DSD Plus ... I'm lost

Status
Not open for further replies.

Joe1123

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
30
Location
Rochester, NY
Some DSD plus guidance needed

Looking for some DSD plus guidance, I will try to be as clear and concise as possible.

1. I downloaded SDR Sharp, seems to work OK as far as I can tell.
2. Following the RTL guide, I downloaded DSD Plus and DSD Plus PLL zip files. I downloaded them to my "downloads" folder. It says extract both zip files into the same folder. I just extracted them, figuring they are both already in my "downloads" folder.
3. I downloaded the free VB-cable. It says make sure the VB-cable is set as "the default recording audio device in windows sound properties as DSD will use the default sound device." THIS I had no idea how to do and that might be my problem.
4. Then, to get going with it, the guide said to open SDR sharp and set the audio output to Virtual Audio Cable or VB-cable. Well (probably as expected) the VB-cable isn't showing up in SDR sharp under audio output.
5. Am I correct in thinking my problem stems from not knowing how to set the VB-cable as the default recording audio device? If so, how do I do it. Or did I maybe screw up by not unzipping the DSD files into their own folder or something (even though they are unzipped within the downloads folder).

Thanks for any help.... At this point all I want to do is monitor an individual P25 channel at one time.
 

Joe1123

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
30
Location
Rochester, NY
Well now I've got new problems, but I'm encouraged ... feels like I'm getting closer. Got the VB-Cable installed OK. .. I believe I may have an old version of DSDPlus that won't work on Windows 10. It says configured for 8.1 ... I will keep trying. Another glitch was the DSD plugin I used, SDR sharp is not "finding" DSDPlus .... but these things seem minor. I can pretty much see everything, just not working properly yet. But I'll get it .. thanks.
 

thewraith2008

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
1,841
If your trying to use DSDPlus v1p101 then ditch SDR# and VC for now. Those combination are good for hunting signals but not for trunking.

FMP and DSPlus are what is need here.

FMP is the tuner for your dongle
DSDPlus is the decoder for the digital signal, P25 in your case.

FMP connects to DSDPlus via TCP

If trunking is what your after then you need to setup:

CC FMP (Set to control channel for call information)
CC DSDPlus (decodes CC call data to control voice channel)
VC FMP (Is directed to VC(frequency) by CC DSDPlus)
VC DSDPlus (Decode data from FMP VC to produce voice to be heard)

The Notes.txt and "Trunking.txt" in DSDPlus v1.101.zip should get you going.

Edit: As for the SDR# DSD Interface plug-in, I posted a fixed version awhile back, but that was for newer DSDPlus Fastlane versions (paid).

And I believe folks where having an issue with Win10 after and update. May pay to hunt for that thread.
 
Last edited:

thewraith2008

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
1,841
You sure. I know I'm a bit rusty on FMP, but in the manual "fmp.txt" for DSDPlus v1p101. I had to look.
FMP has this option:

Line 19
-o<port> Output audio TCP port (256-65535)

Line 79
Use -o with a TCP port number if routing audio to DSD+

Or do you mean linking between CC and VC instances where it's not supported?
 

Joe1123

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
30
Location
Rochester, NY
This is so far above me, I don't know where to begin. But I installed DSD plus, even the plugin to SDR# to start DSD plus. When I first did it, I was at least getting text in the window that kept saying invalid this, invalid that etc. ... Now it just gives me these lines of text and doesn't do anything (see picture attached).

No idea what I'm doing at all with this stuff. Frustrating.
 

Attachments

  • DVDPlus1b.jpg
    DVDPlus1b.jpg
    79.1 KB · Views: 767

elraval

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
23
Location
Barcelona, Spain
There's a text file manual within DSDPlus folder. It's a good idea to start from there to understand the software and the command line options and all that.

Enviado desde mi Moto G (5) mediante Tapatalk
 

thewraith2008

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2016
Messages
1,841
Don't be discouraged, we all started somewhere.

Tell us:
What dongles your using.
What you want to listen too. eg DMR, P25. and if it's conventional or trunking.
Show us what your command lines are that you use to start FMP/DSPlus.

FMP is the tuner for the dongle (Where you tune to a frequency)
DSDPlus decodes data from FMP (Call information and voice)

DSDPlus can have a few combinations so knowing the above can help with setting it all up.

The simplified setup can be:

Conventional: Dongle > FMP > [TCP connection to] > DSDPlus > Speakers

Trunking:
Is divided into two parts CC and VC

CC is Control Channel. This is the frequency where the call information is broadcast.
VC is Voice Channel. This is the frequency where the call (voice) is broadcast.

In DSDPlus CC controls what VC does.

