Installing SDRangel for the SDRplay RSP1A and HackRF on a Raspberry Pi

SDRangel is an Open Source Qt5 / OpenGL 3.0+ SDR and signal analyzer frontend to various hardware. There are many analog and digital plugins. Transmit is supported on devices with that capability.

This document will guide you through installing SDRangel on the platform built in the Installing drivers and support for the SDRplay RSP1A on a Raspberry Pi document for your operating system and depends on that installation. This should work for the 64 bit version also.

This procedure is based on https://github.com/f4exb/sdrangel/wiki/Compile-from-source-in-Linux.

The documentation is on the wiki: https://github.com/f4exb/sdrangel/wiki.

Install:

• SDRangel
  • Prerequisites
    Most of the SDRangel requisites should be installed by now. We just need to add a few. The packager will install many additional packages.

    sudo apt-get install libopencv-dev libxml2-dev libavcodec-dev libavformat-dev graphviz bison flex ffmpeg libopus-dev libfaad-dev
    

  • Make the installation directories and assign ownership.
    Assuming that you are the default Raspberry Pi OS user (pi):
    

    sudo mkdir -p /opt/build
    sudo chown pi:users /opt/build
    sudo mkdir -p /opt/install
    sudo chown pi:users /opt/install
    

  • Install required dependencies.
    I have removed devices other than SDRplay and HackRF. We will use the previosly installed hardware support. There is a new SDRplayV3 plugin built into the application. The SDRplay Mirics driver does not work for the RSP1A and has not been included.

    mkdir -p ~/SDRangel
    
    #APT
    #Aptdec is a FOSS program that decodes images transmitted by NOAA weather satellites.
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/srcejon/aptdec.git
    cd aptdec
    git checkout libaptdec
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/aptdec ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    #CM265cc
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/f4exb/cm256cc.git
    cd cm256cc
    git reset --hard c0e92b92aca3d1d36c990b642b937c64d363c559
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/cm256cc ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    #LibDAB
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/srcejon/dab-cmdline
    cd dab-cmdline/library
    git checkout msvc
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/libdab ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    #MBElib
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/szechyjs/mbelib.git
    cd mbelib
    git reset --hard 9a04ed5c78176a9965f3d43f7aa1b1f5330e771f
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/mbelib ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    #SerialDV
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/f4exb/serialDV.git
    cd serialDV
    git reset --hard "v1.1.4"
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/serialdv ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    #DSDcc
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/f4exb/dsdcc.git
    cd dsdcc
    git reset --hard "v1.9.3"
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/dsdcc -DUSE_MBELIB=ON -DLIBMBE_INCLUDE_DIR=/opt/install/mbelib/include -DLIBMBE_LIBRARY=/opt/install/mbelib/lib/libmbe.so -DLIBSERIALDV_INCLUDE_DIR=/opt/install/serialdv/include/serialdv -DLIBSERIALDV_LIBRARY=/opt/install/serialdv/lib/libserialdv.so ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    sudo apt-get install libsamplerate0-dev
    
    #Codec2/FreeDV
    # Codec2 is already installed from the packager, but this version is required for SDRangel.
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/drowe67/codec2.git
    cd codec2
    git reset --hard 76a20416d715ee06f8b36a9953506876689a3bd2
    mkdir build_linux; cd build_linux
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/codec2 ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    #SGP4
    # python-sgp4 1.4-1 is available in the packager, installing this version just to be sure.
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/dnwrnr/sgp4.git
    cd sgp4
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/sgp4 ..
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    #LibSigMF
    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/f4exb/libsigmf.git
    cd libsigmf
    git checkout "new-namespaces"
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/libsigmf .. 
    make -j $(nproc) install
    
