CHIRP

# Running CHIRP on Linux

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

## Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, Raspbian, etc

Install prerequisite packages:

```

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

```

You should be able to install either the wheel or the tarball using `pip`:

```

$ pip3 install chirp-next-20230114.tar.gz

```

> **_NOTE:_**  Your system may install `pip` as `pip3` like above, or just `pip`

If you run the above command as a regular user, the `chirp` executable will be installed into `~/.local/bin/chirp`. If you run it as root, then it will be in `/usr/local/bin/chirp` as you might normally expect.

### Create a desktop (menu) entry

This can be placed in `/usr/share/applications/chirp.desktop` to have a menu entry added. Or it can be placed on the desktop itself to add an icon.

```

[Desktop Entry]

Name=CHiRP-next

Comment=Program radios using CHiRP

Keywords=ham radio

Exec=/usr/local/bin/chirp

Icon=/usr/local/lib/python3.9/dist-packages/chirp/share/chirp.ico

Terminal=false

StartupNotify=true

Type=Application

Categories=HamRadio

```

If you have installed chirp for your user only, then use paths for your home directory: `~/.local/share/applications/chirp.desktop`

```

[Desktop Entry]

Name=CHiRP-next (user install)

Comment=Program radios using CHiRP

Keywords=ham radio

Exec=.local/bin/chirp

Icon=.local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/chirp/share/chirp.ico

Terminal=false

StartupNotify=true

Type=Application

Categories=HamRadio

```

### (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.