How to link UniTrunker with HDSDR.

[DaveNF2G]

Good luck. I'm still trying to get my Win7.64 machine to dual boot too Ubuntu.

[boatbod]

Originally Posted by KA2ZEY

Just to confirm: All of this will work on a PC with Windows 7 64 bit? I'm about to pick one up to run HDSDR, SDRsharp#, Unitrunker, DSD and Gnu radio (on Ubuntu side).

Unitrunker, SDR#, VAC and DSD all work on my Win7/64 for me. The only glitch I ran into was needing to enable windows test mode to allow the unsigned VAC driver to operate properly.

[opel]

Yes it all works fine in Windows 7 x64

Originally Posted by boatbod

The only glitch I ran into was needing to enable windows test mode to allow the unsigned VAC driver to operate properly.

I did when I installed on my desktop, but then when installing on my laptops I realized that I totally skipped that step and everything still works fine. Also Windows 7 64 and 32.

[KA2ZEY]

I would like to get this setup going as well. I've been struggling to get my USRP B100 to work well with EXTIO and HDSDR. SDR# was even worse and could not get the driver going (failed to connect). Is there another driver option for using the USRP with SDR#? I'm new to the SDR thing. Is it possible to use SDR# without EXTIO?

I'm using Windows 7 64 bit.

[bgav]

I got SDR#, VAC, and Unitrunker all working with an EzTV668 under Win7 x64. I used Bob Rich's guide as mentioned previously. The key to getting SDR# working is zadig. Next up, ordering another RTL2838 + E4000 dongle to do signal + control. Thanks to Rick et al previous posters, this is incredible for a $30 USB dongle and free software (with the exception of VAC). I was using an OS456, Optocom and Scan*Star back in the day, and this has come a long way by far.

[Spleen]

Thanks very much for this walkthrough. I muddled through this, and finally kinda/sorta have it working on version 2.51 of HDSDR. Unfortunately, it works for about a minute or two, then sooner or later, Unitrunker will send the command to HDSDR to change to the Park frequency I have in the Unitrunker setup that's the relevant control channel, but for some reason HDSDR sets the frequency to 55kHz or so above the Park frequency. I can clearly see the command in the com0com window, but there sits the indicator at what is clearly the wrong frequency (pictured). It's almost as if it's resetting the frequency correction. And when you try to use the PPM setting to correct the issue, it doesn't let you get near the proper frequency. In order to reset the correction, you have to tune to some other random frequency. Then you can dial in what you want to calibrate to and properly use the PPM adjuster. No errors are thrown, no abends, CPU use never reaches 20%.
You can also manually select the proper control channel frequency to get things running again, but sooner or later the condition duplicates.
Anyone else see something like this occur? Could perhaps some bug have crept into version 2.51?

Originally Posted by csvendsen2143

This is a tutorial on how to link UniTrunker with HDSDR to make HDSDR a trunk tracking program.
This can be used to turn a $20 RTL2832 DVB-T USB stick into a digital truck tracker to listen to APCO-25 for eg.

First download and install UniTrunker. Unitrunker
Then download and install HDSDR. HDSDR Homepage
Install and set up all your drivers for HDSDR.
If your using funcube or a DVB-T stick the drivers are here - USRP Interfaces - SpenchWiki
Now you will need to down load and install com0com. Null-modem emulator (com0com) - virtual serial port driver for Windows
com0com is a virtual serial port driver for Windows and will be needed to set up virtual com ports for unitrunker and HDSDR to talk on.
Next if you would like to listen to digital trunking system download and install Digital speech decoder. This is optional. Digital Speech Decoder (software package) - The RadioReference Wiki
Now download the attached file UniLinker. This is a small program i wrote to link the output of UniTrunker with input of HDSDR.

Now for the the software setup.
Create a total of 4 virtual com ports with com0com for example com5 com6 and com 7 com8.
You will need 4 ports because each set has an input and output port.

Basically the setup should look something like this:
Unitrunker > com5-com6 -> UniLinker -> com7-com8 -> HDSDR.

UniTrunker is setup to output on com5
com 5 is connect to com6 with com0com
The linking program UniLinker is setup to listen on com6
The linking program is then setup to output on com7
com7 is connect to com8 with com0com
and last but not least HDSDR is setup to listen on com8.



Now the setup for UniTrunker:
Make two receivers :
One that is a Discriminator tap from your Mic line.
The second is a control receiver with the following settings
Port:com5 if you are using the above example.
MODE : AR-ONE
Rate 9600
Data:8
Stop Bite : 1
Mode:AM
P25:X is this is the system you are listening to.
Also under the main options tap check Listen.

Now Run
UniLinker and enter your input and output ports.
For the above example it will be com6 and com7.

