Upgrading My DigiPi to Version 2.2-1 and a 10.1-Inch Touchscreen

September 2026

My Raspberry Pi–based DigiPi has become an important part of my amateur-radio setup. I primarily use it for APRS with Dire Wolf, but DigiPi supports many additional digital-radio applications in a compact package.

On 5 September 2026, I upgraded the system to DigiPi version 2.2-1. At the same time, I replaced the small display with a much larger 10.1-inch Wisecoco LCD touchscreen. The combination made the DigiPi easier to see, operate, and troubleshoot.

The New Display

The replacement screen is a:

Wisecoco 10.1-inch LCD Touch Screen for Raspberry Pi Portable Monitor — IPS, 1024 × 600

Unfortunately, this particular model is no longer available from Amazon. However, its specifications are useful if you want to find a comparable replacement:

10.1-inch IPS display
1024 × 600 native resolution
HDMI video input
USB touchscreen connection
Raspberry Pi compatibility
Separate USB power input

The biggest improvement is simply having more screen space. The original compact display worked, but reading decoded APRS packets and status information required being close to the unit. The 10.1-inch screen makes that information much easier to monitor from across the room.

The IPS panel also provides better viewing angles, which is helpful when the DigiPi is mounted on a shelf or positioned beside other radio equipment.

Connecting the Screen

The Wisecoco display uses two primary connections:

HDMI carries video from the Raspberry Pi to the display.
USB provides the touchscreen interface.

The monitor also requires adequate power. Depending on the screen and Raspberry Pi model, powering both devices from one undersized USB supply can cause display instability, touchscreen problems, or Raspberry Pi undervoltage warnings.

I recommend using a properly rated power supply for the Raspberry Pi and following the monitor manufacturer’s power recommendations. A powered USB hub or separate power source may be useful if the complete system includes other USB devices, such as a GPS receiver, radio interface, sound card, or AIOC cable.

Confirming the Display Resolution

After connecting the monitor, I verified that the Raspberry Pi detected its native resolution. The framebuffer reported:

mode "1024x600"
    geometry 1024 600 1024 600 16

The available HDMI modes also listed 1024x600, confirming that the Raspberry Pi recognized the screen correctly.

If you are performing a similar upgrade, you can check the framebuffer resolution with:

fbset -s

You can also view the display modes reported by the HDMI connection with:

cat /sys/class/drm/card?-HDMI-A-*/modes

The desired result for this screen is:

1024x600

These commands are especially useful on a DigiPi that does not run a conventional X11 desktop. In that situation, xrandr may return an error such as:

Can't open display

That does not necessarily indicate a display problem. The framebuffer and DRM information are more useful when DigiPi is displaying information directly on the console.

Upgrading to DigiPi Version 2.2-1

Before beginning the software upgrade, I backed up the files that contained my station-specific settings. This is an important step because a fresh DigiPi image or major upgrade may overwrite customized configuration files.

My backup checklist included:

Dire Wolf configuration
Station callsign and SSID
APRS beacon settings
Latitude, longitude, and grid square
APRS-IS login and passcode settings
Audio-device configuration
PTT configuration
Custom display scripts
Systemd service modifications
Network settings
Any locally modified startup files

For my station, the most important items were the Dire Wolf audio and PTT settings used with the radio interface. After installing DigiPi 2.2-1, I restored those settings carefully instead of blindly replacing every new configuration file. This helped preserve improvements included with the new DigiPi release.

Checking Dire Wolf After the Upgrade

Once DigiPi 2.2-1 was running, I confirmed that Dire Wolf could access the audio interface and control the radio’s push-to-talk line.

The startup output should identify the configured audio device, modem type, sample rate, and PTT method. It should also indicate that the KISS and AGW interfaces are available.

Useful items to verify include:

The correct USB audio interface is selected.
Dire Wolf starts without permission errors.
The radio transmits when Dire Wolf activates PTT.
Received APRS packets are decoded.
Packets are forwarded to APRS-IS when operating as an iGate.
The station beacon contains the correct callsign and location.
The KISS TCP port is available to supported applications.
The DigiPi display updates after a packet is decoded.

I also checked the audio levels after the upgrade. Even when the configuration files remain the same, audio-device names or mixer settings can sometimes change after reinstalling or updating the operating system.

The following command opens the ALSA mixer:

alsamixer

After adjusting the capture level, the settings can be saved with:

sudo alsactl store

Adapting the Display for 1024 × 600

Changing to a larger screen does not automatically guarantee that every program will use the additional space effectively. Applications or custom display scripts may still be configured for the resolution of the previous screen.

For a 1024 × 600 display, I checked:

Window dimensions
Font sizes
Line spacing
Status-text position
Packet-history area
Margins and padding
Full-screen behavior
Fallback resolution settings

This was particularly important for my packet-display software. A program designed around a small SPI screen may use fixed pixel coordinates. On a larger screen, those elements can appear in one corner, leave large unused areas, or be positioned outside the visible region.

The improved screen size allowed me to display packet details, Dire Wolf status information, and system messages much more clearly. It also made touchscreen navigation practical compared with trying to use small controls on a compact display.

Touchscreen Testing

After connecting the USB touchscreen cable, I verified that Linux detected an input device:

lsusb

Additional information about the available input devices can be displayed with:

cat /proc/bus/input/devices

The touchscreen should respond without requiring special software when it presents itself as a standard USB HID input device. If the touch position does not match the screen orientation, calibration or coordinate transformation may be necessary.

It is also important to remember that HDMI alone does not provide touchscreen control. The USB data connection must be present in addition to the HDMI cable.

Results of the Upgrade

The upgrade produced two significant improvements.

First, DigiPi version 2.2-1 provided an updated software foundation for the station. After restoring and validating my settings, Dire Wolf resumed decoding APRS traffic and providing the required network interfaces.

Second, the 10.1-inch display transformed the way I interact with the system. The larger 1024 × 600 screen is easier to read, provides more room for decoded packet information, and makes troubleshooting much more comfortable.

The result is a DigiPi that feels less like a small embedded appliance and more like a dedicated APRS monitoring station.

Finding a Comparable Screen

Because the Wisecoco model I used is no longer available on Amazon, anyone recreating this project will need to select an alternative display.

I would look for a monitor with the following features:

Native 1024 × 600 or higher resolution
HDMI input
USB capacitive touchscreen
IPS panel
Raspberry Pi compatibility
Reliable power input
Accessible on-screen controls
A case or mounting system suitable for radio-room use

Before purchasing a replacement, check whether the display uses standard HDMI timing and whether Raspberry Pi OS recognizes its native resolution. Also confirm whether the touchscreen works as a standard USB HID device without proprietary drivers.

Final Thoughts

Upgrading my DigiPi to version 2.2-1 and adding the Wisecoco 10.1-inch touchscreen was a worthwhile project. The software upgrade brought the system up to date, while the larger display greatly improved everyday usability.

Although the exact Wisecoco screen is no longer sold by Amazon, the project is not dependent on that specific model. Any reliable Raspberry Pi–compatible HDMI touchscreen with similar specifications should provide the same basic benefits.

As with most Raspberry Pi radio projects, the keys to a successful upgrade are backing up the working configuration, verifying one component at a time, and confirming the audio, PTT, network, and display settings before returning the system to regular service.

Station: NI3N
Location: Uniontown, Pennsylvania
Grid: FM09du

I would like to thank Craig KM6LYW for all his work on developing the DigiPi

I would suggest that if you are interested in the DigiPi then go support Craig on KM6LYW Patreon Page and subscribe KM6LYW Radio Youtube Channel.