usb_open error -12 - Can't open RTL SDR device #1 - Can FMP24 Work With SpyVerter - DSD+ FastLane 2.155

[DaveNF2G]

I don't use start commands at all. I just call the program.

 

[AB9NN]

Can you give me a call command to use in a Command Prompt, presumably, that works with a SpyVerter for HF? I thought I read it's not a defined device to FMP24 and so won't work - maybe that was another software...

 

[slicerwizard]

I don't use start commands at all. I just call the program.

Wouldn't that explain why you haven't managed to run everything from a single batch file?

 

[DaveNF2G]

I have no idea. I haven't written many batch files since DOS 6.22 went away. A start command would have been redundant.

 

[AB9NN]

Wouldn't that explain why you haven't managed to run everything from a single batch file?

Dave - I am no software engineer. Please explain a working call sequence of procedures, processes, screens, menus, Command Prompt strings, etc. that actually work for a RTL-SDR with SpyVerter configuration along with FMP24. For example, if I just double-click the exe it fails to start device #1 which has the SpyVerter. Your wording that "I just call the program" is ambiguous to my simple mind.

 

[slicerwizard]

I have no idea. I haven't written many batch files since DOS 6.22 went away. A start command would have been redundant.

Well, how do you expect to start multiple processes without using the START command?

CALL is just going to sit there waiting the called batch file or process to terminate.

 

[DaveNF2G]

By "call" I mean stating the program that should start. I would only use CALL when trying to run something "outside" the batch file.

 

[slicerwizard]

Is anyone who uses a single batch file running multiple cores? I still can't get a batch file to work correctly, even with pauses or timers inserted. I wonder if it has to do with core affinities or data buffering.

By "call" I mean stating the program that should start. I would only use CALL when trying to run something "outside" the batch file.

Got it. You tell Windows to run the programs serially, then tell us that you can't get them to run in parallel.

You use:

A
B
C
D

Instead of:

START A
START B
START C
START D

 

[AB9NN]

From within a batch file I get the same thrown error by running these commands, one at a time, editing - saving and then re-running each time:

FMP24 -i1 -P0.0 -f121.150 -o1

START FMP24 -i1 -P0.0 -f121.150 -o1

CALL FMP24 -i1 -P0.0 -f121.150 -o1

The error says it refuses to work with SpyVerter. I presume the device type is not defined to the software and that definition is not under user control. Am I wrong?

 

[slicerwizard]

No idea why you get error -12. START and CALL won't fix it. I would suspect an out of date DLL or ?

 

[DaveNF2G]

You need to use FMPA.exe for the Airspy products.

 

[AB9NN]

Hmmm... ok... sounds logical. How to find the serial number of an SpyVerter? Doesn't the FMPA24.cfg file require a device serial number as the first line entry of the file? And - since the RTL-SDR is connected to the SpyVerter - whill FMPA24 still work with both connected?

 

[slicerwizard]

This is getting ridiculous. As I understand it, a SpyVerter is an FR upconverter that typically sits between an antenna and an SDR dongle. If the SDR is an Airspy or Airspy Mini, you would run FMPA. If the SDR is an rtl-sdr.com device or similar, you would run FMP24. The upconverter being an Airspy product is irrelevant! The computer doesn't see it, FMPA/FMP24 don't see it - it's on the far side (RX side) of the SDR dongle and connected by an RF jumper, not a USB cable, so even the SDR doesn't know the SpyVerter is present.

The presence of the SpyVerter should have no effect on running FMP24 unless, somehow the SpyVerter is interfering with the dongle's normal operation. An error -12 condition should be present whether the SpyVerter is connected or not. It looks like SpyVerters can be powered by a USB cable, which suggests it's drawing power from the USB system. If things are marginal, I could see it interfering with the normal operation of a dongle. Diagnose the problem...

 

[AB9NN]

1) Power is supplied, on my SpyVerter, from a wall wart, not USB.
2) SpyVerter works well. I run 3 dongles. 2 are scanning and third is on HF with SpyVerter right now - 1160 AM infomercial.
3) Tune via FMP24 throws -12 error.
4) Tune via FMPA throws error - probably because line #1 in FMPA.cfg file has no serial number
5) Per prior request - how to obtain serial number for SpyVerter?
6) Thought that SpyVerter's function was to be upstream (confirmed) on RF stream and convert in-bound signal and provide it to RTL-SDR
7) Thought that RTL-SDR did the actual tuning, and THAT is what any FMP tuner would have to work with directly - Not SpyVerter
8) If 7 above is correct, then use of FMPA would not be appropriate since RTL-SDR is not an AirSpy device.

