Tagged: sdr#

List of all SDRSharp Plugins from rtl-sdr.ru

Vasilli, an SDR# plugins programmer has released a list of all his available SDR# plugins on his website rtl-sdr.ru (in Russian, use Google translate). Some even which were missing from our own list. The ones we hadn’t seen yet were:

  1. MPX Output plugin. Allows programs like RDS Spy to work with the audio output from SDR#
  2. Aviation band 8.33 calculator. Automatically converts the current frequency input to an aviation one according to the standard 8.33 kHz channel spacing.
  3. Frequency Lock. Simply locks the frequency change settings in SDR# to prevent accidental changes.
  4. SDR Update Script. Not a plugin, but a script that automatically updates SDR# and installs most of Vasilli’s plugins all at once. To use this script, it must be placed in a subdirectory of the SDR# folder.

Here’s an example video of SDR# running the MPX plugin so that RDS Spy can be used.

SDR # RDS Spy using MPX plugin by Vasili

New SDR# Plugin: IF Recorder

On rtl-sdr.ru, the author of several SDR# plugins has uploaded a new one called “IF Recorder”. This plugin allows you to easily record an IQ file of just the intermediate frequency (IF). In SDR#, the IF is the shaded area with the red line which you use to tune with.

This plugin looks to be great for recording example IQ samples of signals because the output file will be significantly smaller and more manageable compared to recording the entire bandwidth. It is also useful for recording IQ files for use in decoding METEOR M2 weather satellite images, as the decoding software requires an IQ file of the LRPT signal. The plugin also has a schedule option which could be used to start and stop recording the METEOR M2 weather satellite signals automatically.

IF (Intermediate Frequency) Recorder SDR# Plugin
IF (Intermediate Frequency) Recorder SDR# Plugin

New SDR# Plugins: IF Processor & Audio Processor

Over on rtl-sdr.ru, Vaisili the programmer of several popular SDR# plugins has released two new plugins: an IF and an Audio Processor plugin (in Russian, use Google Translate).

The IF Processor plugin is designed to upgrade the Zoom FFT plugin that comes standard with a fresh install of SDR#.  The IF processor plugin comes with a tracking notch filter and an asymmetric filter controls. These features will allow you to easily remove interfering signals that appear on top of your signal of interest.

The Audio Processor plugin allows you to improve the audio output using a controllable graphical audio bandpass filter. This feature can help you to remove any hiss or other undesirable sounds in the output audio.

The two new SDR# plugins demonstrated on an AM signal
The two new SDR# plugins demonstrated on an AM signal

SDR# Plugins: Frequency Manager Updated and New RDS Logger Plugin

Recently the commonly used frequency manager plugin for SDR# was updated to version 1.6. The latest version can be downloaded from http://www.sdrsharpplugins.com/. The updates are as follows:

  • The Frequency Description is now displayed in the upper-right corner of the spectrum analyzer, along with the indicator for multiple database entries for that frequency.
  • As a result of moving the above information to the spectrum analyzer, the Frequency Manager panel is now 35% smaller.
  • The Clipboard Monitor now optionally watches the clipboard for frequencies you might have copied from the internet; and if that can be converted to a MHz value it tunes the radio to that frequency.
  • Function Keys F1-F10 can now be used to tune to a preset frequency.

Scanner

  • A new Minimum Signal Strength Line is displayed on the spectrum display.  This, along with real-time display of the current signal’s strength when the scanner is running, let you see at a glance how that signal compares to your scanner settings.  In addition you can use customize the line with one of 6 line patterns.
  • Current Signal Strength in dB is displayed in the upper right corner of the spectrum analyzer, just after the Frequency Description.
  • Timeout and Watchdog timers’ indicators are now displayed in the upper right corner of the spectrum analyzer.

Also, on the SDR# Yahoo group discussion mailing list user Andy Pritchard has released a beta version of his new RDS Data Logger plugin for SDR#. This plugin can be used to log Radio Data System (RDS) data on a single frequency or on multiple frequencies by using the scan function. It can be a very useful tool for FM DXers. The plugin is still in beta but can be downloaded now directly from http://www.apritch.myby.co.uk/rdsdataloggerBeta4.zip. Later versions may be released on the SDR# Yahoo group.

RDS Data Logger SDR# Plugin
RDS Data Logger SDR# Plugin

Listening to Trunked Radios with One RTL-SDR

Usually to listen to trunked radio systems, two RTL-SDR dongles are required. One for decoding the trunking control channel and another for listening to the audio channel. However if the audio channels are within the same chunk of received bandwidth as the control channel it is possible to use just one dongle to follow trunked conservations.

Recently Pawel of pewusoft wrote in to RTL-SDR.com to let us know about a tutorial he uploaded showing how to get trunking to work with just one RTL-SDR dongle. His method uses Unitrunker and SDR# together with the AuxVFO plugin and a new plugin that he wrote for interfacing with Unitrunker.

Although there is already a Unitrunker interface plugin for SDR#, Pawel wrote a new plugin based on serial port commands as he found that the original interface plugin did not work properly for him.

Unitrunker Serial Port Interface SDR# Plugin
Unitrunker Serial Port Interface SDR# Plugin

Listening to NXDN with SDRSharp, the AuxVFO Plugin and DSD+

Over on YouTube user John Miller has uploaded a video showing how he receives NXDN digital audio using a combination of SDR#, the AuxVFO plugin and DSD+. He writes:

I have it set with 5 auxiliary VFO’s one for each channel of the Christian Co NXDN system from the Kelly Towers. I use VAC to route the audio from each VFO to DSD+ each VFO has it own DSD+ running. I then have all the DSD+ go into one output VAC and use that to run a feed on Broadcastify, The secret to running multiple DSD+ is to have separate install of it, so I have 5 DSD+ folders.

SDRSharper: A modified version of SDR#

What appears to be a third party reskinned version of SDR# has been released on the *removed* Facebook discussion page. The modified software is called “sdr sharper” and changes the look and feel of SDR#. The software also includes several plugins ready to go including a scope, audio notch filters, audio equalizer, audio waterfall and s-meter. The sdr sharper software call be downloaded from the file *removed* over at *removed*.

Important Note: We are currently unsure of the legality of this software as it seems to be based on the licensed SDR# code base. If it turns out to be illegal software we will remove all download links.

Update 28/01/2015: As suspected SDRSharper is illegal and infringes on SDR#’s licensed code and trademark as pointed out by Youssef, the author of SDR# in the comments section of this post. In response we have removed the direct download link. Please respect the SDR# licence and Youssef’s hard work by not using illegal copies.

The majority of added features can be added to the original SDR# with the plugins listed on this page.

Reskinned SDR#: SDRSharper
Reskinned SDR#: SDRSharper

New Notch Filter Plugin for SDR#

SDR# plugins programmer Vasili Beliakov has recently published a new notch filter plugin for SDR#. A notch filter will allow you to remove interfering signals that appear on top of a signal of interest. An example is shown in the image below first posted on Twitter by Youssef, the main developer of SDR#. In this image there is an interfering signal within the AM signal of interest. The notch filter removes the interferer without the need to remove the entire sideband.

The plugin also has VFO tracking which allows you to save preset notch filters for particular frequencies.

The plugin can be downloaded from https://t.co/dkEaWaQSmT. New Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43061070/ifnotch.zip

Notch Filter Plugin Example
Notch Filter Plugin Example