Happy new Year from all of us at SDRplay.

Here’s an update on additional software for the RSPdx.   SDRplay’s SDRuno fully supports the RSPdx but it takes several weeks for other software to catch up to the capabilities offered on the other RSP models.

Simon Brown has released his latest version of SDR Console V3 which supports the RSPdx  (Version 3.0.18 dated January 1st) over on https://www.sdr-radio.com/ (make sure you download the latest API 3.x from our downloads page first)

We have released an EXTIO plugin for the RSPdx which will enable the RSPdx to work with any EXTIO-based software (e.g. HDSDR) although it doesn’t support HDR mode. HDR mode will not be added and the source code for the plugin can be found on our GitHub repository (https://github.com/SDRplay/ExtIO_SDRplay) we will not be supporting the plugin source code or extending the plugins capabilities. They are all free to be modified.

It is important to note that the RSPdx ExtIO plugin does NOT, AND WILL NOT, support HDR mode. If you need HDR mode, then SDRuno is the best option. HDR mode requires the end application to work in a certain way and this is not something that can be controlled via the ExtIO protocol.

Work has also begun on supporting RSPdx for SoapySDR based applications such as Cubic SDR (again this won’t include HDR mode). A Gnu Radio source block for the RSPdx will follow.

We are working with Steve Andrew, author of the Software Analyser software programme (see https://sdrplay.com/spectrum-analyser/ )  to help get compatibility for the RSPdx – this is a slightly longer process so this will take several more weeks.

Regarding stocks of the RSPs, SDRplay and most of our resellers on www.sdrplay.com/distributors/ have plenty of stock of RSP1A and the RSPduo.  However there continues to be a shortage of the  RSPdx whereby many of the resellers have sold out of their first deliveries.  SDRplay is queuing up their replacement orders on a first come, first served basis.   We also have our own quantity planned in there to allow us to sell direct from our website.    We still hope that by the end of January we will have supplied this second wave of RSPdx demand.

January 25th update:  You can now purchase the RSPdx direct from SDRplay (while stocks last) – go to https://sdrplay.com/purchase/

Glossary and links:

SDRuno is SDRplay’s own SDR software, currently running on Windows only. The latest version is version 1.33 – the roadmap showing future capabilities can be found here: https://sdrplay.com/updated-sdruno-roadmap/

RSPdx is the latest in the line-up of SDR receivers from SDRplay. The RSP1A is the lowest cost, single antenna version.  The RSPdx has multiple antenna inputs and the top-of-the range RSPduo is a dual receiver version enabling true multiband operation and diversity tuning. A comparison table of key features and benefits of the latest RSPs can be found here.   Links to individual data sheets for all the RSP devices can be found by clicking on the pictures on this page: www.sdrplay.com/products/

HDR refers to the optional High Dynamic Range mode used by the RSPdx for enhanced performance when receiving RF frequencies below 2MHz

API is an application programming interface -which allows other software to control the main functions of the RSP hardware.  When you go to the downloads page,   you will see something like “API/HW Driver – v3.06 (25th Nov 2019)”  which will give you both the API and the hardware driver required to use, for example SDR-Console.  (Please note it is pure coincidence that SDRplay’s latest API is Version 3.xx and Simon Brown’s SDR Console is also Version 3.x.x   – this can be a source of confusion!)

Driver – the device driver is the software that a windows PC needs to communicate with the RSP over the USB interface

SDR Console is Simon Brown’s SDR Windows software whose latest version is version 3.0.18  – native support for the RSP1A, RSP2, RSP2pro, RSPdx and RSPduo (single tuner) is supported

HDSDR is SDR software for Windows which makes use of an “EXTIO” plugin to access many of the hardware features of a specific RSP.  When you go to the downloads page,   you will see something like “RSPdx ExtIO Plugin – v1.0 (8th Jan 2020)”  which will give you both the EXTIO file and the hardware driver required to use HDSDR (or other EXTIO-based software such as some versions of SDR# )

Cubic SDR is cross-platform SDR software which will run directly on Linux or Mac OS for example.

SoapySDR  is an open-source generalized API and runtime library for interfacing with SDR devices.

GNU Radio is an open-source software development toolkit that provides signal processing blocks to implement software radios.  It includes GNU Radio Companion (GRC) which is a graphical tool for creating signal flow graphs and generating flow-graph source code. A source block for each member of the RSP family is needed (hence the comment that we are working to get a block for the new RSPdx in the coming weeks)

Spectrum Analyser – The spectrum display within SDR software like SDRuno provides a real-time graphical display of the spectrum being looked at. It’s great for seeing and measuring absolute signal levels, antenna comparisons, hunting sources of interference and so on.  However, a traditional spectrum analyser has additional sweep, sample and hold functions which require dedicated software – this is what has been provided in Steve Andrew’s software package