SDR DSD unitrunker and virtual cable issues

[lonlywolf65]

Good morning all, I am new to this, I have had things up and running but with issues that I am not understanding. Ok first off I in stalled SDR sharp. and tried to get that running by itself, When i opened SDR I could not get the cog to show me a list of RTL to choose from. Ok I gave up on that for a bit and installed the rest of the software.
Thru unitrunker I was able to get both dongles set up and running. After setting up unitrunker I was able to choose a RTL for SDR and hear a local radio station , at this point all is ok...... Now I stop SDR and try to get unitrunker up and running,, here is where the problem starts, I can get one RTL running but the other comes up with status could not open. OK.. I stopped unitrunker and went back to SDR , I was able to get local analog radio staions, however when i tried to find a local trunked station that I had listened to before I was not able to find the main frequency??? Every once in a while I would see a line on the waterfall indication it was being used but could still not see the main signal..?? I sure hope this is making sense. I will try and fill in the gaps as this thread grows.. BTW This is the second pc I have tried all this on , the first was using a small laptop with a multiport hub and I was able to get both up and running but I figured I was have ing isses with pack of pc power and using a hub so I startede over on a regular pc 6- 8g of ram and lots of USB ports to work with.

I want to thank all who respond,,
PS the wife wants me to get this running...lol
Again thank you all for the help in advance!! Dave

 

[a417]

What is your end goal? Conventional systems, decoding local trunked systems, using it like a scanner for amateur frequencies...

Is it safe to assume you are using Win10 & nooelec SDRs? Have you used Zadig to install the USB drivers?

The hive mind needs a little more information to help you on your way, for your sake...to safe you from the wife.

 

[lonlywolf65]

Thank time for more specs
win 10 pro
dual core 3.3ghz
8 gig ram
64 bit
RTL v3 Blog (x3)
SDR Sharp
Uni-trunker
DSD
Virtual cable
2X dipole 5 ft each

Due to my location I see and hear alot of local police,fire and air traffic. My local services run P25 and I have heard it on my laptop before i moved over to this pc. My I have the freqs printed out for my 3 county area.
I guess A basic flow chart of the process from RTL to my speakers would be an incredible help... empower me to figure some out for my self.
I understand that is vague due to sytem variables.... Because ive done this so many times im starting to learn more.. or am i just copying.
At this moment unitrunker is running both RTL are operating and processing signals... health 0 and cant get a sound out of speakers.
Im sure Im missing something or have something crossswired so to speak..lol hence the flow chart...in short a bit more understanding how these software work in relation to each other.... OK lets keep this at beginners talk for now...

Thank you Again,, hopefully soon here I can help other beginners such as me

Signing off for a bit
WQTJ598

 

[a417]

Ok, so you're interested in the systems around Columbia Heights, MN? My guess is you want to get ARMER?

ARMER is P25 Phase I, so you should only need DSD+ Fastlane pointed at the control channel for the Anoka Co Simulcast sites and it should decode it just fine.

Are you using the Fastlane release of DSD+ or just the basic freeware one?

 

[lonlywolf65]

Am using fast lane.. I used to live in Heights... got out of there..
My preferred freq would be 856.7375 Phase 25 I Washington county. My SDR wont show it either... Its there just not seeing or hearing it.
A couple of days ago I could hear my desired Freq... now not so much.. I can find local analog but nothing more.. Even in SDR , however unitrunker sees something...? But will not show a site..

 

[lonlywolf65]

What do you mean DSD pointed at control channel.? I know what a control channel is but not yet learned the rest... i get the jist of it but its the details I am not sure of...



thyank you for the patience

 

[a417]

In order to get DSD+ to at least decode that system, you will have to use FMP24 to recieve the data stream from the control channel (that's what I meant by pointing at it, in crude antenna parlance).

So you will have to use something like (which is the absolute bare minimum i'd say you can use to start the local data stream.)

get into the topmost directory of dsdplus...

fmp24 -o20001 -g20 -f856.7375

fmp24 is the program.
-o20001 starts the TCP datastream on port 20001 for the DSD instance (you will start later) - vastly better than f*****g virtualcables, etc.
-g20 is middle of the road gain levels
-f856.7375 will tell FMP24 where to look.

now to start the DSD+ instance in a separate command prompt window

dsdplus -i20001 -f1

dsdplus is the program
-i20001 tells DSDPlus where the TCP datastream you started in the FMP24 instance
-f1 tells DSDPlus just to look for p25 Phase I

this should at least get you some windows up and running to see if you can decode the p25 system you are trying to.

 

[lonlywolf65]

With the software I Have I have listened to various frequencies just cant seem to figure it out on this pc... Sorry for my lack of knowledge of this software... Im about 3 weeks old ....lol and am not familiar with digging into software to find a file.... just yet..

RTL - DSD- unitrunker- speakers... or might it be RTL-unitrunker DSD- speakers... sorry.....

