Installing SDR applications on a Raspberry Pi and Ubuntu

This document will guide you through installing SDR applications on the platform built in the document: Installing drivers and support for the SDRplay RSP1A on a Raspberry Pi and depends on that installation.

This document is intended to be followed in the order it is written. If you want to skip installing one of applications, there may be some missing prerequisites.

Install:

Install QRadioLink
Multimode SDR transceiver for GNU radio using the Internet for VOIP communication (radio over IP) with various analog, digital voice and digital video modes.
- Prerequisites
  - mumble
```
sudo apt install mumble mumble-server
```
  - Install additional packages:
```
sudo apt-get install protobuf-compiler libopus-dev libspeexdsp1 libspeexdsp-dev libjpeg-turbo8-dev libjpeg8-dev libconfig++9v5 libconfig++-dev libftdi1 libftdi-dev libsndfile1-dev libsndfile1 libjpeg-dev libprotoc-dev
```
- Install
```
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/qradiolink/qradiolink
cd qradiolink/
# To get the latest version with recent changes (instead of git checkout master):
# git checkout next
# To get the normal release
git checkout master
sh ./build_debian.sh
```
- To run
```
build/qradiolink
# or from anywhere
/home/pi/qradiolink/build/qradiolink
```
  - Click the Setup tab
  - Click General Settings
  - For SDRplay
    - In RX device args, enter soapy=0,driver=sdrplay
    - In RX antenna, enter 0
  - For HackRF
    - In RX device args, enter hackrf=0
    - In RX antenna, enter 0
    - In TX device args, enter hackrf=0
    - In TX antenna, enter 0
  - Under Radio settings, change Output audio device to pulse
  - Click the Spectrum tab
  - Click RX to start the SDR receiver.
  - Note: For the first time an SDR application is run after GNU Radio installation, wait 2-3 minutes for the terminal to print 3 lines of "gr::vmcircbuf_sysv_shm: shmat (3): Invalid argument". It will work correctly after that.There is a function in GNU Radio that does not work on the Raspberry Pi. GNU Radio will eventually fix itself.
Hamlib (if you want to integrate WSJT-X with your SDR)
The Ham Radio Control Library-Hamlib, for short-is a project to provide programs with a consistent Application Programming Interface (API) for controlling the myriad of radios and rotators available to amateur radio and communications users.
- You may be able to install hamlib-3.3 using the Muon Package Manager. It should work.
- To build from source, download the hamlib-4.1.tar.gz archive from https://github.com/Hamlib/Hamlib/releases to a directory such as your home directory.
```
cd ~/
tar -zxvf hamlib-4.1.tar.gz
cd hamlib-4.1
./configure
make -j 4
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig
```

CubicSDR - build from source to get the latest version that supports the RSP Duo.
A very nice versatile SDR application.

Prerequisites

Install FFTW3 if not currently installed

sudo apt-get install freeglut3 freeglut3-dev libgtk2.0-dev libgtk-3-dev libtinyxml2.6.2v5

liquid-dsp

cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/jgaeddert/liquid-dsp
cd liquid-dsp
./bootstrap.sh
./configure
make -j 4
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig

RtAudio

sudo apt-get install libasound-dev portaudio19-dev
cd ~/
Download http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~gary/rtaudio/release/rtaudio-5.1.0.tar.gz
tar -zxvf rtaudio-5.1.0.tar.gz
cd rtaudio-5.1.0
# ./configure --help # display all the available options
./configure --with-jack --with-alsa --with-pulse
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ../
make -j 4
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig
cd tests
# Try one of these to see if it will play something. Press CTRL-C to exit.
./playsaw 1 48000
./playsaw 1 44100
./playsaw 2 44100 # 2 different sawtooth waveforms, one in each speaker

