Announce: experimental CAT/DAX clients for Linux

Hi Ted, Yes I am running v3.

I have managed to get it to run using a linux laptop

./nDAX -station WSPR -slice A -daxch 1 -source flex.sliceA.rx -sink flex.sliceA.tx -log-level trace

10:24PM INF Waiting for station station=WSPR

10:24PM DBG Set thread to realtime thread="udp thread"

10:24PM INF Found Client id=0xAA20CC0B uuid=E41C327C-368E-457F-8A9A-C2142743674C

10:24PM INF Looking for slice slice_id=A

10:24PM INF Found slice slice_idx=1

10:24PM INF Enabled RX DAX stream stream_id=4000009

10:24PM INF Enabled TX DAX stream stream_id=84000000

10:24PM DBG Set thread to realtime thread="tx thread"

10:24PM DBG Set thread to realtime thread="rx thread"

But not with a Pi or an i7 running Ubuntu 18.04. The fact that I have to run SSDR on another computer makes this less useful. Perhaps when nCAT runs SSDR isn't necessary. What I am really after is to only use wsjt-x command line with no GUI.

I’ve been running nCAT and nDAX on KUBUNTU 20.04 for since September with no issues, and I’ve made more than 700 confirmed contacts with FT8.

I’ve successfully got cat control working on fldigi with the set up with Hamlib NET rigctl using similar config to WJSTX.

I’ve not figured out the soured card config tho- I’ve tried PortAudio but don’t see flexdax.rx or flexdax.tx in the capture/playback option drop down like I have in WSJTX. I’ve searched google for PulseAudio - if that is the correct option not sure what to put in the parameter box.

Thanks for any help!

73, Chris - WX7V

@Chris WX7V for fldigi, select PulseAudio, leave the "server string" box blank, and hit okay. Then use a mixer app (pavucontrol is one, but you might already have a suitable one hiding behind the volume control button on your taskbar) to set fldigi's playback stream to flexdax.tx and its capture stream to flexdax.rx. PulseAudio should remember the setting so that in the future fldigi will get those devices by default (as long as you start it while nDAX is running).

This is fldigi's issue for not having a UI to select PulseAudio devices, but fortunately it's an easy enough one to work around.

Very glad to hear about your success with wsjtx.

I am using a Flex 6700 along with a Raspberry PI 4+

I’m having issues with nDAX TX output to the Flex. At times, it works and I see output in the P/CW level window, just as shown in the windows screenshot. I do see output from the playback audio, I think wsjtx is outputting audio, and PulseAudio is processing it, but the Flex is not seeing it. 

I would appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance,

Nick Cloyes – N4CL

PS – I send my compliments to arodland for these fine, stable apps. I’ve had lots of fun using them!

Below is the nDAX startup along with screenshots of wsjtx running in windows and Raspberry PI.

[email protected]:~/sambashare$ ./nDAX

9:08PM INF Waiting for station station=Flex

9:08PM WRN Couldn't get realtime error="MakeThreadRealtime: Operation not permitted" thread="udp thread"

9:08PM INF Found Client id=0x6B9D2835 uuid=63762A21-B56D-42CF-A6C4-832706ED0018

9:08PM INF Looking for slice slice_id=A

9:08PM INF Found slice slice_idx=1

9:08PM INF Enabled RX DAX stream stream_id=4000008

9:08PM INF Enabled TX DAX stream stream_id=84000000

9:08PM WRN Couldn't get realtime error="MakeThreadRealtime: Operation not permitted" thread="rx thread"

9:08PM WRN Couldn't get realtime error="MakeThreadRealtime: Operation not permitted" thread="tx thread"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

pacmd list-sinks

1 sink(s) available.

 * index: 0

       name: <auto_null>

       driver: <module-null-sink.c>

       flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY

       state: IDLE

       suspend cause: (none)

       priority: 1000

       volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,  front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB

               balance 0.00

       base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB

       volume steps: 65537

       muted: no

       current latency: 1399.48 ms

       max request: 344 KiB

       max rewind: 344 KiB

       monitor source: 0

       sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz

       channel map: front-left,front-right

                    Stereo

       used by: 0

       linked by: 0

       configured latency: 2000.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms

       module: 2

       properties:

               device.description = "Dummy Output"

               device.class = "abstract"

               device.icon_name = "audio-card"

pacmd list-sink-inputs

1 sink input(s) available.

   index: 1

       driver: <protocol-native.c>

       flags:

       state: RUNNING

       sink: 1 <flexdax.tx>

       volume: mono: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB

               balance 0.00

       muted: no

       current latency: 200.00 ms

       requested latency: 21.33 ms

       sample spec: s16le 1ch 48000Hz

       channel map: mono

                    Mono

       resample method: copy

       module: 3

       client: 3 <QtPulseAudio:777320>

       properties:

               media.role = "production"

               media.name = "QtmPulseStream-777320-281472225262528"

               application.name = "QtPulseAudio:777320"

               native-protocol.peer = "UNIX socket client"

               native-protocol.version = "34"

               application.process.id = "777320"

               application.process.user = "cloyesjn"

               application.process.host = "ubuntu-desktop"

               application.process.binary = "wsjtx"

               application.language = "en_US.UTF-8"

               window.x11.display = ":10.0"

               application.process.machine_id = "f0bd04b5fe0d457badf0188180f8c9cb"

               application.icon_name = "wsjtx_icon"

Windows

Raspberry PI

@Nick Cloyes, N4CL another thought, since I see you're using remote desktop — make sure to disable any option in the remote desktop app for forwarding the Pi's audio to your Windows machine, as that might interfere.

All, Confirming nCAT and nDAX work with the recent Flexradio upgrade V.3.2.31. The only issue I had was with the upgrade itself - the radio got stuck and I had to remove the DC power source per instructions in the release notes.

1) From Page 4 of the Release Notes for V.3.2.31: "What to do if the firmware updates do not finish after 5 minutes?

 On rare occasions, an update may not signal the completion of a firmware update. If five (5) minutes have elapsed without the radio restarting and completing the upgrade, power off the radio by pressing the power button. The radio should restart, and the firmware update should complete normally. Note: It would be rare that a single press on the power button does not shut down the radio. However, if this occurs, remove the DC power cable from the radio to force a hard reset. Wait about 1 minute, restore DC power, wait 2 minutes and depress the power button. The radio will restart and the firmware update should complete successfully"