Re: [Flexradio] assorted issues

[FlexRadio - Eric]

Brian, I'll try to address your questions in order.  First, I'm not sure why the .NET framework would now require you to log in.  A quick google search turned up the following webpage that had some info on the login problem.  Please let me know if the suggestions in this link solved the problem. http://forums.grouper.com/archive/index.php/t-121.html We are indeed doing a complete rewrite on the CW TX section.  This will include the ability to transmit via paddles without having to have the CW form open.  ;)  Frank Brickle (AB2KT) has already completed the keyer logic code for the Linux version and it works beautifully.  We will be integrating this into the windows PowerSDR console in the near future. Like most settings, the buffer size has trade-offs for using large or small settings.  In this case, it is latency vs. performance.  By performance, I mean little pops and clicks.  So using larger buffers should give "better" performance but will increase the latency.  Better is a relative term here though since 99% of the SDR owners out there can probably run 512 sample buffers with the latest code and not have popping or skipping.  Technically, this means that the computer generates 4 times as many interrupts that must be handled by the audio callback (every 512/48000 = 10.6ms).  Compare this with 2048 sample buffers and you get 2048/48000 = 42.6ms.  It is not hard to see that at some point as the callback period shrinks, the length of time spent in the callback becomes a larger percentage of the callback.  The pops are caused by underruns typically ... basically missing a complete callback.  This is probably already more than you wanted to know.  So I'll stop here. Running 2 Turtle Beach Santa Cruz (TBSC) cards in one machine:  we haven't tried this here in the lab.  My best guess is that the driver is simply not written to support multiple instances of the card in software.  This is unfortunate as the TBSC is the best 16-bit PCI sound card I have seen.  The good news is that most computers have a soundcard built onto the motherboard these days (typically an AC97).  More good news is that even if you don't have one on the motherboard, the second sound card (used for TX mainly) does not need to be "high quality."  This means you can use the little cheap $12 jobs from Fry's or newegg.com. The filter controls you are suggesting are already built into the console (though they are not defaults).  Simply choose either the Var1 or Var2 filters (Var = variable) and set the low and high cuts.  Presets would be nice for digital modes.  That's something we can add to the list of good ideas. The really nice part about the software defined radio idea is that even if you're not a programmer or a software enthusiast, you STILL get nearly weekly updates coming from a pool of people who do enjoy tinkering with code.  We would gladly accept any reviews you would like to perform on our documentation.  The SDR-1000 Operation Manual is a work in progress, but it is already a good 150 page whopper.  I would encourage every that is relatively new to the software (and even those that are more experienced) to check out the section on Control Descriptions.  This has a description of each control and what to expect when using it.  Eventually we hope to have this in an online help format, but for now, read it in Chapter 7 of the Operation Manual. Hopefully that answered most of your questions.  My apologies for the somewhat lengthy reply.  Let me know if you need further clarification on any of this or if you have more questions.  And welcome to the FlexRadio team.  :) Eric Wachsmann KE5DTO Software Engineer FlexRadio Systems Brian wrote: I finally got SDR running.  It's great to have so many people working on a device and the progress it has made.  Thank you to all the team/teams for the work done and in progress. A few comments on my limited experiance, and excuse the re-runs as I'm sure some of this has surfaced in the past. When I installed PowerSDR, it compelled me to install the .net virus.  Now whenever I turn on my 'puter I have to log in.  I'm the only user.  How to I get that to stop?? CW seems a bit like a kluge, and it appears from the traffic on this group that this is being addressed. Needing to have the "CW" screen on in order to send CW seems a bit odd. To send faster than 15 WPM I change the Card 1 Buffer size from 2048 to 512.  What effect does this have on the overall performance? FSK - It would be nice to have native FSK.  Again it looks like this is being addressed, with PSK apparently an the near horizon. Running 2 soundcards - I know I see this issue pop up frequently.  When I tried to put a 2nd Turtle Beach card in my machine, it froze solid.  As I recall, I couldn't boot up any operating system. In retrospect, I may have still had my onboard sound card enabled.  I don't remember at this point. How about a FAQ on the SDR home page covering the pitfalls, perils and solutions to running a second card?  I'd be glad to try and glue something together on this if I knew  where to go, and what has or hasn't worked. Another FAQ that I think would be interesting is how to build a filter.  For instance, if I wanted to make an FSK filter, cut to the freqs that MMTTY uses, and maybe 180 or 190 Hz wide to compensate for mistuning, how do I do it? Unfortunately, I'm an operator.  Not a software wizard or hardware maven.  It's great we have them and I commend you for what you have done so far and continue to do.  I'd like to help with the SDR project, but don't have the skills needed.  If there is something you think I could do to help, (maybe edit a manual, etc) I would like to volunteer.  By the time this is done, I probably could have bought a Ten-Tec Orion, but think this is more exciting.  I'd like to see the SDR-1000 the rig that DX-peditions choose to pack in their suitcases when they take off to exotic lands.  That would mean general acceptance, and more users.  That translates into more $$$ to improve what we have.  This rig should not be confined to a cluster of geeks, but a fully fuctional radio tool for the entire ham population.  This is not to complain that it isn't there.   It is not.  But it is moving in that direction daily, thanks to the work of the developers.  I commend all who are working on this project.  73 Brian N5BA _______________________________________________ FlexRadio mailing list FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz