Gaztronics EPEL Repository

Intro

I am pleased to offer my own personal repository of Rocky Linux / CentOS / RHEL RPMs that I have rebuilt from the Fedora sources in order to provide the extra functionality that is missing from the EPEL project. The RPMs have been downloaded as source-RPMs from official Fedora repository mirrors and rebuilt with an rpmbuild script on a Rocky 9 or Rocky 8 build-system (virtual machine). They are offered without warranty, so use them at your own discretion. They work on my various desktop and laptop builds, so they should work for you. Always back-up your system prior to installing 3rd party RPMs!

If the packages in this repository are ever repeated in EPEL, I will remove my version in preference to the EPEL version.

I have included the BASH script I have used to rebuild the package. Feel free to download it and use it for your own system. The scripts call others to sign the RPMs, and I have a separate script to upload the SRPMS and RPMs to the VPS hosting this. Adjust to suit your own requirements. Please note: the rsync URI path is unique to my internal systems and not available via the public Internet.

The packages offered below are for both EL9 and EL8. As EL8 has now reached the end of its update cycle (release 8.10), the EL8 packages offered here are unlikely to change. EL9 packages may track upstream versions of Fedora, depending on build requirements.

EL9

If you would like to use the repository via dnf, please install the following RPM package: sudo dnf install http://epel.gaztronics.net/gaztronics-9-0.noarch.rpm

Many of the packages in this repository rely on packages from EPEL, so remember to install with: sudo dnf install epel-release

Browse the contents of the repo here: http://epel.gaztronics.net/epel/9/x86_64/

Source RPMS are available here: http://epel.gaztronics.net/9/SRPMS

Use the following command to list all available packages: dnf --disablerepo="*" --enablerepo="gaztronics" list available.

Amateur Radio packages

dxcc-gui

Info: Amateur Radio callsign-to-country look-up utility.

Install: sudo dnf install dxcc-gui

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Notes: Installs dxcc as dependency.

Build script: dxcc-build

flrig

Info: Flrig is a transceiver control program designed to be used either stand alone or as an adjunct to fldigi.

Install: sudo dnf install flrig

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: flrig-build

gpredict

Info: Gpredict is a real time satellite tracking and orbit prediction program written using the Gtk+ widgets.

Install: sudo dnf install gpredict

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: gpredict-build

ibp

Info: Amateur Radio International Beacon Project transmit schedule.

Install: sudo dnf install ibp

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: ibp-build

js8call

Info: JS8Call is an experiment to test the feasibility of a digital mode with the robustness of FT8.

Install: sudo dnf install js8call

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: js8call-build

klog

Info: KLog is a Ham radio logging program for KDE.

Install: sudo dnf install klog

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: klog-build

qsstv

Info: Qsstv is a program for receiving slow-scan television and fax.

Install: sudo dnf install qsstv

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: qsstv-build

Notes: Unable to test properly at present as I cannot select the correct USB sound-card for my FT-991A, although there is a External link  work around.

rtlsdr-scanner

Info: Frequency scanning GUI for RTL2832 based DVB-T dongles.

Install: sudo dnf install rtlsdr-scanner

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: rtlsdr-scanner-build

trustedqsl

Info: The TrustedQSL applications are used for generating digitally signed QSO records (records of Amateur Radio contacts). This package contains the GUI applications tqslcert and tqsl.

Install: sudo dnf install trustedqsl

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: trustedqsl-build

wsjtx

Info: WSJT-X is a computer program designed to facilitate basic amateur radio communication using very weak signals.

Install: sudo dnf install wsjtx

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: wjstx-build

xastir

Info: Automatic Position Repeater System (APRS) for Amateur Radio.

Install: sudo dnf install xastir

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: xastir-build

Notes: heavily tested as I use this most days.

xlog

Info: xlog is a logging program for amateur radio operators.

Install: sudo dnf install xlog

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: xlog-build

Useful utilities

blueman

Info: Blueman is a tool to manage Bluetooth devices.

Install: sudo dnf install blueman

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Notes: Has been a little flaky on my laptop and desktop - use at own risk!

Build script: blueman-build

gtkterm

Info: Serial terminal emulator application - handy for configuring network switches and routers.

Install: sudo dnf install gtkterm

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Notes: In order to be able to use gtkterm as a normal user you need to do: usermod -a -G dialout,lock <username> as root, replacing <username> with your username, so that your user can access the serial ports.

Build script: gtkterm-build

mediawriter

Info: A tool to write images of Fedora media to portable drives like flash drives or memory cards.

Install: sudo dnf install mediawriter

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: mediawriter-build

Notes: includes udisk package.

system-config-printer

Info: system-config-printer is a graphical user interface that allows the user to configure a CUPS print server

Install: sudo dnf install system-config-printer system-config-printer-applet

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: system-config-printer-build

Notes: Configure printers via a GUI instead of messing around with CUPS in a browser.

wallpapoz

Info: This tool enables your Gnome/MATE desktop to have different wallpapers for different workspaces or virtual desktops.

