Flexradio Systems/hpsdr.org Driver Download

| 21-04-2021
[RAND-1-100] Comments



Hermes SDR is an outstanding high-performance Software Defined Radio developed by TAPR (Tucson Amateur Packet Radio) group and the Open HP SDR group.

I received my Hermes card from the first production run in October 2012. This page has notes about my bring-up process and links to resources I found useful.

  1. Mercury is designed to be plugged into the HPSDR Atlas bus and be used in conjunction with other HPSDR boards. A minimum configuration to form a high performance receiver requires an HPSDR Atlas bus board and an Ozy computer interface board. Whilst the minimum configuration will be quite acceptable to many users, for optimum.
  2. SDR, Software defined radios products category is a curation of 48 web resources on, The Pecker, SdrDx - OSX and Windows SDR Software, Sigmira. Resources listed under Software defined radio category belongs to Software main collection, and get reviewed and rated by amateur radio operators.
  3. The old app is PowerSDR from Flex Radio Systems for amateur radio. The new app is a variation called PowerSDRmRx from an open source group HPSDR. I'd like to be able to use both apps although not at the same time. I've attached the.pref file for the old app.

Mostly the drivers needing to match/work and the slow fade in availability of the IEEE 1394 Firewire port for the 3000/5000 interconnect are the problems one can see getting in the way. Buying into a Flex-1500 and PowerSDR 2.7.2 here and now with an expectation of some new big launch of additional features has to be frustrating, as FlexRadio.

I'm very impressed by the listening quality of this receiver. Finally, at last, I get the type of reception I've always wanted. Everything about this SDR exceeds my expectations so far. Including the learning curve of the PowerSDR user interface, lol.

Computer

I'm starting with a Dell 9100 computer. Pentium-4 at 3 GHz with 1 GB of RAM.

It's dedicated to SDR with nothing else but a fresh install of 64-bit Windows-7. Not sure yet if it’s sufficient for this task. It works okay so far but it' was built in 2005.

I will be exploring what situations overload the CPU. Seems to be running at 60 to 80% utilization so far. In all likelihood the PC will need replacing, but the machine was available on short notice and I'm interested to see how well it works.

I’m a big subscriber to the problem-solving approach of starting with the simplest possible thing that could possibly work, and gain experience to make knowledgeable decisions for improvement.

Operating Layout

A NASA control station would be fun, I've always wanted one. But NASA does it the stupid way, with consoles arranged in long horizontal rows. They really should be stacking them vertically for more efficient use of space. Think how simple it would be for the boss to pass down instructions from his desk at the highest point in a ballistic communications protocol. Isn't it strange how they never asked me personally for my fabulous ideas on this.

My layout goals are:

  1. Table is shared with work computer
  2. Make efficient use of desk space
  3. Dedicated SDR computer
  4. Dual monitor
  5. Easy field-of-view to watch SDR screen while working
  6. Switch antenna for comparison with other rigs
  7. Reserve space for: 10w amp, 100w amp, LDG tuner, rotator

Installing Hercules DJ Control for Hermes SDR

Bring up:

  • Plug in USB cables.
  • Insert setup CD and choose 'Install DJ Control MP3 e2 Drivers.'
  • From the Start menu, run 'Guillemot WebUpdater' to install the latest software.

Flexradio Systems/hpsdr.org Driver Downloads

This software runs from a forked version of PowerSDR identified as 'PowerSDR-UI'. This is manually installed by copying distribution files into an installed FlexRadio PowerSDR folder. The versions must match.

Check version of base PowerSDR by examining file properties of c:Program FilesOpenHPSDRPowerSDR (W5WC)OpenHPSDR.exe'. Use the Details tab to find Product version e.g. 2.2.3.19.

At the time of writing, Oct 31, 2012 the versions are:

  • Install 'PowerSDR RX1 2.2.3.19' from OpenHPSDR.org - don't go to FlexRadio
  • Test it for basic operation.
  • Download 'PowerSDR-UI 0.993 beta package' from www.dh1tw.de
  • Unzip the content of PowerSDR-UI (six files) into the PowerSDR application directory, e.g., 'c:Program FilesOpenHPSDRPowerSDR (W5WC)'

December 2012 Update

I'm finishing initial bring-up of Hermes + Anan-10 package.

