Make a Linux compatible version of SmartSDR

Andrew Thall

A version of SmartSDR compatible with Linux would be welcome.  It would avoid all the problems with Windows updates and would be much more stable.

Jon_KF2E

With Linux having a whopping 2% share of the desktop market, I wouldn't hold my breath. Flex has said they have no intention of doing a Linux release. Your only hope is that a third party decides to write one.

Johan / SE3X

I'd strongly object against a Linux version as being one of the other 98% something?  Windows users. I'd like Flex to put all their resources, that ain't unlimited, in solving all other issues on the To do list. Having the multi client sometimes soon would be nice!

Bill -VA3WTB

Flex will not work on a linux platform. Remember that is open source. After Flex introduced PSDR another radio company used it for their own software so they didn't have to spend the money for software development for their product.

Making a liniux version for Flex is a slippery slop. This is covered in  another thread in the last couple weeks in case you missed it.

SSDR is running very well on Win7 here, I can not imagine it getting any better. But I only use this computer for Flex SSDR, nothing more.  I am writing this on my linux Mint machine witch is  my main computer I do everything on.

Dave - WB5NHL

When asking about  Flex radio, Smartsdr and Linux everyone should listen to an interview of Steve Conklin, AI4QR and Steve Hicks, N5AC. In his interview (starting at minute 17:30) Steve says he prefers Linux over Windows personally but goes on to explain the business decisions necessary for client development.  This is a great revealing interview.

http://lhspodcast.info/2018/05/show-notes-230-flexradio-deep-dive/

Jim Jerzycke

Having been a Linux user for over 20 years now, I'd like to point out Linux is not immune to "Upgrade ****". Granted most distro vendors are very diligent, and take great pains to fix problems ASAP, but mistakes do happen.

Bill -VA3WTB

Yes I guess problems can happen any were, I have only been using Linux for about ten years,,the last 4 on Linux Mint,,I can't remember when I last had a really big problem. I use Mint for everything I do on the computer, I the only Windows machine I have is the Flex computer, only for that.

Varistor

Rather than start a totally new version, it may be a lot more practical to use a cross platform dev environment like Xamarin. By using .Net Core FRS can produce code that runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, etc. Or Unity. Game developers do this all the time and games are a lot more demanding.

Bill -VA3WTB

Could you just imagine the customer support Flex would need for all the OS platforms?

But I wonder what it would take to make SSDR run under Wine. I run many Windows programs in Linux.

KY6LA_Howard

Like with iOS and Mac, I believe that Flex will NOT be writing a Linux Client but rather they will leave it to a Third Party Developer

The API is there ..

The issue then becomes the economic incentive for a developer to write a Linux Client..

I am also guessing like with Android, there in not sufficient economic incentive for any 3rd party to write the Linux or Android  clients.

So this request is moot until some Independent 3rd Party Developer steps up to the plate

Jim Jerzycke

I have a dedicated PC for my Flex that's Win7, and my laptop I use for satellite stuff is Win7.

Everything else I use my OpenSUSE PC.

Doug - K3TZR

I agree with the sentiment that Flex shouldn't spend precious resources on multiple platform support.

Given that view, I've developed a Mac version of FlexLib. It's written in Swift which is now open-sourced and has a Linux implementation. I don't have the time for or interest in LInux but if someone does they are more than welcome to try to make my library run in Linux. I don't think it would be difficult.

My library (xLib6000) is freely available at https://github.com/DougPA/xLib6000 . While you are there take a look at xAPITester, a very useful tool for understanding the Flex 6000 API, like xLib6000 it is a native Mac application.

73's Doug

Lee, N2LC

I've been Flex-ing now for only 24 hours and already am anxious to try to get SSDR to run under Wine. Most of my excess stuff has Linux on it to milk another few years out of the machine.  Buying a Flex doesn't diminish my overall cheapness.

Bill -VA3WTB

Even though SSDR is windows based there are parts of SSDR that wine will not work with. To bad. It would take a 3rd party to implement this and I still do not see anyone stepping up to do this. And, why would they?

Matt NQ6N

I tried SmartSDR on Wine for OSX just now and there were a few errors, but it seems like it may work. I'd be curious to know what winetricks were needed to get it to work if you happen to get it working. 

Chris

I sure hope nothing that Flex did is based on someone else's hard work, that'd be akward as ****.

