UniTrunker with DSD+ (few issues)

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DK327

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I'm having a few issues (to say the least) with my dual RTL-SDR dongles, Unitrunker and DSD+ setup playing nice...

I've browsed the forums for hours about how to set all this up correctly but I'm missing something and I don't know what...

First, I know that DSD+ decodes the "voice" receiver, not the "signal" but when I set it up as that I get "no sync" in DSD+ so that is issue #1.

Issue #2 is when I set it up the other way around, I get good Sync and it looks like it's decoding something but can't hear any audio from the voice receiver. I tune it to 162.395MHz and I hear the NOAA just fine so set it back to 0 and hear static and then squelch it...

At any rate, any insight is much appreciated. I just found out about SDR not too long ago and basically don't know what I'm doing... I tried SDR Sharp with older version of Unitrunker and still couldn't get it to decode anything although I hear the data on correct frequency (with PPM correction.)

nwiwwn.jpg
 

DK327

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Negative, correction is (was) set to 8ppm (now 6ppm) which corresponds to the right control frequency of 857.9375. When it's set to 0 it's off by 6-8ppm... Another thing is, I've seen others set their correction different for voice...? I checked voice receiver by tuning the parked freq to NOAA @ 6ppm currently and it's perfect so then set it back to 0.. Right now, I made *some* progress since Listen part of voice receiver sometimes tunes to 855.9625 when there is something going on but the audio is just dead silence (checked with squelch at 0) and when transmission stops, the static returns since it parks back to 0mhz... Hope all that was clear...
 

rivardj

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My Unitrunker Setup

Below is a screen shot of my set up.

You need to uninstall your RTL2832U dongle drivers and then install the drivers that are included with SDR# by using the Zadig application. Make sure you select the "Bulk Interface 0" option for each of your radio dongles, need to install the driver twice. The drivers you appear to have installed will not work.

Also the VB-Audio Virtual Cable needs to be selected on the Voice receiver side, study my screen shot. If you can not read it, private message me your e-mail and I will send it to you.

rivardj-albums-unitrunker-dsd-setup-picture4003-unitrunker.jpg
 

DK327

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Thanks for the screenshot rivardj, I think I have it set exactly the same as yours now but still nothing.. I KNOW it's probably something trivial but can't figure it out... Also, since my post count is low, no PM option for a bit... Maybe time to get premium already...
 

SCPD

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DK327 - you appear to have a working signal receiver with a modest correction value of 8 parts per million. Where did you get (or mod) such an RTL device?

rivardj's screenshot should give you some clues.

To rivardj - DK327's decoding level is in the green. DK327 also reports being able to hear analog FM just fine. I don't think re-installing drivers will help. That does not appear to be an issue.

DK327 ...

Let's look at issue 0 (the one you haven't noticed yet). Don't point the signal receiver to a VAC or VB cable. Do point the signal receiver's audio output to your speakers. This will allow you to hear the control channel noise. Under normal operation, you will mute the signal receiver's audio (see the Mute check box). However, when diagnosing issues - it is nice to be able to hear the signal as well as see it on the 'scope tab.

For issue #1 - take a look at your signal receiver window. There are two audio output device selections - one for analog output (normally points to your speakers) and digital output (normally points to a VAC or VB cable device). Your analog output points to your speakers - good. Point the digital output to the same VAC or VB cable that DSD / DSD+ uses as it's input. The digital output is the un-decoded digital waveform that DSD expects.

The above two suggestions will also take care of issue 2.
 

rivardj

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Unitrunker - Good point, I didn't catch that his Signal receiver was in the green. I just noticed the RTL Devices he had selected. I was never able to make my system work with the Realtek drivers, maybe I had other things set incorrectly at the time.
 

SCPD

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The device names vary by VID/PID and Windows version. When testing across XP, Vista, 7, and now 8.1, I sometimes see two devices (interface 0 / interface 1) for one RTL stick and sometimes I see one composite device. The device names are even more strange when you have two RTL devices with the same VID/PID and serial number.

I'm certain DK327 is using the WinUSB drivers by way of Zadig. The program wouldn't work otherwise.
 

DK327

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Thanks for the suggestions, I'll try it out soon as I get a chance and report back.

Unitrunker: The RTL devices I'm using are the NooElec NESDR Nano hooked up to an older laptop's side USB 2.0 ports on Win XP.. And you are correct, I did update via Zadig drivers already.
 

cg

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Looks like DSD+ is seeing NAC on the incoming signal. Did you change DSD+ to output the voice through the soundcard the speakers are on?

chris
 

DK327

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cg: for that i'm using VAC's Audio Repeater to specify Wave in (Virtual Cable 2) and Wave Out (Microsoft Sound Mapper) which works OK.

