RSP2 as Panadapter on FTDX3000+HRD so they work together
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 2:49 am
I thought I'd just add this post for any new RSP2 owner who is looking to use it with their FDTX3000 as a panadapter AND keep using Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) as I did. I needed the SDR software to easily integrate with HRD and the radio so all three would track with each other. HRD provided me with the contact logging software along with digital decoding abilities and rig control features that I didn't want to lose.
As I started looking at the software needed to work the SDRPlay RSP2, it quickly became apparent that integration with HRD was going to be a problem with quite a few of them. Solutions may have been possible, but they weren't apparent to me.
Eventually a viable option quickly came to the forefront. I'm not going to say it's the best software. It's just that it integrated with HRD much easier and without a problem I didn't cause. It turned out to be HDSDR.
Some folks over on the SDR Play Facebook page offered some help and I ultimately posted what I found to work. I also posted how I installed it and what settings I needed to change. It was the kind of info I was seeking at the start, but couldn't find. That's the reason for the cross-post, here.
So, if you're new like me and don't know how to integrate your RSP2 as a panadapter with your FTDX3000 AND HRD, so all three work together and track together, the following outlines what I did:
***************
First, let's deal with the starting point - the condition of the radio. It's an FTDX3000D with the RX out and IF out RCA connectors on the back. The RX out is the top right RCA connector in the bank of RCA connectors. It's top right when looking at the radio from the rear.
Second, I need to assume that Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) is already installed on your computer, connected to the radio, and functional without error. That's the condition of my starting point. The transceiver was connected to my computer via a USB B to USB A cable and it had been in service with HRD for over 6 months without a problem.
Third, attach the SDRPlay RSP2 to the RX out port on the FTDX3000D. It's the SMA to RCA cable. I used antenna port A on the RSP2 since it was the unpowered antenna connection.
Fourth, attach the USB A to USB B cable to the RSP2, but DO NOT plug it into your computer. You will plug it in, later, when prompted during installation.
Fifth, go to the SDRPlay website and register your RSP2. It's the "Start Here' tab selection at the top of the website.
Sixth, go to the "Downloads" tab from the SDRPlay homepage. You will have a variety of download selections. I chose HDSDR – VERSION 2.75 BETA3. Download it and install it on your computer.
Seventh, I won't describe the various prompts. It's a typical install. Just click on them as you go through the process.
At the end, you will finally see a prompt telling you to plug in the USB cable coming from your RSP2. Do it BUT . . . don't be too fast to click on the "Next" button after you've plugged in the cable. It's searching for the driver at that point and there is NO indication of the searching status, installation status, finished status, etc - NOTHING. I was a little quick on the trigger and I had to go through the installation again, because I got a message that the RSP2 had not been found. Just plug in the cable and go get a cup of coffee.
How much coffee or how much time to devote I cannot suggest. Just do it. If you get the same message when you press the "Next" button, as I did, it's not fatal. Just start over and wait longer next time.
Now for the settings . . .
Turn on your FTDX3000D, start HRD, and start HDSDR - in that order. Perhaps it's not necessary, but that's the order I used and it worked. You should have an icon on your desktop. Just make sure it's the icon for the RSP2 and not the RSP1. You'll have both and they are each titled appropriately.
When you open HDSDR, it will probably be receiving signals through the RX out port that it's attached to. That's great, but it won't be tracking with the other two parties - the FTDX3000 and HRD. You'll need to make a couple of changes.
Look toward the lower left and you'll see a button marked "Options." Click on it.
You will get a popup menu. Click on "RF Front End Configuration."
You will now be present with some choices. Since you're connected to the RX out port on the radio, ensure that the radio button titled, "SDR Hardware Connected to Antenna (default)" is selected.
Then, select the radio button titled, "Full Sync in Both Directions." Click on nothing else and fill out nothing else. Just click "OK."
Next, click on the "Option" button, again.
This time, click on the "DDE to HDSDR" choice in the popup menu.
You will get a new box with a list of radio buttons on the left. They're titled, "DDE Format." Select the one listed as "HRD." You should immediately get a message, in green, at the bottom of the box. This message will read, "Status Connection OK : )" Click on "OK" and you're done.
At this point, I found things working. The three components, the FDTX3000, HRD, and HDSDR, were able to change the frequency with the remaining parts showing and tracking the changes. It worked.
After that you can adjust some settings like, display colors, heights, exchanging component placements, etc. I'll let you figure that part out on your own.
So, now that I've had this thing working for about one hour and made a grand total of two contacts/qso with it's help, it's time for me to continue with my learning curve.
BTW, I'm not saying this is the BEST program and setup, at all. I just needed something for me that would integrate with HRD in the easiest way possible. It seemed to fulfill that need, in spite of the RX vs. IF port issue at the start, which caused me a small bit of angst. Beyond that issue of my own cause, it was a relatively painless process.
As I started looking at the software needed to work the SDRPlay RSP2, it quickly became apparent that integration with HRD was going to be a problem with quite a few of them. Solutions may have been possible, but they weren't apparent to me.
Eventually a viable option quickly came to the forefront. I'm not going to say it's the best software. It's just that it integrated with HRD much easier and without a problem I didn't cause. It turned out to be HDSDR.
Some folks over on the SDR Play Facebook page offered some help and I ultimately posted what I found to work. I also posted how I installed it and what settings I needed to change. It was the kind of info I was seeking at the start, but couldn't find. That's the reason for the cross-post, here.
So, if you're new like me and don't know how to integrate your RSP2 as a panadapter with your FTDX3000 AND HRD, so all three work together and track together, the following outlines what I did:
***************
First, let's deal with the starting point - the condition of the radio. It's an FTDX3000D with the RX out and IF out RCA connectors on the back. The RX out is the top right RCA connector in the bank of RCA connectors. It's top right when looking at the radio from the rear.
Second, I need to assume that Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD) is already installed on your computer, connected to the radio, and functional without error. That's the condition of my starting point. The transceiver was connected to my computer via a USB B to USB A cable and it had been in service with HRD for over 6 months without a problem.
Third, attach the SDRPlay RSP2 to the RX out port on the FTDX3000D. It's the SMA to RCA cable. I used antenna port A on the RSP2 since it was the unpowered antenna connection.
Fourth, attach the USB A to USB B cable to the RSP2, but DO NOT plug it into your computer. You will plug it in, later, when prompted during installation.
Fifth, go to the SDRPlay website and register your RSP2. It's the "Start Here' tab selection at the top of the website.
Sixth, go to the "Downloads" tab from the SDRPlay homepage. You will have a variety of download selections. I chose HDSDR – VERSION 2.75 BETA3. Download it and install it on your computer.
Seventh, I won't describe the various prompts. It's a typical install. Just click on them as you go through the process.
At the end, you will finally see a prompt telling you to plug in the USB cable coming from your RSP2. Do it BUT . . . don't be too fast to click on the "Next" button after you've plugged in the cable. It's searching for the driver at that point and there is NO indication of the searching status, installation status, finished status, etc - NOTHING. I was a little quick on the trigger and I had to go through the installation again, because I got a message that the RSP2 had not been found. Just plug in the cable and go get a cup of coffee.
How much coffee or how much time to devote I cannot suggest. Just do it. If you get the same message when you press the "Next" button, as I did, it's not fatal. Just start over and wait longer next time.
Now for the settings . . .
Turn on your FTDX3000D, start HRD, and start HDSDR - in that order. Perhaps it's not necessary, but that's the order I used and it worked. You should have an icon on your desktop. Just make sure it's the icon for the RSP2 and not the RSP1. You'll have both and they are each titled appropriately.
When you open HDSDR, it will probably be receiving signals through the RX out port that it's attached to. That's great, but it won't be tracking with the other two parties - the FTDX3000 and HRD. You'll need to make a couple of changes.
Look toward the lower left and you'll see a button marked "Options." Click on it.
You will get a popup menu. Click on "RF Front End Configuration."
You will now be present with some choices. Since you're connected to the RX out port on the radio, ensure that the radio button titled, "SDR Hardware Connected to Antenna (default)" is selected.
Then, select the radio button titled, "Full Sync in Both Directions." Click on nothing else and fill out nothing else. Just click "OK."
Next, click on the "Option" button, again.
This time, click on the "DDE to HDSDR" choice in the popup menu.
You will get a new box with a list of radio buttons on the left. They're titled, "DDE Format." Select the one listed as "HRD." You should immediately get a message, in green, at the bottom of the box. This message will read, "Status Connection OK : )" Click on "OK" and you're done.
At this point, I found things working. The three components, the FDTX3000, HRD, and HDSDR, were able to change the frequency with the remaining parts showing and tracking the changes. It worked.
After that you can adjust some settings like, display colors, heights, exchanging component placements, etc. I'll let you figure that part out on your own.
So, now that I've had this thing working for about one hour and made a grand total of two contacts/qso with it's help, it's time for me to continue with my learning curve.
BTW, I'm not saying this is the BEST program and setup, at all. I just needed something for me that would integrate with HRD in the easiest way possible. It seemed to fulfill that need, in spite of the RX vs. IF port issue at the start, which caused me a small bit of angst. Beyond that issue of my own cause, it was a relatively painless process.