

- #How to use virtual audio cable with rtl sdr install
- #How to use virtual audio cable with rtl sdr software
As soon as new packets are broadcast on that frequency, new messages should appear in main window. Look there and click on a broadcast to set decoding frequency. The waterfall display of WSJT-X shows at least 2000 Hz of the spectrum. Select a frequency where you notice FT8 packets. Otherwise, WSJT-X will throw a rig error and you need to check your virtual rig configuration. To change the frequency, select a wavelength from the combo box located on the left of the big frequency display. In the main window of WSJT-X select from Mode, FT8. Move to Audio tab and set as input the Virtual_Sink.monitor. Click Test CAT button and if everything is correctly set up, the button color should change to green.ĭon't close the settings window yet. Choose Hamlib NET rigctl rig and insert the correct IP:port of Gqrx. Go to File - Settings and select Radio tab. Move to Receiver Options tab and select USB, with normal filter. In the right pane of Gqrx, Input controls tab, drag the gain sliders close to the middle position. From the same menu or using the toolbar button enable Remote control. Go to Tools - Remote control settings and note the allowed IP and port (usually 127.0.0.1:7356). Do not go below 48000 sample rate (integer multiples of this number are preferred). Select your device and adjust input rate and decimation to get a sample rate as small as possible in order to have a better view of the narrowband signal on the waterfall and reduce CPU load. Launch Gqrx and go to File - I/O Devices or use the toolbar button. Pacmd load-module module-null-sink sink_name=Virtual_Sink sink_properties=scription=Virtual_Sink Let's startĬonnect a proper antenna to the receiving hardware (RTL-SDR works as well for some of the FT8 frequencies HackRF can receive all FT8 broadcasts in HF and VHF bands).
#How to use virtual audio cable with rtl sdr install
So, let's install everything and set up audio. This one is available too in Ubuntu repos. For this guide, a virtual PulseAudio device will be created using the information from here.

It's easy to make virtual audio devices with common sound systems. This requires a virtual audio cable that we'll create with a simple command. SSB demodulated audio from Gqrx will be piped to WSJT-X. Since I'm using Ubuntu, I was able to find the latest Gqrx in the default repos. The developer offers binaries and this is also available in the respositories of some distributions. Besides configuration, a virtual audio cable is needed. The latter can be configured to automatically set the frequency of the SDR software. So, I'll be using a SDR application (Gqrx) set to SSB (upper side band) demodulation and I will pipe its audio output to WSJT-X. For FT8 decoding and generation there is WSJT-X software, but this one accepts only audio input. However, SDR tools come with support for common analog modulation.
#How to use virtual audio cable with rtl sdr software
We'll decode FT8 messages using HackRF hardware with software defined radio (SDR) application. FT8 works very well even with a lot of noise and it is simple to receive and transmit using the computer soundcard and SSB transceiver. A transmission lasts for exactly 12.64 seconds and occupies about 50 Hz bandwidth (8 tones at 6.25 Hz spacing).

It is a digital mode created by Joe Taylor, K1JT and Steve Franke, K9AN which uses 8-FSK modulation. Configure WSJT-X and Gqrx to receive digital ham radio FT8 broadcasts on Linux computersįT8 has become the most popular data mode for ham radio.
