ExpertSDR2 version 1.1.2 Update
A new version of ExpertSDR2 has been released. Version 1.1.2 of the software for your SunSDR2 PRO, ColibriDDC or MB1 will improve your radio in many ways. Check out this blog post to read about some of the new great features.
RX ANT button
The RX ANT button lets you quickly toggle between listening to your transmit antenna or a dedicated receive antenna. This is very useful for low band DXing where a separate receive antenna is used to improve signal to noise ratio.
To setup RX ANT functionality you assign the antenna input that the receive antenna is connected to. To activate the RX ANT button TX HF and RX ONLY HF have to be assigned to different antenna connectors, otherwise the button stays deactivated. When pressing the RX ANT button it lights up in green to indicate the RX antenna is active.
To access the RX ANT using the E-coder, set it up in Options > Panel. This feature is available in this release for SunSDR2 PRO.
Audio Peak Filter
To enhance copy of CW signals and to improve weak CW signal extraction from below the noise level an Audio Peak Filter (APF) has been added to the DSP toolbox. This filter is extremely narrow and placed after the standard filtering. It filters out and amplifies a very narrow spectrum around the pitch frequency and amplifies the signals in this spectrum. See the video demonstration below from a beta tester.
The APF filter will be a welcome addition for Topband DXers, weak signal enthusiasts but will also improve CW reception for operators with hearing disabilities. This feature works best with filter widths of 250 Hz or more and it is available in this release for SunSDR2 PRO.
DSE, Digital Surround Effect for CW
A Digital Surround Effect (DSE) has been added to improve copy of CW signals when listening to more than one at a time. The lower the pitch the more to the left the signal will appear, the higher the pitch the more to the right. This is a useful feature for small and medium pileups as it will help separate signals from each other. This feature works best with filter widths of 250 Hz or more and can be fine tuned in Options > Device > DSP, and picking DSP from the drop down menu. DSE is available in this release for SunSDR2 PRO.
Save EQ settings for quick recall
You might use different equaliser settings for different purposes. Maybe you have a setting to boost the transmit frequency response at 2.0 and 2.8 kHz for SSB DX work and another setting with more low end and flat high end for ESSB or rag chew work. Or for receive you might have a setting with less treble to avoid hearing fatigue during longer listening sessions or a setting with boost for AM music radio listening. You can now save your favourite equaliser presets directly in the EQ window to be able to quickly recall the setting you prefer for different.
To save your EQ settings, type a unique name in the name box and press enter. To delete a setting, select it and press the red “X” button. Customised EQ settings are available in ExpertSDR2 for ColibriDDC, SunSDR2 PRO and MB1.
CW Skimmer gets more control
By request from the FT4JA operators improved CW skimmer support have been added for all devices. A function to set the frequency anywhere in the skimmed spectrum lets the operator click on skimmer spots in the CW Skimmer band map to tune the transceiver or receiver controlled by ExpertSDR2.
To setup CW skimmer with SunSDR2 PRO or ColibriDDC open Options > CW Skimmer. See our application notes and downloads for practical tips and tools for CW Skimmer and CW Skimmer Server. This feature is available in this release for ColibriDDC, SunSDR2 PRO and MB1.
Display CW Skimmer spots in panadapter
When using the CW Skimmer features of ExpertSDR2 you can now display decoded skimmer spots in the spectrum display. This is an experimental feature added in this version and its likely to be improved based on user feedback, so please share your thoughts using our feedback form.
You can turn display of skimmer spots on or off in Options > Device > Display > Spectrum. This feature is available in this release for SunSDR2 PRO.
New waterfall cleansing algorithm
A new waterfall cleansing algorithm has been added in ExpertSDR2. The upper half of the screenshot below shows the waterfall with the new “Remove Flicker” option enabled. The lower half is the default waterfall display.
Turn Remove Flicker on or off in Options > Display > Waterfall. The new waterfall cleansing algorithm is available in ExpertSDR2 for ColibriDDC, SunSDR2 PRO and MB1.
Improved NR and ANF
Several updates have been done to the DSP in ExpertSDR2 for SunSDR2 PRO. Noise Reduction (NR) and Automatic Notch Filter (ANF) have been improved together with other DSP functions like an added STEREO demodulator for wide FM. Lighter CPU load at higher sampling rates has also been achieved. With all the new features of the DSP, there are several new settings in the DSP setup screen.
To tweet DSP setting, open Options > Device > DSP and pick DSP from the drop down menu.
More functions for the E-Coder
More functions has been added to the E-coder setup screen, you can now assign panel buttons for RX ANT, LOCK, A->B, B->A, A<->B and Sub RX. This makes the E-Coder even more flexible allowing for comprehensive tactile touch control of the SunSDR2 PRO and ColibriDDC. To setup the E-coder, go to Options > Panel.
The new version 1.1.2 of ExpertSDR2 can be downloaded here:
SunSDR2 PRO version 1.1.2 for Windows download.
SunSDR2 PRO version 1.1.2 for Linux Ubuntu x64 download.
ColibriDDC version 1.1.2 for Windows 1.1.2 download.
MB1 – Update will be available soon.