So, I think I have it semi-working right now. I changed a few things around, as suggested by previous replies. On the voice dongle I had to increase the PPM to 33 to be able to decode any voice... The signal PPM is still low at 5 PPM. Now I'm hearing some communications but while the people are talking I still hear the data sound in the background... Any idea about how to filter that out?

Edit: I stopped the Audio Repeater and the data sound went away with just voice comms now, should be good to go!

Below is a screen shot of how I now have it set up.

25hilts.jpg
 
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joeuser

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I'm still concerned with the 5ppm correction, sounds very low. You do know how to get your correction numbers for that drift right? SDR# tune to a strong CC or NWS and correct until you are just a hair to the right of center, if you can't get it exactly centered. You need to square that away.
 

DK327

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joeuser: yeah, it does seem pretty low but if I set it to any other ppm I'm off the control channel frequency i want to monitor and signal drops to zero... I just stopped Unitrunker so I could use SDRSharp to see the PPM offset and it's still able to tune to the right control channel frequency at 6PPM as seen below:

2ic0fvk.jpg


I don't really know what I can or should do at this point but it all seems to be working... Initially when I cold start the dongles, it takes about 30 minutes to find the right PPM but once set, i rarely have to play around with it and seems stable at whatever they're set at.
 

rivardj

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Congrats on resolving your setup issues.

The more you play with the settings to optimize the setup the better it will work. Make sure the receivers have settled in after warm-up before starting the optimization process. Also, take a screen capture before you start playing around so you can get back to your baseline.

I found my system works better once I turned off Auto Gain and found a good Gain setting. The signal seems more stable from a Health stand point and the Voice appears to have better decoded audio, less flutter for example.

However, this might all be in my imagination to internally justify the time spent diddling the settings.

LOL!
 

DK327

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rivardj: oh, I know it... I've spent many hours figuring out and then settings up the stuff then some more on troubleshooting but it's so worth it when it all works.. Now I need a good antenna and I'll be happy. More research is in order it seems...
 

KF6ORX

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LRRP

rivardj: oh, I know it... I've spent many hours figuring out and then settings up the stuff then some more on troubleshooting but it's so worth it when it all works.. Now I need a good antenna and I'll be happy. More research is in order it seems...

I've got SDRSharp feeding DSD+ via VB Cable. Decoding is fine on a trunk'd EDACS96 ProVoice/Voice system. I'm trying to get LRRP to give me geolocation on transmissions and I don't have clue how to do it.
I have questions:

1. Does anyone take responsibility for this software? Who can answer simple questions about the software? Jeff (sdrs.freqmgr (at) cox.net) wrote a wonderful installation guide and user manual for the Frequency Manager + Scanner plugin for SDRSharp. But why are links to software being dumped on this forum without any Forum Monitor insuring that the links are valid and not a threat to users and that somebody is responsible. The bar needs to be raised!

2. I'm not sure if I am just wasting my time bothering to try to get this working if it only works for a Motorola system.

3. I have no clue where to get the "OSM data files" referred to in the LRRP.config file.

4. According to the basic map that LRRP brings up I've drowned in the Atlantic! There must be a way to enter your coordinates.

Any info will be appreciated.

KF6ORX
 

slicerwizard

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I've got SDRSharp feeding DSD+ via VB Cable. Decoding is fine on a trunk'd EDACS96 ProVoice/Voice system. I'm trying to get LRRP to give me geolocation on transmissions and I don't have clue how to do it.
So you're trying to get LRRP (a MotoTRBO AVL protocol) working on an EDACS system? Not going to happen.


1. Does anyone take responsibility for this software? Who can answer simple questions about the software? Jeff (sdrs.freqmgr (at) cox.net) wrote a wonderful installation guide and user manual for the Frequency Manager + Scanner plugin for SDRSharp. But why are links to software being dumped on this forum without any Forum Monitor insuring that the links are valid and not a threat to users and that somebody is responsible. The bar needs to be raised!
If the link to zippyshare or whatever it is is a threat to your computer, you're browsing unsafely. Maybe you should raise that bar and start using script and ad blockers.


2. I'm not sure if I am just wasting my time bothering to try to get this working if it only works for a Motorola system.
If you're trying to make the LRRP program do something with an EDACS system, then yes, you are.


3. I have no clue where to get the "OSM data files" referred to in the LRRP.config file.
The program downloads them automatically.


4. According to the basic map that LRRP brings up I've drowned in the Atlantic! There must be a way to enter your coordinates.
You can pan and zoom the map to anywhere (on Earth) that you'd like. It always restarts where you last left it.
 
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