I can crash SmartSDR Windows on Command - can you?

DaveTX

I would appreciate someone validating this since Flex doesn't like to support me running SmartSDR Windows on Parallels on Mac. I suspect this is a problem for any Windows user but would need some confirmation:

I run SmartSDR on Windows (was Win10 now Win11) within Parallels (Windows envt) running in MacOS (Ventura). I have had this problem for ever (Win10, Older Parallels, Older Mac). Here it is:

Running Spot software (DXStudio Spot Collector/Commander or FRStack3) I can get spots to show on FlexRadio SmartSDR. However after some random time the whole machine crashes - first Windows then MacOs. It's very cataclysmic. So I don't run Spots. I just upgraded everyone and still get this error.

I connected to FlexRadio 6400 via NC (think telnet) and issued API command. Spot shows and then within seconds it all crashes.

Would appreciate if someone on native Windows could try the same thing and confirm back here so I could open a ticket with some other buttressing support - or lick my wounds if it's just my non-supported environment:

With SmartSDR running (most current version if possible)

From a Prompt window:

nc <yourFlexIP> 4992 (Client connect to your ip and port 4992)

Once connected just copy and paste this: It tells FlexRadio to add a spot
c179|spot add rx_freq=7.002 callsign=HiThereZippy mode=USB source=Dave spotter_callsign=WN5N comment=HoHoHoYo

Comment back if it crashes your Windows SmartSDR program

Alan

Dave

Just a comment on the design of your test.

The Flex API bind command will bind your device, sending the command to the flex. Then, sending the spot command will send the spot directly to the Flex Radio (server). You could do the same by sending both commands with a semicolon separator.

If you only have one GUI Client (Smart SDR running on Parallels in your case), there should be no need to send the bind command from the Non-GUI Client (command prompt device).

The more important point is that sending the spot command goes directly to the Flex Server and does not depend on what platform you are running Smart SDR.

I have run Smart SDR on an Intel-based Mac using Parallels. I, too, could cause the SDR app to crash if I overwhelmed it with Flex Server updates (of which sending spots are included). I found the stability of the configuration to be highly dependent on the CPU usage of the virtual windows CPU (which was limited). With an Intel Mac mini (whatever the last intel-based mini was), I could quickly overwhelm the virtual windows CPU.

I have observed the same on both my Mac M2-based, Mac native Smart SDR and Windows 10 Smart SDR, but to a much less degree.

Alan. WA9WUD

DaveTX

I'm not seeing update volume issues with this test but certainly can accept that is another scenario. In this case I have no other clients connected other than SmartSDR on the windows machine and my NC client issuing one spot command. Nothing more.

I suspect in my case it's dirty data not protected for by SmartSDR...

Tnx.

Alan

Dave

No issues with my Windows10, Intel NUC i7

c179|spot add rx_freq=7.002 callsign=HiThereZippy mode=USB source=Dave spotter_callsign=WN5N comment=HoHoHoYo

Flex retuned status code "0", so all good.

Alan. WA9WUD

DaveTX

Thanks Alan. Indeed on my radio I got a good return code and the spot showed and then puke city. So it looks to be confined to my arrangement.

I'll keep avoiding using Spots then. Other than that it's a very reliable setup.

Val DM1TX

I used to run a while ago SmartSDR within VMware VM. Never has serious issues.