R8600 New IC-R8600 software, need some testers

[jazzboypro]

I have 3 antennas connected to my 8600, a loop, a discone and a long wire. I'm currently listening on the 20 meter band. I noticed that changing the antenna in the software as no impact on the reception. That did not made sense to me. After checking, i see that changing the antenna in the software does not actually change the antenna on the radio. Is this a know issue, does anyone else have the same problem ?

Thanks
73 VA2FCS

 

[kilocharlie8]

I have 3 antennas connected to my 8600, a loop, a discone and a long wire. I'm currently listening on the 20 meter band. I noticed that changing the antenna in the software as no impact on the reception. That did not made sense to me. After checking, i see that changing the antenna in the software does not actually change the antenna on the radio. Is this a know issue, does anyone else have the same problem ?

Thanks
73 VA2FCS

Hi Jazzboypro,

I think we did manage to break the antenna selection code. It used to work!

Look forward to a fix in the next release.

--E
de W6EL

 

[jazzboypro]

Hi Jazzboypro,

I think we did manage to break the antenna selection code. It used to work!

Look forward to a fix in the next release.

--E
de W6EL

Yes, i can confirm that it worked in the previous version. I'll wait for the next release

 

[volkanboy]

Hi All,

My friends and I have been working on some software to control recent Icom transceivers. The software is called "wfview". We have noticed that the IC-R8600 seems to have a similar network (ethernet) protocol to the IC-9700, IC-7850, and IC-705, but to date we have yet to actually test it with this radio.

I am wondering if there is anyone here that would like to give it a shot? It is easiest to try using linux, but we can make a windows or mac build available to you. With linux, it is a bit easier to update the code and re-build


as we work through whatever bugs may be there.

The software is open source, and provides streaming audio (transmit and receive, as applicable), plus waterfall display and basic radio controls. We would really like to make this software something useful to the community, as there seem to be so few options for this radio, and none for linux and mac users.

If anyone would like to try it, please reply below and I will help you get started with it. We're planning on our first release soon, and would really like to get some basic support for the IC-R8600 worked out if possible. The software is solid right now for the SDR and hybrid SDR Icom transceivers, and I suspect it just needs a few tweaks to support the IC-R8600.

Thanks,

--Elliott
de W6EL

Hello,


i have an Icon R8600,i like to test to.
Im running on Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
Im glad to help testing

 

[kilocharlie8]

I'll download and give it a spin, thanks! How bout that dBm or dBmv meter readout?

wfview doesn't export any data like that currently. If you want to grab the data manually, you could probably use a small snip of python code to send the command to the radio and then record the reading to a text file. I've thought about adding code to present different units in the s-meter display, but ultimately it's the same data producing the reading, just a different unit for display. Meaning, it can be converted easily if you know the radio's scale.

 

[dfas-eu]

any progress in the Software, any more updates coming.

 

[kilocharlie8]

Hi,

There have been LOTS of updates, pretty much every night we are either fixing things or adding new features. A lot of work has gone into the audio back-end, which has been re-written four times now. Support for the ShuttlePRO and ShuttleXPress hardware controllers is coming along, the Icom RC-28 may also happen, and a new radio command back-end is in progress which will allow for loadable radio "plugins", making it easier to add features moving forward.

On our Downloads page of our website, we have weekly builds available for those that want to test out the latest features. Patreon supporters get nightly builds as well. For linux users, it's pretty trivial to run our build script and just make the latest from the source repo.

With regards to the IC-R8600, we've had to drop working on the memory and scan features for now. This is because it's a very large amount of work and we want to really focus on our existing core features, and make those features truly shine, before we introduce new ones. Even just trying for the basic functionality of say, an IC-718, has been challenging due to the high standard we've set for ourselves of responsiveness and intuitive UI design. But that's what this is -- we really want wfview to stand out from the crowd, not just because it's the the only open-source and free GUI program to do this kind of thing, but because it's nice and easy to use. If you use wfview and feel confused about a feature, we've messed up and need to hear about it!

