Multi mode SDR scanner

[ultrajv]

Seems to be a gap in the market for a niche program to replicate a decent all mode scanner. By that I mean FM, AM, DMR, P25, DSTAR, NEXEDGE, TETRA etc. There are many poor addons for SDR# that are FM only. Its probably GNU radio territory which is probably out of my league to program. All current SDR devs arnt interested in anything that scans like a whistler TR2. I think scan speed might be a problem. I know the OP25 project can do a lot on the decoding side. Anything Im missing?

 

[boatbod]

One of the impediments to developing something of this sort is availability of RF systems to test against. For example, I have great access to P25 signals in my local area, some (limited) DMR and little to none of the other protocols.

 

[w2lie]

Would it help you out if I setup something with rtl_tcp so you can access a remote SDR to build something? I have most of the OP’s requested systems where I am.

 

[hamradionl]

Our mutal good old frind Belvasi, he made most SDR# plugins TETRA, DMR, dPMR, APCO but he stopped just before the final making NXDN 48/96. Running these decoders with Belvasi Multi VFO plugin, be one of the best and still using it when needed.

 

[ultrajv]

Would it help you out if I setup something with rtl_tcp so you can access a remote SDR to build something? I have most of the OP’s requested systems where I am.

I have Limesdr minis but my programming is so rusty now, I would get stuck at the the first post. I can just about install GNU radio. Im really just looking to see if something has already been done. Many people say they will work on such a system and then nothing.

 

[ultrajv]

Our mutal good old frind Belvasi, he made most SDR# plugins TETRA, DMR, dPMR, APCO but he stopped just before the final making NXDN 48/96. Running these decoders with Belvasi Multi VFO plugin, be one of the best and still using it when needed.

I will have a look. Thanks

 

[w2lie]

I have Limesdr minis but my programming is so rusty now, I would get stuck at the the first post. I can just about install GNU radio. Im really just looking to see if something has already been done. Many people say they will work on such a system and then nothing.

Sorry, I should have quoted. I was asking @boatbod if that would help him with his testing and development.

 

[slicerwizard]

Seems to be a gap in the market for a niche program to replicate a decent all mode scanner. By that I mean FM, AM, DMR, P25, DSTAR, NEXEDGE, TETRA etc.

To be decent, you'd have to use a decent SDR. So it's not going to be cheap. Might as well just use a scanner.

 

[boatbod]

Sorry, I should have quoted. I was asking @boatbod if that would help him with his testing and development.

If I had the necessary free time I'm sure it would help, but right now my paid job and two volunteer jobs are most definitely eating up all my time.

 

[w2lie]

If I had the necessary free time I'm sure it would help, but right now my paid job and two volunteer jobs are most definitely eating up all my time.

I completely understand that situation! Good luck keeping your sanity

 

[fire42man]

@ultrajv I've been building the kind of thing you're after for a few years now with my PiScan project. So far it's analog only and I've incorporated some optimizations to make up for RTL's slow tuning rate, but digital modes remain a "maybe someday" feature. The reality I've encountered is that scanners are incredibly complex under the hood and replicating their functionality is a huge challenge for a lone developer. While I'm up for that challenge I don't have much free time to dedicate to it so it's mostly on the backburner. I am open to contributors though, if you or anyone else is interested in supporting the project

 

[ultrajv]

@ultrajv I've been building the kind of thing you're after for a few years now with my PiScan project. So far it's analog only and I've incorporated some optimizations to make up for RTL's slow tuning rate, but digital modes remain a "maybe someday" feature. The reality I've encountered is that scanners are incredibly complex under the hood and replicating their functionality is a huge challenge for a lone developer. While I'm up for that challenge I don't have much free time to dedicate to it so it's mostly on the backburner. I am open to contributors though, if you or anyone else is interested in supporting the project

Thanks. Will keep an eye on this

 

[dlwtrunked]

Seems to be a gap in the market for a niche program to replicate a decent all mode scanner. By that I mean FM, AM, DMR, P25, DSTAR, NEXEDGE, TETRA etc. There are many poor addons for SDR# that are FM only. Its probably GNU radio territory which is probably out of my league to program. All current SDR devs arnt interested in anything that scans like a whistler TR2. I think scan speed might be a problem. I know the OP25 project can do a lot on the decoding side. Anything Im missing?

You do not mention DSD+. The pay version will do some of those modes and even controls a two (or even one) of certain SDRs, including AirSpy for trunked systems. It is not a scanner in the usual sense but deserves mention.

 

[belvdr]

Dumb idea, possibly, as I am not a programmer, but would looking at the DudeStar source code help with some of this?

 

[ultrajv]

Dumb idea, possibly, as I am not a programmer, but would looking at the DudeStar source code help with some of this?

I did look at that. Something weird happened with it recently. Most of the sources have been pulled. From memory, it was an internet radio app rather than a decoder.

 

[ultrajv]

You do not mention DSD+. The pay version will do some of those modes and even controls a two (or even one) of certain SDRs, including AirSpy for trunked systems. It is not a scanner in the usual sense but deserves mention.

i used it quite a lot. Great program. He seems to concentrating more on trunk systems now. If he added a few more modes such as tetra it would be even better. Has a tendency to stop working randomly which is a shame as I did plan to have a headless mini PC with this attached to discriminator of a radio.

 

[belvdr]

I did look at that. Something weird happened with it recently. Most of the sources have been pulled. From memory, it was an internet radio app rather than a decoder.

It connected to various digital Internet access points and had a software vocoder included, so you could transmit on those protocols.

I noticed they pulled some of the too, so maybe the source control has a history of that previous config.

 

[dlwtrunked]

i used it quite a lot. Great program. He seems to concentrating more on trunk systems now. If he added a few more modes such as tetra it would be even better. Has a tendency to stop working randomly which is a shame as I did plan to have a headless mini PC with this attached to discriminator of a radio.

I have been running it continuously on this PC (an old Win 7 PC) for 3 months withough it stopping. The problem is likely in your hardware.

 

[ultrajv]

I have been running it continuously on this PC (an old Win 7 PC) for 3 months withough it stopping. The problem is likely in your hardware.

Do you have it on the same signals all the time? I find that it cant cope with changing
What signals its monitoring. After some time, It fails to decode when you do that regularly. It behaves strangley on signals it dosnt recognise such as analogue trunking. If you are scanning, it will see these. Its not hardware as I restart just DSD and it works again.

 

[dlwtrunked]

Do you have it on the same signals all the time? I find that it cant cope with changing
What signals its monitoring. After some time, It fails to decode when you do that regularly. It behaves strangley on signals it dosnt recognise such as analogue trunking. If you are scanning, it will see these. Its not hardware as I restart just DSD and it works again.

Define "same signals"-I look at numerous trunked and simplex (mostly P25 and DMR). Restarting DSD does not prove it is not a hardware problem as hardware faults can confuse software (example, if using an SDR sometimes unattaching and reattaching it causes some software to crash and require restarting the software.). Something has to cause crashes...if after sometime, something changed.