SDR-Bridge 1.1.0 with new SPLIT support and compatibility with SmartSDR 1.4 available for download!

Ed - W2RF

There's a new release of SDR-Bridge available at http://www.qrv.com. It has new support for SPLIT operations, is compatible with SmartSDR 1.4... and beyond! The current 1.0.4 version expires on Feburary 25th, so don't delay. Download the new 1.1.0 version today. Be ready for the future of SmartSDR, and explore the new features of SDR-Bridge!

Enjoy!

73 Ed W2RF

David Decoons, wo2x

Thanks for your work on this Ed!

howard krawitz

I don't know what this is. How do you load it into the 6500?

EA4GLI

Thanks Ed!!

Ed - W2RF

I've just added links to Al NN4ZZ's installation and quickstart guide, and Lee W9OY's blog post on the new SPLIT function to the web page. Very useful information. Thanks to Al and Lee for the excellent work!

73 Ed W2RF

Clay N9IO

W2RF Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Ed I was literally telling my friend Ken W9IE last night that my only issue was the Split instability when trying to work a DXpedition in split so I have not been running CW Skimmer during K1N.
Truth is I didn't have knads enough to make a complaint on a piece of software that is truly genius otherwise!
Thanks again so much for what folks like you and the many others on this Flex site contribute to the advancement of what I consider to be the finest radio "ever" made.
My 6300 is truly stable as a rock now, WOW I'm both happy and impressed.
Had it working in about the same amount of time it took to download the update...
73'
de Clay N9IO, Bonfield, IL

DH2ID

Ed, thank you for SDR-Bridge, a truly excellent bridge to CW Skimmer. I have it running now and it runs stable, sending out spots for the RBN network.

Sergey R5AU

Ed, thank you for good job !
Excellent SW !
Can we have a chance to look for integration with DXlab and N1MM ? 

Ed - W2RF

Although SDR-Bridge itself is CAT-free, it is compatible with SmartSDR CAT.

CAT compatibility means that if you are using a CAT logger or other CAT program on Slice A and Slice B, SDR-Bridge will track what you are doing. Also if in SDR-Bridge you click a CW Skimmer spot, the CAT program will follow the click.

In the new SDR-Bridge 1.1, CAT split compatibility has been enhanced by a special option. On the Radio tab check "Split follows TX slice" to enable this compatibility. With this enabled, if you put your CAT logger in split, which makes TX switch to Slice B, SDR-Bridge notices that and makes adjustments.

The main adjustment SDR-Bridge makes in split is that it changes which slice gets CW Skimmer clicks. If you are out of split, TX is on the main Slice A, and clicks go there. However if you are in split, TX is on the split Slice B, and it receives clicks. Which is exactly what you want!

Other changes made by the SPLIT feature include altering the "Mute all but active" function so that it mutes the split slice. Also double-clicking the Stream column header changes the display to show Split slices. And there are a number of other adjustments made going in and out of split.

This adds up to full compatibility for SmartSDR with N1MM+ in a single radio dual receiver configuration. And this is true for other CAT based loggers and tools.

Lee W9OY has an excellent blog post on the new SPLIT feature at http://sdr-w9oy.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-new-dxing-gizmo-from-w2rf.html

73 Ed W2RF

Sergey R5AU

Thank you Ed!

Ed - W2RF

While I was implementing the SDR-Bridge new SPLIT feature, I tested it on K1N pileups. Here's my result from ClubLog. Worked quite well!

k3Tim

Nice!

Thanks for you efforts on the Bridge..

You mentioned "is compatible with SmartSDR 1.4"

can you send me the link to it ?  

:-)

Thanks,
k3Tim

Ed - W2RF

Should have said "upcoming" (hi hi) no information on when but guess it might be soon!

It's also backwards compatible with 1.3.8 and all earlier versions of SmartSDR.

k3Tim

:-)

Ed - W2RF

There have been a couple of reports that SDR-Bridge 1.1.0.107 crashed when the radio was power cycled. If you experience this, please submit a problem report at http://www.qrv.com. Thanks!

Rick Hadley - W0FG

I just got home from a week of vacation.  Downloaded & installed the latest version of SDR-Bridge, brought it up and worked K1N on 15 CW on the first call after clicking on a spot on CW Skimmer!  Thanks, Ed!

Ed - W2RF

Great! Glad it is working for you, RIck!

