I am a big fan of Raspberry Pi computers, especially for amateur radio. With minimal effort and low cost, all digital modes can be utilized. However, a common challenge has been that not all programs are available for Linux. Additionally, Windows emulation with Wine was often too slow on older Raspberry Pi models to be truly practical.
That has changed with the Raspberry Pi 5. Thanks to its significantly improved performance, Wine now runs surprisingly smoothly, allowing many Windows programs to function without issues.
Installation is incredibly simple using the excellent 73Linux script by KM4ACK. 73Linux is the successor to the well-known “Build a Pi” script and can be downloaded here: https://github.com/km4ack/73Linux.
To install Wine, I simply select the VARA option in the installation script. This automatically sets up the PiApps Store, which allows me to install VARA HF along with the complete Wine environment. After that, I remove VARA HF from PiApps and install Winlink Express, VarAC, VARA HF, and VARA FM directly within the Wine environment. These programs then appear conveniently in the Raspberry Pi menu.
My setup runs on a Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB) with Raspbian Bookworm 32-bit on a 64GB SD card. As a transceiver, I use the Elecraft KX2, which I connect to the Raspberry Pi via a DigiRig interface. The built-in sound card and CAT transceiver control work flawlessly, both natively in Raspbian and within the Wine environment.
Important: If you, like me, control your Raspberry Pi via VNC with an iPad, running it headless without a monitor, you must enable a virtual monitor in Wine’s settings. Otherwise, Windows programs will not be displayed. If RealVNC Server doesn’t work, check out Jason’s great YouTube channel and his video on the topic: https://youtu.be/787FfnS0wbE?si=8hR3hEKVWVCTRywx.
The iPad and Raspberry PI5 are connected via WLAN at home and via the iPad’s hotspot when out and about. The Raspberry recognizes what is available and uses it. The installation of a HotSpot tool is therefore not necessary.
By the way: Interestingly, the PI5 runs without any problems on a normal USB-C power bank. It warns briefly when starting up about the low power supply, but works perfectly in my setup. The passive cooling with the GeeekPi heat sink also works very well.
Enjoy experimenting, and 73!
Karl, DL1GKK