DSD+ not decoding anything

[mkyriacou]

Hello! I am trying to decode DMR signals with DSD+ and SDRsharp with my rtl sdr, but it wont work.

I followed everything in this video:

Attached are pictures of my settings for dsd+ and SDRsharp

Basically, nothing ever decodes on DSD+. The last line on the command prompt is always "Mono audio decoding initialized..." Is there anything I am doing wrong?

 

[slicerwizard]

Well, for starters, you appear to be using AM demodulation.

 

[mkyriacou]

Well, for starters, you appear to be using AM demodulation.

I tried every demodualtion and still nothing happens

 

[KMG54]

Should.nt the sample rate be 2.4?

 

[slicerwizard]

I don't think the sampling rate is an issue. I wouldn't have squelch enabled though.

How does the OP know he's dealing with DMR signals?

 

[poltergeisty]

Crank your bandwidth up to 32,000 in SDR#. Make sure there is no audio filter on in SDR#. You have to go down the column there with all the diffrent settings on the left. I learned this myself.

 

[dave3825]

Your audio input to dsd is set to vb cable, as seen in your pic.




How are you outputting sdr to vb cable?

Are you sure its dmr and not something else like Nxdn, ProVoice or P25? Because if it is one of those, your using -fr . What happens if you try -fa ?

 

[mtindor]

1. Press the Stop button in SDR#
2. switch to FM
3. DISABLE squelch
4. Under the "Audio" section in SDR#, switch from Windows Directsound to your VB Cable
5. Press the Start button in SDR#

Run DSDPlus with the same options you did before (so that audio input is from your VB cable and output is your speakers)

Then, of course, make sure you are dead center on a signal type that DSDPlus decodes.

With the settings you show above, DSDPlus is expecting the audio from the VB cable, BUT your SDR# is not piping audio into VB cable but rather to Windows Directsound.

Mike

 

[dave3825]

How are you outputting sdr to vb cable?

4. Under the "Audio" section in SDR#, switch from Windows Directsound to your VB Cable

He might be using the dsd plugin with vb cable as output (could not see in screenshot) . Even tho I mostly use fmp24 with tcp, occasionally I scan around with sdr and use the dsd plugin if I land on digital to see what it is..

Then, of course, make sure you are dead center on a signal type that DSDPlus decodes.

If he runs with his original set up, and his signal is not dmr mototrbo, he will not get anything using the using -fr

 

[mtindor]

He might be using the dsd plugin with vb cable as output (could not see in screenshot) . Even tho I mostly use fmp24 with tcp, occasionally I scan around with sdr and use the dsd plugin if I land on digital to see what it is..


If he runs with his original set up, and his signal is not dmr mototrbo, he will not get anything using the using -fr

Good point on both. I have never used the plugin that you reference, and I hadn't looked at his original CLI arguments and hadn't noticed that he was using -fr. Not sure why I jump into some of these threads with my gun half cocked LOL

Mike

 

[dave3825]

Not sure why I jump into some of these threads with my gun half ****ed

You must be Irish, like me. lol

 

[mkyriacou]

Your audio input to dsd is set to vb cable, as seen in your pic.

View attachment 75868


How are you outputting sdr to vb cable?

Are you sure its dmr and not something else like Nxdn, ProVoice or P25? Because if it is one of those, your using -fr . What happens if you try -fa ?

Im not sure how to check how I am outputting sdr to vb cable. On SDR, my output for audio is the VB cable, but on my computer sound settings my speakers are set to default.

 

[mkyriacou]

Good point on both. I have never used the plugin that you reference, and I hadn't looked at his original CLI arguments and hadn't noticed that he was using -fr. Not sure why I jump into some of these threads with my gun half ****ed LOL

Mike

Im using the dsd plugin, how do I change it to -fa?

 

[mkyriacou]

1. Press the Stop button in SDR#
2. switch to FM
3. DISABLE squelch
4. Under the "Audio" section in SDR#, switch from Windows Directsound to your VB Cable
5. Press the Start button in SDR#

Run DSDPlus with the same options you did before (so that audio input is from your VB cable and output is your speakers)

Then, of course, make sure you are dead center on a signal type that DSDPlus decodes.

With the settings you show above, DSDPlus is expecting the audio from the VB cable, BUT your SDR# is not piping audio into VB cable but rather to Windows Directsound.

Mike

I did as you said, but still nothing is happening. Maybe its because I can't find a DMR Signal? Around what frequency should I be looking at.

 

[mtindor]

I did as you said, but still nothing is happening. Maybe its because I can't find a DMR Signal? Around what frequency should I be looking at.