# If you don't hear a sound from any of these, it may have selected the headphone output.
# Set speakers as default
pacmd set-default-sink 0

wxWidgets

CubicSDR wants to use a static installation of wxWidgets. I have not been able to get the packaged version to work. This will take quite a while.
The installation path for this installation is included in the CubicSDR installation command.
Prerequisites:
Remove all wxWidgets items using the Muon Package Manager
```
sudo apt install libgtk2.0-dev libgtk-3-dev
```

Install
Note: replace '~/Develop/wxWidgets-staticlib' with your own path if you installed it in a different location. Use this path when building CubicSDR.

cd ~/ 
git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/wxWidgets/wxWidgets.git
cd wxWidgets/
mkdir -p ~/Develop/wxWidgets-staticlib
./autogen.sh 
./configure --with-opengl --disable-shared --enable-monolithic --with-libjpeg --with-libtiff --with-libpng --with-zlib --disable-sdltest --enable-unicode --enable-display --enable-propgrid --disable-webview --disable-webviewwebkit --prefix=`echo ~/Develop/wxWidgets-staticlib` CXXFLAGS="-std=c++0x"
make -j4
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig

Build CubicSDR

cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/cjcliffe/CubicSDR.git
cd CubicSDR
mkdir build
cd build
# Works with HDMI, Headphones and Default
cmake ../ -DOTHER_LIBRARIES:FILEPATH=/usr/lib/gcc/arm-linux-gnueabihf/8/libatomic.so -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DwxWidgets_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=~/Develop/wxWidgets-staticlib/bin/wx-config -DUSE_HAMLIB=1 -DUSE_AUDIO_PULSE=0 -DUSE_AUDIO_OSS=0 -DUSE_AUDIO_ALSA=1 

make -j 4
# You can now run the build from the folder, note if you're on 64-bit linux it will be in x64/
cd x86/
./CubicSDR

# Install CubicSDR (and launcher in Applications menu)
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig

There will be an icon for CubicSDR in the Applications Menu in the Other group It will appear after a restart..

gqrx
Can operate as an AM/FM/SSB receiver with audio output or as an FFT-only instrument. There are also various hooks for interacting with external applications using network sockets. One of the few that has a noise blanker and allows custom bandpass adjustment.
- Prerequisites
```
# portaudio is optional
sudo apt install portaudio19-dev
```
- Install
```
export CXXFLAGS='-O2 -march=native -mtune=native'
export CFLAGS='-O2 -march=native -mtune=native'

cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/csete/gqrx.git gqrx
cd gqrx
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make -j 4
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig
```
- To start gqrx, type gqrx at the command prompt and press enter.
- The Configure I/O devices dialogue box will appear.
- Select your RSP device from the Devices menu.
- Select your audio device
- The defaults for the other items should be OK.
- Click OK.
- Click the Start DSP processing button on the top left of the gqrx window.
- Note: When using AM, be sure to uncheck DCR in the "..." button to the far right of Mode, or there will be no audio.
SdrGlut
A simple software defined radio player. It is small, fast and efficient. Very low CPU load. Has Search and Scan Features. Supports SDRplay RSPduo running in Dual Tuner mode.
- Prerequisites
  - Copy RtAudio.h to the place that SdrGlut will look for it
```
sudo mkdir /usr/local/include/rtaudio
sudo cp /usr/local/include/RtAudio.h /usr/local/include/rtaudio/
```
  - It needs
```
sudo apt-get install libopenal-dev libalut0 libalut-dev
```
- Problems With libliquid (installed earlier)
  - There are 2 sections in ~/Desktop/SdrGlut/MainSource/firstFile.h that contain:
    - #define LIQUID_VERSION_4 1
    - #define WINDOWS_LONG_NAMES 1
  - If your compile in the following section fails on libliquid items, comment out one of these sections in MainSource/firstFile.h by placing /* before and */ after the section. It that doesn't help, remove the comments and place them around the other section and try again.
- Install
```
cd ~/Desktop
git clone https://github.com/righthalfplane/SdrGlut.git
cd SdrGlut
make -f makefileUbunta

Run the program:
./sdrglut.x
or
~/Desktop/SdrGlut/sdrglut.x
```
- It is not uncommon for audio to be distorted. Try this fix, which will work for most installations:
```
sudo featherpad /etc/openal/alsoft.conf
```
- Find the line: #periods = 3 Remove the "#" and change it to periods = 4
- Reboot and run GdrGlut. The audio should be good.
wsjt-x
Implements digital communication protocols or "modes" called FT4, FT8, JT4, JT9, JT65, QRA64, ISCAT, MSK144, and WSPR, as well as one called Echo for detecting and measuring your own radio signals reflected from the Moon. Has comprehensive rig control using hamlib.
- Prerequisites - pulseaudio, which should already be installed.
```
sudo apt-get install subversion libreadline-dev libudev-dev

# These packages should have been installed previously:
# sudo apt-get install gcc g++ gfortran libgfortran5 libpulse-dev pulseaudio

# Only if you did not install Hamlib:
# sudo apt-get install libhamlib-dev
```
- Install
  - Download the latest source tarball from http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html and save it in your home directory.
  - Assuming the archive is wsjtx-2.3.1.tgz, in a terminal window paste or type these commands.
```
cd ~/
tar -zxvf wsjtx-2.3.1.tgz
cd wsjtx-2.3.1
mkdir build
cd build/
cmake -DWSJT_SKIP_MANPAGES=ON -DWSJT_GENERATE_DOCS=OFF ..
cmake --build .
sudo cmake --build . --target install
sudo ldconfig
```
  - Setting up WSJT-X for GridTracker
    
