Remote SDRs – update

This is short update on my post about seting up the Multiband WEB SDR with remote receivers: https://e.pavlin.si/2021/12/11/multiband-sdr-with-remote-receivers/

The update is based on Armbian, Linux for ARM development boards. First download and write image (CLI) for your preffered board. After first boot, enter default credentials for Armbian (root/1234) and follow some basic setup:


create new password
select bash (1)
enter your new username
create pass for new user
enter real name
Set user language based on your location? Yes

Now enter following commands:

apt update
sudo apt install soapyremote-server
sudo apt install soapysdr-tools
sudo apt install rtl-sdr
sudo apt-get install soapysdr-module-rtlsdr

edit the file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf and add following lines:

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf 
blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu
blacklist rtl2832
blacklist rtl2830

reboot with

reboot

Now plug RTL SDR (could be more than one) and check if everything works with:

SoapySDRUtil --probe="driver=rtlsdr"

The output should be something like this:

#
Soapy SDR -- the SDR abstraction library
#
Probe device driver=rtlsdr
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner

-- Device identification
driver=RTLSDR
hardware=R820T
origin=https://github.com/pothosware/SoapyRTLSDR
rtl=0

-- Peripheral summary
Channels: 1 Rx, 0 Tx
Timestamps: NO
Other Settings:
* Direct Sampling - RTL-SDR Direct Sampling Mode
[key=direct_samp, default=0, type=string, options=(0, 1, 2)]
* Offset Tune - RTL-SDR Offset Tuning Mode
[key=offset_tune, default=false, type=bool]
* I/Q Swap - RTL-SDR I/Q Swap Mode
[key=iq_swap, default=false, type=bool]
* Digital AGC - RTL-SDR digital AGC Mode
[key=digital_agc, default=false, type=bool]

-- RX Channel 0
Full-duplex: YES
Supports AGC: YES
Stream formats: CS8, CS16, CF32
Native format: CS8 [full-scale=128]
Stream args:
* Buffer Size - Number of bytes per buffer, multiples of 512 only.
[key=bufflen, units=bytes, default=262144, type=int]
* Ring buffers - Number of buffers in the ring.
[key=buffers, units=buffers, default=15, type=int]
* Async buffers - Number of async usb buffers (advanced).
[key=asyncBuffs, units=buffers, default=0, type=int]
Antennas: RX
Full gain range: [0, 49.6] dB
TUNER gain range: [0, 49.6] dB
Full freq range: [23.999, 1764] MHz
RF freq range: [24, 1764] MHz
CORR freq range: [-0.001, 0.001] MHz
Sample rates: 0.25, 1.024, 1.536, 1.792, 1.92, 2.048, 2.16, 2.56, 2.88, 3.2 MSps

Finally, use rtl_eeprom to change serial numbers and add newly created receivers to your WEB SDR.

Optionally: add firewall rule for the Soapy remote:

ufw allow 55132

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