2026 Fix dependency for Arch and Manjaro. Add LMDE to supported distros.

• March 2026 Removed all Python dependencies from this project.

• May 2026 Added ML4W OS to supported Arch-based distros.

• May 2026 Added support for RPi4 but only with some changes to the system default sample rate see ~/freedv-rade-build/rpi4-audio-howto.md the results are excellent.

Do NOT try to use the GitHub generated zip file. Follow the steps below exactly!

N.B. Always copy/paste commands from here excluding the surrounding ' ' to avoid typos!

1. Install the 'git' package using your package manager (git-core package in SUSE).

2. Go to a terminal emulator (e.g. konsole, xterm etc.) and type: 'cd' followed by the
ENTER key to be sure you are in your home directory.

3. Type: 'git clone https://github.com/barjac/freedv-rade-build' then ENTER

4. Type: 'chmod +x freedv-rade-build/freedv-rade-build' then ENTER

5. Type: 'freedv-rade-build/freedv-rade-build' then ENTER

6. Enter the root password if prompted to install some system files then ENTER

Now put the kettle on, it may take a while!

On completion you should see a message with basic instructions on how to launch the program.

If you see a message that your user has been added to a 'group', which is generally needed for rig control then REBOOT before running FreeDV.

You can (double) click the ready made 'FreeDV RADE' icon on your desktop. Or you can launch from your user's home folder in a terminal with: './freedv-start'

There is a 'freedv-rade-update' script which allows updating of your freedv-rade (created using freedv-rade-build), full rebuilds, backup/restore and new desktop file creation from a simple text menu. This can now be run from the Update-FreeDV desktop icon, which for recent installs will already be there.

*NOTE Running either freedv-rade-build or freedv-rade-update will now automatically update this whole freedv-rade-build project so it will never need any manual updating.

*NOTE As the installed FreeDV is not under your system's package management control, a system update (especially in a 'Rolling release' distro) could break FreeDV. If this happens then you will need to simply run the FreeDV update script and use the 'Full rebuild' option. This will not destroy any settings you have made or re-create any default start scripts or desktop files.

If you have a very early clone of freedv-rade-build then you can update it as follows:

*NOTE Always copy/paste commands from here excluding the surrounding ' ' to avoid typos!

1. 'cd ~/freedv-rade-build'

2. 'git pull' to update it

3. 'cd && chmod +x freedv-rade-build/freedv-rade-update' to make the update script executable

4. 'freedv-rade-build/freedv-rade-update' to run it or use the Update-RADE desktop icon.

Just follow the prompts.

If you hit a problem please open an issue here and attach the file: ~/freedv-rade-build/freedv-rade-build.log

Please do not send issues related to freedv-rade-build to the upstream freedv-gui project! They are busy enough!

Have fun with FreeDV!