I installed Win-7 Ultimate on the Dell 9100.

Visit openhpsdr.org/download.php and install 'PowerSDR v2.2.5.0 (W5WC) Setup' in place of 2.2.3.19. The new version came up fine on receiver. But still shows Hermes firmware version 1.8. So, how to update firmware for Hermes SDR?

  1. Following steps in Hermes_User_Manual_V1.13.pdf:
  2. Download the latest Windows firmware installer from http://openhpsdr.org/download.php, currently named 'HPSDRProgrammer-v1.6-win32.zip'
  3. The firmware installer is just a zip file. Unpack it and run its executable.
  4. If you are missing 'wpcap.dll' (Windows packet capture library) then download it from http://www.winpcap.org/install/default.htm currently v4.1.2.

Things work great with Hermes alone! Now to connect Anan-10 and try the same receiver test again.

It works great. This rig is a joy to use, and very quiet.

Flexradio Systems/hpsdr.org Driver Download

March 2013 Update

I installed a new Dell T110 computer running Windows Server 2012 Essentials, on Intel E3-1230 V2 with 8 GB of RAM.

Flexradio Systems/hpsdr.org Driver Download Windows 7

  • Visit www.winpcap.org, a network packet capture program, and install WinPcap 4.1.3, which also supports Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.
  • Download programmers from openhpsdr.org/download.php
    • 'Hermes_v2.3.rbf'
    • latest Windows firmware installer, currently named 'HPSDRProgrammer_V2 Windows installer Version 2.0.3 -- 2013-2-16'
  • Download applications from openhpsdr.org/download.php:
    • 'PowerSDR mRX v3.0.2.0 Setup'
    • 'PowerSDR RX2 v2.2.14.0 (W5WC) Setup'
    • 'KISSKonsoleSetup'
    • 'cuSDR64_MSVS'

October 2013 Update

It's time to update my firmware and software.

Flexradio Powersdr

  • Visit openhpsdr.org
  • Go to Downloads tab and fetch:
  • Fix the Skins directory
    • On Windows Server 2008r2, the skins are installed to the wrong directory.
    • Default: c:UsersAdministratorAppDataRoamingFlexRadio SystemsPowerSDRSkins
    • Move to: c:UsersAdministratorAppDataRoamingFlexRadio SystemsPowerSDR mRXSkins
  • Install the new firmware:
    1. Open your Windows Control Panel and uninstall 'HPSDRProgrammer_V2 version 2.0.0'
    2. Run program 'HPSDRProgrammer_V2-2.0.4.0.msi'
      1. Accept license agreement
      2. Use all defaults until program completes installation
      3. Verify the new program is listed in the Control Panel's Programs and Features
      4. Close Control Panel
    3. Run program 'HPSDRProgrammer V2'
      1. Discover device
      2. Browse to RBF file recently downloaded above 'Hermes_v2.4.rbf'
      3. Program
      4. Verify the device is discovered again
      5. Close program
  • Install the new KISS Konsole
    1. Uninstall 'KISS Konsole' version 1.1.26.0
    2. Run program 'KISSKonsoleSetup.msi' version 1.1.28.0
  • Install the new PowerSDR
    1. Don't need to uninstall the old software; it will upgrade in place.
    2. Run program 'PowerSDR_mRX_v3.1.5.0_Setup.msi' with all defaults
    3. Verify IP address and version using Setup > General > Hardware Config
    4. Reset database
    5. Run TX calibration procedure
    6. Run Mic level settings procedure

Fldigi with Hermes

Instructions from HPSDR Digital Modes Operation using PowerSDR, Fldigi, VAC, com0com