    In WSJT-X File / Settings / General tab, you will need to have your Callsign and Maidenhead Grid Square set. It is recommended to use your "MH6" grid square (eg: CN84NL vs CN84) for higher map and Spot reporting accuracy. Optionally you can enable "Double-click on call sets Tx enable" and "Disable Tx after sending 73"
    You can find your grid square at http://www.levinecentral.com/ham/grid_square.php
    
    On the Reporting tab, options "Prompt me to log QSO", "Clear DX call and grid after logging" and "Accept UDP requests" are required for GridTracker to function properly with WSJT-X. Not having these enabled can lead to frustration, lost logs and strange behavior in the Map view.
    
    It is recommended to "Enable PSK Reporter Spotting" to help other WSJT-X users as well as GridTracker users to know if they are propagating and give more data to the "Band Activity Graph" in your area.
GridTracker
- Download the latest GridTracker from https://tagloomis.com/downloads/ or https://gridtracker.org/downloads/
  Extract it to your home directory so that the files are in /home/pi/GridTracker/.
  
  Open the README.txt file in the GridTracker folder which contains instructions on how to make a desktop launcher icon for GridTracker. A desktop file for this installation can be found on Part 5 - Adding programs to the Applications Menu
Soapy Remote
- Prerequisites - SoapySDR must be installed and...
```
sudo apt-get install avahi-daemon libavahi-client-dev
```
- Building Soapy Remote
  Soapy Remote allows you to fully access your SDR over your local network. CubicSDR works with this.
```
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/pothosware/SoapyRemote.git
cd SoapyRemote
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make -j 4
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig
```
- Launching the server in the terminal
```
SoapySDRServer --bind
```
  - Or specify a custom bind address:port as in these examples:
```
SoapySDRServer --bind="0.0.0.0:1234"

# IPv6 address URLs are also supported:
SoapySDRServer --bind="[::]:1234"
```
  - Substitute your IP address. My system defaults to port 55132.
TCP Server
- Building from Source Code
  A server for SDRplay devices to make the RSP IQ stream compatible with existing RTL based software and streaming methods.This software also has an extended mode to fully support all of the RSPs capabilities and 16bit IQ stream values.
```
cd ~/
git clone https://github.com/SDRplay/RSPTCPServer.git
cd RSPTCPServer
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig
```
- Complete instructions can be found in https://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRplay_RSP_TCP_Server_Guide.pdf

Back to the index