    sudo ldconfig
    

  • Install SDRangel

    cd ~/SDRangel
    git clone https://github.com/f4exb/sdrangel.git
    cd sdrangel
    mkdir build; cd build
    cmake -Wno-dev -DDEBUG_OUTPUT=ON -DRX_SAMPLE_24BIT=ON \
    -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo \
    -DHACKRF_DIR=/usr/local \
    -DSOAPYSDR_DIR=/usr/local \
    -DUHD_DIR=/usr/local \
    -DAPT_DIR=/opt/install/aptdec \
    -DCM256CC_DIR=/opt/install/cm256cc \
    -DDSDCC_DIR=/opt/install/dsdcc \
    -DSERIALDV_DIR=/opt/install/serialdv \
    -DMBE_DIR=/opt/install/mbelib \
    -DCODEC2_DIR=/opt/install/codec2 \
    -DSGP4_DIR=/opt/install/sgp4 \
    -DLIBSIGMF_DIR=/opt/install/libsigmf \
    -DDAB_DIR=/opt/install/libdab \
    -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/install/sdrangel ..
    
    make -j4 install
    sudo ldconfig
    

  • Generate a new fftw wisdom file to speed up the SDRangel startup time. This will take a long time, but it will save you from doing this every time you start SDRangel
    • Execute these commands in a terminal:

      cd ~/.config/
      # If you have not run SDRangel yet, create the settings directory.
      mkdir f4exb
      cd f4exb
      # Generate a new wisdom file for FFT sizes : 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384 and 32768.
      # This will take a very long time.
      fftwf-wisdom -n -o fftw-wisdom 128 256 512 1024 2048 4096 8192 16384 32768
      

  • To run SDRangel, type /opt/install/sdrangel/bin/sdrangel --fftwf-wisdom ~/.config/f4exb/fftw-wisdom at the command prompt and press enter.
  • To add an SDR device, change the device with the change device icon in the top bar of the device panel. It looks like a double arrow.
    Select your SDR from the list and then click "OK" in the dialog.
    • Note: With SDRangel V6, it crashes when HackRF is selected. This mostly occurs in Windows, but there are problems with transmit on Linux. See https://github.com/f4exb/sdrangel/issues/718
      Use SoapySDR for HackRF.
  • Add a baseband channel. Move on to the channels panel and click on the circled plus icon.
    Select the desired demodulator from the combo list and press the Apply button to add the channel to the passband. More than 1 channel can be added and active at the same time.
    When you are done, close the dialog with the Close button.
    To start streaming, press the "play" button in the device panel.
  • To slow the waterfall display, in the Spectrum Display near the lower left, change Averaging mode to something like Max. Increase the number of averaging samples to achieve the desired speed. Increase Spactrum maximum FPS until the diplay is smooth. Increasing the FFT size will improve the display resolution. I suggest that you stop the SDR while changing this as SDRangel may freeze for a minute or so the first time you select it.
  • To set up transmitting,
    From the DeviceSets menu, select Add sink device set.
    Ensure that the desired transmit channel tab is selected on the right. (T1)
    Move on to the channels panel and click on the circled plus icon.
    Select the desired modulator from the list and click Apply.
    When you are done adding modulators, close the dialog with the Close button.
  • In the device panel, select the desired transmit channel tab on the top. (T1)
    To add an SDR device, change the device with the change device icon in the top bar of the device panel. It looks like a double arrow.
    Select your SDR from the list and then click "OK" in the dialog.
    If the transmit frequency is out of the bandpass of the receiver, it will not be able to receive a signal..
  • Click on the microphone icon in the transmit channels window to enable the sound input. Right-click on it to select the input device.
    In the device panel on the left, the Blue triangle icon means that the device is ready and can be started.
    Click it to start transmitting.
    Adjust the gain controls until you have sufficient transmit power.
  • voxangel v 1.1
    A simple pyAudio-based VOX utility for SDRAngel
    • Download the script package from https://gitlab.wibisono.or.id/published/voxangel
      • From the download menu to the left of the Clone button, click one of the archive formats under Download source code
      • Save and extract it in ~/SDRangel.
      • Instructions are in ~/SDRangel/voxangel-master/README
    • The command line syntax is:
      python voxangel.py <Tx_device> [<Rx_device> <mode> <level> <delay_in_ms> <channel> <host> <port>]
    • Start the script with this command: ~/SDRangel/voxangel_1.1/voxangel.py 1 0 0 5 1100
      It will have a 1100 ms shut-off delay. By default it will monitor an input, typically the microphone if you have one.
• Set up a WSJT-X transceiver with SDRangel on a HackRF. I will set it up for FT8.
  • Prerequisites
    • WSJT-X
      • WSJT-X should be installed from the procedure on Installing utility software on a Raspberry Pi
      • voxangel, as installed above.
  • First, start two virtual audio channels, one for receive and one for transmit.

