After having dabbled in Linux years ago, I decided it was time again to find out how to use Linux in FMDAB DX, with my hardware (RSP1A, RTL-SDR and AirspyR2).
I chose Ubuntu in a virtual machine (Virtual Box) and have a go at the Linux adventure.
DAB
Welle.io Easiest to install was Welle.io as it can also be found in the Ubuntu Software package in your Ubuntu install. Just follow the instructions on your screen. Welle.io does a great job with Airspy and RTL-SDR, actually even better than on Windows 10 for that matter.
QT-DAB-4.0. Developer Jan Van Katwijk is an avid Linux user and software developer who is not much into Windows. QT-DAB works wonderfully well in Linux with no audio drops on strong muxes as sometimes happened with Windows 10. QT-DAB is great with AirspyR2, RSP1A (Jan’s favourite) and RTL-SDR. Jan strongly advises to download and install the necessary Linux API from SDRPlay first. Then run these commands in the Terminal: git clone git:// git.osmocom.org/rtl-sdr.git cd rtl-sdr/ mkdir build cd build cmake ../ -DINSTALL_UDEV_RULES=ON -DDETACH_KERNEL_DRIVER=ON make sudo make install sudo ldconfig cd .. rm -rf build cd .. QT-DAB works excellently with RSP1A and AirspyR2. Its performance is a bit less with the RTL-SDR dongle. Performance wise I feel QT doing better with Linux than Windows, but admittedly this is more a ‘watch and feel’ thingy. I do prefer the QT Linux GUI though; it’s just smoother.
QIRX? Clem Schmidt developed a Linux version (1.0.0.4) of the superb QIRX, but it’s outdated now as Clem concentrates on developing QIRX for Windows. I haven’t installed this.
FM
My favourite software for FM is the excellent SDR-Console developed by Simon Brown. Simon has made some great improvements on RDS decoding in 2021. SDRC now performs as well as SDR## with RDSSpy. Simon is NOT into Linux and there won’t be a Linux version any time soon.
Gqrx Gqrx is for Linux and its development seems to have stopped in 2018. It can easily be found in the Linux software repositories. It works well with the RTL-SDR dongles.
SDR++ New SDR++ should work well on Linux and I got it running, but after updating to a newer version I cannot get it working any longer. To be continued.
Many thanks to Jan Van Katwijk in helping me with my first Ubuntu steps.
Today Clem Schmidt released QIRX 3.1.6. What’s new?
1.RSPs Spectrum Level: 8- and 16-bit settings now show identical spectrum levels.
2. AAC Decoding and Recording: Again decoding with “Audio Specific Coding” ASC instead of ADTS headers. AAC recordings made with LOAS/LATM headers (ASC is a prerequisite). This solves the problem of the audio recordings having a too low pitch, due to the DAB+ mandatory 960 frame length. The VLC player handles the files correctly. Foobar2000 and the Windows Media Player don’t play these files. WAV format remains selectable.
3. qirx_audio V1.2: Change to ASC decoding. Additionally, V1.2 solves an error causing a crash when changing from a service with 48kHz sampling rate to one with 32kHz. Remark: Older versions of qirx_audio do not work with this QIRX version.
