Mac software

Tony M0VDO

I wonder how people are getting on with the Mac version of smart sdr.... I am very pleased with it so far Marcus seems to be moving at lightening pace with the updates and keeping things running smoothly

George KF2T

Also pleased. Marcus is rapidly squashing bugs and improving capabilities. Definitely a winner and a great way to run your Flex on Mac.

Pete - W6OP

It's a great application. Really nice not having to use SmartSDR in a virtual machine any more. I'm really pleased at how fast Marcus is fixing the bugs.

W1XYZ

it's OK and I still have to get used to it. Many of the functions relating to each other are in separate places or in sub menus. HPSDR which I also use has everything out in the open, and functions are located in groups (such as "audio" containing volume, squelch, tone, NR and mute), which I think is quicker. The ability to move panels and arrange your screen would be a welcome upgrade for the future. There are a few bugs but no crashes so far which is great. I have not switched my main station over to SmartSDR for the Mac yet, as I have MacLoggerDX and the associated SDR application running quite smoothly, but since I got this additional 6400 for remote I'd like to work out SmartSDR for Mac for its connectivity features.

Terry Wilkin

Love the software!! Great to have all the operating functions on my iMac! One problem I cannot solve....when operating with 2 slices/pan adapters on the same band, 20 meters, if the A slice is on CW and the B slice is on USB, I get what sounds like audio feedback on the USB slice, if I reverse the settings and put the USB slice on the A slice and the CW on the B slice...works perfect! On 40 meters, both operating slices work perfect. Am I missing a setting on the 20 meter slice?
Thanks

Sergey KN7K

I saw Apple announced new Mac mini today and I always been curious about Apple, but used Windows all my life.

Few questions:

1. Does Maestro works with SmartSDR for the Mac?
2. Is there anyway to have PGXL utility, Stacks3 on Mac?
3. What other limitations to use Mac besides finding a new log SW

Thanks

Sergey, KN7K

WX7Y

Well I can answer your question Sergey

1: The Maestro does not care what other computers your running, the Maestro talks to the Radio the same way as the Windows / MAC / IOS SmartSDR programs do.

2: there is NO PGXL utility for the MAC YET but the SmartSDR - MAC controls the AMP the same way SmartSDR on Windows or IOS does.

3: the Logging software is built into the MAC version of SmartSDR as is a FT8 Software package BUT I am very NEW to the MAC and I have not yet figured out how to get DAX and CAT working for the soundcard based programs like FLDIGI and others, the instructions are for a seasoned MAC user that has other software already installed on the MAC computer which I don't have yet.

Would be helpful to have some step by step instructions to go by to get it working, nearest I can tell it is like the old PowerSDR that had single com port that talked to Virtual serial ports and DDUTIL and VAC audio that talked to the VAC program to interface to other software.

WHAT AM I MISSING?

Conclusion: the MAC SmartSDR is a NICE peace of software and having the other Tools and programs built into it is a great addition

George KF2T

The key to using DAX with external programs on the Mac is a virtual sound device application. I recommend Rogue Amoeba's "Loopback." With it, you can create unlimited numbers of virtual devices and use them as if they were sound cards for each of your apps. For starters, just make a "DAX TX" and "DAX A" device, and assign them appropriately in SSDR and WSJT/FLDIGI/whatever. Works great.

WX7Y

Hi George I've been trying the "Loopback" program and I see audio from the radio to the output channel but don't see anything getting back to FLDIGI.

Maybe you could send a screen grab to give an Idea of how it should be set up?

once I get the audio working then I'll move onto the CAT control / PTT stuff working.

Thanks so much for your time

George KF2T

Hope these help!

WX7Y

Thanks so much George I appreciate it very much should be easy to follow not

73

Alan

George

I see how to do FLDigi Audio.

Can you show some screenshots for how to configure Mac FLDigi Flex rig control?

Alan. WA9WUD

WX7Y

It's really to bad there is NOT a good and easy Macro / installer to install and configure DAX and CAT on the MAC - SmartSDR APP, the APP is really missing the boat as far as the best features of SmartSDR for Windows.

I really appreciate the help an screen grabs that has been in this Discussion but some of the Pictures resolution is very poor and hard to read.

The APP itself description is misleading and says integrated CAT and DAX built in but it doesn't say anything about having to have other 3rd party apps to be able to use DAX and CAT to talk to WSJT-X or FLDIGI or any other Digital software program.

If I would have known this I would not have purchased the MAC SmartSDR version until this was added.

Mark_WS7M

The app does have built in DAX. Single channel from what I have seen. CAT seems to be built in as well.

The app contains a very nicely done, built in FT8/FT4 functionality. For many ops this will be all they need. No need for special DAX/CAT as it is all handled automatically in that mode.

Here is the built in CAT & DAX

No extra purchase needed to get those functionalities that are in SmartSDR Mac.

So why Loopback, xDAX and xCAT?

First as you can see above the built in DAX is only one channel or at least I can't seem to get more than one channel to be active.

Second, and maybe some more experienced Mac gurus will tell me what I did wrong, the DAX above wants you to pick devices both for input and output. This is typical except that for me, when FLDigi was installed it did not create any unique TX device so the only devices I could pick in this dialog above for DAX input (TX) were microphones on my Mac. Same for WSJT-X.

It seemed I still needed a way to make a DAX TX device of some kind.

Enter Loopback. Loopback for not that much money allows you to create specific devices and use them as you desire. So I created a FlexTX device, FlexSliceA, FlexSliceB etc. And... if you want to get creative you can do interesting things like route Slice A audio and Slice B audio into a new combined device. Why you might ask?

Well this ability allowed me to do very well in the recent Frequency Measurement Test. I setup slice A to monitor the unknown signal, I setup slice B to monitor the 10 Mhz output of my GPSDO. I routed both audios into a third audio device that merged them so that FLDigi could track both the known and unknown signals. This got me within 1 Hz on the test. Pretty good for my first time.

xDAX and xCAT are free. You download them an install them. You pay a little for Loopback but you add a lot of power.

My only complaint with xDAX is it does not remember the state of which audio channels are enabled. You have to reselect them each time you run them.

It is easy in OSX to create a small script that opens all of these pieces of software and make a simple link for it so you can click one thing and everything opens up.

With Loopback, xDAX and xCAT I have successfully run 4 instances of WSJT-X (that is a trick in itself), had four slices open and been working FT8 on 4 different bands.

I personally think SmartSDR Mac is a great addition to the Flex Radio radio control software group.