    pactl load-module module-null-sink sink_name=VirtualRx format=s16le channels=2 rate=48000 sink_properties=device.description="VirtualRx"
    pactl load-module module-null-sink sink_name=VirtualTx format=s16le channels=2 rate=48000 sink_properties=device.description="VirtualTx"
    

  • Start WSJT-X from the applications >Sound & Video menu
  • Start SDRangel

    /opt/install/sdrangel/bin/sdrangel --fftwf-wisdom ~/.config/f4exb/fftw-wisdom

  • Add an SDR device, baseband channel and SSB demodulator. Set it up for upper sideband. Low cut should be 0.1k, Hi cut 3.0k.
  • Add a sink device set, an SDR device, baseband channel and SSB modulator. Set it up for upper sideband. Low cut should be 0.1k, Hi cut 3.0k.
  • Set the desired SDR device frequencies for receiver and transmitter. It is best to offset the frequency by about 50 KHz to compensate for HackRF's zero spike. Add that amount to the demodulator and modulator shift.
  • In WSJT-X File>settings..., click the Audio tab. For Soundcard Input: select VirtualRx.monitor.
    For Soundcard Input: select VirtualRx. Click OK.
  • In SDRangel, click on the microphone icon in the transmit channels window to enable the sound input. Right-click on the demodulator speaker icon and select "System default device".
    Right-click on the modulator microphone icon and select "System default device".
    Start the receiver.
  • In Audio Volume control Playback tab, set QtPulseAudio:****:QtmPulseStream-****-******** on VirtualRx. (the one with receiver signal in the VU meter)
  • In Pulse Audio Volume control Recording tab, set QtPulseAudio:****:QtmPulseStream-****-******* from VirtualRx. (the one with receiver signal in the VU meter)
  • Start the transmitter.Make sure that it is connected to an acceptable antenna!
    In WSJT-X, click Tune
    In Audio Volume control Playback tab, set QtPulseAudio:****:QtmPulseStream-****-******* on VirtualTx (the strong steady signal)
  • In Pulse Audio Volume control Recording tab, set QtPulseAudio:****:QtmPulseStream-****-******** from VirtualTx (the strong steady signal)
  • Stop the transmitter and click Tune in WSJT-X to turn it off.
  • Start voxangel

    ~/SDRangel/voxangel_1.1/voxangel.py 1 0 0 5 1100

  • In Pulse Audio Volume control Recording tab, set "ALSA plug-in [python2.7]: ALSA capture from" to VirtualTx
  • Set WSJT-X to work FT8. When it transmits, SDRangel should switch to transmit. It should switch back to receive 1.1 seconds after WSJT-X stops. This time was chosen because the transmit buffer would not empty before that time. The remainder will be prepended to the next transmission. You will need to adjust the gain controls to get the best receive signal and transmit power.
  • Note: It appears that the receiver and transmitter will only work optimally if they are set to the same frequency and offset. There are times when having the same sample rate is best, however, the receiver works well at a 4 MHz sample rate. Transmit works well at a sample rate of 4000 Ks/s and Interp 32. Higher sample rates have lower latency, but watch out for dropouts.