Hi,

I wonder if someone is using the above combination on OS X Mojave.

I'm happy the following works well on Mojave:

1. ExpertSDR2 - no major issues except some annoying bugs which will be gone in the next release
2. SDC (tested Telnet and Skimmer so far, all is great)
3. RumLog - works fine connecting to ExpertSDR via TCI

Rumlog also sends CW well and connect to Telnet running on SDC.

The next step which I would like to do is to use DIGI modes. Have anyone been successful setting it up on apple? FLDIGI would be great, but need COM as well as AUDIO.

Please, can anyone help me out how to link FLDIGI with ExpertSDR on mac? Any help / hints are appreciated.

Many thanks

Oliver VK2YI

Hey Oliver,
I have ExpertSDR2 and RumLog working like you too but I've not been successful getting WSJT-X working with CAT/PTT and Audio. I hope someone can point us in the right direction.

Scott, N1SER

Hi Scott,

WSJT-X is using the integrated software HAMLIB to control the rig. CAT/PTT does not work correct, as there is a problem with HAMLIB and ExpertSDR2.
ExpertSDR2 emulates the protocol of the Kenwood TS-480. The original protocol is very complex and there are still some differences.
HAMLIB is looking very precise at the response of the rig and stops working when it finds any differences. I informed the HAMLIB Team and Expert-Electronic about that year's ago, but nobody care about. See here

I am now running HAMLIB with a patch which fix the problem for my own use.

73 de Dieter, DK6OV

I have been using my 27 inch IMac running OSx to run my Sunsdr2Pro ever since EE released their OSx version of ExpertSDR. I recently installed Mojave on this computer and have had no issues with it and my radio. My personal preference is to use OSx on my radio computer as the Retina display on the IMac is fabulous. I enjoy dxing on the low HF bands and can see traces of really weak stations on the waterfall display.

Currently I use:
SDC and Rumlog connected by TCI. I do have an issue with unexpected crashes of ExpertSDR when transmitting. I notified EE about this back in June 2018 and have sent them numerous crash logs but todate they have not solved the problem. I have been told by Rome that it is on their list of problems. The crashes do not happen when TCI is not being used.

During contests, I use Skookumlogger (which I highly recommend) connected to the radio by two USB to serial ports bridged together (a hardware kludge). I tried to get the Skookumlogger author to integrate TCI into his program but he was not interested in taking on the task.

I have not been able to use the digital modes using OSx because I have not found an OSx equivalent of VAC. I have been told by hams familiar with OSx programming that it is very difficult to do the equivalent of VAC on OSx. At present to run any digital mode, I boot the IMac into Windows (Bootcamp Mode) and use the Windows software that is available. I have also run Windows in a virtual machine using Parallels. However, I don't have much interest in digital modes (other than cw) so I haven't pursued getting digital modes running on OSx

I believe one could do a hardware kludge and input the radio audio into an OSx sound card and also hook up the sound card line out to the microphone/line in input and then run digital modes on OSx that way.

Maybe the day will come that FT8 or some of the other popular digital modes will be integrated into ExpertSDR and then all of this will history.

73
Rick ve3mm

Hello All

I have been using this configuration of Sun SDR2 Pro with an iMac running
Mojave, logging with RUMlogNG via TCI.

I have configured SDC to do skimming and send spots to panadapter

I use WSJTX for ft8 and weak signal work and managed to get CAT and PTT going.
When I create a virtual cable and route audio, I am able to decode signals, but TX doesn’t happen.
PTT is activated, but audio doesn’t go out.

From manufacturer website they have a roadmap for ExperSDR where they have indicated
They will implement virtual audio during December 2018 through TCI.
I hope WSJTX acknowledges the TCI asap and help us hookup this marvellous radio to work
Digital modes.

I am running ExpertSDR 1.2 since ExpertSDR 1.3 beta for Mac is crashing on Mojave and doesn’t run.

I also experienced sluggish operation of RUMlogNG in contest mode while running during CQWW CW TEST last week.
Solution for this was to run ExpertSDR on a different laptop and keep RUMlogNG running in my Mac mini.


Overall happy with the setup, but still have to turn my Kenwood on to work digital!

