SDRPlay @ SDR Console (Prroblem)

[Saint]

For A day and a half now I have been trying to get SDRPlay And SDR Console to work and I have a problem, I can't seem to get a good signal and clear Audio, I have tried everything I can think of and still can not get things setup right.

I go to a AM shortwave radio station and the audio sounds distorted, so I start playing around with the
LNA Gain threshold set at 45 DB, the Gain reduction set at -65 and the visual gain set at -25 and it seems to clear up the audio distortion but something is interfering with me receiving the audio, it's like the audio is being attenuated or something is set to on and is interfering with me receiving anything. I tune into a AM Radio station in Buffalo NY, I live across the Niagara river from them and I can barely pick up the signal, I am using 80' feet of speaker wire and I have a discone antenna also I use. I had no problems with picking up HF frequencies with my Icom R75 or when I had a Funcube + dongle, I had a list of hundreds of frequencies I used to listen to.

It's the SDR Console software that's not setup right and I have tried everything I can think of, I should be able to just turn on the software and not have to mess around with these settings continually can someone think of what the problem is with my setup.
Any help appreciated, I have run out of things to try.
Steve

 

[SCPD]

What I ended up doing .. is making a .reg file (export from the registry) for SDRConsole. This is the contents of the registry settings for the program.

The settings are found here, though your location may vary depending on how it was installed .. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\SDR-RADIO.com (V2)

I just run the file if needed .. to reset all settings back to a good working state.

The only thing .. you have to get to good listening settings first before this will work.

I found that it didn't work well more often than not. But it was not the cause of the software. It was cause .. the program is complex with many settings that can be changed.

Everything you do will either improve or destroy your ability to listen. I found that mostly I broke it. Not the fault of the software.

So I use this .reg file to refresh all the settings back to something that works well. I have been using a FCD but have a SDRPlay on the way.

I hope to use SDRConsole as it is the best software I have found.

 

[Flatliner]

Preliminary tests have just produced the same issue with 2.3. AM sounds as if it's has an interferer -3 db underneath. I'll do some more tests...

 

[jonohudson]

AM shortwave and SDR-Console

For A day and a half now I have been trying to get SDRPlay And SDR Console to work and I have a problem, I can't seem to get a good signal and clear Audio, I have tried everything I can think of and still can not get things setup right.

I go to a AM shortwave radio station and the audio sounds distorted, so I start playing around with the
LNA Gain threshold set at 45 DB, the Gain reduction set at -65 and the visual gain set at -25 and it seems to clear up the audio distortion but something is interfering with me receiving the audio, it's like the audio is being attenuated or something is set to on and is interfering with me receiving anything. I tune into a AM Radio station in Buffalo NY, I live across the Niagara river from them and I can barely pick up the signal, I am using 80' feet of speaker wire and I have a discone antenna also I use. I had no problems with picking up HF frequencies with my Icom R75 or when I had a Funcube + dongle, I had a list of hundreds of frequencies I used to listen to.

It's the SDR Console software that's not setup right and I have tried everything I can think of, I should be able to just turn on the software and not have to mess around with these settings continually can someone think of what the problem is with my setup.
Any help appreciated, I have run out of things to try.
Steve

Hi from Jon, G4ABQ at SDRplay. What shortwave frequency are you trying? I just double checked by remotely connecting to 'San Diego sdr-play' (username and password = guest) and was able to hear medium wave AM stations pretty well but I did crank down the sample rate at logon to 250 KHz - have you tried that? It depends a bit where in the spectrum you are looking - down at a few MHz with a sample rate (IF bandwidth) of Megahertz may cause problems. I also have a remote server you can try here in the UK called SDRplay in the UK with G5RV - this should give you a chance to compare as well just to make sure your hardware isn't faulty. It's pretty good at picking up shortwave AM signal say in the 49 metre band.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Finally the unofficial SDRplay Facebook group on https://www.facebook.com/groups/sdrplay are amazing at debugging quirky problems like this so you could also post your problem there.

73, Jon

 

[HopperD]

Saint I have a problem similar to yours but it's only on the AM/FM stations where I get the muffling. Don't have a problem on the shortwave side.

I'm sure you've done this already but if you're tuning in to a short station try selecting the LSB and if that doesn't work then select AM at 2.2khz

I wish I could figure out how to hear my local AM/FM stations clearer. I haven't had my SDRPlay that long either so I'm still trying to figure certain things out.

Hope this helps you out and if you figure out your problem please post it here.

 

[jonohudson]

There's some very good comments from DaveB on this thread in the SDRplay community forum Problem With Set up (SDRPlay @ SDR Console - SDRplay Community Forum which may also be of help. Jon

 

[Saint]

Problems With SDRPlay or SDR Console

Preliminary tests have just produced the same issue with 2.3. AM sounds as if it's has an interferer -3 db underneath. I'll do some more tests...

