V3 Mac user Question xDax and xCat ..do they work in V3 ??

K3SF

Now  that V3 is out in the wild and users are downloading and using it.

My question it aimed at Mac users.

As digital modes are important to me
and
the key interfaces are xdax and xcat and my main modes are FT8 and RTTY

Question#1..Does xDax and xCAT with wsjtx ( FT8 Mode)

Question#2  Does FLDIGI still work for you?

Paul K3SF

Burch - K4QXX

I read on the Dogpark site that Max logger and DogparkSDR were not supported at this time.  Not sure on xDax and xCat. 

Ted VE3TRQ

I’ll let you know about xDax / xCat / FLDigi as soon as my update to v3 is done :-)

Burch - K4QXX

Ted, do you use DogparkSDR?  Curious to see if it does work.  I use DogparkSDR more than I do SSDR so I don't want to purchase V3 yet.

Mario_DL3LSM

It's unlikely that xDAX and xCAT will work with V3. I did not expect such a big change at this time. My Flex is at my parents place since Xmas (I don't have any antennas where I live so I can either develop or operate remotely) and only after the Easter holidays I will be able to bring it here to do something with the apps. So if you need xDAX and xCAT for your operating you might have to stay with V2.. Sorry..

73, Mario DL3LSM

Ted VE3TRQ

xDax and xCat DEFINITELY DO NOT WORK :-( I mostly use xCat / xDax / FlDigi / WSJT-X / JS8Call on the Mac, and let the "M" front end deal with the Panadapters / slices.

It's back to 2.4.9 :-(

Ted VE3TRQ

I do have dogParkSDR, and use it when I need it. I usually just let the front end GUI on my 6600M deal with the Panadapter / slice setup, and only use xDax / xCat plus the digital app on my Mac. I was planning on waiting for Don Agro to finish up dp changes before worrying about that, BUT, now find I cannot use v3 - xDax / xCat do not work.

Boo to Flex! I was tending to give Flex the benefit of the doubt in Dave's argument with them, but I think I just changed my mind. I REALLY wanted the advantages of v3, but now find they are useless to me :-( Almost sorry I spent the $199 (Cdn$270) for the upgrade.

K3SF

Mario
thank you for the info

i am looking forward to your update whenever you can get to it....
but
most importantly, enjoy your holiday

thanks
Paul K3SF   .
one avid Mac user and grateful for Mac developers like Mario and Don and others...

K3SF

yep..
that is why i also have an M model


BUMMER ;-(


Paul K3SF

Ted VE3TRQ

I do have to say that SSDR for iOS and the “M” front panel co-exist very nicely. Had the radio with two pans/slices on 40m digital and phone, brought up the iPad on 20m phone and it worked great.

Burch - K4QXX

Hi Mario

Just wondering if you still plan to update xDAX and xCAT for V3.  I finally updated to V3 and an missing being able to use the Mac for digital modes. I know there are some workarounds but it was really nice being able to use your software.

Burch
K4QXX

Mario_DL3LSM

Hi Burch,

yes, I still plan to support V3 but life is not giving me enough time for this at the moment. I have not even upgraded to V3 but I hope that I can start soon.. Sadly it's only a hobby.. :-/

73, Mario DL3LSM

Burch - K4QXX

Thanks for the update Mario.  I just updated to V3 yesterday and already miss your software.

Lee - N2LEE

Mario, is there any chance you can enlist help on this project in order?  There must be other OSX hams / coders that would like to get involved.

I would like to encourage Flex to partner with you and either help fund the development or at least connect you with other OSX Flex developers.

Obviously all internal development is being done on Windows but Mac and IOS are important to Flex for marketing purposes. SSDR has the numbers but demonstrating the ability for Flex Radios to work across all platforms is a huge marketing advantage.

Flex has been endorsed SmartSDR for IOS that Marcus has developed and that runs on 3.x so maybe they can use that relationship to help with XDax and xCat.

Lee - N2LEE

In my opinion if we want to see xDax and xCat continue, it be would worthwhile for each of us to send a few euros/dollars to Mario showing our support. Having this capability on the Mac is certainly of value to me.

https://www.paypal.me/dl3lsm

Ted VE3TRQ

When I see support for v3, I will definitely want to contribute. Mario should just ask for some minimal “contribution” when a user downloads the apps. Just provide a convenient “Donate” link.

