DSD+ and Airspy HF+ Discovery not being found?

[kd1sq]

I'm trying to use my Airspy HF+ Discovery with DSD+. DSD+ never seems to be able to find the device. Other applications have no difficulty with using it.

Any suggestions as to what I have to be doing incorrectly or what additional information may be needed for you to be able to help troubleshoot? I successfully use the original freebie version of DSD just feeding it audio from any receiver to monitor a channel but the Fastlane version offers better performance and more extensive decoding information than that first version. No problem using DSD+ Fastlane with RTL dongles, either.

The following is what FMPA-cc .bat invocation produces -

D:\DSD+>FMPA -rc -o1 -f143.3850
FMPA 2.37

Current working directory is "D:\DSD+"
Airspy serial number list: C852838087C746F8
Spectrum window width: 1024
FFT size: 32,768
Spectrum update rate: 10 Hz
Step size table: 5.000 6.250 7.500 12.500 15.000 25.000 100.000
DSD+ path is "D:\DSD+"
Primary frequency list: '.\FreqList.csv'
Secondary frequency list: '.\FreqList2.csv'
Database search distance: 60.00 miles
Base latitude/longitude: 47.0338 -67.8059
Role is control/rest channel monitor;
Auto-starting control/rest channel following mode
Using WaveOut device #1
Initial frequency set to 143.385000 MHz
Optimizing FFT calculations... done.

Audio output device #1 = 'Speakers (4- Logitech USB Heads'
Audio output device #2 = 'Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High De'
Audio output device #3 = 'Line 1 (Virtual Audio Cable)'
Audio output device #4 = '1 - LG IPS FULLHD (AMD High Def'
Audio output device #5 = '6 - LG IPS FULLHD (AMD High Def'

Airspy lib version = 1.0.11
Can't open Airspy device #1
Airspy device with serial number C852838087C746F8 is not present or is already in use

TIA,
Lee

 

[sonm10]

I just looked up the website - HF+ Discovery is usable up to 31 Mhz. There is no digital in that range, at least what DSD+ will decode anyway.
I use the Airspy R2 and is what you need for VHF, UHF, 800, and beyond. Most digital systems DSD+ decodes will be in VHF, UHF, and 800, well above the range of the Discovery. I would invest in an Airspy R2 or a RTL SDR to monitor these type of systems.

EDIT: may I proofread - Discovery also covers 60-260. Anyway, the Discovery may not be supported by DSD+.

 

[AM909]

Is that the correct serial number being shown? Is the device being used by some other software at the time (like some kind of remote access/feeder/API)? Do you hear the "new USB device" sound played when you plug it in? Does it work with other software (like whatever Airspy provides -- maybe SDR#)?

 

[davenoname]

Hi. Unfortunately same problem is on AirspyHF+ Dual with VHF range.

Can't open Airspy device. I tried many times, pity...

 

[kd1sq]

The Discovery works just fine for the VHF band.

It works well with SDR Console, SDR# and SDR++.

The serial number being used is the one that is reported by SDR Console and SDR++ - SDR# reports only the first fifteen digits of the serial number, SDR Console and SDR++ report all 16 digits.

So, every application but DSD+ works. DSD+appears to be unable to see the device when everything else can.

I'm making the assumption that I'm doing something wrong but also wondering if it's just that DSD+ and the Discovery can't work together and it just hasn't been reported yet.

Oh, and any of the working applications can access the Discovery both before and after any attempt to use DSD+ with it. DSD+ also cannot see the Discovery after a completely clean boot from cold.

 

[mtindor]

You should probably back up the contents of your DSDPlus folder and then copy over the libusb*.dll and airspy.dll from the working SDR# folder. You might not have the correct version of libusb*.dll or airspy.dll in your DSDPlus folder.

 

[kd1sq]

Excellent suggestion, just tried it. Changing the airspy.dll made no difference, changing libusb-1.0.dll resulted in DSD+ saying that the file failed a checksum test.

I think that what I may try next will be to do a completely new installation of the latest DSD+and to see if that does anything for me.

