SmartSDR for iOS question and comments

Harold Rosee

I have been running 1.0.2 for a couple of weeks and was generally happy with it.  I had a few comments but decided to hold them for the new release which I just loaded.  So here goes.

Question first:
1.  On my iphone 6 I can only get the receive audio to come out of the earpiece. My main use is for monitoring so I was wanting the audio to come out of the speaker as is used in the speaker phone function of the phone.  Any way to do this?

2. I reported this as a problem but bring it up here to see how you all handle it.  I find it a problem switching back and forth from the phone to the PC because of the speaker settings.  If you don't turn things down before you end the IOS program and start up the PC software you get blown ouit of the room.  The problem I reported was if your VPN connection drops then you get speaker volume at the radio full blast on occasion.  Not every time.  My speaker system doesn't have a hardware volume control but I may have to add one.

Things I noticed in the few minutes I played with the new version.

1.  Sometimes the software comes up with the speaker icon x'd out.  This means the audio is playing out through the speakers.  Not good.  It should always come up with the default to the ios device to avoid the other issue I spoke of.

2. At first my volume was not loud.  I went into the settings and turned the soft volume down and back up and it raised the volume.  I was able to do this several times.

3. In the tools menu if you display the meters that are all messed up meaning you can't read the display.  The numbers are covered up by text.

4. If you change the size of the flag it won't change until you stop and restart the program.

5. I don't like not being able to flip my phone sideways.  The scope is too narrow in the vertical position. 


Anyway, my main intent of this post was to get an answer to my questions above.  The problems I am seeing could be on my end but I thought I would throw them out here also.

Thanks,

Harold
W5ZZT

Mark_WS7M

I just installed 1.04.   I found the following:

1) My averaging on the display page cannot go above 30.  Frankly for me anything less than 60 looks frenetic like my phone/radio is spazzing out.

2) SmartSDR, dogPark find my 6300 almost instantly.  IOS SDR takes 10+ seconds

Haven't had a chance to check much else but those are annoying.

George KF2T

Hi Mark, Same here on the averaging. Wouldn't mind more range. Try "fixed" connection instead of "discover" or "scan." It will be instant, then.

ThisUserDoesNotExist

Hi Guys,

thanks for your feedback.

Here are my comments:

1.) Rate and FPS limit

I added the limit for the Slow NET setting. So once you would set the NET setting to something else, you will be able to change Rate and FPS to any value. However, if that turned out to be a problem for you, I have just created a data update which will remove this behavior. So just head to settings and "Check for Data update" and this is gone.

2.) Finding the device (@Mark)

If your iOS device doesn't find your radio instantly and your Mac App does, there is most likely something wrong with your WiFi (or VPN) connection. Yes, using a fixed IP (which is now even possible for the radio) will work around this issue but it is not normal and you may want to further investigate this WiFI issue. In addition, there are a couple of suggestions (including the fixed IP suggestion) in the manual in chapter Common Issues.

3.) Speaker Icon x'ed out

The Radio remembers your last setting and the App just regards this setting. So if you previously switched back to remote audio and start the App again, it will remain on remote audio. This is the same behavior like SmartSDR for windows. If the majority of you uses prefer my App to ignore this behavior, I am happy to change this. I could also add a setting for this on whether or not to regard the Radio in this respect but I don't like the inflation of settings to be honest.

4.) Flag size changing

I filed your finding as bug. However, I was under the assumption that this general setting is something you set once to your liking and don't change it from time to time. This is probably less the case as the small slice flags now also display the frequency.

5.) Meter values messed up on iPhone

Thanks for this, filed as bug.

6.) Main Audio only on ear speaker

This can be changed on your end. There is an according option in iOS Control center which can be slided in from the bottom. At the bottom, it usually says "iPhone" and you can change this to "iPhone Speaker".

However, as this setting doesn't remain set when you close the App you have to change this setting every time you start SmartSDR for iOS.

I will add a setting for this in the App in the next version.

7.) Speaker volume when disconnecting

Is anyone else seeing this as an issue ? To change this behavior, I would have to do things different to SmartSDR for Windows which I don't really like if not really necessary. So please let me know your thoughts on this.

Thank you all.

Vy 73,
Marcus

Mark_WS7M

Hi Marcus,

Nothing wrong with my Wifi/LAN.  Both SmartSDR and DogPark instantly find the radio.  Also my software sees UDP discovery packets very quickly.

