MyAWOS Lite

How it works

1Five clicks

An Airspy receiver listens on the airport frequency and detects a valid five-click request.

2Fresh weather

The computer reads WeatherLink Live or Ecowitt and builds a report from included voice clips.

3Radio playback

A USB relay keys a separate Yaesu radio while isolated, attenuated audio is played.

4Ready again

PTT releases, Airspy restarts, and click detection recalibrates automatically.

Lite on purpose

MyAWOS Lite provides click detection, current local weather, recorded voice, USB-relay PTT and audio playback. The full MyAWOS project remains the place for cameras, AWC products, forecasts, email reports, runway-light control, displays and other advanced integrations.

What you need

Use equipment you already own where possible. Product listings change, so match the model and specification—not merely the appearance.

Component	Recommended source	What matters
Ubuntu computer	Amazon mini-PC search	x86-64, Ubuntu 24.04, four USB ports or a powered hub.
Airspy receiver	Official Airspy distributors	Airspy Mini or R2; receive-only click detection.
USB PTT relay	LCUS-1 example · Amazon search	5 V, CH340, one channel, dry COM/NO/NC contacts.
USB sound adapter	Sabrent AU-MMSA	Separate class-compliant audio output.
Aviation radio	Yaesu FTA-250L	A compatible FTA-250L, FTA-450L or FTA-550 may be reused.
Yaesu adapter	SCU-42 at Aircraft Spruce	Check whether one was included with the radio.
Audio interface	PJ-068 plug + documented interface	Must be isolated, DC-blocked and attenuated; not a plain cable.
Airband antennas	Receive · Transmit	Separate receive/transmit systems covering 118–137 MHz.
Weather station	WeatherLink Live · Ecowitt GW1100	Use compatible outdoor wind and temperature sensors.

Do not use a plain headphone cable for radio audio. The computer output must be reduced to microphone level and isolated from the radio. The hardware guide specifies stereo-to-mono summing, 20–30 dB initial attenuation, DC blocking and galvanic isolation.

How everything connects

Airspy only listens. The USB relay is only a dry PTT switch. A separate Yaesu radio and isolated audio interface perform the transmission.

Install in five steps

Install Ubuntu first

Install Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, connect the Airspy, relay and USB audio adapter, and connect the computer to the internet.

Download and install

cd ~/Downloads
sudo apt install ./myawos-lite_0.1.0_all.deb

Ubuntu installs MyAWOS Lite and downloads its Airspy, audio, Python and serial dependencies.

Answer the setup wizard

sudo myawos-lite setup

Enter the station ID, authorized frequency, audio device, and WeatherLink Live or Ecowitt information. No code editing is required.

Run safe checks

sudo myawos-lite devices
sudo myawos-lite doctor
sudo myawos-lite generate
sudo myawos-lite play-audio
sudo myawos-lite relay-off

Keep the radio off or PTT disconnected. Audio-only playback never keys the transmitter.

Commission only after verification

sudo myawos-lite enable-transmit --confirm
sudo systemctl enable --now myawos-lite

First verify wiring, frequency authority, antennas, RF protection, audio quality and fail-safe PTT release.

Does one download install everything?

It installs all MyAWOS Lite software, voice clips, hardware rules and the background service. Ubuntu also downloads the required software dependencies.

You must install Ubuntu first and then complete the guided setup and physical commissioning. Software cannot safely choose your airport frequency, wire the radio, obtain weather credentials, adjust transmitted audio or approve an antenna installation. RF transmission stays disabled until you explicitly enable it.

Operator responsibility: Installation does not grant authority to transmit. Verify licensing and frequency coordination, station identification, RF exposure, antenna and feed-line safety, receiver protection, audio quality, interference prevention and automatic PTT release before operational use.