 

[mtindor]

If you have a relatively recent version of DSDPlus, fire it up, and in the menu system under MISC, select "Download Newest Base Files". Once downloaded you'll see a file called DSDPlusBaseFiles.zip in your directory. Those are all of the supporting files you need. Extract them to a separate directory if you want, and just make sure that you grab all of the DLLs out of that archive and put them in your DSDPlus folder.

 

[kd1sq]

Just created a fresh install of DSD+ 2.268. Used the latest airspy.dll from version 1830 SDR#.

Exactly the same result, says it can't find the device.

Now, here's a question (before you ask why I didn't add the absolutely latest and greatest DSD+) - I paid the lifetime fee for a sub to DSD+ back in December 2019. About a year later I stopped getting emails from the gentleman who produces this. Does he still send out emails with new passwords or did the way he handles this change?

I he still does it, I need to get him to put me back on his list.

If he's changed it, when did he change it and how does it work now, would you happen to know?

I need to get the absolutely latest first of all now.

TIA

 

[mtindor]

Just created a fresh install of DSD+ 2.268. Used the latest airspy.dll from version 1830 SDR#.

Exactly the same result, says it can't find the device.

Now, here's a question (before you ask why I didn't add the absolutely latest and greatest DSD+) - I paid the lifetime fee for a sub to DSD+ back in December 2019. About a year later I stopped getting emails from the gentleman who produces this. Does he still send out emails with new passwords or did the way he handles this change?

I he still does it, I need to get him to put me back on his list.

If he's changed it, when did he change it and how does it work now, would you happen to know?

I need to get the absolutely latest first of all now.

TIA

It's all done using the update mechanism in DSDPlus along with the password that was originally assigned to you and included in one of your last emailed update. On 12/21/2019 I received DSDPlus 2.228 Fast Lane Release via email and saved that password. That is the password I have been using ever since to extract the contents of the latest DSDPlus download (in the menu system, Misc, check for updates). It downloads the latest version to your DSDPlus folder and you unarchive it using 7-zip or winrar or something (that supports the password use) and use the last password that was sent to you in email back when you were getting the updates via email.

If you don't have the password, you need to contact dsdplusfastlane@gmail.com and let them know of your issue. They will help.

So basically, when you fire up newer versions of DSDPlus, they check for an updated version. If it's there (on the server) it gets downloaded. It's password-protected zip. So you use the last password that you had from the days when updates were sent via email.

Mike

 

[kd1sq]

Got that straightened out. Tried the very latest, same results. Just going to try something else...

 

[kd1sq]

Okay, I have something that's workable now. Where I live there are not too many trunked sites either DMR or P25, more like single channel sites scattered at multiple locations.

I grabbed the latest executable and dropped it into the earlier usable (with RTLs) setup. I then started it up and set it to passive mode. Then I started SDR# and I'm feeding it into DSD+ using my copy of VAC.

Works well enough and enables me to ID stuff *and* use the Airspy. (I note that davenoname reports the same problem with his Airspy device.)

Now, another question - does there exist, anywhere (I doubt it) any kind of document that gives a breakdown on what the various frame identifiers mean?

I'll tackle anything but lack of decent documentation always drove me insane...

 

[kd1sq]

And now that I have the latest DSD+ working as a nice passive decoder it has already enabled me to figure out a mystery DMR frequency using the GPS data it details.

And your thoughts and facts were invaluable, Mike, thanks.

 

[kd1sq]

Oh, final note - I have it from authoritative sources that DSD+ was never coded to support the HF+ Discovery. So, unless the creator chooses to plumb it in, ain't gonna happen.

 

[mtindor]

Oh, final note - I have it from authoritative sources that DSD+ was never coded to support the HF+ Discovery. So, unless the creator chooses to plumb it in, ain't gonna happen.

I don't know that there are any documents online anywhere that would inform the author as to how to communicate (differently) with the Discover versus an R1/R2/mini. I think that's probably why the support isn't there. Not sure though.

m