Bob Crowley

I would gladly pay for this as well. With V2 I have MacLoggerDX and WSJT-X and FLDigi all working perfectly. It's an ideal station setup for me. Not so with V3. I'm running xDAX V1.0.

K3SF

hi bob

i too would like to see Xdax Xcat running with V3

it is my understanding that some of the Mac libraries built for smartsdr and mac have been the work of Doug K3TZR and Doug is currently in transition to a new location. 

So until Doug is able to update those libraries,  it maybe impossible for Mario to update the xdax/xcat s/w.

once again this is my feeble understanding of current situation.

note
there is a version of smartsdr that runs mac native for V2 SSDR
https://github.com/DougPA/xSDR6000


this looks just like windows smartsdr

Paul K3SF

Mario_DL3LSM

Hi all,

sorry for the long delay but my life was turned upside down during the last months.. But at least my busy summer (job-wise) is coming to an end and I hope to resume my work on xDAX/xCAT for v3 (I started before the summer).. Although Doug is in transition to a new location we were working closely together for the parts of the library xDAX is using (e.g. streams).. Thanks for your patience!

73, Mario DL3LSM

K3SF

hi Mario

Always good to just hear from you and how things are going and that the Library is a collaborative effort with Doug...

Joint effort like that help make a better and more robust product.

i do look forward to your update to xdax/xcat as i think a lot of other flex/mac user are too

"Great s/w come in time, when those who spend their time doing it right."

as always i say thanks to you for your 'time' given freely to us.

Paul K3SF

Golden23412

Good idea! Just sent him a donation for encouragement.

Patrick

I have xSDR6000 running well on my Mac.  But would like to know if xDAC and xCAT will be available and compatible with the new SDR program.  Currently they exhibit  will not connect to the radio.  Also wsjt-x v 2.1.2 exhibits a memory error when starting up.  Any update info would be appreciated.  

Ted VE3TRQ

You will need th latest vxDax / xCat for v3. They are independent of the SDR6000 program. You of course will also need Loopback or some such audio tool.

Patrick

Thanks, are there a number of audio tools and which is your preference?

Ted VE3TRQ

Pat, I have tried 2 free ones and 2 paid ones (sorry it was long enough ago, the app names escape me). In the end, the only one that worked well for me, and was trivially simple to use was Loopback. Cost was around $76. There is another newer one that came up after I purchased Loopback - maybe someone on here will point it out.

Patrick

wsjt-x now works with the fix to change size of memory.  I ended up buying sound siphon and have had the RX audio working and decoding in wsjt-x.  Could not get xmt audio going.  Tried to fix and now no audio at all.  So if any one has a set up for sound siphon that works tx and RX it would be appreciated.  CAT working great.  Going to step away for awhile and study the matter.  
xCAT and xDAX are great and compare well with the Flex versions.

Ted VE3TRQ

Sound Siphon (the trial version) was the one I could just not get to work - that’s the reason I went to Loopback. And that didn’t work on my MacBook until I rebooted the Mac twice after the install. As I recall, Soundflower was the free precursor to Sound Siphon - it worked in the past, but was pretty hard to use.

K3SF

i agree with Ted, better to pay and use loopback

soundflow/sound siphon has not been the best or the most stable for me
BUT
loopback is...i run V2 now
fro example i build a loopback for each dax channel
and
for each digital transmit type ( fldigi wsjtx)
that way i dont cross digital modes on transmit












Paul K3SF

Patrick

Paul, Ted and Mario,  I have it ALL up and running now, including logging.  SDR v3.1.11, xDAX, xCAT, xSDR6000, wsjt-x and MacLogger v6 all running together.  Also my Flex 6500 via USB connection from the radio to amp controlling my amp via the SPE 2k control app running on the PC.  So I can actually change bands via my profiles in the Flex 6500.  Being controlled from the Mac.  I ended up buying Loopback.  Was incredibly easy to set up and I was up in less then a minute from the time I started the program.  So the basic question of this community was if xDAX and xCAT work with v3.1.11 SmartSDR. 

YES !!!!

K3SF

Hi Pat

Welcome to the world of an all mac solution for Flex radios

I am a total Mac-Flex Fan Man for sure ;-)

'see'  ya on the air

Paul K3SF