Bill -VA3WTB

nope...lol

Chris

Love the smug attitude of Windows fanboys. Based on the comments on this thread, I know I will never own a Flex. Amateur radio is fundamentally open source, look how many pages go into detail on making your own antennas, not to mention all the other information out there. But no, let's alienate a large portion of the people with the mindset and knowledge to make things better.

Ted VE3TRQ

“Love the smug attitude of Windows fanboys. Based on the comments on this thread, I know I will never own a Flex.” So then why bother making a comment on this Forum? Go complain elsewhere.

Bill -VA3WTB

got to just let it go Ted..lol

Chris

Because I want you to know how you're helping ruin ham radio. People say over and over that "hams are so nice" that doesn't seem to be the case here. My first experience with Flex is some of the most close minded, hurray for me F everyone else attitude that I'm glad I'm not even considering these radios.

If I posted on a Yaesu forum, I'm not going to get the point across to those that are so close minded.

Chris

Glad you're the one that went through every bit of information on these radios and have done a thorough search to make sure everything in them is 100% sourced in house.

Bill -VA3WTB

I am not a Flex employee

To me? there is just no indication that Flex used others hard work to end up were they are. But Gerald has had many people help Flex along the way.

PSDR was all Geralds creation as well as SSDR is created by Flex.

If there is any other information other wise, I am not aware of it.

Mike VE3CKO

Right on point as usual Howard. If the Linux client is so lucrative to so many users, why has not any developers grabbed this business opportunity to cash in? Maybe someone will but the whole ham market is so small as it is and then those who use Linux is a very small percentage of that, then out of those, who would buy a Flexradio? I may be wrong but from responses I've seen here and elsewhere online, a good portion of Linux users dislike Microsoft and/or paying for software, not sure there would be a lot of demand for a high end SDR such as a Flexradio. It's about return on investment, simple as that.

Bill -VA3WTB

Customer support for Windows based SSDR is very large, could you imagine adding Linux to that as well.

KC2QMA_John

The thing is FlexRadio Systems makes the API available for any programmers who want to code for the 6000 series platform.

 As I have said before there is a great opportunity just waiting for someone to start a business writing software for the Flex 6000 series. If I could code I would be doing it right now!

Obviously Windows is the most popular OS followed by Apple OS and then Linux.

I think it would be great to see a team of coders get together and write completely new clients for Apple OS, Windows & Linux. That would help grow the overall development of the FlexRadio platform more rapidly and that's good for all of us.

Here's a link to the API page: https://www.flexradio.com/api/

Darryl Mann

Best bet is for someone to make a "AppImg" that can be run under any flavor of linux.

RAndrew

"With Linux having a whopping 2% share of the desktop market"

I'll suggest that in the amateur radio world it's a bit higher, but still probably not enough to change to the commercial metrics.

"I'd strongly object against a Linux version [...] I'd like Flex to put all their resources [...] in solving all other issues"

There are cross-platform development environments like Qt that aim to make it easy to develop applications for Windows, Linux and MacOS. Even iOS and Android. But even still, there is added cost in validation and support to officially offer more platforms.

I need to learn much more about developing in Qt myself, having only piddled with some of their example apps. No promises, but I'll start looking into making a Qt based GUI application for legacy FlexRadio products (all I have is a FLEX-1500). Yes, I know about KE9NS' PowerSDR - that's where I'll start looking.

RAndrew

I should clarify:

I intend to dabble with building a Qt based SDR GUI in general, and keep my FLEX-1500 in mind as supported hardware.

Mike-VA3MW

Just to set expectations:

We get this question a lot, and we don't see this happening anytime soon for a variety of reasons, most related to economics and can you build it and make it profitable.

However, that doesn't prevent like minded hams pooling resources to doing it. If a group wants to build it, we can and will provide some technical guidance. After all, that is how the iOS and MAC OS versions got written.

Communicating with the radio is pretty easy. And, the Panadapter and Waterfall are nothing more than a movie. :)

73

pyuengling

Myself and many of my colleagues would benefit from a Linux version, or at least a supported library that we can use with something like GNU Radio. The Flex hardware is excellent and has a lot of potential for scientific use on top of amateur use, and a you may unlock a vigorous customer base by supporting Linux.

I may be able to get some folks to help port the MacOS version to Linux. Is there an API guide available? Source code? Need to sign an NDA?

Great stuff! Keep up the good work!