Well I have tried everything in the book over several days I don't know if this is a problem with SDRPlay or With SDR Console, I have tried several antenna's I have changed the Usb cable I tried the one off my USB Backup Also I tried one from my computer printer, I changed out all my pigtails and still there is something in the SDRPlay or the SDR Console software that's interfering with the signals I have changed every setting in the software dozens of times I have reset the software a dozen times back to default and for the life of me I don't know what else I can do. I have never had a problem with any dongles I have bought or even the Funcube + I had, it does not matter if I try and listen to the AM Broadcast or Utility frequencies.
Steve

 

[kf7yn]

I had the same problem, I ended up uninstalling SDR Console and reinstalled it. Now it works like gangbusters, hopefully it might be that simple for you as well.

I live close to a couple of powerhouse AM stations so I am also using an AM Band filter which really helps cut down on intermod. I can see FM images well into UHF so an FM trap will be installed.

 

[SCPD]

My new SDRPlay is in a box. It can sit there .. don't care. Sorry but for VHF/UHF, not worth it .. I will stick to my scanners. Maybe for HF it may work but overall .. a huge disappointment as it is just deaf. It could be the SDRConsole software .. as I find it flaky as hell.

It's ok .. that hooker in the 80's was over rated too.

 

[Flatliner]

My new SDRPlay is in a box. It can sit there .. don't care. Sorry but for VHF/UHF, not worth it .. I will stick to my scanners. Maybe for HF it may work but overall .. a huge disappointment as it is just deaf. It could be the SDRConsole software .. as I find it flaky as hell.

It's ok .. that hooker in the 80's was over rated too.

SDRplay is extremely sensitive. Use HDSDR or even SDR# instead. As of now, I am having a lot of problems with SDR-Console 2.3. I've just reinstalled to see if things have improved.

 

[Saint]

Sent Back

My new SDRPlay is in a box. It can sit there .. don't care. Sorry but for VHF/UHF, not worth it .. I will stick to my scanners. Maybe for HF it may work but overall .. a huge disappointment as it is just deaf. It could be the SDRConsole software .. as I find it flaky as hell.

It's ok .. that hooker in the 80's was over rated too.

Just sent the SDRPlay back to California got tired trying to get it working worth while, As far as I'm concerned the SDRPlay is over rated and not worth the money, as far as the SDR Console Software it never worked half way decent. Bad experience all around and I lost a lot of money changing my money over (exchange rate) Having to pay the customs duties and then paying for sending the SDRPlay back to California, bad decision even to think that this SDRPlay was worth it.
Steve

 

[eorange]

I had a similar problem with SDRplay and SDR Console:

http://forums.radioreference.com/software-defined-radio/322036-sdr-console-popping-audio.html

I uninstalled/reinstalled SDR Console, didn't help. Then upgraded to the newest version, didn't help. This interference happened across every band, every signal, NOAA weather, you name it. I finally decided that SDR Console wasn't worth my time because I also have SDR# and HDSDR.

I think SDRplay is a good receiver, and I've had no such trouble with SDR# and HDSDR, so that's what I use now.

But this does bring up a good point: SDR hardware is only as good as the software that happens to be out there. No need to re-hash the SDR# ongoing drama, and HDSDR is good but stagnant in development.

 

[Flatliner]

Just sent the SDRPlay back to California got tired trying to get it working worth while, As far as I'm concerned the SDRPlay is over rated and not worth the money, as far as the SDR Console Software it never worked half way decent. Bad experience all around and I lost a lot of money changing my money over (exchange rate) Having to pay the customs duties and then paying for sending the SDRPlay back to California, bad decision even to think that this SDRPlay was worth it.
Steve

It seems to me that you lost money simply because you gave up.

SDR-Radio has no connection to SDRplay so blaming the hardware because you couldn't get along with someone else's software, is unfair. I also had an issue with SDR-Console but after a FULL uninstall, reboot and reinstall, everything is back to normal. The caused turned out to be that gain reduction gets reset to 0 dB on a restart, causing overload.

If anything, SDRplay was underrated until people actually started getting used to how to bring out its full potential. Just use HDSDR or a version 1361 of SDR#. As an owner of a lot of considerably more expensive hardware than SDRplay, I have been surprisingly impressed at what it's capable of resolving, so much so, that my £1600 Winradio has barely been used since I received the Play, and I virtually gave away the Airspit.

 

[Saint]

Great you like it

It seems to me that you lost money simply because you gave up.

SDR-Radio has no connection to SDRplay so blaming the hardware because you couldn't get along with someone else's software, is unfair. I also had an issue with SDR-Console but after a FULL uninstall, reboot and reinstall, everything is back to normal. The caused turned out to be that gain reduction gets reset to 0 dB on a restart, causing overload.