I don't monitor this site as much as I probably should, but we answer questions daily from our official support forum, https://forum.wfview.org/.

Here's a video of a recent 40M QSO I was monitoring, have a look if you want to see how things are progressing. The radio is my IC-7300, which I am using remotely (wfview has a built-in audio and control server):

73,

--E
de W6EL

 

[dlstarbird]

Hi All,

My friends and I have been working on some software to control recent Icom transceivers. The software is called "wfview". We have noticed that the IC-R8600 seems to have a similar network (ethernet) protocol to the IC-9700, IC-7850, and IC-705, but to date we have yet to actually test it with this radio.

I am wondering if there is anyone here that would like to give it a shot? It is easiest to try using linux, but we can make a windows or mac build available to you. With linux, it is a bit easier to update the code and re-build as we work through whatever bugs may be there.

The software is open source, and provides streaming audio (transmit and receive, as applicable), plus waterfall display and basic radio controls. We would really like to make this software something useful to the community, as there seem to be so few options for this radio, and none for linux and mac users.

If anyone would like to try it, please reply below and I will help you get started with it. We're planning on our first release soon, and would really like to get some basic support for the IC-R8600 worked out if possible. The software is solid right now for the SDR and hybrid SDR Icom transceivers, and I suspect it just needs a few tweaks to support the IC-R8600.

Thanks,

--Elliott
de W6EL

Elliott,

I would like to look at your beta program, I have 4 SDR units and a new IC-R8600. I retired aerospace eng. and a ham radio operator (KE6SUT)
you can contact me at dlstarbird@gmail.com or 562 217 3486

 

[F1TJJ]

I know this is a bit old, but I would be pleased to test it as well
Stephane

 

[kilocharlie8]

I know this is a bit old, but I would be pleased to test it as well
Stephane

Of course, see our website and download it! wfview | Open Source interface for Icom transceivers

 

[prcguy]

Hey, how bout making the software able to select the various S-meter readouts, specifically dBm? This would allow the software to essentially turn the R8600 into a remote spectrum analyzer if you can display the very accurate internal dBm values.

Of course, see our website and download it! wfview | Open Source interface for Icom transceivers

 

[kilocharlie8]

Hi prcguy!

Is it just a matter of placing the standard S-meter to dbm scale over the S-meter? Could I just send you a conversion chart? Or is it something more complicated?

--E

 

[prcguy]

The R8600 S-meter has four different possible readouts for level, S-units, dBv, dBu EMF and dBm. The receiver is fairly well calibrated and the levels displayed are very accurate. The various readouts can be selected by pressing the touch screen around the S-meter or you can go into the QUICK MENU and select METER TYPE. It would be great if you could add the QUICK MENU and METER TYPE or other path to your software so we can select the various meter scales and in my opinion only dBm would be required.

I don't think it would be possible to have a conversion chart as S-units are 6dB per increment and the dBm readout is in 10ths of a dB. You could have a chart going from dBm to S-units but not the other way. Since the radio can already display accurate dBm levels I hope it would be easy for you to extract that and display in your software. Oh pretty please????

Hi prcguy!

Is it just a matter of placing the standard S-meter to dbm scale over the S-meter? Could I just send you a conversion chart? Or is it something more complicated?

--E

 

[kilocharlie8]

Hi prcguy,

It's definitely possible to convert the data between the various formats -- they are all based on Ohm's law after all.

However, the s-meter is only 8-bits (256 levels) on a log scale, so I see your point.

I've opened up an issue on our issue tracker. I'm not sure when we'd get to it but I think it's a good idea.

Add signal strength readout for IC-R8600 (#100) · Issues · Elliott Liggett / wfview · GitLab

Let’s add a text box to show the signal level and units for the IC-R8600. We may also choose to use this level on the meter...

gitlab.com

--E

 

[prcguy]

Here is what the receive meter looks like in dBm mode. There would be much more than 256 levels in this mode and hopefully you have easy access to it.

