Help with decoding hf fax with sdr iq and sdr radio

[MAguln8839]

Can someone help me setting up sdr radio software with decoding hf fax? I have not been able to get this to work after several attempts. I do have the VAC software, but no luck. Also can DRM signals be heard with an sdr iq?
Thanks

 

[ka3jjz]

Can someone help me setting up sdr radio software with decoding hf fax? I have not been able to get this to work after several attempts. I do have the VAC software, but no luck. Also can DRM signals be heard with an sdr iq?
Thanks

I'm unsure what VAC is - I do know the SDR-IQ comes bundled with Spectra Vue (in cases like this one it's vital to be accurate...)

Anyway, I'd forget about DRM - there are very few broadcasts beamed our way, and frankly it's a cause that's on life support...

As for HF-FAX reception - these 2 are possibilities but with some caveats...

Bonito RadioCom 6 -- Premium Multimode En- & Decoder Software for: Weatherfax, SatFax, RTTY, SSTV, PSK31, Sitor, SDR Integration, radio control, plus SubDecoder as well as TX Encoder

Radiocom's reputation, if you read the various reviews on eHam, isn't the best...however it can't hurt to get a trial version...

SORCERER decoder | Radioaficion Ham Radio

This software boasts a lot of modes (evidently some don't work), but beware - some virus checkers flag this software as having a Trojan - evidently harmless at this point, and some are actually using it. Read this thread in its entirety...

http://forums.radioreference.com/digital-signals-decoding/231889-digital-decoding-software.html

I'll be interested to see if there are other software packages that can interface with the SDR-IQ that does copy HF-FAX - there sure doesn't seem to be all that many - yet...

Mike

 

[MAguln8839]

sdr

Hey Mike,
Thanks for the help. I am using sdr radio software and trying to decode hf fax using virtual audio cable (vac) and having no luck. I dont even know if its possible, but it would be nice to get it working. Thanks again for the help.
Mike

 

[MAguln8839]

sdr

Hey Mike,
Thanks for the help. I am using sdr radio software and trying to decode hf fax using virtual audio cable (vac) and having no luck. I dont even know if its possible, but it would be nice to get it working. Thanks again for the help.
Mike

 

[Token]

Can someone help me setting up sdr radio software with decoding hf fax? I have not been able to get this to work after several attempts. I do have the VAC software, but no luck. Also can DRM signals be heard with an sdr iq?
Thanks

I am using sdr radio software and trying to decode hf fax using virtual audio cable (vac) and having no luck. I dont even know if its possible, but it would be nice to get it working.

Which specific SDR radio software are you using? There are many out there on the market. I am guessing that since you are not mentioning a specific one it might be the SDR Console from SDR-Radio.com, but you need to be specific.

My assumption of the hardware you are using is that it is a local SDR-IQ. Is this the case, you are using a local SDR-IQ and not an SDR-IQ over the net? And in answer to your question yes, DRM can be decoded using the SDR-IQ and the correct software.

Assuming local SDR-IQ hardware, in order to decode HF-FAX or DRM you will need to enable the Wave Out sound output as your Windows default recording source, how to do that will depend on your specific computer operating system and your specific sound card. So, a bit more detail might be needed to make detailed suggestions. The Virtual Audio Cable software might not be needed at all, I do not use it myself, but I know others that have to use it because of local hardware limitations. And if it does turn out to be a situation requiring VAC I probably can't help, because I have never had to use it

Once the operating system is set up and allows you to record/sample the audio from your PC multiple softwares can be used to decode HF-FAX, including FLDIGI. Also DRM can be decoded using the same settings, using a software like Dream.

T!

 

[MAguln8839]

HF fax

Hi T!,
Thanks for the response. I am using an sdr-iq radio and the SDR Console from SDR-Radio.com. I am also trying to use the Virtual Audio Cable and trying to decode HF fax live using the image viewer from the SDR Console from SDR-Radio.com. I cannot seem to get it working, but there are many different setting and I have tried many different settings and have not gotten it to work. I will try the enable the Wave Out sound output as your windows recording device. Does this mean that you must record the file and then play it back to get the image, or can it be done live?

Thanks

 

[Token]

No, it does not mean that you have to record files and then play them back. But for Windows to know how to route the audio, what specific source to monitor, you set whatever the source is as your default record. That way the program knows where to look for the audio input.

T!

 

[Muskratt]

I use VAC with my SDR-IQ. With my soundcard, I needed to use these settings on VAC in order to get it to work:
Sr Range: 48000..48000
BPS Range: 32..32
NC Range: 1..2
Stream fmt: Cable format
Volume Ctrl: Disabled
Max Inst: 20
MS Per Int: 1

The main settings for my system I think were the Sr Range forcing it to 48000 and nothing else. Also, the BPS Range forced to 32.

Muskratt

 

[SCPD]

Hi T!,
Thanks for the response. I am using an sdr-iq radio and the SDR Console from SDR-Radio.com. I am also trying to use the Virtual Audio Cable and trying to decode HF fax live using the image viewer from the SDR Console from SDR-Radio.com. I cannot seem to get it working, but there are many different setting and I have tried many different settings and have not gotten it to work. I will try the enable the Wave Out sound output as your windows recording device. Does this mean that you must record the file and then play it back to get the image, or can it be done live?

This is very hard to troubleshoot as this depends on how your audio drivers (the soundcard) sets up the various (driver-based) audio components. You also didn't mention what version of Windows operating system you're using. This can make a difference.

Basically, you'll need to go into Control Panel -> Sound and play around with your audio defaults.

VAC works by mapping a "virtual" connection to your audio out but this doesn't always work. It depends on how the application outputs the audio.

A prime example for myself is the way the Perseus and HDSDR applications output their audio. VAC will not recognize the audio output from HDSDR without changing settings -- whereas VAC works great with the Perseus by default.

Obviously, your HF-FAX software needs to be configured properly. It needs its INPUT set to the Line 1 VAC input.

If you have a newer computer, then be sure to download the latest sound card drivers.

Be sure to check your Start Menu -> Applications for a VAC folder. There is a "VAC Control Panel" application that may need some adjustments.

I highly recommend going to the VAC web site and reading the online documentation. (There's also a user manual under the VAC Start Menu folder.)