Anyway this is not a problem just a behavior you might want to know about.  Yes I understand I can set fixed IP and stuff.  I just have not gotten to it yet.  Still getting stuff setup here.

I did the data update.  I am on a "fast" network and averaging is still locked down at 30 which makes the pan look frenetic to me.

73 Mark WS7M

Mark_WS7M

I also tried following your steps, made sure iPhone was selected in control center (mine does not say iPhone Speaker) and I cannot get audio except in phone jack

ThisUserDoesNotExist

Hi Mark, thanks for your feedback and of course am I always interested in such feedback. Please don't get me wrong.

However:

I should have read your post about the averaging better. I though you meant the FPS setting which was where I implemented the limitation. Sorry. Averaging will be fixed real quick.

Regarding WiFi, it is definitely not normal if discovering takes that long. I have a very comprehensive Test environment with a couple of different networks and several iPhones and iPads and discovery with my App is usually at least as fast as with SmartSDR for Windows even when emulating low latency or low bandwidth situation which is also possible in my network. This is why I assumed there might be an issue in your network. However, can you please check if you indeed have selected discovery and not scanning (which of course will take longer) in the Settings of the App.

Regarding the control center, it is also strange that you don't see the Speaker entry. Did you check while being connected ? If so, can you please tell me which Device and iOS Version you are using ? But as mentioned before, this should not be the ultimate solution anyways.

Thanks Mark

Harold Rosee

Marcus,

You didn't address the volume issue I mention.  I just switched to the speaker from your instructions and to really get the volume loud I had to go into Settings and lower the volume slider and then raise it.  Volume is fine now. 

For Mark,  if its not there when you slide up then in addition you need to slide to the right or left.  There you will see a dropdown window that can be changed.

Let me try again on the speaker situation .  If I operate SmartSDR for Windows at home and shut it down when I leave it remembers the speakers were used last.  Now I leave the house and go remote.  When I connect on my iphone the speakers are X'd out on the phone and the audio is playing at the shack. If I turn the volume up loudly to try and see what's going on the wife hears it playing.  Once I hit the speaker icon I am good for the rest of my remote sessions.  So it appears to be the radio that remembers the settings.  The audio needs to default to the phone at startup.  It's really annoying.

You didn't address my concern of locking the display vertical.  Now, if I have the ride side displays out they cover the PTT up.  So to watch the level meter and adjust my audio I have to use vox or push ptt first and then bring the right side display out.  At least before the PTT was only hidden in the vertical position and when turn sideways you could get to it while seeing the display.  And you had a larger scope.  This has just caused a bigger problem in my opinion.

Thanks for your time in responding,

Harold
W5ZZT

Harold Rosee

I forgot to mention that it would also be nice to make sure the volume goes back down when done.  Otherwise when you go back to the PC and start you get a full volume blast when you start the program. 

From what you are saying you are letting the radio do this kind of work.  I think your program needs to save the state of things like volume and put it back when stopped.  I listen to the phone and at the shack at big difference in volume.  It's really a big problem to me because I don't have a harware volume control on my amp.  I went ahead and bought a set of Bose that will be here today.  Now I will just have to remember to turn them down when I am done.  Has to be a better solution.

Another solution would be a way to set a default startup profile in SmartSDR for Windows as an option instead of it always starting in it's last state.

Something to think about.

ThisUserDoesNotExist

Hi again Harold,

I can understand your point but I don't like to do things different to SmartSDR for Windows and that does exactly the same my App is doing. Again, I understand what you want to say and I am hammering my head (since I first heard about your suggestion some time ago) for a good solution which is according to the paradigm of the Radio as well as it addresses your request.

Saving the volume when done is not an option as "done" simply means to disconnect - which can even happen accidentally of course. Also, all radio settings should be stored by the radio and nothing should be stored locally which would have to be sent to the radio at startup or closing. This is why you can connect from any location and any device (even if you have different installations and devices) and will always find the same situation: Your last settings from any of the clients. And I think this is a good approach which I like to keep.

I also already thought about setting a startup profile but for the aforementioned reason, I stopped thinking further about this option.

However, I think part of the confusion comes from the fact that the Speaker button at the top is working as a switch between remote (this means iPhone/iPad in FlexRadio's terms) and local audio. It is basically identical to the Remote button at the top of SmartSDR for Windows.

I am currently working on an Update which I plan to send to Apple today which will change this button to be a real 'mute' button. This way, you can use this button whenever you like and your speakers at home will not be turned on.