 

[lonlywolf65]

I think I might be a bit lost about dsd.
Do I still need to use unitrunker to make dsd work.... If not then I am assuming that that fma 24 file goes directly to the rtl ?? Bypassing all the other software.?? Will I still need 2 dongles??
And on the topic of dsd fast lane
I am using the regular download from site with the dlls added in.
I am assuming that the file I was emailed from fast lane is different from the reg dl from the site.
When I get home I will deal with the fast lane ..and try that.
Thanks Dave

 

[DRL-XM43]

DSD+ only decodes signal it is fed by either a sound card through a virtual cable or with a tcp link (the proper way)

So, signal receiving SW is needed to do the feeding.

The software designed to work with DSD+ properly is FMPx - the software that is bundled with DSD+ FL suite. It can feed to DSD+ properly using a tcp link.

 

[a417]

Unitrunker hasn't been updated in 3 years and while it still works, time to move on. If you've paid for fastlane you're already getting a more current product, why fixate on the past?

You need DSD+ Fastlane, a single SDR dongle and the correct USB drivers installed. Do you have that?

(i referenced a bad link, apologies to all)

 

[lonlywolf65]

Unitrunker hasn't been updated in 3 years and while it still works, time to move on. If you've paid for fastlane you're already getting a more current product, why fixate on the past?

You need DSD+ Fastlane, a single SDR dongle and the correct USB drivers installed. Do you have that?

Yes

 

[DRL-XM43]

Unitrunker hasn't been updated in 3 years and while it still works, time to move on. If you've paid for fastlane you're already getting a more current product, why fixate on the past?

You need DSD+ Fastlane, a single SDR dongle and the correct USB drivers installed. Do you have that?

I agree with the DSD+/FMPx FL solution for almost everything.

Unitrunker is now at V2.0.15 and is updated constantly probably every 2 weeks on average,

It decodes Motorola type II Fleetnet trunks which the other solution does not, It does decode P25 phase 1 without VB cable and DSD+.

 

[lonlywolf65]

Hello again I just got DSD fast lane up and running It is looking for a TCP connection ... Target machine activly refused it??
I am sure it time to get to know DSD a lil better...
I currently have 3 dongles plugged in.... just saying in case it will make a diffgerence later..
Thanks

 

[lonlywolf65]

I just went to find the FMP file to take a look it failed a missing DLL... It opened a comand promt window and the error of missing DLL

 

[slicerwizard]

The setup instructions in the Notes.txt file clearly states that you need to download an additional DLL file:


DSD+ 2.235
----------

Setup
-----

NOTE! YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BACK UP YOUR CURRENT DSD+ FOLDER BEFORE APPLYING A FAST LANE UPDATE!

YOU SHOULD ALSO PERIODICALLY BACK UP YOUR DSD+ DATA FILES


If you are a new Fast Lane member:

If you already have a DSD+ 1.101 folder set up, skip step 1.

1: If you do not have a DSD+ folder set up yet, go to DSDPlus.com and download
the most recent public version of DSD+ (currently 1.101); also download the
DLL package.

Unzip all of the files to a folder on your PC. We recommend using C:\DSDPlus.

2: You should also download this file:

ftp://ftp.fftw.org/pub/fftw/fftw-3.3.5-dll32.zip

Extract the libfftw3f-3.dll file from the zipfile
(it is the largest file in the zipfile) and copy it to your DSD+ folder.

3: Your Fast Lane update will contain all of the current Fast Lane files.
ALL of these files should be copied to your DSD+ 1.101 folder.
That folder will then be your DSD+ Fast Lane folder.

 

[lonlywolf65]

Funny thing Maybe the mods could fix this??? I already have a thread about DSD fast lane.. maybe delete the DSD thread seeing this one is going the same route??

Currently working on getting this file... ftp://ftp.fftw.org/pub/fftw/fftw-3.3.5-dll32.zip .. The site cannot be reached??
I did get the file that was listed in notes that went well...

 

[lonlywolf65]

Ok I think it downloaded ok I read the read me and it says to download a bunch of other programs..??
I just tried to open dsd... complete crash reinstall program... and I assume all the random not included files???
This is becoming alot of work..?? only to fail.... Sorry getting a bit frustrated....
If fastlane is so good why cant they put these file in from the beginning??

Thank you for the help i will simply follow all the directions that are given.... however I think I messing things up ???

 

[slicerwizard]

The notes say to add all fast lane files to your existing DSD+ 1.101 files. It's really not that complicated. None of us here know what you've done, so how do we help?

You say you tried to open dsd - it's DSDPlus, not dsd, that you're trying to get running, yes?

"complete crash" means nothing. You give no details. You're making it impossible to help you.

All files aren't in fast lane because it's an upgrade to the public version. If all files were in it, it would overwrite users' existing data files. And that FFT DLL file doesn't belong to them; maybe they can't include it?

 

[lonlywolf65]

I started with DSDplus then added the fast lane update then added the missing usb file then added ftp://ftp.fftw.org/pub/fftw/fftw-3.3.5-dll32.zip as directed.. I think
ok now for the results seeing I am pretty lost at the moment.. I am supposed to edit FMP24 file to direct it towards a freq 856.7375 my local sheriff dept....
I just tried to open DSD plus no go missing some lame_enc dll file
ok now for FMP24 lib usb file missing Thought i already did that??
And not a single clue what any of these files do... I get advice from you kind folks and I just do with no clue why or what the end result is
Sorry guys Im lost bout ready to delete everything and start over again...