Category: Other

Using Windows Subsystem For Linux (WSL) to Run Linux SDR Programs on Windows 10

Thank you to Happysat who has shared with us a useful tutorial that explains how we can run Linux only SDR programs on a Windows 10 system using the Windows Subsystem For Linux (WSL) feature. WSL is a feature available on Windows 10 which is a Linux compatibility layer designed for running Linux binaries natively on Windows 10. This means that no Virtual Machine with shared resources is required, instead the full resources of your system are available. 

Happysat writes:

Many people using Windows 10 now since Windows 7 is EOL, and WSL is part of the system kinda "free" so why not use it :)

Together with a X-Server and and Desktop like XFCE4, it can be great for running SDR applications in Linux thru rtl_tcp.

Very fast startup in seconds and not much packet loss thru tcp, quite alot linux sdr applications are working very good.

No allocating resources like a VM.

Sometimes better then Ubuntu on a VM.

Software tested: AX-25 Packet Radio, Dab Radio, DSD, Es-Hail Beacon Tracker, Sat Tracking with Gpredict and Gqrx, NOAA Reception WxToImg, Radiosonde Decoding, Shortwave Reception and some more tips and tricks about WSl and SDR.

The steps appear to be fairly simple. Just enable WSL in the Windows 10 Features panel, download a Linux distro built for WSL and run the .exe file. Then you'll have access to a Linux terminal where you can install a GUI desktop environment, the RTL-SDR drivers, and other Linux SDR programs. Happysats tutorial shows how to install and use various Linux programs via WSL.

It seems that the RTL-SDR cannot be directly accessed via the USB in WSL, however, by the workaround is to simply run rtl_tcp in your Windows environment, and connect to the local IP in the Linux environment. This means that only programs that accept rtl_tcp as an input, or demodulated audio from a program like GQRX can be used.

GQRX Running on Windows 10 via WSL
GQRX Running on Windows 10 via WSL

An Overview of the Elektor SDR Hands-on Arduino Shield Kit

Over on YouTube, Elektor have uploaded an overview of their Elektor SDR Hands-on kit. The €49.46 kit is an Arduino shield, that turns an Arduino microcontroller board into a 150 kHz to 30 MHz capable SDR receiver. It is based on the G8JCFSDR, which is an RF front end downconverter that allows a PC soundcard to be used as an SDR analog to digital converter.

To compliment the SDR is a book that goes over introductory topics such as shortwave reception, explains signal to noise ratio and interference, different types of antennas, software, digital modes, SDR measurements, receiving and finally WSPR and QRP transmissions. Overall this looks like a good kit for learning about the technical basics of SDRs.

An Overview of the Elektor SDR Hands-on Kit

A Neat HF SDR Receiver made from an Audio Reverb Chip

Over on his blog, Ray Ring has posted about his neat little "Mini SDRadio" made from an Si5351 clock generator and a FV-1 reverb audio processor chip.

The Spin Semiconductor FV-1 is a digital reverb chip designed for creating custom audio effects in products. As it is a digital chip it makes use of an ADC and DAC, with the audio effects DSP placed in the middle of the chain. However, by using custom code Ray was able to convert the ADC into an SDR by creating custom AM/FM and LSB demodulators on the programmable DSP instead of the audio effects.

His post contains the full schematics, code and PCB files required to recreate his work if desired.

[Also covered on Hackaday]

Demo of mini SDR receiving VOLMET Station

Reprogramming a €15 USB Audio Dial to work as an SDR VFO Knob

Thank you to Tysonpower (aka Manuel DO5TY) for submitting information about how he's managed to convert a cheap €14.33 USB audio control dial into a VFO tuning knob for use in SDR programs like SDR-Console V3. He writes:

I sometimes miss a VFO Knob while using my SDRs, especially with SSB Signals or CW where you need to adjust the Frequency very fine.

Because of that I got myself an Audio Dial with USB, reverse engineered it somewhat and wrote a new Firmware for the STM32 used in the USB Dial.

It all worked out and it now simulates a mouse wheel with three different scroll speeds. There is also a Mute Function when you long press the Button.

I had a lot of fun during this project, even when it was a lot of time just for a VFO Knob :)

Manuel's blog post goes into deeper detail on how he reverse engineered the knob and how he re-programmed the STM32 microprocessor. He also includes the HEX file if you want to purchase the same unit and reflash it. His video below shows the modified knob in action.