For switching from local to remote, you will need to open the left Audio menu and change the "Device Audio" switch.

I think that's a good compromise and will even be more consistent. I hope everybody agrees.

Regarding turning the device, I have to think about a solution.

Thanks again Harold for your explanation.

vy 73,
Marcus

Harold Rosee

Marcus, I am not sure I understand what you are proposing but we'll see what it does. The problem of only saving the settings on the rig is that it only saves one set of settings. When you use the radio from different places, whether from a PC, IPhone, or iPad they are totally different environments. Each needs its own set of settings. They are totally different environments and need to be treated as such. A remote set of setting may not work for a base station sitting at the PC . I would like to see each program save his own settings. I really hope you and FRS gives this some more thought. It really goes beyond just your program. I could access the radio from two different PCs in the house that have totally different hardware. Having the last setting in the radio are fine . I would just like to see an option in your program as well as the windows versions to select a default startup profile instead of the saved setting if wanted. It would be an option. I am just thinking out loud. It need not be rushed into and others may disagree. With my flex3000 I used the system at www.remotehams.com. It was flawless. The problem was it is only available for windows and Android phones. I decided to go back to the IPhone because of your program.. Just my opinions so please take it that way. I can certainly use the program as it is I will just have to come up with some procedures to switch back and forth which I do a lot. Harold

Ken - NM9P

Marcus, I like the idea of having the front panel as a simple mute and have the remote/local audio switching controls in the left hand pull-out audio menu.

As far as the turning issue...would you be able to have the PTT button position stored separately for when the phone/iPad is in vertical position vs. horizontal position?  I don't know it the software can flag that, but it would be nice....

I also noticed the AVG control started all the way to the right, labeled as 50, but when I adjusted it to the left a bit and then back to the right it would only go to 30.  Which is no big problem for me because I never run it more than 30, but it is a bug.

I really like the ability to turn the waterfall completely off!  that saves quite a bit of bandwidth on my limited connection, and gives me more range on my panadapter display.

The frequency on the small flag and on the small tuning knob are nice touches.

Thanks for the update!

Ken - NM9P

Ken - NM9P

Harold, that is what Global Profiles is all about.  Set your SSDR-IOS up that way you want it to operate, then save it as a Global Profile as "IOS REMOTE."  Then whenever you operate from the iPad you can load the IOS profile and everything will be set up that way.

Be sure to set up and save Mic Profiles for whatever mics and purposes (IOS-Rag Chew, IOS-DX, IOS-Weak Signal, BluTooth-Rag, BluTooth-DX, etc) you will be using from the IOS.  Then you won't need to adjust everything all the time, just select the correct profile.

You can even save the display Averaging, FPS, and other parameters in the IOS Global Profile.

i DO like your idea of a definable "startup" Global Profile for each client.  However it may or may not work predictably when FRS someday enables multiple, simultaneous client access.  You might get competing profile requests, which could be a problem. 

Ken - NM9P

Harold Rosee

Ken,

Thanks for your suggestions.  I have a lot of reading to do.  I have just had this radio for a few weeks but after owning a 5000 I feel right at home.  But to be honest I have read about the profiles much.  I know enough to save the Global one to get me back to the start so to speak.  I do have one saved for IOS also.

The problem is to remember to set it back when I am done with the remote.  Otherwise I get the high volume setting when I start the desktop back up. I did get some Bose speakers today so now I have a knob to turn down before I go remote.  This will solve my immediate issue.

These guys really did a good job on the software. It's really a lot more user friendly than compared to the PowerSDR.  I did break down and got me another Flexcontrol and just love it for volume/agc-t and slow tuning.

Hope to catch you on the bands,

Harold

ThisUserDoesNotExist

I sent an update 1.0.5 to Apple yesterday which addresses (I think) everything we have discussed including device turning, AVG setting, Audio via Speaker, Meter values and the speaker/mute solution as proposed.

I set this update to auto-release so once Apple finished their approval process it will be available automatically. I spoke to Apple and asked for an expedite review but they told me they are currently too busy to be able to speed this up - at least it was worth a try.

My hope for version 1.0.4 (and now for 1.0.5) was to have a version for you which includes everything you were asking for lately and with all bugs fixed so I can now start working on the bigger things like logging and external controller support. So let's hope 1.0.5 keeps to be this version.

vy 73,
Marcus