Although it keeps the same look and feel as its parent application **SDRangelove** it is a major redesign from it hitting more than half the lines of the code. Therefore the code base cannot be kept in sync anymore with its parent. It also contains enhancements and major differences. So it should now fly with its own wings and with its own name: **SDRangel**
- legacy: the modified code from the parent application [hexameron rtl-sdrangelove](https://github.com/hexameron/rtl-sdrangelove) before a major redeisign of the code was carried out and sync was lost.
The Gnuradio plugin source needs extra packages, including `liblog4cpp-dev libboost-system-dev gnuradio-dev libosmosdr-dev`
If you use your own location for Gnuradio install directory you need to specify library and include locations. Example with `/opt/install/gnuradio-3.7.5.1` with the following defines on `cmake` command line:
If you use your own location for gr.osmocom install directory you need to specify library and include locations. Example with `/opt/install/gr-osmosdr` with the following defines on `cmake` command line:
Use `cmake ../ -DV4L-RTL=ON` to build the Linux kernel driver for RTL-SDR (Experimental). Needs a recent kernel and libv4l2. Will need extra work to support SDRPlay. Needs `cp KERNEL_SOURCE/include/linux/compiler.h /usr/include/linux/` and `cp KERNEL_SOURCE/include/uapi/linux/videodev2.h /usr/include/uapi/linux/` and package `libv4l-dev`.
Airspy is supported through the libairspy library that should be installed in your system for proper build of the software and operation support. Add `libairspy-dev` to the list of dependencies to install.
If you use your own location for libairspy install directory you need to specify library and include locations. Example with `/opt/install/libairspy` with the following defines on `cmake` command line:
Please note that if you are using a recent version of libairspy (>= 1.0.6) the dynamic retrieval of sample rates is supported. To benefit from it you should modify the `plugins/samplesource/airspy/CMakeLists.txt` and change line `add_definitions(${QT_DEFINITIONS})` by `add_definitions("${QT_DEFINITIONS} -DLIBAIRSPY_DYN_RATES")`. In fact both lines are present with the last one commented out.
Be also aware that the lower rates (2.5 MS/s or 5 MS/s with modified firmware) are affected by a noise artifact so 10 MS/s is preferable for weak signal work or instrumentation. A decimation by 64 was implemented to facilitate narrow band work at 10 MS/s input rate.
BladeRF is supported through the libbladerf library that should be installed in your system for proper build of the software and operation support. Add `libbladerf-dev` to the list of dependencies to install.
If you use your own location for libbladeRF install directory you need to specify library and include locations. Example with `/opt/install/libbladerf` with the following defines on `cmake` command line:
Both Pro and Pro+ are supported with the plugins in fcdpro and fcdproplus respectively. For the Pro+ the band filter selection is not effective as it is handled by the firmware using the center frequency.
The control interface is based on qthid and has been built in the software in the fcdhid library. You don't need anything else than libusb support. Library fcdlib is used to store the constants for each dongle type.
The Pro+ has trouble starting. The sound card interface is not recognized when you just plug it in and start SDRAngel. The workaround is to start qthid then a recording program like Audacity and start recording in Audacity. Then just quit Audacity without saving and quit qthid. After this operation the Pro+ should be recognized by SDRAngel until you unplug it.
HackRF is supported through the libhackrf library that should be installed in your system for proper build of the software and operation support. Add `libhackrf-dev` to the list of dependencies to install. Please note that you will need a recent version (2015.07.2 or 2015.07.1 at least) of libhackrf that supports the sequential listing of devices so you might need to build and install the Github version: `https://github.com/mossmann/hackrf.git`. Note also that the firmware must be updated to match the library version as per instructions found in the HackRF wiki.
If you use your own location for libhackrf install directory you need to specify library and include locations. Example with `/opt/install/libhackrf` with the following defines on `cmake` command line:
HackRF is better used with a sampling frequency over 8 MS/s. You can use the 9.6Ms/s setting that decimates nicely into integer kS/s sample rates. There are quite a few problems with narrowband work with this hardware. You may try various amplifiers settings to limit images and I/Q imbalance with varying success... The cheap RTL-SDR dongles usually do better.
