SDR# SDR# Plug-in: Frequency Scanner updated

[PE0SAT]

Lets start by saying thank you for this new updated scanner plugin.

My experience with it, I was using the version with the DNR option and after replacing the new dll with the one that I was using, the plugin didn't show up as an configured plugin, only after removing the scanner_entryes.xml file it did.

This was necessary both on version 1716 and 1732 after that the plugin showed up again.

Because this new version doesn't have the DNR option I went back to the older one.

All the best

 

[thewraith2008]

I am unable to reproduce the crash using the values you provided (in image and with 399975000)
I tried with 1700 and 1732. It starts and runs OK.

Looking at your post again you said after 5-6 hours you see crash.
This is probably has nothing to do with the scan ranges but some other factor.
An error message or log would be helpful.
Are any error messages shown from SDR# or is any entries shown in event viewer at time of crash.
Is the scanner plug-in the only plug-in used in that SDR#
What SDR you using.
Need details.

 

[thewraith2008]

Hi, big advantage of DNR was that Airspy birdies on 240.000, 260.000, 280.000,300.000, 320.000, 340.000, 360.000, 380.000 and 400.000 + a lot of interfering frequencies were blocked by it. Without DNR I have to lockout say 15 frequencies, with DNR none. I think all UHF mil air monitors I know love it.

I don't have Airspy SDR, just a poor old RTL.

I just remembered, the plug-in you refer to with the DNR was packaged with a 'airspy.dll' file.
Are you using this file or the default one that SDR# comes with now?
I have no idea what the origin of the file is or if it is different and how it is different.
Why is it supplied with plug-in?
This is so typical of mods/changes people do to SDR programs/plug-ins/drivers. There is almost no details about what was done and why.

Maybe the 'airspy.dll' did the filtering of those birdies you mention.
You could try and use it to see if it makes a difference or restore back to the one that comes with that version of SDR#.
Probably not a good idea to start mixing DLLs around.

 

[morfis]

Never keen on messing about with different dll versions. In my case I use the one installed by sdrsharp 1700 and the new scanner plugin (this combination seems to run reliably and using less resources than the old version). Simple enough to lock out a few known birdies?

I'm also interested in why you use 12500 steps for milair magpie? I don't see any use of them in UHF milair.
Strange that we have one person using 50000 and one using 12500 whern the military seem to be using 25000 (even the oddball stuff like Orderwire 'channels' - if that's the right word - shows clearly when using 25000)

 

[thewraith2008]

My experience with it, I was using the version with the DNR option and after replacing the new dll with the one that I was using, the plugin didn't show up as an configured plugin, only after removing the scanner_entryes.xml file it did.

This was necessary both on version 1716 and 1732 after that the plugin showed up again.

Because this new version doesn't have the DNR option I went back to the older one.

All the best

This 'other version' of the scanner:

• Creates a different structured file 'scanner_entryes.xml'
• Uses a different structured file 'frequencies.xml' which is created by a different Frequency Manager that is not the one that comes with SDR#.

If you where using the other version and switched to this version then who knows what happen to these files.
It is also one reason why you will most likely see a crash.

These two different versions are not compatible with each other.
Do not swap these two versions around with each other. Create separate SDR# folders if you must use both.

 

[thewraith2008]

I'm also interested in why you use 12500 steps for milair magpie? I don't see any use of them in UHF milair.
Strange that we have one person using 50000 and one using 12500 whern the military seem to be using 25000 (even the oddball stuff like Orderwire 'channels' - if that's the right word - shows clearly when using 25000)

Magpie in his image is using 25000

If you are referring to my post where I mention 12500 and 50000, then this was only for testing.

 

[morfis]

If you are referring to my post where I mention 12500 and 50000, then this was only for testing.

Right. That's clearer then ...Magpie bieing a milair monitor for years it did seem odd!

 

[Magpie]

I am unable to reproduce the crash using the values you provided (in image and with 399975000)
I tried with 1700 and 1732. It starts and runs OK.

Looking at your post again you said after 5-6 hours you see crash.
This is probably has nothing to do with the scan ranges but some other factor.
An error message or log would be helpful.
Are any error messages shown from SDR# or is any entries shown in event viewer at time of crash.
Is the scanner plug-in the only plug-in used in that SDR#
What SDR you using.
Need details.

I don't have an error message to share with you. If it happens again I'll pay attention to that.

My #SDR is an Airspy R2. Favorite version is 1700, but 1732 is sometimes use aswell because the audio of that version is slightly better.

