[ntp:questions] Configuring FreeBSD 6.2 for use with Garmin GPS 18 LVC

Speechless noone at nowhere.com
Sat Dec 15 15:12:32 UTC 2007


On Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:12:00 -0800, "Dennis Hilberg, Jr."
<timekeeper at dennishilberg.com.invalid> wrote:

>Hello,
>
>As the subject line suggests, I would like to set up FreeBSD 6.2 to use my 
>Garmin GPS 18 LVC as a refclock.
>
>I've been following advice from David Taylor's web page on this subject 
>http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/ntp/FreeBSD-GPS-PPS.htm , although he 
>used FreeBSD 5.4.
>
>I have a few questions regarding the configuration.  I understand that 
>'options PPS_SYNC' needs to be added to the kernel config file, and that the 
>kernel then needs to be recompiled. 

You may want to use FreeBSD 6.3, scheduled for release in about 10
days or FreeBSD 7.0 scheduled for release sometime mid January 2008.

I vaguely recall some discussion circa May/June 2007 about there being
some issues with PPS_SYNC and SMP kernel code in FBSD 6.2. I was
preoccupied with other matters at the time, so I didn't really pay
attention that much but, I seem to recall that the fix was not trivial
and that they were talking about putting the fix into FBSD 6.3 and 7.0
rather than risk making 6.2 unstable as a whole.  I am not sure
whether or not the final decision included a fix for 6.2


> However, he includes a comment from 
>Harlan Stenn stating that 'include GENERIC', 'ident PPS-GENERIC', and 
>'options PPS_SYNC' need to be added to the file /usr/src/sys/i386/conf/PPS . 

You need to create a file in directory:
/usr/src/sys/<architecture>/conf/

     Where:  <architecture> depends on what kind of hardware you have
		i386 = Intel,
		amd64 = AMD, etc.



>  This file doesn't exist on my system.  Do I need to create the file from 
>scratch with those items in it, or is it something that is created after the 
>kernel recompile?

Yes, you create a kernel configuration file:
/usr/src/sys/<architecture>/conf/<filename>

    Where:  <filename> should be the same as kernel ident within

eg.:  If the contents of your kernel configuration file is:

#
# Generic kernel configuration with PPS_SYNC option
#
include 	GENERIC
ident	PPS-GENERIC
options 	PPS_SYNC

then your kernel configuration <filename> should be:  PPS-GENERIC
eg.:  /usr/src/sys/<architecture>/conf/PPS-GENERIC

To compile your kernel, log-in as root and issue the following
commands:

cd /usr/src
make buildkernel KERNCONF=<filename>
    Where:  <filename> is the name of your kernel configuration file
    eg:  make buildkernel KERNCONF=PPS-GENERIC

If kernel compiles without errors, install kernel:
make installkernel KERNCONF=<filename>
    Where:  <filename> is the name of your kernel configuration file

After kernel install, reboot into new kernel:
shutdown -r now

If new kernel fails to boot:
Strike SPACE BAR during bootstrap countdown
Select option:  6 - Escape to loader prompt
At loader prompt, issue commands:
unload
boot kernel.old

Commands for post-install clean up:
cd /usr/obj
chflags -R noschg *
rm -rf *

cd /usr/src
make clean

You now have a FreeBSD kernel configured for a PPS reference clock.

>
>I emailed David Taylor with these questions regarding the configuration, and 
>he replied that he can't quite remember exactly how he configured his 
>system, and if that PPS file needed to be created from scratch or not.  So 
>he directed me to the newsgroup.
>
>If someone could give me a complete list of steps that need to be taken to 
>configure FreeBSD to use the GPS 18 LVC, or point me to some documentation 
>on the matter, I would greatly appreciate it.  I'm new to FreeBSD and don't 
>know my way around.

In addition to configuring the kernel as described above, you will
also have to configure a serial port by adding the following lines to
/etc/devfs.conf:

#
# Set up serial port for general purpose call-out
# Reference:  devfs.conf(5)
#
own	cuadx		root:wheel
perm	cuadx		0660
own	cuadx.init	root:wheel
perm	cuadx.init	0660
own	cuadx.lock	root:wheel
perm	cuadx.lock	0660

     Where:  x in cuadx = 0 (zero) for COM1, x = 1 (one) for COM2

You will also have to include a link statement in /etc/devfs.conf to
link the serial port configured above to the device name the driver
expects.  Assuming you would be using driver Type 20 and the
documentation is correct, the statement would be:

link	cuadx		gpsu

     Where:  	x in cuadx = 0 (zero) for COM1, or 1 (one) for COM2
		u in gpsu = u in 127.127.20.u = unit number

where unit number is described in documentation for Type 20 driver:
http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/html/drivers/driver20.html
and in the man page:  ntp.conf(5)

After done configuring /etc/devfs.conf, reboot the system for the
changes to take effect:  shutdown -r now



STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY:  Use at your own risk, I'm not responsible
for what you do, etc. Information herein is based on very few notes
and many recollections, some perhaps faulty, of what I did under
FreeBSD-7.0-BETA2 running on a cranky old laptop for a
proof-of-concept project.  FreeBSD 7.0 is now at BETA4, my cranky old
laptop is no more after failing to survive my dog's territorial
behavior, and all the rest is history.  It all worked for me at the
time I tried it.  Your milage may vary.





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