MHz UTC ITU Program + Location Details Remarks km 93.90 0947 I Radio Capital, Avigliano/Monte Carmine-Torre 1 (pz) PI logged: 5219 1420km 87.80 0948 I Radio Maria, Roseto Capo Spulico/Contrada Commaroso-Monte Titolo (cs) or Lappano? PI logged: 51CC PS logged: R.MARIA_ 1529km 87.50 1005 I Radio PeterPan, Lecce/Via Cicolella, 3-Confcommercio (le) 1575km 89.70 1005 I Radio PeterPan, Alessano/Contrada Lapiddi-Strada comunale Monte Ciancio (le) PI logged: 525E 1621km 87.50 1006 I Radio Radicale, Martina Franca/Monte Trazzonara-Strada Carbonico Zona H (ta) PI logged: 5210 1511km 89.70 1043 BUL BNR Hristo Botev, Kresna/RRTS Pastrets (blg) PI logged: 8220 1734km 89.80 1044 RKS Radio Prishtina, Prishtina=Priština (Kos) PI logged: D055 1551km 89.70 1051 HRV HRT-HR 1, Biokovo/Sveti Jure (st) PI logged: C201 1260km 89.80 1055 I Radio Kiss Kiss, San Giovanni Rotondo/Monte Celano (fg) PI logged: 5225 PS logged: KISSKISS 1329km
MHz UTC ITU Program + Location Details Remarks km 89.70 1232 BIH Radio Ilijaš, Ilijaš/Karašnica (sar) PI logged: F340 1282km 87.80 1234 BIH Radiopostaja Mir Medugorje, Banja Luka/Petricevac-Franjevacki samostan (srp) or Jajce / Suhi Vrh? PI logged: F24B 1156km 89.80 1234 BIH Radio M, Zenica/Klopacke stijene (znc) PI logged: F279 PS logged: RADIO_M_ 1244km
89.30 1236 BIH Radio Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine, Vlašic (sbs) PI logged: F209 PS logged: RADIO-F. 1219km
89.40 1236 HRV Radio Sisak, Sisak/Klobucak-Stari Gaj (sk) PI logged: C460 PS logged: SISACKI_ 1064km
91.50 1236 BIH BIG Radio 2, Banja Luka/Krcmarice (srp) PI logged: F421 1159km 94.10 1237 MKD Makedonsko Radio 2, Veles/Crn Vrv (VA) PI logged: 4202 1647km 94.50 1238 RKS Radio Dukagjini, Zatriq=Zatric (Kos) PI logged: 2846 1535km 95.30 1238 BIH Bobar Radio, Kozara/Lisina (srp) PI logged: F262 PS logged: BOBAR_ 1130km
97.30 1240 MKD Makedonsko Radio 1 – Radio Skopje, Veles/Crn Vrv (VA) PI logged: 4201 PS logged: MAKED_ ONSKA_ 1647km 96.50 1241 BIH BIG Radio 3, Banja Luka/Krcmarice (srp) PI logged: F320 1159km 87.80 1245 SVN Radio Fantasy, Celje/Svetina (ce) PI logged: 935E 943km
Radio Fantasy, Celje/Svetina
91.80 1258 BIH Radio Tuzlanskog kantona, Srebrenik/Okrešanica (tuz) PI logged: F024 1246km 92.70 1301 BIH Radio Feral, Kalesija/Jajici (tuz) PI logged: F0BA 1283km
89.30 1304 SRB RTS-Radio Beograd 2/3, Jastrebac (Srb) PI logged: D2F6 PS logged: RTS_RB_2 1517km 90.10 1304 SRB RTS-Radio Beograd 2/3, Ovcar (Srb) PI logged: D2F6 1403km 90.90 1304 SRB RTS-Radio Beograd 1, Kopaonik/Gobelja (Srb) PI logged: D2FF PS logged: RTS_____ 1482km
RTS-Radio Beograd 1, Kopaonik/Gobelja
91.50 1304 HRV Radio Daruvar, Daruvar/Petrov vrh (bj) PI logged: C43C 1107km 90.00 1307 BIH Radio Tuzlanskog kantona, Tuzla/Ilincica (tuz) PI logged: F024 1264km 92.10 1309 HRV HRT-HR 1, Zagreb/Sljeme (zg) PI logged: C201 1002km 92.90 1310 BUL BNR Hristo Botev, Sofia/Kopitoto-KRTTS Vitoša (sfg) PI logged: 8220 1681km 94.90 1310 HRV HRT-HR 1, Papuk/Kapovac (pz) PI logged: C201 1147km 87.60 1317 HRV Podravski Radio, Durdevac/Veliki Kostanj (kc) PI logged: C440 1060km
89.70 1317 SRB RTS-Radio Beograd 1, Jagodina/Crni vrh (Srb) PI logged: D2FF PS logged: RTS_RB_1 1451km 88.30 1318 HRV HRT-HR 1, Vinkovci/Borinci (vu) PI logged: C201 PS logged: HRT-HR_1 1215km 93.40 1318 HRV Radio Ludbreg, Ludbreg/Katalena (vz) PI logged: C44B PS logged: LUDBREG_ 1020km
95.10 1318 HRV Radio Grubišno Polje, Grubišno Polje/Silos-Ul.Brace Radic (bj) PI logged: C442 PS logged: RGP_95__ 1090km
95.30 1320 SRB RTS-Radio Beograd 1, Beograd/Avala (Srb) or Besna Kobila? PI logged: D2FF PS logged: RTS_RB_1 95,3_MHzAvala_ 1367km 94.40 1320 BIH A Radio, Banja Luka/Šibovi (srp) PI logged: F599 1156km
