Greetings to the list.

I am awaiting delivery of my V2 plus4 harware and considering a companion app to use with it.  I have looked at some docs I found and done a few web searches but mostly I find info relating to Ubuntu 18.4 and some relating to Mint 19.3.  I gather there are a lot of dependencies for running something like NanoVNA Saver so I want to make sure I do  everything in the correct order and do all the necessary steps.   I found a lot of references to Python 3.7.  This version of Mint has python ver 3.10.6.  Is there anyone onboard who can offer a little advice and guidance for me with getting some software installed?  Also opinions on another app that I might consider as an alternative to Saver, any advice is appreciated.

Best regards to all...Joe ve7vxo

On 4/27/23 7:41 AM, VE7VXO wrote:
> Greetings to the list.
>
> I am awaiting delivery of my V2 plus4 harware and considering a
> companion app to use with it.  I have looked at some docs I found and
> done a few web searches but mostly I find info relating to Ubuntu 18.4
> and some relating to Mint 19.3.  I gather there are a lot of
> dependencies for running something like NanoVNA Saver so I want to make
> sure I do  everything in the correct order and do all the necessary
> steps.   I found a lot of references to Python 3.7.  This version of
> Mint has python ver 3.10.6.  Is there anyone onboard who can offer a
> little advice and guidance for me with getting some software installed?
> Also opinions on another app that I might consider as an alternative to
> Saver, any advice is appreciated.
>

I run (and have run) a bunch of versions of Python - NanoVNA-Saver is
what I use and I've not noticed any particular version dependencies.

The problems you get are the usual if you update some component, it
needs to match (library from a new version - but python from old version)

Hello Joe

The github page for nanovna-saver states:

<cite>Running the application
Main development is currently done on Linux (Mint 21 "Vanessa" Cinnamon) </cite>

I guess you'll have few issues. Note that, in my experience, no
"driver" installation is required - on a linux box plug in the USB and
`it just works`.

73


Dave, G1OGY

On Thu, 27 Apr 2023 at 15:52, VE7VXO <jstreet@xplornet.com> wrote:

>
> Greetings to the list.
>
> I am awaiting delivery of my V2 plus4 harware and considering a companion app to use with it. I have looked at some docs I found and done a few web searches but mostly I find info relating to Ubuntu 18.4 and some relating to Mint 19.3. I gather there are a lot of dependencies for running something like NanoVNA Saver so I want to make sure I do everything in the correct order and do all the necessary steps. I found a lot of references to Python 3.7. This version of Mint has python ver 3.10.6. Is there anyone onboard who can offer a little advice and guidance for me with getting some software installed? Also opinions on another app that I might consider as an alternative to Saver, any advice is appreciated.
>
> Best regards to all...Joe ve7vxo
>

Thanks for the encouragement Dave,

It is good to know that drivers may not be a time sink as that was one
of my big concerns beyond just figuring out how to do the install.

Joe

On 2023-04-27 10:29 AM, Dave (G1OGY) wrote:

> Hello Joe
>
> The github page for nanovna-saver states:
>
> <cite>Running the application
> Main development is currently done on Linux (Mint 21 "Vanessa"
> Cinnamon) </cite>
>
> I guess you'll have few issues. Note that, in my experience, no
> "driver" installation is required - on a linux box plug in the USB and
> `it just works`.
>
> 73
>
> Dave, G1OGY
>
> On Thu, 27 Apr 2023 at 15:52, VE7VXO <jstreet@xplornet.com> wrote:
>
>> Greetings to the list.
>>
>> I am awaiting delivery of my V2 plus4 harware and considering a
>> companion app to use with it. I have looked at some docs I found and
>> done a few web searches but mostly I find info relating to Ubuntu 18.4
>> and some relating to Mint 19.3. I gather there are a lot of
>> dependencies for running something like NanoVNA Saver so I want to
>> make sure I do everything in the correct order and do all the
>> necessary steps. I found a lot of references to Python 3.7. This
>> version of Mint has python ver 3.10.6. Is there anyone onboard who
>> can offer a little advice and guidance for me with getting some
>> software installed? Also opinions on another app that I might
>> consider as an alternative to Saver, any advice is appreciated.
>>
>> Best regards to all...Joe ve7vxo
>
>

On 4/27/23 11:00 AM, VE7VXO wrote:
> Thanks for the encouragement Dave,
>
> It is good to know that drivers may not be a time sink as that was one
> of my big concerns beyond just figuring out how to do the install.
>
> Joe
>

For such a simple interface, I have probably spent more time debugging
serial i/o code, drivers, and configurations than any other interface.

In any case, Nanovna-saver uses pyserial. And Pyserial has easy ways to
check if it sees your device.

python -m serial.tools.list_ports

So I'm thinking that for Mint I should follow the instructions for
Ubuntu 20.04/22.04 on the link below? I'm pretty sure I don't have pip
or some of the other utils. My Mint is a pretty fresh default install
so far.

https://github.com/NanoVNA-Saver/nanovna-saver/blob/main/docs/INSTALLATION.md

Well I thought the install went ok but when I try to run it, I got the
error report below which I don't know how to solve.  Any suggestions?


NanoVNASaver 0.6.0.post1.dev9+g8f86722

Copyright (C) 2019, 2020 Rune B. Broberg
Copyright (C) 2020ff NanoVNA-Saver Authors

This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
This program is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3

See https://github.com/NanoVNA-Saver/nanovna-saver for further details.

qt.qpa.plugin: Could not load the Qt platform plugin "xcb" in "" even
though it was found.
This application failed to start because no Qt platform plugin could be
initialized. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

Available platform plugins are: eglfs, xcb, linuxfb, minimal, vnc,
wayland, minimalegl, offscreen, vkkhrdisplay, wayland-egl.

Aborted (core dumped)

Ok I got it running now.

Good news, Joe.
A bit of "self training" does wonders.
73

On Fri, 28 Apr 2023, 05:21 VE7VXO, <jstreet@xplornet.com> wrote:

> Ok I got it running now.
>
>
>
>
>
>

Now it remains to sit and wait a month (hopefully not more) for the
hardware to make its way around half the globe.  Hopefully you are right
that the drivers will load and "just work".

On 2023-04-28 04:36, Dave (G1OGY) wrote:

> Good news, Joe.
> A bit of "self training" does wonders.
> 73
>
> On Fri, 28 Apr 2023, 05:21 VE7VXO, <jstreet@xplornet.com> wrote:
>
> Ok I got it running now.
>
>

I guess you'll have few issues. Note that, in my experience, no
"driver" installation is required - on a linux box plug in the USB and
`it just works`.

Indeed.  The NanoVNA arrived and Linux loaded the drivers and it just works!  Amazing!

As fate would have it, indeed "it just works".  I can't believe I have my own VNA now.  Never imagined it would be something I would ever have access to outside of work.  Saver makes it that much more powerful and convenient.  I have already used it to check a few VHF and UHF antennas. :) :)