Tetra decoding

[giannit]

Yes, this can be done.

When you run the workflow from gnuradio-companion, a python script is created and executed. This python script is called top_block.py togehter and can be found with your grc-files under telive/gnuradio-companion.

You can then copy and rename top_block.py to a desired name, like 427_5.py

This can later be executed from a terminal window or a bash script without loading the gnuradio-companion workflow editor everytime:
./427_5.py

Thanks for the explanation , everything working perfectly , now I'm trying to fix the screen so that when I open the flow grahp I remain to the right of the screen if you can do it

 

[velu]

On Mint, Python bomb compiles gnu radio for 2hrs and then exit giving:

SyntaxError: invalid syntax
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./waf", line 158, in <module>
Scripting.prepare(t, cwd, VERSION, wafdir)
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Scripting.py", line 105, in prepare
prepare_impl(t,cwd,ver,wafdir)
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Scripting.py", line 98, in prepare_impl
main()
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Scripting.py", line 133, in main
fun(ctx)
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Scripting.py", line 172, in configure
conf.sub_config([''])
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Configure.py", line 140, in sub_config
self.recurse(k,name='configure')
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Utils.py", line 461, in recurse
f(self)
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/wscript", line 32, in configure
conf.check_python_headers()
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Tools/python.py", line 184, in check_python_headers
for incstr in Utils.cmd_output("%s %s --includes"%(python,python_config)).strip().split():
File "/home/v/pybombs/src/pycairo/.waf-1.5.16-264215ab3a9d1657aa677dbfa7c8e3f2/wafadmin/Utils.py", line 337, in cmd_output
raise ValueError(msg)
ValueError: command execution failed: /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python2.7-config --includes -> ''
bash return val = 1
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "./pybombs", line 124, in <module>
install(p, not opts.force);
File "/home/v/pybombs/mod_pybombs/pybombs_ops.py", line 101, in install
global_recipes[pkg].install();
File "/home/v/pybombs/mod_pybombs/recipe.py", line 537, in install
st = self.install_src();
File "/home/v/pybombs/mod_pybombs/recipe.py", line 602, in install_src
self.install_order[step][1]();
File "/home/v/pybombs/mod_pybombs/recipe.py", line 643, in configure
assert(st == 0);
AssertionError


I really don't know how I messup in each Linux Distro. There aren't much tutorials I came across apart from 2 of which both are nearly same along with Telive doc. Earlier I downloaded Debian Mint and there also I was not able to install Gnuradio.So 2 Mint flavors I failed If anyone can give some step by step guide I would be greateful.

 

[sm0vec]

A small report on a running environment. I wanted to see if I could squeeze this great software into a small box, and that worked just fine.

I've now installed this package on a Intel NUC, a cheap barebone box called BOXDN2820FYKH, having a Celeron N2820, dual core at 2,4 GHz. This machine is very quite, and quite small, only 116.6 mm x 112 mm x 51.5 mm.

Mini PC - Intel® NUC Kit DN2820FYKH

On this I'm running 64 bit Ubuntu 14.04.1 with 4 GB RAM and a 128 GB SSD disk, to a cost of totally 300 USD.

With this small box I can decode two frequencies at the same time on a quite busy system, including logging and recording, all running wihtout any problem. I've also tried a four frequency system but that was a bit too much for the NUC.

During the holidays I'll also try some ohter configurations, probably lbuntu to free more CPU power which in Unbutu is wasted to the GUI,....

Now I've also tested with NUC with Lubuntu and it worked a lot better than with Ubuntu thansk to the lighter GUI. I can't decode 4 channels, but now I can decode 2 channels without being on the limit as before. With two channels and no graph running, the CPU load is about 73% and the CPU temperature is just under 50C which is almost no difference to idle. The fan have to do a bit more work, but running at 3200 rpm it's not easy to detect.