Hi prcguy,

It's definitely possible to convert the data between the various formats -- they are all based on Ohm's law after all.

However, the s-meter is only 8-bits (256 levels) on a log scale, so I see your point.

I've opened up an issue on our issue tracker. I'm not sure when we'd get to it but I think it's a good idea.

Add signal strength readout for IC-R8600 (#100) · Issues · Elliott Liggett / wfview · GitLab

Let’s add a text box to show the signal level and units for the IC-R8600. We may also choose to use this level on the meter...

gitlab.com

--E

 

[kilocharlie8]

Here is what the receive meter looks like in dBm mode. There would be much more than 256 levels in this mode and hopefully you have easy access to it.

View attachment 133937

Yeah I get it. The meter bar graph on the radio has only ~30 bars. But yes, the number shown has greater precision. Read the link I sent, we'll do the number properly when we get to it.

--E

 

[F1TJJ]

Hi,
I've tested and could connect my receiver through my VPN over internet. but...

I've the same issue than with the Icom RS8600. I can't change the demodulation mode. squelch is not working.I believe something is wrong in the server settings but I do not see what.
Actually the controls are working locally and are changing the modes on the receiver itself, but the AF through the LAN is stil the same and looks like stuck in USB or AM

Stephane

 

[kdeke]

Hi,
I've tested and could connect my receiver through my VPN over internet. but...

I've the same issue than with the Icom RS8600. I can't change the demodulation mode. squelch is not working.I believe something is wrong in the server settings but I do not see what.
Actually the controls are working locally and are changing the modes on the receiver itself, but the AF through the LAN is stil the same and looks like stuck in USB or AM

Stephane

Stephane,
I had a similar issue, it could be that LAN audio is set to IF instead of AF.
In SET, Connectors, LAN, set 'output select' to 'AF' and 'AF SQL' to 'ON'.
This will provide audio instead of unmodulated IF on the audio interface.
Rgds,
K

 

[F1TJJ]

Hi, I've found out the setting and it runs perfectly !

I'd like to report my feelings about wfview and what would be nice:

1. no ability to change frequency by clicking on the frequency numbers like left click increases a digit, right click decreases a digit. This would enable fast frequency change rather that having to go into the frequency step dropdown each time

2. when starting again the application it comes to 100 Hz steps not memorizing the previous setting

3. The filters are not clear (i.e. the frequency width). Could it be possible to adjust it from here ?

4. I would love a function to immediatly save a wave file from what I'm receiving

5. I would love as well beeing able to have the frequency displayed when hovering on the spectrum or waterfall, and clicking would select the nearest frequency according to the frequency steps adjusted

6. in +/- 2.5 MHz span the spectrum and waterfall are not accurate enough but I imagine this is because it's not processed from IQ but that the receiver sends the data as it. Very difficult to tune a spotted transmission from the waterfall. Not accurate enough

7. by the way a zoom and pan function would be nice to zoom in a specific signal without having to change the current settings

8. I would prefer having the frequency tab directly from the View panel. Having to change the tab each time for changing the freq is painful

9. would be nice to have the squelch adjustment shown on the S meter as the RS8600 software does (I've the RS8600 so I can compare)

10. I love the the ability to tune the frequency from external, but I did not succeed to use it from WXtoIMG (not exactly wfview related however)

11. the waterfall is giving a slight effect of glitering which is not very great.

12. Ability to do some averaging on the spectrum/waterfall would be nice but back to comment #6 I guess this is not processed from IQ

Well more to come but have to admit I prefer using this software than the RS8600 in some ways. I would love having newer versions with some functions improved.

Many thanks for the work
Stephane

 

[KAZ7ED]

Running well on my M1 MacBook Air! Can’t wait to see you progress and add additional functionality! Keep up the great work!