So, what's the most common reason that the FoxTelem program won't decode?
I'm running HDSDR software with an RTL-SDR dongle. It has worked in the past, but hasn't been decoding for about two weeks now. I can see the peak of the AO-85 on the HDSDR screen and manually track the doppler shift. Everybody is set to 48000 sample rate. I get perfect "eyes" on the FoxTelem screen. But zero decoding.
Anybody got any hints or tips?
Steve AI9IN
Steve,
I don't think there is just one common reason why the FoxTelem program won't decode. I have seen a few instances where different solutions fixed the problem. I don't normally use an RTL-SDR dongle for copying telemetry from AO-85 (or AO-73), but I have a few questions...
1. What is the output bandwidth in HDSDR - 48000, 96000, ...? It should match the bandwidth you have in FoxTelem, although there is one circumstance I have come across where that is definitely not the case. I know you mentioned using 48000 all around, but there have been times I have seen the output bandwidth changed in HDSDR when I go to use it. I now check it every time I start the program, whether for
2. Are you using a virtual audio cable to connect HDSDR to FoxTelem? If so, which one? Or, for older Windows PCs, are you using the "Stereo Mix" device that came with many PCs running Windows XP or Windows 7?
3. In FoxTelem, did you select the RTL-SDR dongle in the dropdown listing on the main screen? AF or IQ? Bandwidth there set to 48000?
4. You mentioned you manually track the Doppler. Have you tried the AFC function in HDSDR, to let that program do the tracking for you?
5. Using the latest version of FoxTelem? Have you tried uninstalling FoxTelem, then reinstalling it (or installing the latest version)?
I use HDSDR, Virtual Audio Cable, and the FoxTelem program with either the FUNcube Dongle Pro+ or an SDRplay receiver. With this combination, I have to set my Output Bandwidth from HDSDR to 96000, the bandwidth in the virtual audio cable to 96000, but set FoxTelem's bandwidth to 48000 in order to properly decode telemetry. This was not an issue if I used a FUNcube Dongle Pro+ directly with FoxTelem, cutting out HDSDR and a virtual audio cable, nor was it an issue if I had HDSDR and FoxTelem both using the FUNcube Dongle Pro+ directly and bypassing a virtual audio cable. The FUNcube Dongle Pro+ presents itself to Windows as an audio device, and as long as I use the same center/LO frequency in both programs I don't need to use a virtual audio cable to tie HDSDR to FoxTelem (or the FUNcube Dashboard, when receiving telemetry from either AO-73 or Ukube-1).
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK
On Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 11:51 PM, skristof@etczone.com wrote:
So, what's the most common reason that the FoxTelem program won't decode?
I'm running HDSDR software with an RTL-SDR dongle. It has worked in the past, but hasn't been decoding for about two weeks now. I can see the peak of the AO-85 on the HDSDR screen and manually track the doppler shift. Everybody is set to 48000 sample rate. I get perfect "eyes" on the FoxTelem screen. But zero decoding.
Anybody got any hints or tips?
Steve AI9IN ______________________________
Steve,
I have a similar problem, I used HDSDR for a couple of years in the development/testing of the Foxes and then "one day" a few months ago, FoxTelem just quit decoding what came from HDSDR. I never found a reason, after tweaking everything I know of to tweak. Same symptoms as yours, looks right but doesn't decode.
I had also used SDR# in some of the testing so I switched back to it and it has been working fine. I still try HDSDR now and then and it still doesn't work. This was all on the same PC running Windows 10, so HDSDR worked and then just didn't. I don't know if it was a Windows update or what. Anyway you might want to try another SDR application, to see if you can get back on track.
Come to think of it I just built a new PC so maybe I'll try HDSDR on it now, and see if it works or not. We're testing RadFxSat so maybe I can let it run while I'm in the Fox Labs doing the testing and see if it captures any of the test data. I will (try to remember to!) let you know if it does work on the new PC. FWIW, I'm not recommending a new PC just to make it work! :-D
Jerry Buxton, NØJY
On 7/12/2016 18:51, skristof@etczone.com wrote:
So, what's the most common reason that the FoxTelem program won't decode?
I'm running HDSDR software with an RTL-SDR dongle. It has worked in the past, but hasn't been decoding for about two weeks now. I can see the peak of the AO-85 on the HDSDR screen and manually track the doppler shift. Everybody is set to 48000 sample rate. I get perfect "eyes" on the FoxTelem screen. But zero decoding.