Answers to point 5 and 8, above would be appreciated.

 

[slicerwizard]

1) Power is supplied, on my SpyVerter, from a wall wart, not USB.
2) SpyVerter works well. I run 3 dongles. 2 are scanning and third is on HF with SpyVerter right now - 1160 AM infomercial.
3) Tune via FMP24 throws -12 error.

And what do you get with the SpyVerter disconnected from the rtl dongle?

4) Tune via FMPA throws error - probably because line #1 in FMPA.cfg file has no serial number

If you don't have an Airspy SDR or Airspy Mini SDR, you'll always get an error if you run FMPA.

5) Per prior request - how to obtain serial number for SpyVerter?

No such beast.

6) Thought that SpyVerter's function was to be upstream (confirmed) on RF stream and convert in-bound signal and provide it to RTL-SDR
7) Thought that RTL-SDR did the actual tuning, and THAT is what any FMP tuner would have to work with directly - Not SpyVerter
8) If 7 above is correct, then use of FMPA would not be appropriate since RTL-SDR is not an AirSpy device.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

 

[AB9NN]

And what do you get with the SpyVerter disconnected from the rtl dongle?
Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

YUM YUM! Chicken's pretty good... You got me into refreshed diagnosis mode. IT WORKS NOW! Here's the strange part. My device numbers were off by 1. I tested and tested. Finally unplugged the other two dongles and took the SpyVerter out of the mix. It would not start as device #1 but would as device #2. Plugged the other two dongles back in and changed them to #'s 3 and 4 and now I can tune HF with FMP24 or so it seems - and obviously it starts. The strangest part perhaps is that my long-wire antenna seemed to work pretty well on a lot of the other frequencies I had been tuning... Thank you for getting me into "tear it apart and re-examine everything closely" mode. It all had worked so well except for the one dongle that I didn't expect to work that I presumed the coding was correct. Big lesson learned!

 

[DaveNF2G]

I apologize for the misleading advice regarding the Spyverter.

 

[AB9NN]

Thanks! I still have a question. The tuner opens now and it looked like it was working. But now if I tune -f98.1 I get a strong wave for The BEAR - a rock station in Traverse City - with the SpyVerter in the loop on device #1. If I add 120 Mhz to the target freq 1.270 Mhz and run with -f121.270 and look at the FMP24 display it shows it tuned to 121.270 Mhz and not 1.270. Plus - there is no audio other than sound floor while there is audio on another analog radio. On SDR Console I add 120,000,000 and it works like a charm. Thoughts? Maybe this evening when HF is much clearer on the low side - 80 meters to AM Broadcast...

 

[slicerwizard]

Thanks! I still have a question. The tuner opens now and it looked like it was working. But now if I tune -f98.1 I get a strong wave for The BEAR - a rock station in Traverse City - with the SpyVerter in the loop on device #1. If I add 120 Mhz to the target freq 1.270 Mhz and run with -f121.270 and look at the FMP24 display it shows it tuned to 121.270 Mhz and not 1.270.

Well, FMP24 is tuned to 121.27 MHz, isn't it? And it's being fed an AM signal at 121.27 MHz, isn't it?

Plus - there is no audio other than sound floor while there is audio on another analog radio. On SDR Console I add 120,000,000 and it works like a charm. Thoughts? Maybe this evening when HF is much clearer on the low side - 80 meters to AM Broadcast...

No audio in FMP24 when using AM demodulation?

 

[AB9NN]

Please refer to the attached photo. I use batch files, batch command lines and shortcuts to start and kill my processes. Here's the thing... I can't find an AM Broadcast signal like .900 Mhz. Normally with the SpyVerter one needs to add 120 Mhz to the target freq and input that like in SDR Console. Doing that in FMP24 seems to yield a signal up around 1020 (900 + 120 = 1020) Mhz. Similarly a 0.900 Mhz input seems to yield a signal with nothing but noise floor when the same antenna on the same Y connector to a different radio yields a resoundingly strong signal. First I need to see the signal trace and then I'll worry about doing the "D" to change demod from FM to AM... Anyone have direct experience with this?