Last Step
Run HDSDR and under options setup CAT to HDSDR
Port: com 8 is using the above example.
Rate 9600
PTT: none
Then check Activated.

Done.
HDSDR will know track the trunking system frequency as they are fed from UniTrunker.
You can now run Digital Speech Decoder if needed to decode digital.

I know this looks like a lot of steps but its really quite simple to setup once you get the hang of it.
I will make a video to demonstrate this operation when I get some more free time.
Also if anyone has any issues or features they need added to UniLinker please let me know and I will work on it as soon as I can.

Thanks and enjoy.

Update I am unable to upload UniTrunker because the file is slightly to big for the prerequisite. If an admin can email or msg me I can Email it to you so it can be uploaded. Thanks.

[bbrasmussen]

Has anyone had any luck getting 2 dongles and Unitrunker to work in Windows XP. I can see the tuning commands in SDR# for voice following, but there is a bug in the version that causes SDR# to crash when changing the center frequency and frequency simultaneously once the play has started. So as soon as the first tuning command is received, SDR# crashes. I can duplicate the problem simply by trying to tune and change the center frequency by swiping the clicked mouse sideways in the window -- the program crashes. I'd really like to get this up and running to have decode and voice following with 2 dongles, but I can't seem to get around this bug. Any ideas? (Aside from upgrading my OS.)

[correo900]

Originally Posted by opel

Even better yet, I have been using SDRSharp or SDR# now instead of HDSDR. It has a direct link with UniTrunker, no more UniLinker / com0com needed. Uses a 'remote.dll' file and the radio type in UniTrunker is 'DEBUG'.

See here:

SDRSharp UniTrunker Support

hello

I have two usb dongles rtl, I'm trying to listen to a network mtp-1327

My configuration:

Win 7 - x64

SDRSharp (UniTrunker Support)

UniTrunker

Virtual Audio Cable

my problem is : SDRSharp can not automatically change frequencies

Any idea ? where is the problem?

sorry for my bad English I use google translator

Thank you.

[USFarmParts]

Great instructions. My goal is to populate UniTrunker and have it scan. If I have read correctly that can be accomplished following the tutorial software and 2 dongles. Thanks for the interesting project.

[USFarmParts]

Purchased a pair of DVB-T sticks, installed per instructions, works great.

[kidsnoob]

Originally Posted by bbrasmussen

Has anyone had any luck getting 2 dongles and Unitrunker to work in Windows XP. I can see the tuning commands in SDR# for voice following, but there is a bug in the version that causes SDR# to crash when changing the center frequency and frequency simultaneously once the play has started. So as soon as the first tuning command is received, SDR# crashes. I can duplicate the problem simply by trying to tune and change the center frequency by swiping the clicked mouse sideways in the window -- the program crashes. I'd really like to get this up and running to have decode and voice following with 2 dongles, but I can't seem to get around this bug. Any ideas? (Aside from upgrading my OS.)

have you got any luck? i have the same problem. As soon as the center frequency change, sdrsharp crash!

[opel]

Just upgrade to Windows 7, problems solved!

You will enjoy Windows 7 much more than XP anyways. All support including security updates for Win XP will end April of 2014 anyway, so time to switch:

Support is ending for Windows XP - Microsoft Windows Help

[bbrasmussen]

We did get it running. The crash problem was solved by copying over more recent versions of rtlsdr.dll and libusb.dll files into the sdrsharp directory. It's a lot of fun to watch it working. My dual core processor is just a tad slow, so my voice following when running 2 copies of SDR# is a little choppy. I had the best luck by feeding discriminator audio from a different source into the line in of the computer.

Sorry I should have posted the fix sooner. Good luck and hope you can get it working. Windows XP is still a good, supported OS, so there's nothing wrong with running it on XP, especially if you don't want to waste $90 and a whole lot of time backing up and restoring a bunch of programs and data. It's a shame the Win 7 upgrade isn't like other OS upgrades where you don't have to wipe the computer clean to get it to run.

[kidsnoob]

Originally Posted by bbrasmussen

We did get it running. The crash problem was solved by copying over more recent versions of rtlsdr.dll and libusb.dll files into the sdrsharp directory. It's a lot of fun to watch it working. My dual core processor is just a tad slow, so my voice following when running 2 copies of SDR# is a little choppy. I had the best luck by feeding discriminator audio from a different source into the line in of the computer.

Sorry I should have posted the fix sooner. Good luck and hope you can get it working. Windows XP is still a good, supported OS, so there's nothing wrong with running it on XP, especially if you don't want to waste $90 and a whole lot of time backing up and restoring a bunch of programs and data. It's a shame the Win 7 upgrade isn't like other OS upgrades where you don't have to wipe the computer clean to get it to run.

simple and clear!!! but the best part is that it work! thank you for sharing!