  1. Fldigi:
    1. Download the latest version of fldigi from the fldigi download page.
    2. My versions are Fldigi 3.21.65 and Flarq 4.3.4.
  2. com0com:
    1. Install at least two sets of null modem emulator ports (COM5 and 15, COM6 and 16) from com0com.
    2. This is a kernel-mode virtual serial port driver for Windows.
    3. My version is 3.0.0.0 on 2013-01-08.
    4. The ReadMe instructions say to run 'bcdedit.exe -set TESTSIGNING ON' but it produced 'The boot configuration data store could not be opened. Access is denied.'
    5. The serial driver will create two port pairs.
      One is 'Virtual Port Pair 0' with CNCA0 and CNCB0 ports.
      One is 'Virtual Port Pair 1' with COM3 and COM4.
      Other two named 'com0com - serial port emulator' on CNCAn and CNCBn ports.
    6. To configure, run Start / com0com / Setup
  3. VAC:
    1. Download trial version from Virtual Audio Cable home page as a Zip archive.
    2. If VAC is already installed, then uninstall the old one first.
    3. Unpack the archive and run Setup.
    4. Follow FlexRadio instructions: How to Setup Virtual Audio Cable (VAC) with PowerSDR
    5. My version is 4.12.0.4973 (trial) as of 2013-01-06.
    6. To configure, run Start / Virtual Audio Cable / Control Panel
    7. Modify the two VAC connections per FlexRadio instructions above.
    8. The trial version is not usable on the air. Cost is US$35. Purchase from Muzychenko.
  4. PowerSDR:
    1. Start up PowerSDR
    2. Setup / Audio / VAC 1
      Driver = MME, Input = Line 1, Output = Line 2, Buffer size = 1024
    3. Always start PowerSDR first, then Fldigi
  5. MTTY:
    1. Download the latest version from MM Hamsoft page.
    2. My version is 1.68a as of 2013-01-06.

January 2015 Update

It's time to again update my firmware and software.

  • Log into my radio computer as myself ('barryh')
  • Visit apache-labs.com, navigate to 'ANAN-10 HF + 6M 10W All Mode Transceiver'
  • Look in the 'Instant Downloads' sidebar and fetch the latest:
    • Technical Data Sheet (1027-BROCHURE-REL-1.0.pdf)
    • PowerSDR mRX 3.2.20.0 (1020_PowerSDR_mRX_PS_v3.2.19.0_Setup.msi)
    • Hermes Firmware v2.9b (1022_Hermes.rbf)
    • Angelia Firmware v4.4 (1021_Angelia_v4.4.zip)
    • Anan User Guide v3.5 (1017_ANAN-User-Guide.pdf)
    • OpenHPSDR Programmer v2 Instructions (1014_HPSDRProgrammer-Instructions-V2.1.pdf)
    • HPSDRProgrammer v2 v2.0.4.10 (1030_HPSDRProgrammer_V2_nopcap.msi)
  • Install the new firmware:
    1. Open your Windows Control Panel and uninstall 'HPSDRProgrammer_V2 version 2.0.0'
    2. Delete the existing PowerSDR database (find 'database.xml')
    3. Run setup 'HPSDRProgrammer_V2-2.0.4.0.msi'
    4. Run program 'HPSDRProgrammer V2 nopcap 2.0'
      1. Discover device
      2. Browse to RBF file recently downloaded above '1022_Hermes.rbf'
      3. Program
      4. Verify the device is discovered again
      5. Close program
  • Install the new PowerSDR
    1. Don't need to uninstall the old software; it will upgrade in place.
    2. Run setup '1020_PowerSDR_mRX_PS_v3.2.19.0_Setup.msi'
    3. Verify IP address and version using Setup > General > Hardware Config
    4. Reset database
    5. Run TX calibration procedure
    6. Run Mic level settings procedure

WriteLog allows its rig drivers to present to the operator what looks like two separate rigs, when there is, in fact, only one physical radio connected. This feature is not implemented on most of WriteLog’s rig drivers because it (a) requires a substantial amount of software work to construct but (b) only is useful if the rig itself is capable of simultaneous reception on two different bands at the same time. The Flex-6000’s qualify on this count. Here is how you add that capability to your WriteLog configuration. You start with WriteLog’s Setup/Ports dialog.

Slices A&B on a different Panadapter from Slices C&D

The key is that two rows in the dialog box both name the same FlexRadio (“Mayfield” in this case). Having done that you should configure SmartSDR to have two Panadapters.

WriteLog does not enforce the recommendation above that you create a second Panadapter, and that you place Slice A and B on one of them, and Slice C and D on the other. But this is a very strong recommendation. Why? There are several important reasons.