 

[Magpie]

Never keen on messing about with different dll versions. In my case I use the one installed by sdrsharp 1700 and the new scanner plugin (this combination seems to run reliably and using less resources than the old version). Simple enough to lock out a few known birdies?

I'm also interested in why you use 12500 steps for milair magpie? I don't see any use of them in UHF milair.
Strange that we have one person using 50000 and one using 12500 whern the military seem to be using 25000 (even the oddball stuff like Orderwire 'channels' - if that's the right word - shows clearly when using 25000)

Hi Morfis, I don't use 12500 steps, I use 25000 because in milair freqs are in 25 kHz steps.

 

[PE0SAT]

I don't have an error message to share with you. If it happens again I'll pay attention to that.

My #SDR is an Airspy R2. Favorite version is 1700, but 1732 is sometimes use aswell because the audio of that version is slightly better.

SDR# will create a crash file in the directory where it was started, maybe that will help.

 

[ArloG]

Bring back SDRPlay and enable Icom radio support. 1361 is getting dated.
Please!

 

[Magpie]

Hi, I've just setup a brand new #1716 with an audiorecorder plugin and the new fast_scanner. After lockingout the regular Airspy birdies 240.000 and so on it runs well. After switching off the spectrum analyser and the channel analyser the CPU usage goes down to approx. 8% which is excellent.

 

[Magpie]

Hi, I've just setup a brand new #1716 with an audiorecorder plugin and the new fast_scanner. After lockingout the regular Airspy birdies 240.000 and so on it runs well. After switching off the spectrum analyser and the channel analyser the CPU usage goes down to approx. 8% which is excellent.

Has anyone got some more info on what "Detect channel only centre frequency (default all bandwidth)" does?

 

[Ubbe]

Has anyone got some more info on what "Detect channel only centre frequency (default all bandwidth)" does?

If you receive a strong signal from a neighbouring channel, or have some intermod that creates signals that could be 5Khz or 6,25KHz or even 10KHz off, then that function will only validate signals that are spot on, the actual frequency, and not the others that are offset by some KHz. Old GRE scanners and Whistler scanners today use that function and call it zeromatic.

/Ubbe

 

[Magpie]

If you receive a strong signal from a neighbouring channel, or have some intermod that creates signals that could be 5Khz or 6,25KHz or even 10KHz off, then that function will only validate signals that are spot on, the actual frequency, and not the others that are offset by some KHz. Old GRE scanners and Whistler scanners today use that function and call it zeromatic.

/Ubbe

Thanks Ubbe, am I correct when I say: with the function selected, the SDR will be more accurate on the found freqs without signal loss?

 

[Ubbe]

It will only stop scan on a signal if it is within a certain frequency error and will continue to scan if it is outside of that boundry.
It has nothing to do with signal loss as it only checks if the frequency received are correct.

/Ubbe

 

[Magpie]

It will only stop scan on a signal if it is within a certain frequency error and will continue to scan if it is outside of that boundry.
It has nothing to do with signal loss as it only checks if the frequency received are correct.

/Ubbe

Many thanks Ubbe for explaining, will try it out soon.

 

[PE0SAT]

If you receive a strong signal from a neighbouring channel, or have some intermod that creates signals that could be 5Khz or 6,25KHz or even 10KHz off, then that function will only validate signals that are spot on, the actual frequency, and not the others that are offset by some KHz. Old GRE scanners and Whistler scanners today use that function and call it zeromatic.

/Ubbe

Does this also work together with the 8.33 channel selector plugin? This plugin will correct the freq to the 8.33 channel raster after reception.

 

[Ubbe]

As the centre frequency feature only can use whatever frequency that SDR# are set to and compare to the received frequency, and I don't know how it does that as standard FM discriminators in scanners use a DC voltage and SDR recievers use I/Q output, it must work with any frequency it gets from search steps or memory and compare to the received frequency. If the display in SDR# show a 8.33 frequency then all is good.

Isn't that 8.33 selector plugin the same as setting a 8,33 step size and Snap to grid?
If it actually change the SDR# frequency AFTER it receives a signal, then it wont work together with the center frequency feature, if that use a very narrow window where it still accepts a frequency as being correct.

/Ubbe

 

[thewraith2008]

Bring back SDRPlay and enable Icom radio support. 1361 is getting dated.
Please!

This scanner plug-in has nothing to do with why devices are not supported.

Does this also work together with the 8.33 channel selector plugin? This plugin will correct the freq to the 8.33 channel raster after reception.

I have added support for 8.33 KHz channel allocation for next version. Thanks to causeway74 with help testing.