Trouble getting started...

[N6HE]

Hi all,

Ray (Amateur Call N6HE) here..... Santa brought me an SDRPlay for Christmas and I'm not getting the results I think I should. Far as I can tell, all is set up properly (started with http://www.sdrplay.com/starthere.html and downloaded per instructions, got "device working properly" in Device Manager, etc., but I'm not getting anything on the ham bands and hardly any signals through the unit with a decent antenna...even a local killer AM station is very weak. The default choices are set up for almost everything. That's my issue.

So then I try to find a good web ("network") input to learn the ropes and the best I've found so far is the kd8uzj entry - at least I can hear sigs on 20M USB. So to familiarize myself better, what's a good web choice with very strong (or at least not weak) signals on several (ham, AM, FM, etc.) bands?

Also, are there any common mistakes that newbies often make producing these results? Any help would be appreciated......

Thanks, and have a great 2016,
Ray

[gm4cid]

Would you like to join the Facebook group at :-

https://www.facebook.com/groups/sdrplay ... p_activity

There you will find in the files section an excellent setup guide that should get you going in the right direction.

Best 73,

Bob GM4CID

[DaveB]

You haven't said which Software you are using. If it is SDR console there is a 'bug' in the start up settings - the gain is wound up fully to 0dB - it needs to be dragged down - as it is gain reduction - and something around 60 dB should give results.

Setting gains too high can be a common fault .

A good place to start is in the FM broadcast band - just using a simple wire dipole (30 inches for each half element)
Initially you should try LNA Off (or in SDR Console set it to 50dB. IF Gain control - 60dB. ADC set point - 15. The try less gain reduction at IF - somewhere around 45 or 40 it could suddenly go into overload the noise floor jumps up very high and wipes out signals.

In fact I don't think SDR console works properly with the newest SDRPlay API as I don't see/hear any difference no matter how I set the LNA. But I still get good results.

With SDR# or HDSDR just use the defaults - with AGC on - and you should get something - but it looks like you have tried that.

[N6HE]

Bob,
Thanks for the help. Using SDR Console. I have gotten OK results with the network option using the "kd8uzj FunCube Pro+ EN82" selection. Still 0 results with the RSP. I have LNA at 59, Gain Reduction at -50, Vis Gain at -15, LO on Auto. Nothing at all what the display should look like.

Took 10 minutes and I've only gotten through 1 week of Facebook posts. Approx what date was the newbie setup post posted?

Tnx!
Ray

Would you like to join the Facebook group at :-

https://www.facebook.com/groups/sdrplay ... p_activity

There you will find in the files section an excellent setup guide that should get you going in the right direction.

Best 73,

Bob GM4CID

[N6HE]

DaveB:
I'm using SDR Console, Have LNA at 59, Gain red at -50, Vis G at -15, LO at Auto. On the back of a hill facing the ocean, so no FM; strong AM station at 1070 kc. A small blip there on the display, but no sidebands. Nothing seems to be signal-like, anywhere. Dud unit? a "network" channel comes through OK, signals as expected.....
>>>???<<<
Ray

You haven't said which Software you are using. If it is SDR console there is a 'bug' in the start up settings - the gain is wound up fully to 0dB - it needs to be dragged down - as it is gain reduction - and something around 60 dB should give results.

Setting gains too high can be a common fault .

A good place to start is in the FM broadcast band - just using a simple wire dipole (30 inches for each half element)
Initially you should try LNA Off (or in SDR Console set it to 50dB. IF Gain control - 60dB. ADC set point - 15. The try less gain reduction at IF - somewhere around 45 or 40 it could suddenly go into overload the noise floor jumps up very high and wipes out signals.

In fact I don't think SDR console works properly with the newest SDRPlay API as I don't see/hear any difference no matter how I set the LNA. But I still get good results.

With SDR# or HDSDR just use the defaults - with AGC on - and you should get something - but it looks like you have tried that.

[mesh]

I am running into the same issues and am having trouble picking up anything (just broadcast FM, local weather, and some airport chatter). In my case, I am pretty new to this, so im not sure if I have some settings wrong, or maybe just live in a place with basically 0 reception.

I am mostly using SDR Console, but all of the different options for gain are really confusing, so again, im not sure if I have things set correctly.

There is a conversation on this which I started on the SDR Console mailing list:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/sdr ... pics/29470

(I am in Burlingame CA : CM87TO).

mike

[mesh]

Just a follow up to my post, but I finally got things work and was able to pick up some stuff this afternoon. My issues had to do with RF noise in my environment, and not understanding SDR Console super well yet.

One thing that would be really helpful in general, is a document describing all of the various gain settings, targeted at someone new to the hobby who may not have a ton of electrical and radio background (but is willing to learn). Once I get my head around all of this, I would consider writing it, but I don't know how long it will take me to figure out / learn.

mike

[F1BJB]

One thing that would be really helpful in general, is a document describing all of the various gain settings, targeted at someone new to the hobby

Hi
I hope that you will soon notice that due to the huge frequency range of the device and the various modes present in it
this is almost an impossible task.
A radio is a bit like a musical instrument you have to learn how to play it and sometimes life is too short.
With SDR's it's like if you had all the musical instruments to learn.
And antennas are very important too.