RTL-SDR based dongles are supported through the librtlsdr library that should be installed in your system for proper build of the software and operation support. Add `librtlsdr-dev` to the list of dependencies to install.
If you use your own location for librtlsdr install directory you need to specify library and include locations. Example with `/opt/install/librtlsdr` with the following defines on `cmake` command line:
The file input plugin allows the playback of a recorded IQ file. Such a file is obtained using the recording feature. Press F7 to start recording and F8 to stop. The file has a fixed name `test.sdriq` created in the current directory.
Note that this plugin does not require any of the hardware support libraries nor the libusb library. It is alwasys available in the list of devices as `FileSource[0]` even if no physical device is connected.
<h2>SDRdaemon input</h2>
This is the client side of the SDRdaemon server. See the [SDRdaemon](https://github.com/f4exb/sdrdaemon) project in this Github repository. You must specify the address and UDP port to which the server connects and samples will flow into the SDRangel application (default is `127.0.0.1`port `9090`). It uses the meta data to retrieve the sample flow characteristics such as sample rate and receiveng center frequency.
There is an automated skew rate compensation in place. During rate readjustemnt streaming can be suspended or signal glitches can occur for about one second.
Note that this plugin does not require any of the hardware support libraries nor the libusb library. It is alwasys available in the list of devices as `SDRdaemon[0]` even if no physical device is connected.
- Note1 for udev rules: installed udev rules for BladeRF and HackRF are targetted at Debian or Ubuntu systems that have a plugdev group for USB hotplug devices. This is not the case in openSUSE. To make the udev rules file compatible just remove the `GROUP` parameter on all lines and change `MODE` parameter to `666`.
- Note2: A package has been created (thanks Martin!), see: [sdrangel](http://software.opensuse.org/download.html?project=home%3Amnhauke%3Asdr&package=sdrangel). It is based on the 1.0.1 release.
Tested with the 15.09 version with LXDE desktop (community supported). The exact desktop environment should not matter anyway. Since Manjaro is Arch Linux based prerequisites should be similar for Arch and all derivatives.
- Note1 for udev rules: the same as for openSUSE and Fedora applies.
- Note2: A package has been created in the AUR (thanks Mikos!), see: [sdrangel-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/sdrangel-git). It is based on the `205fee6` commit of 8th December 2015.
- The message queuing model supports a n:1 connection to an object (on its input queue) and a 1:1 connection from an object (on its output queue). Assuming a different model can cause insidious disruptions.
- As the objects input and output queues can be publicly accessed there is no strict control of which objects post messages on these queues. The correct assumption is that messages can be popped from the input queue only by its holder and that messages can be pushed on the output queue only by its holder.
- Objects managing more than one message queue (input + output for example) do not work well under stress conditions. Output queue removed from sample sources but this model has to be revised throughout the application.
- Tabbed panels showing "X0" refer to the only one selected device it is meant to be populated by more tabs when it will support more than one device possibly Rx + Tx.
- Allow the handling of more than one device at the same time. For Rx/Tx devices like the BladeRF Rx and Tx appear as two logical devices with two plugin instances and a common handler for the physical device services both plugins. This effectively opens Tx support.
- Possibility to connect channels for example Rx to Tx or single Rx channel to dual Rx channel supporting MI(MO) features like 360 degree polarization detection.
You can add `-Wno-dev` on the `cmake` command line to avoid warnings.
<h2>Code organization</h2>
At the first subdirectory level `indclude` and `sdrbase` contain the common core components include and source files respectively. They are further broken down in subdirectories corresponding to a specific area:
The `plugins` subdirectory contains the associated plugins used to manage devices and channel components. Naming convention of various items depend on the usage and Rx (reception side) or Tx (transmission side) affinity. Transmission side is yet to be created.