DSDPlus/FMP CC:
Dongle > FMP > [TCP connection to] > DSDPlus > Speakers

DSDPlus/FMP VC:
Dongle > FMP > [TCP connection to] > DSDPlus > Speakers

The two DSDPlus (CC and VC) are linked so they know want each other are doing.
 

Joe1123

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
30
Location
Rochester, NY
DSDPlus I'm so close ...

Well I finally managed to get DSDPlus running ... it's receiving signals, text is scrolling in the black box etc. Only problem is the audio is very choppy. Like a cell phone that drops out every other word. Any ideas?
Any standard settings you all go by? Or maybe it's just the antenna? I'm sing the larger one that comes with the RTL-SDR bundle. Looks like a TV antenna, Y shaped. Maybe a scanner antenna would make the difference (that's what I'm trying to listen to .. P25 police calls). Thanks for any and all suggestions.
 

frazpo

Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2007
Messages
1,476
Location
SW Mo
It does sound like your down to just reception issue. Do you have errors in your scrolling screen?
 

Joe1123

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
30
Location
Rochester, NY
It does sound like your down to just reception issue. Do you have errors in your scrolling screen?

Yeah a few, here and there. Not sure if this is accurate representation or not, I don't know what most of this means. But I'm hearing them, just not clear ... I do know I'm very close to getting it. See pic. (hard to see, I know) ...
 

Attachments

  • dsdtext1.jpg
    dsdtext1.jpg
    20 KB · Views: 594

mtindor

OH/WV DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
10,364
Location
Carroll Co OH / EN90LN
Can you be specific about all of the software you are using?

Are you using SDRSharp + VB Cable + DSDPlus? Or are you using FMP/FMP24 + DSDPlus?

For the P25 police calls you are attempting to listen to, are you listening to a simulcast trunked or conventional P25 system? If you are monitoring simulcast P25 you might have issues as DSDPlus will do LSM but only when using FMP24 TCP linked to DSDPlus.

If you are using SDRSharp, make sure that "Filter Audio" is unchecked, set Bandwidth to something no greater than 10000 (I use 9500 for P25, 8000 for DMR / NXDN96, and 4000 for NXDN48). And make sure that the audio out of SDRSharp through the VB cable to DSDPlus is not so strong that it is causing clipping in the DSDPlus signal screen.

What type of computer are you running DSDPlus on -- CPU / OS ?

Mike
 

Joe1123

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
30
Location
Rochester, NY
Can you be specific about all of the software you are using?

Are you using SDRSharp + VB Cable + DSDPlus? Or are you using FMP/FMP24 + DSDPlus?

For the P25 police calls you are attempting to listen to, are you listening to a simulcast trunked or conventional P25 system? If you are monitoring simulcast P25 you might have issues as DSDPlus will do LSM but only when using FMP24 TCP linked to DSDPlus.

If you are using SDRSharp, make sure that "Filter Audio" is unchecked, set Bandwidth to something no greater than 10000 (I use 9500 for P25, 8000 for DMR / NXDN96, and 4000 for NXDN48). And make sure that the audio out of SDRSharp through the VB cable to DSDPlus is not so strong that it is causing clipping in the DSDPlus signal screen.

What type of computer are you running DSDPlus on -- CPU / OS ?

Mike

Yes, using SDR Sharp, DSD Plus, VB Cable. I believe it's conventional p25. ... I will mess with bandwith, currently, at 12,500 (I will lower it). What about "order" .. next to bandwidth, does that matter? I have that at 840 right now. I do not have audio filter on.

Running on an older Dell PC that currently has Windows 10.

Thanks for suggestions. ... Like I said I'm real close, I can hear bits and pieces of transmissions, but it's choppy. Signal does seem strong enough, just comes in broken up.
 

mtindor

OH/WV DB Admin
Database Admin
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
10,364
Location
Carroll Co OH / EN90LN
Yes, using SDR Sharp, DSD Plus, VB Cable. I believe it's conventional p25. ... I will mess with bandwith, currently, at 12,500 (I will lower it). What about "order" .. next to bandwidth, does that matter? I have that at 840 right now. I do not have audio filter on.

Running on an older Dell PC that currently has Windows 10.

Thanks for suggestions. ... Like I said I'm real close, I can hear bits and pieces of transmissions, but it's choppy. Signal does seem strong enough, just comes in broken up.

Your computer may or may not have enough CPU resources to handle the decoding. Just stating that it is a Dell PC doesn't really give me any clue as to whether that might be the case. It probably isn't a CPU issue, but could be.

No need to mess with Order, and in fact you should probably not mess with the Order or change the filter types.

You may have/see a strong signal, but part of that signal could be interference. If you are inside with one of those antennas that comes with the dongle, there is a good chance that you will pick up more interference from surrounding devices than you would actual valid signals.

But, if your DSDPlus command window is showing very few errors, it likely isn't an interference / signal issue.

Mike
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top