Install: sudo dnf install wallpapoz

Built from: Fedora 38 SRPM

Build script: wallpapoz-build

The detection routines in wallpapoz fail to detect MATE. You can fudge this by changing line 107 in /usr/share/wallpapoz/lib/wallpapoz_system.py to the following: self.window_manager = 'MATE'. Logout and in again and wallpapoz should start to work.

wallpapoz

You may need to create an autostart entry in ~/.config/autostart called wallpapoz-autostart.desktop and it needs to contain the following:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=wallpapoz-autostart
Comment=Wallpapoz Autostarter
Exec=daemon_wallpapoz
Terminal=false
X-Desktop-File-Install-Version=0.15
Hidden=false

EL8

If you would like to use the repository via dnf, please install the following RPM package: sudo dnf install http://epel.gaztronics.net/gaztronics-8-0.noarch.rpm

Many of the packages in this repository rely on packages from EPEL, so remember to install with: sudo dnf install epel-release

Browse the contents of the repo here: http://epel.gaztronics.net/epel/8/x86_64/

Source RPMS are available here: https://www.gaztronics.net/8/SRPMS

Use the following command to list all available packages: dnf --disablerepo="*" --enablerepo="gaztronics" list available.

Unable to rebuild

I have been unable to rebuild: blueberry (Bluetooth control); dnfdragora (update notification daemon), and mail-notification (deprecated libgnome-devel dependency).

Update 3rd March 2024 New - blueman added to provide GUI Bluetooth control. Deprecated - I have dropped trustedqsl as later versions require wxGTK-devel, so I suggest using the Flatpak version. I have also dropped gqrx as the build-dependencies changed and no longer build without replacing upstream gnuradio version. I suspect this will become a larger problem as EL8 is left behind EL9.

Amateur Radio packages

dxcc-gui

Info: Amateur Radio callsign-to-country look-up utility.

Install: sudo dnf install dxcc-gui

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Notes: Installs dxcc as dependency.

Build script: dxcc-build

flrig

Info: Flrig is a transceiver control program designed to be used either stand alone or as an adjunct to fldigi.

Install: sudo dnf install flrig

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: flrig-build

gpredict

Info: Gpredict is a real time satellite tracking and orbit prediction program written using the Gtk+ widgets.

Install: sudo dnf install gpredict

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: gpredict-build

js8call

Info: JS8Call is an experiment to test the feasibility of a digital mode with the robustness of FT8.

Install: sudo dnf install js8call

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: js8call-build

klog

Info: KLog is a Ham radio logging program for KDE.

Install: sudo dnf install klog

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: klog-build

ibp

Info: Amateur Radio International Beacon Project transmit schedule.

Install: sudo dnf install ibp

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: ibp-build

qsstv

Info: Qsstv is a program for receiving slow-scan television and fax.

Install: sudo dnf install qsstv

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: qsstv-build

Notes: Built with a little sed to remove deprecated openjpeg dependency. Unable to test properly at present as I cannot select the correct USB sound-card for my FT-991A, although there is a External link  work around.

rtlsdr-scanner

Info: Frequency scanning GUI for RTL2832 based DVB-T dongles.

Install: sudo dnf install rtlsdr-scanner

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: rtlsdr-scanner-build

xastir

Info: Automatic Position Repeater System (APRS) for Amateur Radio.

Install: sudo dnf install xastir

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: xastir-build

Notes: heavily tested as I use this most days.

xlog

Info: xlog is a logging program for amateur radio operators.

Install: sudo dnf install xlog

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: xlog-build

Useful utilities

compiz

Info: Compiz is one of the first OpenGL-accelerated compositing window managers for the X Window System.

Install: sudo dnf install compiz compiz-bcop compiz-manager compiz-plugins-experimental compiz-plugins-extra compiz-plugins-main ccsm fusion-icon emerald emerald-themes

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Notes: Rebuilt as I like the 3D effects on the MATE desktop. Use at your own risk. Seems to work well with nVidia cards. I am unable to use it on my AMD GPU powered laptop. The rebuild includes the emerald decorations.

Build script: compiz-build

blueman

Info: Blueman is a tool to manage Bluetooth devices.

Install: sudo dnf install blueman

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Notes: Has been a little flaky on my laptop and desktop - use at own risk!

Build script: blueman-build

gtkterm

Info: Serial terminal emulator application - handy for configuring network switches and routers.

Install: sudo dnf install gtkterm

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Notes: In order to be able to use gtkterm as a normal user you need to do: usermod -a -G dialout,lock <username> as root, replacing <username> with your username, so that your user can access the serial ports.

Build script: gtkterm-build

hplip

Replaces out-of-date distro version!

Info: The Hewlett-Packard Linux Imaging and Printing Project provides drivers for HP printers and multi-function peripherals.

Install: sudo dnf install hplip

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: hplip-build

mediawriter

Info: A tool to write images of Fedora media to portable drives like flash drives or memory cards.

Install: sudo dnf install mediawriter

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: mediawriter-build

Notes: includes udisk package.

system-config-printer

Info: system-config-printer is a graphical user interface that allows the user to configure a CUPS print server

Install: sudo dnf install system-config-printer system-config-printer-applet

Built from: Fedora 36 SRPM

Build script: system-config-printer-build

Notes: Configure printers via a GUI instead of messing around with CUPS in a browser.

wallpapoz

Info: This tool enables your Gnome/MATE desktop to have different wallpapers for different workspaces or virtual desktops.

Install: sudo dnf install wallpapoz

Built from: Fedora 35 SRPM

Build script: wallpapoz-build

The detection routines in wallpapoz fail to detect MATE. You can fudge this by changing line 107 in /usr/share/wallpapoz/lib/wallpapoz_system.py to the following: self.window_manager = 'MATE'. Logout and in again and wallpapoz should start to work.

wallpapoz

You may need to create an autostart entry in ~/.config/autostart called wallpapoz-autostart.desktop and it needs to contain the following:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=wallpapoz-autostart
Comment=Wallpapoz Autostarter
Exec=daemon_wallpapoz
Terminal=false
X-Desktop-File-Install-Version=0.15
Hidden=false

Page updated: 4th November 2024