Is it possible to select a receiver from a list or a command?

[thebaldgeek]

Greetings.
I feel I am missing something obvious, but I can't select many of my receivers from the waterfall area and am looking for a simple list or command to select a specific receiver.

I have attached a screenshot to show my problem.
Note that I can not select receivers 2,4 or 5. Really only 8,9 and 10 are accessible.

Lastly, is it possible turn off the waterfall and spectrum displays to save CPU once I am done setting up the receivers?

Thanks.

Ben.
K6TBG

[Max]

Greetings.

I have attached a screenshot to show my problem.
Note that I can not select receivers 2,4 or 5. Really only 8,9 and 10 are accessible.

Ben.
K6TBG

Hi Ben

Why not just select the receiver you want from the Receiver buttons you can see on the Receivers strip as shown in your screengrab? I would also recommend having the "Zoom" slider enabled on the right of the Spectrum window. I know the Zoom function is accessible from hovering but having the slider makes life easier. To get it, untick "Mouse-over buttons" in the "Low, High Zoom" section of the "View" tab.

I am not aware of any way to turn off the waterfall or spectrum. I guess I would say, why would you when CPU use is generally very low anyway, unless using an underpowered PC?

https://www.sdr-radio.com/computer

You can always slow the waterfall right down using the speed option to conserve resources?

Max

[thebaldgeek]

Thanks for your reply Max.

Before I saw your reply I spent around an hour working with SDR-Console tonight and indeed, I did not slow down and take my time with the receiver buttons....
To help those that search for this question, here is my tip.
1. The receiver buttons are dual function. First click mutes that receiver, the second click unmutes and selects.
2. The select function takes around 15-20 seconds to add that receiver to the right hand panel.
So you can easily select the receivers from the receivers listed along the row on the middle-right strip of the top panel. Just take your time switching between them.

My computer is well beyond the specs listed in the link you posted, so I am just going to keep trying to get it working.
I want to replace my RTLSDR v3 with an RSP1a and SDR-Console supports many VFOs ('receivers') where SDRplay seems to not support any, so I want to get my head around using SDR-Console for Satcom work.
In reply to the turning off the waterfall, Jaero (the satcom ACARS/ADSC decoder) is VERY touchy to CPU use. The less the SDR receiver uses, the better. I will try slowing things down as you suggested.

Thanks again for replying to my basic question.

Ben.

[Max]

Hi Ben

Glad you figured it out. Simon (G4ELI) spends much time streamlining the code on SDRC to minimise the resources it needs so resources should not be an issue on a reasonably well specified machine. My PC is over 10 years old (i7 + GTX1650 Super) and it copes very well with SDRC for what I do. Granted I don't often run many receivers simultaneously as that's not my main interest but I have done so without issues for monitoring many VHF/UHF repeaters and channels and it's been fine.

For information, there are quite comprehensive help files on Simon's website, but they are not always immediately obvious. The program is constantly being developed by Simon so there is no current "manual" as such and the website is as close as it gets. On the website go to the top of the screen and hover over the menu buttons at top of screen to see dropdowns and you will see a wealth of information there, albeit some of it quite well hidden!

https://www.sdr-radio.com/

Best

Max

[Max]

Hi again Ben

I guess you have experimented with the Receiver Matrix, which is separate feature to the Receiver Pane? It's impressive. I run it on a second screen when I use it, but you can run it single screen and "toggle" the display using the little buttons top right of screen if you only have one monitor. But SDRC is great across multiple monitors for power users.

https://www.sdr-radio.com/receivers#TheMatrix

Also see about docking and dragging panels here:

https://www.sdr-radio.com/LayoutPanes

73

Max

[thebaldgeek]

Hi Max,

Really apricate the tips, pointers and encouragement.

It would seem in the SDR software world, satcom data work is very much an outliner use case, so its always a bit of a challenge to get things setup to monitor many frequencies at once.

I did look at the matrix view but it is of limited value for my use. All my receivers are tuned to a 2mHz patch of L-Band (1.5GHz) and the matrix has all its receivers set to 10.0 MHz.

I have spent a few more hours on it this morning and still can not get any volume from any of the receivers in SDRC to send audio to Jaero through any of the 11 VACs I have configured so at this point its not looking good.

73s.

Ben.
K6TBG

[jdow]

Um, Ben, select a receiver, say RX1. Click on a signal you want it to receive and fine tune upper left as needed. Select the next one. Click on the next frequency. This one you can simply enter upper left. And so on.

One identity I have 9 of them up simultaneously for the 7 semi-active railroad frequencies plus two NOAA WX stations I can hear. I mute what I don't want to hear and sit back and listen.

I hope you did think Simon didn't make something as useless as a matrix view all stuck on the same frequency as it sounds like your message implied.
{^_^}

[thebaldgeek]

Hi jdown,

Pushing aside how destressed I am that you interpreted my pleas for help as criticism...

If you look at my original screenshot, there is nothing useful in the upper left.
Regarding 'click on a signal you want to receive', again, as per my first post, I cant. The signal I need is hidden by the UI.
The frequency is nothing more than a huge ball park of open space with a single ball in there somewhere. Between the SDR TXO and in the case of the satellite dish C-Band LNB TXO it is often nothing more than a 'not even close' hint.
In the case of satcom, we never 'mute what I don't want to hear and sit back and listen'.... Our SDRs are always 'muted' (but not the red SDRC cross). All of them. All of the time....
The satcom guys never listen. The 12-15 SDR's I have... In the 7 years I have been at this, I have never ever heard a single audio blip from any of them. Most (even the Windows Intel NUCs) do not have a monitor or speakers attached.
I say this NOT as criticism, but rather to totally agree with you. I DO NOT want Simon to spend a single CPU cycle helping us 10-20 satcom guys. He is busy enough with the tens of thousands of HF, SWL, ham users etc. that need his attention. I totally get that I am an outliner. Our use case is off the charts nuts. Hence I am here asking for help.
Regarding the matrix, I am sure it has its uses, but not being able to select a single specific receiver to place in it is less helpful to our use case.
I am trying very hard to document how to set up an Inmarsat ground station from start to finish on my github pages, I have spent time with sdr angel, sdr console, sdr# (many versions), sdruno, cubicsdr, ham2ham, sdr++, hdsdr and a few others I forget, but my point is, satcom is not mainstream. Myself, the UK and Aust ground stations all have the exact same issues, so we know its not the computer or user that is the issue.

I am sorry my post upset you.

Ben.
K6TBG.

[Max]

Hi Ben

Regarding the display, I must be missing something you need at a very fundamental level! When you say "huge ball park of open space", what's the reason why you do not do not zoom in to the required area on the display to be able to see the individual receivers with clarity? Genuine question. what am I missing in your particular requirement? Did youi know zoom can be accomplished eiehter with the Zoom slider, or by dragging the active area "handles" in the display at the bottom of the screen.

You also option to "auto centre when zooming (or not).

Regarding the matrix, you say you can't select the receivers in it. Well, I guess that's true to some extent in terms of total flexibility, but the matrix simply displays the active receivers. So for me, the name of the game is to have different Favourites set up with different groups of receivers, so for example, I have one "Favourite" for VHF repeaters, one for UHF repeaters (at a very simple level). You have total flexibility in how many or few receivers you see in the matrix up to all 24 active receivers.

https://www.sdr-radio.com/Favourites

I do think the flexibility is there, I think it's just a question of getting to exactly what you need, but maybe I just "don't get" your exact requirements.

Maybe an easier approach would be to explain in bullet points exactly what you need to accomplish and that might help people to help you figure a way to get there?

73

Max