SmartSDR for Mac vs. 8000 Series??

K3CDY

Soon, I'll be a new Flex 8400 owner, and I am a Mac user. Just to check, I reached out to Marcus concerning his macOS app's compatibility with the 8000 series, and surprisingly he indicated "As far as I see, my App will not be compatible to the 8400" and suggested I ask Flex.

So, this is me reaching out. I would imagine that the 6000 series API wouldn't be that different for the 8000 and things should work, but that's only a guess.

Has someone at Flex (hello Mike Walker) perhaps already used an 8000 with SmartSDR for Mac?

Mike-VA3MW

I have been using SmartSDR for MAC for a few weeks on on my Lab 8600. I found one GUI issue that I mentioned to Marcus.

But, other than that, it seemed to work ok. But, keep in mind, I do not use it every day.

K3CDY

I might add that Marcus confirmed that his Rogue Amoeba 25% discount for the Loopback macOS app is still valid. I only asked because Rogue Amoeba is having a 22% discount offer through October 7th, so no need to hurry in case you need to purchase the app (like I do).

K3SF

i am also interested in Flex's response to your question.

also

if ssdr 3.8.x api's vs 3.7.x have changed so as to cause macssdr to also not work on 6xxx series?

Paul K3SF

Trucker

When I have been working on my test programs in the past, I have found that I had to reference the different Flex API's at times and recompile my test application for it to work properly with a new release of SmartSDR. Sometimes everything would seem to work without doing that. But, there are times that Flex Radio had to make changes to the api because Microsoft depreciated a particular function that was used in the previous version. Marcus created his own version of the Flex Library API. So, each time something new or different comes along, he has to compare his current version against whatever the new version is that Flex releases. Plus, if Apple changes anything, he has to dig through that as well.

James

WD5GWY

K3SF

hi Mike

thanks for the live show update ( aka the pic)…that shows next version of ssdr on flex hw still compatible with macssdr

if possible would be nice to see if no changes in dax

foe example… running FT8 on macssdr

and

then doing FT8 using loopback/xdax/wsjtx/macssdr

this combo works fine in Sonoma but does not work in Sequoia so far for me

running macbookair M1

Macssdr and sequoia work fine fro me so far…loopback/xdax does not

The flex radio is 6600M and i run xdax/xcat/loopback/wsjtx on mac mini sonoma as my operational system

MacbookAir is my testbed fro any upgrades or mods…

Paul K3SF

Mike-VA3MW

I can do FT8, but I have no interest in playing with loopback just due to the amount of time it will take up and I am not a MAC expert.

K3CDY

> @Mike-VA3MW said:
> I have been using SmartSDR for MAC for a few weeks on on my Lab 8600. I found one GUI issue that I mentioned to Marcus.
> But, other than that, it seemed to work ok. But, keep in mind, I do not use it every day.

Very much appreciated Mike. I'm stoked to get my new 8400!

Mike-VA3MW

I made about 100 Q's on 30M last night while I was watching a hockey game. The only issue I saw was with the band change part of the QUI, which I passed on to Marcus a while back.

K3SF

Mike thanks for all that info…

I have an 8600M on order

…and with your info i expect very little disruption if any in my operational setup which works great with the 6600M

so now i am anxiously awaiting to hear on my 8600 order

😀

Paul K3SF

Mike-VA3MW

Just keep in mind that I was only playing around. I did not do a full regression QA test, which takes about a week to do.

K3SF

totally understand regression testing…

there are usually some essential features that are important to how i setup ( h/w and s/w) here and when they appear stable that is good sign…

one question i have which may have been addressed…you are running n 8000 series machine

Has the same version been run on 6000 series h/w yet or is that part of regression testing ??

or

Am i asking too soon…

Thanks your patience and for putting up with my 'nagging'

Paul K3SF

Mike-VA3MW

I was running a FLEX-8600 with SmartSDR V3.8.**** (it changes almost daily).

3.8 has been running on 6000 machines for months internally and our 50 Alpha Windows testers.

We do not do any MAC testing as that is not our software to test. However, we do work hand in hand with Marcus.

In fact, we do welcome other developers to design tools that connect to the radio.

Mike

K3SF

thanks for that insight on 6000 series testing with 3.8.x is also happening i parallel

Paul K3SF

VK2NTK

smartSDR for macOS is a wonderful piece of software. However Masrcus needs to update it at some stage. He has suggested to me that this will not happen and he will not buy an 8000 series radio to do the update. In the tech industry many software companies keep up with the hardware manuafacturers and to pay US$159 for software and no glimmer of an update is not acceptable. If I had known this from the very begining I would have just used a PC and be done with it. Sorry for my rant.

Kind regards

Jack
VK2NTK
SV5TDE

WX7Y

Maybe someone close to Marcus could loan him their Radio so he can Modify the software and then return it.

K3CDY

SSDR for Mac and iOS consume easily half of the Flex software webpage, and many regard MacSSDR as superior to the Windows version.

MacSSDR is listed as an "Official SDR" client, according the Mac App Store.

It would be corporate insanity for Flex NOT to support Marcus' excellent products, lest they alienate a significant chunk of their existing and potential customers.

My money is firmly on the odds that 8000 series support will absolutely happen.

Conny

Anyone @ SmartSDR v3.8.19 and using SmartSDR for Mac Version 2.9.36 (243802)?

How does the All-Voice Squelch work, if at all?

I asked Marcus and his answer as of Oct 10: "I can’t tell you. I didn’t update my Radios yet."

I'll wait until he has tested with his radios.

=======================================

Release Highlights for SmartSDR v3.8.19

All-Voice Squelch: (all radios) All-Voice Squelch is a new feature to enhance AM, SAM USB, and LSB modes. All-voice squelch levels correspond to an absolute magnitude of signal strength received rather than a dynamic magnitude over the noise floor. The minimal signal level is -130dBm which makes it very sensitive.

The Squelch Enable and Squelch Threshold controls have been added to the FlexControl for convenient control and adjustment of the Voice Squelch feature.

K3SF

as of 12 OCT 2024 Macssdr only shows FM squelch control…none yet for other voice modes…as best i can tell.

Most likely marcus will address this when he get s back from vacation.

Paul. K3SF