[hpsdr] Newbies guide (v1.3) to HPSDR and Ubuntu 10.04

[Erich Heinzle]

This howto relates to installation of the ghpsdr3-alex branch of the ghpsdr3
software under ubuntu gnu/linux, and draws together the input of many on the
reflector, as well as various FAQs and wiki pages.

revision history:

1.3 - Metis configuration information added
1.2 - fixed dsp-server typo
    added QtRadio direct down conversion zero offset: dspserver --lo 0 
1.1 - added /etc/udev/rules.d configuration info for ozy
1.0 - draft howto

This howto assumes:

an up to date ubuntu 10.04 installation on the computer, and
either a USB connection to the HPSDR (Ozy board)
or an ethernet connection to the HPSDR (Metis board)


USB HPSDR preliminaries (An HPSDR with an Ozy board)

If the Ozy based HPSDR has not been used under linux previously, the operating system needs to
be told what to do if the HPSDR is plugged into a USB port.

Settings for identification and use of the USB device must be put in place

This is also discussed at:
http://openhpsdr.org/wiki/index.php?title=Ghpsdr_FAQ

A new file called "90-ozy.rules" must be added to the /etc/udev/rules.d directory

The easiest way to do this is to open your favourite text editor,
i.e. "Applications-Accessories-GEdit text Editor" and enter (you can copy and paste)

SUBSYSTEMS=="usb",ATTRS{idVendor}=="fffe",ATTRS{idProduct}=="0007",SYMLINK+="ozy",MODE="666"

and then save the file as 

90-ozy.rules

in your Documents folder.

the file must now be copied into the /etc/udev/rules.d directory.
Bring up a terminal window on the ubuntu machine
(i.e. via "applications-accessories-terminal")
and paste, followed by enter:

sudo cp ~/Documents/90-ozy.rules /etc/udev/rules.d

Once you do this the hpsdr should be recognised on the USB bus and you won't need
to do it again unless you do a complete operating system reinstallation at some
point in the future.


Now, the next step is to install the ghpsdr3-alex software

Bring up a terminal window on the ubuntu machine
(i.e. via "applications-accessories-terminal") and paste, followed by enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:andrew-montefusco/ghpsdr3 

this adds the ghpsdr3 software repository to your ubuntu installation's
software sources. Now type, followed by enter:

sudo apt-get update 

this pulls down a list of the software available on the newly added repository,
plus the usual software repositories. Now type, followed by enter:

sudo apt-get install ghpsdr3

this installs ghpsdr3 from the new repository

drop copies of the current .hex and .rbf files you're using for the HPSDR
into your home directory by copying, downloading or copy and pasting them
using a file browser.

then, in the terminal window, type "cd" followed by enter
this will make sure you are in your home directory where you just put
the .hex and .rbf files

Firing up the software components.

If you are using a USB (i.e. Ozy based) HPSDR, type, followed by enter:

hpsdr-server

If you are using an ethernet (i.e. Metis based) HPSDR, type, followed by enter:

hpsdr-server --metis --interface eth1

by default the interface hpsdr-server will look for Metis on is eth0, but this can be 
changed using the --interface option, as shown above with eth1.

now that hpsdr-server is running...

in another terminal window, type, followed by enter:

dspserver --lo 0

running them in different windows will allow you to watch the messages scrolling by if required

the "--lo 0" tells the dspserver that you are using a direct down conversion (DDC)
radio such as an HPSDR, and an 18kHz offset is not added by default, which would
leave you wondering WWV is out by 18kHz.

QtRadio can then be launched either from the Applications-Internet-QtRadio menu
or, by typing in another terminal, followed by enter:

QtRadio &

QtRadio needs to be aimed at the computer running the server software, in the "receiver-configure-server" dialogue.
If it is the same machine, it will already be aiming at the default loopback address of 127.0.0.1, and nothing needs to be changed.

if it is another machine on the network with the HPSDR connected and running dspserver and hpsdr-server, enter its IP address, i.e. 192.168.0.5 for example - yours will probably be different.

select "receiver 0" in the "receiver-configure-server" dialogue if it 
isn't already, and you're not doing funky stuff with multiple receivers.

then select "Receiver-Connect" and you should be off and away.

Further info on using QtRadio in the ghpsdr3-alex distribution can be found at
http://napan.ca/ghpsdr3/index.php/QtRadio_-_Operation

For those wishing to play with the bleeding edge code, ghpsdr3-alex is available
via git, using the command line in a terminal again, type

sudo apt-get install git-core

this installs the git software revision control system. You can then pull down a
copy of the development software to the directory you are in if you issue the 
following command from the terminal window

git clone git://github.com/alexlee188/ghpsdr3-alex.git

building the software will require additional packages, see also

https://github.com/alexlee188/ghpsdr3-alex/blob/master/README
http://napan.ca/ghpsdr3/index.php/Main_Page