rsp2 and rtl_airband

Post information or questions regarding SDRplay products here
Post Reply
bindup
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 6:45 am

rsp2 and rtl_airband

Post by bindup » Sun May 26, 2019 7:11 am

hello

I'm a new owner of a SDRplay rsp2.
I only use rtl_airband on a Raspberry PI 3 and since now I only had a basic SDR usb key.

With the same antenna same wire here is what I ear with SDR key :
http://www.pilax.com/SDRkey.mp3
With rsp2 :
http://www.pilax.com/rsp2.mp3
I try to tweak gain but nothing better happened...

Do you have any advice to enjoy the rsp2 with rtl_airband ?

Thanks

-----------------------------------------------

Code: Select all

sudo cat /usr/local/etc/rtl_airband.conf
devices:
({
  type = "soapysdr";
  device_string = "driver=sdrplay,hardware=1808052311";
  antenna="Antenna A"
  index = 0;
  gain = 20;
  centerfreq = 124.575;
  #correction = -7;
  fft_size = 1024;
  channels:
  (
    {
      freq = 124.575;
      squelch = ( 0 );
      ...

Code: Select all

SoapySDRUtil --probe=SDRplayplay
######################################################
##     Soapy SDR -- the SDR abstraction library     ##
######################################################

Probe device SDRplay

----------------------------------------------------
-- Device identification
----------------------------------------------------
  driver=SDRplay
  hardware=1808052311
  mir_sdr_api_version=2.130000
  mir_sdr_hw_version=2

----------------------------------------------------
-- Peripheral summary
----------------------------------------------------
  Channels: 1 Rx, 0 Tx
  Timestamps: NO
  Other Settings:
     * RF Gain Select - RF Gain Select
       [key=rfgain_sel, default=4, type=string, options=(0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)]
     * IF Mode - IF frequency in kHz
       [key=if_mode, default=Zero-IF, type=string, options=(Zero-IF, 450kHz, 1620kHz, 2048kHz)]
     * IQ Correction - IQ Correction Control
       [key=iqcorr_ctrl, default=true, type=bool]
     * AGC Setpoint - AGC Setpoint (dBfs)
       [key=agc_setpoint, default=-30, type=int, range=[-60, 0]]
     * ExtRef Enable - External Reference Control
       [key=extref_ctrl, default=true, type=bool]
     * BiasT Enable - BiasT Control
       [key=biasT_ctrl, default=true, type=bool]
     * RfNotch Enable - RF Notch Filter Control
       [key=rfnotch_ctrl, default=true, type=bool]

----------------------------------------------------
-- RX Channel 0
----------------------------------------------------
  Full-duplex: YES
  Supports AGC: YES
  Stream formats: CS16, CF32
  Native format: CS16 [full-scale=32767]
  Antennas: Antenna A, Antenna B, Hi-Z
  Corrections: DC removal
  Full gain range: [0, 47] dB
    IFGR gain range: [20, 59] dB
    RFGR gain range: [0, 8] dB
  Full freq range: [0.01, 2000] MHz
    RF freq range: [0.01, 2000] MHz
    CORR freq range:  MHz
  Sample rates: 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 2.048, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 MSps
  Filter bandwidths: 0.2, 0.3, 0.6, 1.536, 5, 6, 7, 8 MHz
Last edited by bindup on Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: No reason

bindup
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 6:45 am

Re: rsp2 and rtl_airband

Post by bindup » Sun May 26, 2019 11:07 am

I try a lot of parameters listed by SoapySDRUtil --probe="driver=sdrplay"
It is better with :

Code: Select all

device_string = "driver=sdrplay,hardware=1808052311,if_mode=1620kHz0";
  antenna="Antenna A"
  index = 0;
  gain = 25;
I had no luck with strong signals which are very noisy but when scanning multiple frequencies I get good sounds from distant airplanes.

Is there a way to mitigate that ?
Last edited by bindup on Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: No reason

bindup
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 6:45 am

Re: rsp2 and rtl_airband

Post by bindup » Sat Jun 01, 2019 8:35 pm

with CubicSDR on my computer, it is ok and with a very good quality.
so rsp2 is working perfectly.

now scanning on Raspberry PI with RTLSDR-airband !
I love challenges...
;)
Last edited by bindup on Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: No reason

sdrplay
Posts: 978
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:58 am

Re: rsp2 and rtl_airband

Post by sdrplay » Sat Jun 08, 2019 9:33 pm

There are 2 types of gain in SoapySDRPlay (you will be able to see this in CubicSDR) - one is called RFGR and one is IFGR - if you just specify a gain value, I'm not sure how that will be handled within the SoapySDR framework.

Maybe a look in the SoapySDR documentation will help to see how you can pass IFGR and RFGR to specify those gain values independently. Or see how gain= is translated into IFGR and RFGR values.

Best regards,

SDRplay Support

Reason: No reason

deadite66
Posts: 32
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:14 pm
Location: Norfolk, UK.

Re: rsp2 and rtl_airband

Post by deadite66 » Sat Jun 08, 2019 9:50 pm

in the rtl_airband config you can set the gain in the devices section.
like :
gain = "IFGR=34,RFGR=4";

Reason: No reason
RSP2 Pro and RSP1A owner.

bindup
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 6:45 am

Re: rsp2 and rtl_airband

Post by bindup » Sat Jul 13, 2019 9:40 am

First of all, thanks for your responses !
Sorry for the delay, I had too much to do in the meantime.

rsp2 rocks indeed !

So many parameters to play with.
I keep you posted

Best regards
Last edited by bindup on Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: No reason

Post Reply