73

Manoj VU2CPL

Hi All,
Just an update. I managed to get WSJTX working with this config by a low tech fix. I plugged in a cheap USB sound card in my mac mini and connected the mic and phones of SDR to mic and speakers of USB sound card. Till the manufacturer comes up with a permanent solution in the form of VAC through TCI, I am happy to use it like this. Please note, I had to change a few things in DIGU tx settings as well as WSJTX. screenshots attached.
Using an extra sound card is not what I expect as a solution in an SDR, but......

73

Manoj VU2CPL

Hi Manoj - maybe it needs some tweaking. Along with many EUs, we were calling you on 160mtrs 5 December but to no avail. It was disappointing as you were a very big signal in Ireland and presumably whole of Europe. Maybe another time.

73 de Erik EI4KF.

Hi Erik
Sorry, I didn’t receive you. I had some QRN and my rx setup is not the best.

Hope to work you soon. BTW, I was on my TS990 on that day. I just got ft8 running on SDR today.

73

Manoj VU2CPL

VE3MM wrote:
Hello Rick,

I have the same configuration you described in your previous post and I am experiencing the same issues just when I enable the TCI feature.
Reading the whole thread it seems the problem is also common to other users so I am wondering if you have received any feedback or solutions from the support team.

Thank you very much
73' Enzo, iw7dmh

Hi Enzo

Thank you for your post on this issue of Mac OS - ESDR crashing when transmitting when using TCI and SDC. I am sorry to hear that this is affecting you as well.

It has now been 7 months since I notified EE about this issue and there has not been any resolution to the problem. In fact other than acknowledging that the crash logs were received and would be looked at there has not been any communication from EE to me.

I am disappointed in the length of time it is taking to resolve to this problem. The problem certainly affects my enjoyment of the radio. I hope that EE will respond to these posts and give us an update on when this problem will be looked at and rectified.

73
Rick ve3mm

Hi, Rick.
Sorry it took us that long to fix that bug, this year we began to work on the ESDR2 1.3, in the first version we plan to fix all earlier reported bugs.

Hello Rome
Thank you for your reply. It is encouraging to hear that EE is now working on fixing problems in EESDR2. I look forward to the resolution.
73
Rick ve3mm

Hi Manoj,

it is not necessary to use an external sound card and to connect the microphone and phones together to use digital modes with the SunSDR2 PRO.
I am currently using the following setup successfully:

- ExpertSDR2
- RumLog connected to ExpertSDR2 via TCI
- WSTJ-X connected to ExpertSDR2 via RumLog (for PTT switching and frequency)
- FLDIGI connected to ExpertSDR2 via RumLog (for PTT switching and frequency)
- Soundflower as VAC (2ch-32bit 48kHz)

You can download Soundflower from here:
github.com/mattingalls/Soundflower/releases

I have macOS High Sierra running on my Mac mini.

With the setup described above I made many PSK31, RTTY and FT8 QSOs in the last few weeks.

The only problem I had and solved yesterday with a compromise solution is this:
When I use the VAC feature in ExpertSDR2, WFTJ-X (FT8) sometimes sends a carrier without a signal. As a result, sometimes a QSO can not be completed.
This seems to be a bug in ExpertSDR2. As a solution I have configured Soundflower as output for RX1 (Options -> Sound card -> RX1: Soundflower 2ch) and also as input via Mic PC (Options -> Device -> Mic: Soundflower 2ch).
This problem only exists in combination with WSTJ-X.
FLDIGI runs perfectly with the implemented VAC feature of the ExpertSDR2 software.

It would be nice if someone else could test this setup and perhaps also confirm the VAC problem that I have described.

vy 73 de Gerold OE3CGG

Hello Gerold

Thank you for sharing your solution for using WSJT-X with soundflower and RumLogNG. I have installed soundflower and I have successfully decoded FT8 signals on WSJT-X and controlled the frequency in WSJT-X through the RumLogNG TCI connection.
However, I cannot get WSJT-X transmit or tune buttons to key the Sunsdr. Can you please post your settings that you are using to make this work?
73
Rick ve3mm

Thanks to Gerold, I have it all talking, albeit with WSJT-x not (yet) FLdigi. I have attached screenshots of the necessary settings tabs in all three apps, perhaps they will help.

73, Stephen G4SJP