One thing I noticed was that the "Enhanced Intel SpeedStep" should be ticked in the bios. Without this the decoding lose sync sometimes. When this is ticked it might looks like the CPU is running slower than the spec when it's probed by cpu info, however I believe that the presented value is not fully true, and maybe the application creates a lot of bursts which the SpeedStep (including Turbo Boost) handles better (up to 2,4 GHz) than when running the CPU on the steady specified speed (2,16 GHz)

So the cheapest Intel NUC BOXDN2820FYKH with Lubuntu is a good box for decoding two channel systems.

It remains to compare the power consumption between the different NUC's. I'll get back to that in a couple of weeks. Now it's time for Christmas!

SQ5BPF; Weso&#322;ych &#346;wi&#261;t.

 

[sq5bpf]

[...]
So the cheapest Intel NUC BOXDN2820FYKH with Lubuntu is a good box for decoding two channel systems.

if you don't need realtime audio, then you can try yet another trick:

enable audio mute, so that you don't have live monitoring (which stutters with high cpu load)

make a script that will play new ogg files when they appear, something like this (inotify tools will need to be installed):

#!/bin/bash
#play oggs as they appear --sq5bpf
while read a
do
echo "`date` $a"
ogg123 $a
done < <( inotifywait -e close_write --format '%w%f' -m -r --exclude '.*\.(raw|wav|codec)' /tetra/out )

of course you will have a 1-2min delay between the communication and when the audio plays, but this will play smooth with higher cpu utilisation

It remains to compare the power consumption between the different NUC's. I'll get back to that in a couple of weeks. Now it's time for Christmas!

SQ5BPF; Weso&#322;ych &#346;wi&#261;t.

SM0VEC; God Jul !

 

[Marvel_63]

first try to make a simple flowgraph with just the usrp source and fft sink, and see if this works (maybe some additional parameters are needed besides the sample rate and frequency). if it does work, then it should work with my flowgraph too.

unfortunately i don't have access to an usrp, so there is not much i can do to help.

Thanks! My USRP working fine! However, in the Device Arguments had to write a line like this: uhd, lo_offset = 0. And also set the desired sample rate. Now ask you more questions: 1. Can not get no "jitter" in the osmo-tetra-sq5bpf terminal (the signal of the ideal form, and the signal itself is very strong). It's OK? 2. The speech signal while listening to live breaks and chokes, but in recording all OK. 3. Your Software is able to decode DMO mode?

 

[velu]

Now installed on Mint once again but instead of Pybombs I used

wget http://www.sbrac.org/files/build-gnuradio && chmod a+x ./build-gnuradio && ./build-gnuradio -o and now all works fine. Still no sound and lots of recorded files with some even go for 30 seconds but blank. Some giving shunt sound nothing else. Rest are same 2.5kb files with 0 seconds duration. I managed to copy few from the scrolling ./receiver1 1

BURST
TMV-UNITDATA.ind 44/14/4/000 AACH CRC=1 ACCESS-ASSIGN
ACCESS-ASSIGN PDU: ACCESS2: C/8 DL_USAGE: Assigned control
CRC COMP: 0x1d0f OK
NDB 44/14/4/000 type1: 0000000000010000100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
TMV-UNITDATA.ind 44/14/4/000 UNKNOWN CRC=1 RESOURCE
RESOURCE Encr=0, Length=2 Addr=Null PDU() sq5bpf req mle_pdisc=0 req=0
CRC COMP: 0xf7ee WRONG
TMV-UNITDATA.ind 44/14/4/000 UNKNOWN CRC=0 BROADCAST

BURST
TMV-UNITDATA.ind 44/15/1/000 AACH CRC=1 ACCESS-ASSIGN
ACCESS-ASSIGN PDU: ACCESS1: A/10 ACCESS2: A/11
CRC COMP: 0xf053 WRONG
TMV-UNITDATA.ind 44/15/1/000 UNKNOWN CRC=0 RESOURCE
CRC COMP: 0x42aa WRONG
TMV-UNITDATA.ind 44/15/1/000 UNKNOWN CRC=0 BROADCAST

Is it possible that signals aren't strong or some other reason for these blank messages? On Wireshark I can see lot of GSMTAP from Tetra.