Anybody got any hints or tips?
Steve AI9IN _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I've had some similar issues as well. I usually blame operator error on my part. When this has occurred, I reset HDSDR back to its original configuration.
"Options -> Misc Options -> Reset to factory settings" are the menu picks. I then will use my personal "cheat sheet" to setup HDSDR back to my preferences. This has fixed the type of issue you describe Jerry several times.
73 Clayton W5PFG
On 7/13/2016 11:33, Jerry Buxton wrote:
Steve,
I have a similar problem, I used HDSDR for a couple of years in the development/testing of the Foxes and then "one day" a few months ago, FoxTelem just quit decoding what came from HDSDR. I never found a reason, after tweaking everything I know of to tweak. Same symptoms as yours, looks right but doesn't decode.
I had also used SDR# in some of the testing so I switched back to it and it has been working fine. I still try HDSDR now and then and it still doesn't work. This was all on the same PC running Windows 10, so HDSDR worked and then just didn't. I don't know if it was a Windows update or what. Anyway you might want to try another SDR application, to see if you can get back on track.
Come to think of it I just built a new PC so maybe I'll try HDSDR on it now, and see if it works or not. We're testing RadFxSat so maybe I can let it run while I'm in the Fox Labs doing the testing and see if it captures any of the test data. I will (try to remember to!) let you know if it does work on the new PC. FWIW, I'm not recommending a new PC just to make it work! :-D
Jerry Buxton, NØJY
Your descriptions sound very familiar. So, maybe it's the HDSDR and not the FoxTelem at all.
I am running Windows 10 on the machine. When I get home from work, I'm going to reset HDSDR to default, then set it up again for FoxTelem and see what happens.
If that doesn't work, I may try another SDR software.
Thanks!
Steve AI9IN
On 2016-07-13 12:45, Clayton W5PFG wrote:
I've had some similar issues as well. I usually blame operator error on my part. When this has occurred, I reset HDSDR back to its original configuration.
"Options -> Misc Options -> Reset to factory settings" are the menu picks. I then will use my personal "cheat sheet" to setup HDSDR back to my preferences. This has fixed the type of issue you describe Jerry several times.
73 Clayton W5PFG
On 7/13/2016 11:33, Jerry Buxton wrote:
Steve,
I have a similar problem, I used HDSDR for a couple of years in the development/testing of the Foxes and then "one day" a few months ago, FoxTelem just quit decoding what came from HDSDR. I never found a reason, after tweaking everything I know of to tweak. Same symptoms as yours, looks right but doesn't decode.
I had also used SDR# in some of the testing so I switched back to it and it has been working fine. I still try HDSDR now and then and it still doesn't work. This was all on the same PC running Windows 10, so HDSDR worked and then just didn't. I don't know if it was a Windows update or what. Anyway you might want to try another SDR application, to see if you can get back on track.
Come to think of it I just built a new PC so maybe I'll try HDSDR on it now, and see if it works or not. We're testing RadFxSat so maybe I can let it run while I'm in the Fox Labs doing the testing and see if it captures any of the test data. I will (try to remember to!) let you know if it does work on the new PC. FWIW, I'm not recommending a new PC just to make it work! :-D
Jerry Buxton, NØJY
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Steve,
I'll throw out yet another thing, something I have seen more with Windows 10 systems, but could also affect the older Windows versions. Have you tried listening to anything with just HDSDR? With some Windows updates, the driver needed to use the dongle as a general-coverage SDR receiver gets overwritten by these updates, and you have to rerun the Zadig utility to reinstall the proper (non-Microsoft) driver to resume using the dongle as a general-coverage receiver. With the most recent updates this week, I will check that with my Windows 10 tablets this weekend, to see if any of them need that driver reinstalled.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK
On Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 11:51 PM, skristof@etczone.com wrote:
So, what's the most common reason that the FoxTelem program won't decode?
I'm running HDSDR software with an RTL-SDR dongle. It has worked in the past, but hasn't been decoding for about two weeks now. I can see the peak of the AO-85 on the HDSDR screen and manually track the doppler shift. Everybody is set to 48000 sample rate. I get perfect "eyes" on the FoxTelem screen. But zero decoding.
Anybody got any hints or tips?
Steve AI9IN _______________________________________________
participants (4)
-
Clayton W5PFG -
Jerry Buxton -
Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) -
skristof＠etczone.com