CHIRP

# Running CHIRP on Linux

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This page describes how to get the newer python3-based CHIRP-next running on Linux.

## 1. Install distro packages

### Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, Raspbian, etc

```

$ sudo apt install git python3-wxgtk4.0 python3-serial python3-six python3-future python3-requests python3-pip

```

### **Fedora and compatible**

This was tested on Fedora 37 with python 3.11. The same procedure should work on all current versions of fedora running python3.

```

sudo dnf install python3-pip python3-wxpython4

```

## 2. Install CHIRP

The next steps should work for all versions of Linux using pip, assuming you have the base dependencies from the distro installed above.

Use `pip` to install the following packages as your regular user.

```

pip install wheel attrdict3

```

Download the latest `.tar.gz` file then install it with `pip`. For example:

```

pip install chirp-20230322.tar.gz

```

Now you can run chirp once from the command line with:

```

python3 -mchirp.wxui

```

The first time chirp is launched it should pop up a prompt to add a `.desktop` file for the current user. Select **yes** if you want to have the icon installed into the application menu (the *activities* menu in gnome) to launch chirp.

If you want to run chirp from the command line and simply using `chirp` does not work please check your `PATH` to verify it is complete. The command `echo $PATH` should show the `bin` directory where `chirp` is installed.  If not that can be fixed by editing `~/.bashrc` or `~/.bash_profile` to add that to the existing `$PATH`.  If the `PATH` is configured properly then chirp should be able to launch with the `chirp` command. Common locations would be `~/.local/bin` and `/usr/local/bin`.

Following the steps above (without `sudo`) installs the app as a user level app and it will only be accessible to that user. Using `sudo` for a system-wide installation is deprecated and not recommended on modern distros.

Once chirp is properly installed, upgrades to newer versions are done with two simple steps:

1. Download the newer `.tar.gz file`.

2. Run `pip install --upgrade chirp-<version>.tar.gz`

## 3. Serial port permissions

Note that you may need to add your users who want to use CHIRP to the group that owns the serial ports. This issue is often indicated by an "access denied" error when accessing serial port. First determine the USB port of your device, and then the following command should add your user to the proper group:

```

sudo usermod -a -G $(stat -c %G /dev/ttyUSB0) $USER

```

If that made a change, you will then need to log out and back in (or maybe even reboot) for it to take effect.

### (Optional) Newer `wxPython`

You may want to install a newer wxPython, depending on what your distro ships. For Debian-derived distros (including Ubuntu and Mint) you can do that with a command like:

```

pip3 install -U -f https://extras.wxpython.org/wxPython4/extras/linux/gtk3/ubuntu-20.04 wxPython

```

Check the [directory listing](https://extras.wxpython.org/wxPython4/extras/linux/gtk3/) for other distro versions and use the closest match to what you're on. **NOTE** that this will not work for non-x86_64 machines (like the Raspberry Pi) as there are no binary builds for those platforms.