 

[sq5bpf]

: 1. Can not get no "jitter" in the osmo-tetra-sq5bpf terminal (the signal of the ideal form, and the signal itself is very strong). It's OK?

i don't understand what you mean by jitter

2. The speech signal while listening to live breaks and chokes, but in recording all OK.

either the system load is too high, or you're using a lot of buffering somwhere between the usrp and gnuradio.

3. Your Software is able to decode DMO mode?

this is the same as original osmo-tetra (i've only written a small patch for it). the answer is most probably no, and i have no way to test it

 

[Marvel_63]

i don't understand what you mean by jitter



either the system load is too high, or you're using a lot of buffering somwhere between the usrp and gnuradio.



this is the same as original osmo-tetra (i've only written a small patch for it). the answer is most probably no, and i have no way to test it

Under "jitter" I meant periodic twitching text inside the terminal with the system parameters, that can not be stabilized, and get a static view.

 

[sq5bpf]

Is it possible that signals aren't strong or some other reason for these blank messages? On Wireshark I can see lot of GSMTAP from Tetra.

try to monitor a network with air encryption:0 , and if necssesary enable mutessi

also you may have a problem with the codecs, but you have already checked this according to the documentation, right?

 

[LimaZulu]

Any chance to decode using taped scanner? If yes, how?

 

[sammy3418]

you mean a tapped scanner as in a discriminator tap? Would be cool

 

[grahampaull]

you mean a tapped scanner as in a discriminator tap? Would be cool

I think that's what he is referring to.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LimaZulu]

you mean a tapped scanner as in a discriminator tap? Would be cool

Yes, discriminator tap
Probably something must be done with gnu radio flow chart? I will try it if I find some time to spent but it wouldn't be before new year and unfortunately maybe not before February next year

 

[racingfan360]

So I gave up with Debian (32-bit and 64-bit) installs on various platforms and like many others went with Mint 17.1 in the end with only a few mods required (such as blacklisting the rtl dvb driver described earlier in this thread).

I'd be interested to know if anyone UK based is seeing anything being displayed in the Message Window for any Airwave channels beyond Colour Code (assigned per freq), the MCC=234 and MNC=78 (which correctly signifies a UK Airwave channel allocation) and Downlink Freq and Uplink Freq. I assume SSI 1,2 and 3 data is encrypted too which is why it doesn't show (and doesn't append to any of the - encrypted - voice recordings).

 

[sq5bpf]

Yes, discriminator tap
Probably something must be done with gnu radio flow chart? I will try it if I find some time to spent but it wouldn't be before new year and unfortunately maybe not before February next year

but why do it?

the rtl-sdr is a proper receiver (even when it costs only $20), which can be coupled with a good QPSK demodulator (this one uses a gnuradio block from KA1RBI)

a discriminator tap is a hack to use the output from an fm discriminator, maybe good enough for fsk, but not much else. also the cost is way higher than $20 (if you count the scanner).

you could tap the last IF from the scanner, and downmix it to something that your sound card will like (which will be a problem for signals like tetra, because they are wide, >20kHz in the case of tetra, but should be enough for other modes). but still why do it? the receiver might be a bit better, but you're not doing weak signal work anyway.

btw the software is modular in a true unix way: it is made of small exchangable blocks, with a simple interface in between. so if you still think it's a good idea (which it is not), then the software won't stand in your way.

 

[LimaZulu]

but why do it?

the rtl-sdr is a proper receiver (even when it costs only $20), which can be coupled with a good QPSK demodulator (this one uses a gnuradio block from KA1RBI)

a discriminator tap is a hack to use the output from an fm discriminator, maybe good enough for fsk, but not much else. also the cost is way higher than $20 (if you count the scanner).

you could tap the last IF from the scanner, and downmix it to something that your sound card will like (which will be a problem for signals like tetra, because they are wide, >20kHz in the case of tetra, but should be enough for other modes). but still why do it? the receiver might be a bit better, but you're not doing weak signal work anyway.

