[hpsdr] PowerSDR + Ozy/Janus + Softrock TX/RX

[Don Kay - KI6FOM]

Thanks Joe, you solved one of them! More inline....

Joe - AB1DO wrote:

> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
> 
> Hi Don,
> 
> Here goes an attempt to help you along [comments in line]. Off the bat I 
> will say that I am not very familiar with the SoftRock, totally unfamiliar 
> with the TxRx version and very familiar with PowerSDR as used with the 
> SDR-1000.
> 
> Hope this helps,
> 73 de Joe - AB1DO
> 
> Don Kay wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>>Hello hpsdr!
>>
>>I am using  Ozy & Janus  with my 80/40 meter Softrock TXRX 6.1 and I have
>>been having a blast, but I have accumulated a few questions on the
>>operation of
>>PowerSDR. Coming from the softrock persuasion I may need some hand holding
>>from you SDR-1000 owners who are more familiar with  this software.
>>
>>First, the noise floor seems a little optimistic. The overall
>>sensitivity is as good
>>or better than when using my main sound card (a "Mia" budget pro-audio 
>>card
>>from Echo Audio) but the noise shows up at -175 db. I'm getting signals
>>at 55 db
>>above the noise which don't even budge the S-meter.  Is this expected
>>with the
>>current release?
> 
> 
> [AB1DO] It is my understanding that the noise floor is not so much a 
> function of PowerSDR as it is of the sound card. At Dayton Bob N4HY 
> mentioned that he has experienced a 40dB noise floor improvement with Janus 
> over the Delta-44, i.e.within a few dB of the quantum limit! The caveat: 
> currently the SDR-1000 delivers so much gain (it was originally designed for 
> consumer sound cards), that Janus needs an attenuator in line to handle the 
> signal. On arrival from TAPR, the corresponding jumper is set such that this 
> attenuator is in-line. This amp/attenuator chain destroys to a degree the 
> noise performance. By removing the amplifier and attenuator the improvement 
> is around said 40dB. Not being familiar with the SoftRock, you may be 
> experiencing some of this. Janus is indeed truly spectacular.

I agree that Janus is terrific, but I think something else is going on.
When I first ran PowerSDR from the SVN it looked more normal. I forget
what the noise floor was at that time but it was around -100 db and the
strong signals were showing S9+ on the meter. At the time I had a
previously installed version of PowerSDR from the flex site on the
machine as well. The current problem seems to have appeared when I
deinstalled the original version.

> 
> 
>>Second, how do I run digital modes? I have tried experimenting with VAC 
>>and
>>both Hamscope and  Multipsk but all I've succeeded in doing is locking up 
>>my
>>computer so badly I have to power cycle it. I imagine this is a knobs
>>problem but
>>I have looked through the production PowerSDR manual and it doesn't
>>cover the
>>subject very well. Is there some documentation specific to digital modes
>>somewhere?
>>
> 
> 
> [AB1DO] IMHO digital mode operation is described in detail in the manual on 
> pages 144-165. If you go to the Knowledge Base on the Flex-Radio website and 
> search for digital modes, psk, rtty, vac or some such you will be able to 
> find more info on operating digital modes with the SDR-1000. Try first 
> setting up one of the digital programs described in either the manual or one 
> of the articles. If that works, then try Hamscope or Multipsk. Also, if you 
> can be a little more specific about exactly what goes wrong, that might 
> help.

Doh!
Thank you for the page numbers. Somehow I missed seeing the chapter on
digital modes in my late night perusal of the document. You are correct
that it is well documented and I've already figured out what I did
wrong :-)

> 
> 
>>Third, the softrock needs a PTT input from the computer as well as the I/Q
>>in order to transmit. Normally the "Rocky" software  for the softrocks 
>>will
>>assert a PTT *output* to the softrock whenever the keyer is activated. I
>>don't
>>see any mention of a PTT output from Janus/Ozy mentioned in the manual, 
>>just
>>inputs. Is a PTT output available?
> 
> 
> [AB1DO] Don't know if the Ozy has a PTT output, nor if the FPGA firmware 
> will invoke one at this stage. However, you might try using your keyer as 
> described in pages 138-139 of the manual and see if this helps (also see 
> pages 92-94).

By this I assume you mean hooking it up to a COM port instead of to Ozy?
Ok. I'll try this tonight. As for the PTT output, there sure must be
something that tells the SDR-1000 to go into transmit mode. Perhaps its
a signal (or command) on the parallel interface? I'll see if I can find
some info on that interface.

Thanks for your help.
-don

> 
> 
>>I hope you are all enjoying these boards as much as I am. Thanks in
>>advance for
>>any advice.
>>
>>73 - Don (ki6fom)
> 
> 
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