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Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2019 5:19 pm
by k8-dev
Dear All,

After a fair bit of development time, I'm now at a stage where you might find this application of some use. Download: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qvx38an66o24l ... 0.zip?dl=0

More info (from k8 Help):-

k8

The k8 application is an *experimental* software defined radio for macOS, supporting the SDRplay RSP device, at a sampling rate of 250kHz and an IF bandwidth of 200kHz for this release.

The DSP code is originally from CuteSDR by Moe Wheatley, with minor modifications for macOS. My grateful thanks to Moe for his documentation, easy to follow code base, and open source licence.

The UI is a mix of Apple's Cocoa and modern OpenGL. Apple Core Audio is also used.

k8 has been developed and tested on macOS High Sierra v10.13.6, together with a first generation grey RSP device. k8 should install on macOS 10.10 and up, however only v10.13.6 has been tested.

Matthew Walker 19 January 2019

Usage Hints

Connect an RSP device before running k8. Hotplug does not work, and will probably cause a crash.

Pressing the play/pause button starts and stops the spectrum display and audio. The fast forward and rewind buttons are used to nudge the tuning by the current step size, which can be changed using the step button.

Enter an RSP device centre frequency of your choice in the top toolbar. Tuning within the 250kHz fixed bandwidth is by using the mouse (left click hold), or track pad, to move the red filter rectangle across the displayed spectrum. The same technique may be used to adjust the centre frequency, but the mouse pointer should be outside of the filter rectangle. You can also double click on a signal to tune to it.

You can adjust the filter bandwidth by using the mouse (right click hold), or track pad, and dragging left or right. Note that each demodulation mode has individual max and min limits.

k8 Release Notes

v0.1 Alpha

- initial release. Matthew Walker 19 January 2019

Regards,
Matt

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 3:07 pm
by k8-dev
Dear All,

New version 0.2 Alpha, now supporting standard RSP bandwidths.

Download: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/elvw9097et9t ... VFSIa?dl=0

Here's a screen shot:-
k8-v0.2Alpha.jpg
k8-v0.2Alpha.jpg (184.37 KiB) Viewed 52068 times
Regards,
Matt M0VVC

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 9:38 am
by fotoralf
Thanks for publishing this. Nice to see that someone is still working for us Mac users.

Disregarding the occasional crash it appears to work with the RSP2 but is there any way to switch antenna inputs?

Ralf

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 8:43 pm
by k8-dev
Hi Ralf,

Many thanks for your feedback - it's nice to know you are using it.

In v0.2 Alpha there isn't a way of switching ant inputs currently. What I plan to do, if it works out, is to display a 'Device Settings' popover menu that has all the options available for the currently plugged in RSP device type. It's on the assumption that I can reliably deduce the RSP hardware type when it's plugged in. I only have a first generation RSP, so I need feedback from users of different RSP device types to ensure I'm delivering working updates. Would you have the time to test this idea out with your RSP2?

As for the crashing, if you have the time please post your log and any supporting info, so I can take a look at your crash. To get at the log:-

- using a terminal window, execute k8 from the command line: <YOUR INSTALL DIR>/k8.app/Contents/MacOS/k8

the log info will appear in the window.

Call to Mac users - are you using k8? What features would you like? Interested in an iOS version? Are you happy to help test and give feedback?

Many thanks,
Matt M0VVC

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2019 10:17 pm
by fotoralf
k8-dev wrote:Would you have the time to test this idea out with your RSP2?
Sure. I'll gladly assist.
Call to Mac users - are you using k8?


Not regularly. Still too many features missing. Antenna switching is a must and more selectable tuning steps would be fine. 9 kHz/10 kHz for AM broadcast in Europe/USA, 100 kHz for FM broadcast.
Interested in an iOS version?


Let's get the Mac version up and running first. :-)
Are you happy to help test and give feedback?
Absolutely.

Cheers
Ralf

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 7:24 pm
by k8-dev
Thanks Ralf, much appreciated.

I'll get to it. Hopefully have an update for you to test soon.....

Regards,
Matt

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 1:22 pm
by k8-dev
Hi Ralph,

New version with RSP2 support: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ned46r5hqnww1 ... 1.zip?dl=0

When an RSP2 is plugged in, and successfully detected, you should see this popup when clicking on Device Settings:-
Screen Shot 2019-04-20 at 14.17.01.png
Screen Shot 2019-04-20 at 14.17.01.png (28.44 KiB) Viewed 51432 times
I don't have an RSP2, so I can't fully test. If you spot issues, please run k8 from the command line and send me the log output - thanks!

Regards,
Matt M0VVC

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 6:37 pm
by fotoralf
More progress... Great! :-)

Just returned from France to find a heap of work waiting for me but will have a look in the next days and let you know.

Cheers
Ralf

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Fri May 31, 2019 6:45 pm
by darin
Hello Matt,

Where did you get the source code for CuteSDR?
Also, when I run k8, it is an active window that allows me to click the various options; however, it isn't communicating with the RPI1 that I'm using. No signal received and nothing happens when I click on Device Settings.

The RPI is working with CubicSDR and it works with SDRUno when I run Windows 10 in Bootcamp. I have the Mac 2.13 API installed on the Mac partition(using the 3.02 on the Windows partition).

Thanks

Re: Native macOS support - introducing k8

Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2019 4:41 pm
by k8-dev
Hi Darin,

Thanks for your post - it’s good to know you have tried k8.

CuteSDR Code is here: https://sourceforge.net/p/cutesdr/code/HEAD/tree/

Moe’s code is relatively easy to follow, and he has written a good explanation in the Doc section: https://sourceforge.net/projects/cutesdr/files/doc/

k8 initialises the RSP and starts the stream when you press the “play” button. I assume that you’ve done that and there’s no FFT display and audio output. To find out what could be wrong, please post your log - details on how to do that are in this thread.

k8 has SDRplay’s Mac API bundled within, so you don’t need to install it separately.

Regards,
Matt M0VVC