Jay Nation

Wow Ed, I think you just blew my mind. I had thought SDR-Bridge was only a man in the middle way of connecting SSDR to Skimmer, and dismissed it because i don't run skimmer, it can do more than that cant it. 

Does it do ethernet?

Ed - W2RF

Jay,

Yes you got the picture, SDR-Bridge can do quite a bit just with the radio, no skimmer or logger required. That's expecially true now with the new SPLIT feature. Thanks for pointing it out!

If you mean by ethernet running SDR-Bridge and SmartSDR on different computers, yes you  can. If you mean running remote with the upcoming SmartSDR 1.4, yes it does!

73 Ed W2RF

Al_NN4ZZ

My CW Skimmer and SDR-Bridge setup and troubleshooting notes have been updated for Ed's latest version.   SDR-Bridge is now compatible with both V1.38 and the soon to be released V1.4 of SmartSDR.  

The latest version of the notes file is dated 15-Feb-2015.   There are a few new troubleshooting tips in this version as well as the updated version information. 

Also, the notes are available on my web page and anyone can access them at:

http://www.nn4zz.com/Data/NN4ZZ%20CwSkimmer%20Bridge%20setup%2015-Feb-2015.pdf


Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

Ed - W2RF

Thanks, Al!

Ken - NM9P

Nice Tutorial, Al!
Question:  What is the practical difference MME vs. WDM in the Audio tab?  I seem to get better resolution with WDM.

Al_NN4ZZ

Good question Ken....maybe someone with more PC audio experience can explain it.  

Now I wonder whether it makes any difference in the CW Skimmer application.  I haven't tried switching to see if both work the same or whether it is sound card dependent.

Now we need to know (hihi).   

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

Ed - W2RF

The default IQx.ini files are set up to use WDM. In my experience WDM is more stable and has lower latency than MME.

Just checked and on my computer WDM is smoother; MME has a slight twitch. But I was surprised that MME works as well as it does.

73 ED W2RF

Al_NN4ZZ

Thanks Ed,
On my PC I can't tell the difference but did some research and it backs up your comment related to latency.  Here is an excerpt from one of the postings I found.

*************************************************************************
Which One Should I Use?

For the best performance, you should use WDM and only use MME if there is no other option. 

What’s The Difference?
The main difference is what sort of technologies each interface uses, or at least prefers. Some rely on your main processor, some off-load to the chip on your soundcard, and still some will use advanced hardware features of certain hardware.

MME (MultiMedia Extensions) is also referred to as “wave in”, “wave out”, or “mmsystem” and is the oldest and “dumbest” of the contenders. It was introduced way back with Windows 3.0! It is still around as a fallback, because all sound cards and applications can talk to it, which is a huge benefit. The primary downside is that it is very inefficient, having the most latency of any of the technologies. Another issue is that it is limited to a 16 bit audio depth and 44.1 kHz sample rate. 

*************************************************************************

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

Ed - W2RF

Good information. But although it says 44.1khz is max, I was able to connect MME to DAX IQ at 192khz. For what it's worth...

Al_NN4ZZ

Ed,
I read some other articles and got the impression MME internally samples at 44.1 khz but the I/O can be at a higher rate.  That may explain some of the jittering and sampling issues.

Of course I could be misinterpreting the docs....but bottom line, MME is older and less capable as you noted.   

Regards, Al / NN4ZZ  
al (at) nn4zz (dot) com

Ken - NM9P

Thanks for the clarification!

Ken - NM9P

AL, here is a tidbit for your help file...
I have several times moved from two-slice split to single slice split with XIT and the "Green Box" and triangle marker would not follow correctly.  Toggling the TX on slice 'A' off and on restored the function.  It seems that Skimmer loses track of it when certain changes are made.  

I am still learning how to make best use of Skimmer.  I have done almost all of my W1AW/p and DXing without it so far, but I tried it on the 160 CW contest and found it helpful, as too the K1N DXpedition.  

Ed - W2RF

Ken,

When SDR-Bridge switches in and out of split, the green box is not being moved accordingly. This will be fixed in the next update. Thanks for the report!

73 ED W2RF

Ed - W2RF

SDR-Bridge 1.1.1 is now available for download at http://www.qrv.com. Features new integration of SPLIT with DIV (diversity), improved synchronization, and bug fixes. Thanks for the feedback.

Enjoy!

73 ED W2RF