Really? Unreal. A DMR signal could e anywhere. Please don't ask for support about decoding a signal until you know you have access to a decodable signal. You're making us all jump through hoops trying to help you out of something that we cannot fix. Find a DMR, p25, NXDN, Fusion signal somewhere -- anywhere. And dont use the "-fr" switch in DSDPlus unless you specifically ONLY want to decode DMR.

Who knows where you would find a DMR signal . Nobody knows where you live to even begin to tell you.

mike

 

[mkyriacou]

Really? Unreal. A DMR signal could e anywhere. Please don't ask for support about decoding a signal until you know you have access to a decodable signal. You're making us all jump through hoops trying to help you out of something that we cannot fix. Find a DMR, p25, NXDN, Fusion signal somewhere -- anywhere. And dont use the "-fr" switch in DSDPlus unless you specifically ONLY want to decode DMR.

Who knows where you would find a DMR signal . Nobody knows where you live to even begin to tell you.

mike

Sorry! I just have been looking for a signal for days and I haven't been able to find one. I thought something was wrong with my settings!

 

[mtindor]

Sorry! I just have been looking for a signal for days and I haven't been able to find one. I thought something was wrong with my settings!

The key would be first to know what type of signal you are parked on without even having to use a program to identify it -- meaning get familiar with the sound of the raw audio.

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) - Signal Identification Wiki

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) is an open digital mobile radio standard defined by ETSI and used in commercial products around the world. Mostly used by private network and local police, can be encrypted. Used in MOTOTRBO products.

www.sigidwiki.com

There you can hear what a DMR signal would sound like. And I'm sure there are examples of P25, NXDN, D-Star, Yaesu Fusion, etc as well.

When you are able to identify the type of signal by ear, it makes it so much easier to go looking for such signals.

BUT, if you can't / won't do that, at least make sure that your DSDPlus is set up to decode all that it is able to decode. If you use a -f switch ( such as -fr, or -fN or -Fn or -f1 ), you are limiting DSDPlus to only decoding a specific type of signal. Leave off the -f switch. That way if you tune to a P25 or NXDN signal unknowingly, DSDPlus will still come to life.

m

 

[mkyriacou]

The key would be first to know what type of signal you are parked on without even having to use a program to identify it -- meaning get familiar with the sound of the raw audio.

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) - Signal Identification Wiki

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) is an open digital mobile radio standard defined by ETSI and used in commercial products around the world. Mostly used by private network and local police, can be encrypted. Used in MOTOTRBO products.

www.sigidwiki.com

There you can hear what a DMR signal would sound like. And I'm sure there are examples of P25, NXDN, D-Star, Yaesu Fusion, etc as well.

When you are able to identify the type of signal by ear, it makes it so much easier to go looking for such signals.

BUT, if you can't / won't do that, at least make sure that your DSDPlus is set up to decode all that it is able to decode. If you use a -f switch ( such as -fr, or -fN or -Fn or -f1 ), you are limiting DSDPlus to only decoding a specific type of signal. Leave off the -f switch. That way if you tune to a P25 or NXDN signal unknowingly, DSDPlus will still come to life.

m

Thank you very much!! Surprisingly I was able to find a DMR signal, however, I am unable to hear anything. This is what my command prompt looks like when it is decoding. Any ideas as to what is causing these errors?

 

[mtindor]

In your SDR#, are you running (a) FM, (b) Filter Audio UNCHECKED, (c) 7900 bandwidth ? If not, you should be.

In SDR#, what is the signal to noise ratio (SNR) on the signal. You are getting a lot of errors, suggesting either interference or a weak signal or perhaps too much audio output from SDR# into DSDPlus (or too little).

If there were voice comms, you'd see "BS VOICE". The fact that it shows BS DATA suggests that you aren't hearing voice comms because they aren't any voice comms occurring at that time.

 

[mkyriacou]

In your SDR#, are you running (a) FM, (b) Filter Audio UNCHECKED, (c) 7900 bandwidth ? If not, you should be.

In SDR#, what is the signal to noise ratio (SNR) on the signal. You are getting a lot of errors, suggesting either interference or a weak signal or perhaps too much audio output from SDR# into DSDPlus (or too little).

If there were voice comms, you'd see "BS VOICE". The fact that it shows BS DATA suggests that you aren't hearing voice comms because they aren't any voice comms occurring at that time.

I am running FM, Filter Audio is UNCHECKED, my bandwith was 8000.

My Signal to noise ratio is 20dB. Perhaps it's a weak signal or some type of interference. I will try to find a BS VOICE to see if I still get errors.