Probably you are right but it would be nice if we can choose between couple of options Most of us do have scanners with discriminator output. Rtl-sdr receivers are great to experiment (and not only) but no matter how good they are, a dedicated receiver would be much more stable which is important if you do it for constant listening and not just for the experience.

 

[racingfan360]

>the receiver might be a bit better
Personally, I find the sensitivity of a discrim tapped scanner to be way better than that of a cheap dongle. Fine if you just scan from home but when out and about when listening to other digital modes, IMHO the scanner wins hands down every time. I would truly value that option if you were able to do it detelazurno.

 

[PiccoIntegra]

If you want sensitivity, buy an Airspy. No way can a tapped scanner compete with that, or even a cheap RTL stick.

 

[oz1jua]

Is there any one in here to help please....

application.c: In function 'osmo_daemonize':
application.c:153:9: warning: ignoring return value of 'freopen', declared with attribute warn_unused_result [-Wunused-result]
freopen("/dev/null", "r", stdin);
^
application.c:154:9: warning: ignoring return value of 'freopen', declared with attribute warn_unused_result [-Wunused-result]
freopen("/dev/null", "w", stdout);
^
application.c:155:9: warning: ignoring return value of 'freopen', declared with attribute warn_unused_result [-Wunused-result]
freopen("/dev/null", "w", stderr);
^
Any know what this error is about Thanks.

Are there no one in here that can help with this. I am stock woth this error. I have now try with many different distribution Ubuntu, Mint, fedora.. etc. and I get this error on all of them.
I have also try to install this in different language. Could some explain what exact version this has been testet in.

RTL-SDR Tutorial: Listening to TETRA Radio Channels - rtl-sdr.com

This link explanied it has been install on Ubuntu 14.04. But is it with Server or Desktop version.
And is it 14.04.1 LTS (Long Term Support) I always stick to 32 Bit Version....
I do not think I have any Feedback from the other post I have ask here. Do I have to write in polish
before getting any answer ??
God Jul. sq5bpf

 

[sm0vec]

Are there no one in here that can help with this. I am stock woth this error. I have now try with many different distribution Ubuntu, Mint, fedora.. etc. and I get this error on all of them.
I have also try to install this in different language. Could some explain what exact version this has been testet in.

RTL-SDR Tutorial: Listening to TETRA Radio Channels - rtl-sdr.com

This link explanied it has been install on Ubuntu 14.04. But is it with Server or Desktop version.
And is it 14.04.1 LTS (Long Term Support) I always stick to 32 Bit Version....
I do not think I have any Feedback from the other post I have ask here. Do I have to write in polish
before getting any answer ??
God Jul. sq5bpf

Sorry to hear that you have had so much problems, I've myself tried installing this software 6 different times without any problem, I've been running both Ubuntu 14.04.1 (32 bit and 64 bit), Ubuntu 14.10 (32 bit), and Lubuntu 14.04.1 (64 bit), both in virtual machines, running side to Windows and on NUC's, totally 4 completely different machines, oldest a 7 year old laptop. All installations succeeded.

However if seems from your previous posts that you tried to fix things that were not broken. I also got some of the warnings that you quoted then, but those were nothing that caused any problem. Easiest, but maybe not best, is to follow the guide you quoted at rtl-sdr, exactly as it says. However there are some things I believe can be missed:

The gnuradio installation have to end with a "-o" (might be missed since the o appears on the next row)

Do a cd~ before installing telive. I'm not sure if that matters, but I like to have it in the root, and that's how they referred to it when explaining how to start the software later in the guide.

Finally, the guide doesn't mention how to release the rtl-sdr if it's been taken as a TV-card by ubuntu;
sudo rmmod dvb_usb_rtl28xxu

or more permanent;
sudo su
echo blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu > /etc/modprobe.d/rtlsdr.conf
exit

I also recommend that you read the telive_doc.pdf which explains some things in more detail, like how to compile in 64 bit os.

So just try to follow the guides, for me it works just fine, despite there are some warnings on the way.