[EN subs] VFO Knopf für SDRs aus einem Lautstärkeregler

Experimenting with an Ultrasonic Sensor Connected to an Airspy HF+

Software defined radios can have many more applications other than just radio. For example, it's possible to connect an ultrasonic sensor which outputs a waveform at some frequency above DC directly to the input of an SDR. We can then simply treat the sensor output as an RF signal, and view it in any SDR compatible software that shows us a spectrum. Normally you'd use a microcontroller with ADC to process the output of these sensors, but using an SDR makes visualizing and experimenting with these sensors much easier.

Over on YouTube W1VLF has uploaded a video showing his experiments with an ultrasonic sensor connected to his Airspy HF+. In his experiment he places the Airspy HF+ with directly connected ultrasonic sensor in one room, and sets up an ultrasonic emitter in another room. He then uses SDR# to view the 24 kHz ultrasonic sensor signal output on the computer. As he moves the sensor around it's possible to clearly see the doppler shift of the ultrasonic sound waves on the waterfall.

In the past we've also posted about Jan de Jong who experimented with using a piezo speaker connected to an SDRplay RSP1A to detect the ultrasonic navigation sounds from bats.

AirSpy Discovery Its not just for RF anymore

Tech Minds: LoRa Text Chat with Two Othernet Dreamcatcher Boards

Back in the middle of last year we posted about Othernet's Dreamcatcher hardware and the LoRa chat application. The Dreamcatcher is Othernet's receiver and computing platform that is designed for receiving their satellite data broadcast. It is currently available for US$79.

Although the Othernet datacast is one way receive only, the Dreamcatcher board uses a LoRa radio chipset that has TX capabilities that can be leveraged for experimental purposes. One experimental piece of software that they developed is a chat application that works with two Dreamcatcher boards. It allows you to initiate a text based chat between two boards using the on board LoRa radio chips.

The TechMinds YouTube channel has recently released a video demonstrating the chat application in action, and the video shows how to set up, install and use it too. We note that since our post last year, the Dreamcatcher board has gone through a revision and no longer includes an LCD screen. The company name has also changed from "Outernet" to "Othernet".

What can you do with two Othernet Dreamcatcher Boards?

Tysonpower Reviews A Cheap 15€ DAB/DAB+ USB Receiver Dongle that Generates an MP3 Stream

Thank you to Tysonpower who wanted to share his review of a cheap 15€ DAB/DAB+ receiver USB dongle that he found on eBay.de (we also found the same device on eBay.com for US$23.99).  The device is not an SDR, but it receives BAND III DAB/DAB+ at 160-240 MHz and generates an MP3 stream which can be played back on any MP3 capable device such as a PC, single board computer or car head unit.

His review notes that the dongle works well. When you plug it in the device shows up as a storage device. You then simply press a button to automatically search for DAB+ channels, and then choose one of the mp3 stream files that will show up to play live DAB+ audio on your device. In his video he also gives a quick tear down, showing that it uses a FCI FC8080 demodulator and a MVSilicon 32-bit Micro with audio FFT accelerator.

While RTL-SDR dongles can also be used to receive DAB+ cheaply with software like SDR-J and welle.io, this may be a simpler method since it can be used on any device that can play MP3s.

Note that Tysonpowers video is narrated in German, with English subtitles. He also has a short blog post with images from the tear down.

[EN subs] DAB+ für nur 15€ Nachrüsten! - Digitalradio für alle MP3 fähigen Geräte mit USB

Preview: GNU Radio 3.8 Running on an Un-Rooted Android Smartphone

Over on Twitter and YouTube Bastian Bloessl (@bastibl) have been posting teaser shots and videos of GNU Radio 3.8 running on an un-rooted Android device. Unfortunately there doesn't yet seem to be any word yet on how he's been able to do this, but we guess  that the details will all be released in due time, possibly on his blog.

GNU Radio is an open source digital signal processing (DSP) toolkit which is often used in cutting edge radio applications and research, and to implement decoders, demodulators and various other SDR algorithms.

GNU Radio 3.8 on un-rooted Android receiving FM w/ HackRF (take 2)