  • The spectrum WriteLog draws on its Front Panel backgrounds comes from an IQ stream from a Panadapter. WriteLog can only draw spectrums out to half the IQ stream bandwidth from the center of the Panadapter. If you put Slices C and D on the same Panadapter as A and B, then all have to be within the same 192KHz bandwidth else at least some of the spectrums do not draw.
  • All Slices on a Panadapter share their ANT setting, so to listen on one ANT while transmitting on the other, the Transmit Slice (with the bright red TX indicator like in the capture above) must be on a different Panadapter than the receive Slice. FlexRadio has announced software upgrades to enable full duplex (listen while transmit) operation. But that can only happen on two different antennas.
  • This gets even more important if you have a Flex-6700, which has two independent receiver chains. More about that later.

Operating two Panadapters concurrently on different bands?

This recommendation to separate Slices A&B onto a different Panadapter from Slices C&D does not mean those two Panadapters should or should not be on different ham bands. For all Flex-6000 models and all antenna configurations, there is no performance degradation operating the two Panadapters on the same ham band. Successfully operating two Panadapters concurrently on different ham bands depends on

  • on which Flex model you have
  • whether the antennas you have connected to the Flex’s ANT connector(s) are single band or multi-band antennas
  • whether you can do without the bandpass filters in the ‘6500 when multi-band receive forces it into its WIDE mode. This can be important if you are operating SO2R with another radio besides your Flex.

The final posting on use of a second radio discusses these trade-offs in more detail.

Here is what the dataflow of the integrated WriteLog/SmartSDR/FlexRadio system looks like, and how to set WriteLog’s dialogs appropriately.

Do not overlook these details:

  • The Entry Window corresponding to Slices C and D should be set using WriteLog’s menu Radio/This-Window-Is/Radio-3. Why? Because WriteLog will move the Active indicator within SmartSDR only if its corresponding Entry Window has a designation of one of L/R/3/4. (The Active indicator is the yellow bar that control which Slice the FlexControl knob will tune when it is turned.) You really want WriteLog to move that Active indicator correctly.
  • Why does it need to be 3 and not L or R? This is because I chose at this point in the discussion to add in the ability of WriteLog to route audio to a recording file, and also from the station microphone connected to the PC instead of directly to the Flex. When WriteLog controls any of its various multi-radio options that only expect two-choices: CW keyer L/R selection, the microphone routing to L/R rig, and the headphone routing for L/R rig, WriteLog treats the 3 (and 4) rigs just like R. So when you switch WriteLog’s transmit or receive focus between the R window and the 3 window, nothing changes in the CW keyer, or mic or headphone routing.
  • In the picture that both the station microphone and the shack headphones are no longer connected to the Flex front panel, but are instead connected to physical Windows Recording and Playback devices, respectively. This enables WriteLog to record both all your transmitted audio as well as all received audio. Use WriteLog’s Sound board mixer control to set up which Windows devices are used, and use WriteLog’s Setup/Sound-board-options to turn on Echo Mic and Continuous Record.
  • This picture shows the FlexRadio’s audio output connected to a physical Recording device. That sound makes it to the WriteLog mixer via a cable connection from the Flex (ACC jack in this picture, but the SPEAKER works as well) to a physical Recording Device on the PC. There are alternative sound routing configurations involving use of the DAX RX Audio devices in WriteLog’s Mixer, rather than requiring this additional cable between your Flex and your PC. However these features won’t work via DAX RX audio:
    • none of the DAX RX audio streams from the radio include CW Sidetone.
    • The radio’s Audio Pan/Gain controls only the audio via its HEADPHONES/SPEAKER/ACC and not the DAX channels.
  • For digital mode operation, the number of MMTTY decoders running is expanded to four. (Not shown is that you need four RttyRite windows to go with them.) You can have one on each Slice, decoding from the four DAX RX 1 through 4 channels. Two of them must be RttyRite “clone Windows” because WriteLog will only command the first two into transmit mode.

This configuration gives a lot of versatility, but, by my own definition of the term, this is not SO2R. For Single Operator 2 Receiver operation, my definition requires being able to transmit on one antenna while simultaneously receiving on another. Read the next post to see a way to add that.