If anything, SDRplay was underrated until people actually started getting used to how to bring out its full potential. Just use HDSDR or a version 1361 of SDR#. As an owner of a lot of considerably more expensive hardware than SDRplay, I have been surprisingly impressed at what it's capable of resolving, so much so, that my £1600 Winradio has barely been used since I received the Play, and I virtually gave away the Airspit.

Don't sit there and tell me I gave up, if you would take the time and look at all the post I have submitted you would see I just did not give up. It's great you think so highly of this product and think that everyone else should think the same way you do, You make it sound like I am the only one that has anything to say negatively about SRPlay, well I'm not, I can't be bothered wasting my time anymore on a post like this.
Steve

 

[Flatliner]

Don't sit there and tell me I gave up, if you would take the time and look at all the post I have submitted you would see I just did not give up. It's great you think so highly of this product and think that everyone else should think the same way you do, You make it sound like I am the only one that has anything to say negatively about SRPlay, well I'm not, I can't be bothered wasting my time anymore on a post like this.
Steve

Calm down, it's only a radio.

You did give up

got tired trying to get it working

Yes, I do consider it a great piece of hardware, especially for the money. The rest of your comments exist nowhere other than your post.

 

[kf7yn]

I agree it is a decent receiver for the money. I also highly suggest using minimal antenna, BCB filter and an FM trap. Even with a few feet of antenna, I getting some decent DX on SW. The FM trap really perked up the VHF and UHF bands. Without it, the receiver does seem insensitive but believe me it's plenty sensitive.

I live in a medium size metro area in a valley where signals get trapped and overload a receiver easily. My first attempt with the SDR Play didn't go well. Experimenting with antennas and various filters made all the difference, along with the SDR Console problem mentioned above.

With that few feet of antenna, I get decent performance on the AM band (BCB filter bypassed of course) Got on before sunrise and DX'ed quite a few stations. The bandwidth options, ECSS, etc. really helped nail some station IDs. Having a visual representation of the spectrum makes DX'ing a lot easier in my opinion. I was even able to pick out weak stations next to local flamethrowers using narrow filters and selecting LSB or USB.

What works best for me is to use various gain reduction settings to keep the noise floor to around -120 dBm which roughly equates to S1. I can't get it that low with my regular receivers . This enables me to hear the weak stuff. That's not saying it's a true S1, but keeping the gain down works best in my situation in my location. I also keep the LNA Gain Threshold all the way down at 59 dBm. I would imagine if I were in a rural area, I could crank this up.

For example, right now I am listening to the VHF airband on an Archer 1/4 wave dual band VHF/UHF ham antenna. Not the best antenna for the task. The international airport is 10 miles north of me over a hill. I am getting tower comms at around -70 dBm, or roughly S-9.

Really it is a matter of being patient, experimenting with different antennas and using bandpass filters and in my case, reinstalling the software and starting over. That's my 2¢ worth.

 

[SCPD]

SDRplay is extremely sensitive. Use HDSDR or even SDR# instead. As of now, I am having a lot of problems with SDR-Console 2.3. I've just reinstalled to see if things have improved.

I do think that the problem is mostly the software and not the SDRPlay ..

The software stinks .. it may be ok for HF, but not for VHF/UHF.

The SDR Console software also pinned my cpu as high as 65% .. and it stopped working.

You also cannot adjust the volume in the program without .. using a window that it totally redundant. It should be at the top of the screen somewhere.

Honestly ... I am a part time software developer myself, but the software just stinks. It has way too many issues.

The main issues .. the squelch does not work for FM signals. Changing bands .. you have to manually adjust the squelch when you change frequencies and it will totally mute the signals, even strong ones. The auto in FM mode does not work at all.

Also .. centering the signal on the display causes it to become distorted. That is not usable.

The only way I can get the program to work .. it is constantly resetting it using the .reg file to reset it back to a working state.

I tried SDR# cannot get it to work .. get an error message right off the bat.

I would like to try SDR# ... but if someone could give me instructions on how to use it with the SDRPlay that would be nice.

It will sit in the box until I get the courage to use it again .. but honestly, might as well use my scanners. At least they work as designed.

 

[eorange]

My point exactly.

SDR hardware is only as good as the software that happens to be out there.

Regarding SDR# and SDRplay...get the SDR# plugin from the SDRplay site. (SDRplay.com -> Platforms -> Windows)

 

[SCPD]

My point exactly.



Regarding SDR# and SDRplay...get the SDR# plugin from the SDRplay site. (SDRplay.com -> Platforms -> Windows)

Didn't work for me.

 

[eorange]

What's your version of SDR#? The plugin requires SDR# v1411 or greater.