Audio Things I've Noticed

1

Using a 7300. All settings on the server computer are set according to instructions. I’ve noticed the following:

The server runs on Linux Mint 21.1.

2 Windows 11 machines and 1 Windows 10 used as clients.

All Windows machines are set the same.

I can connect to all of the machines. Occasionally I will not hear sound no matter what client I use. In order to get sound I have to ‘flip’ the sound output of the sound card on the Linux computer running as server on the desktop from analog output to digital or digital to analog (which I can do remotely). What’s funny is that once ‘flipped’ on the sound icons sound setting screen (i am talking about the sound OUTPUT) I can go back and forth with no change in the audio. Usually I see this more with a Windows 11 machine than with Windows 10.

My quesations go like this:

On the server:

Should I have analog or digital inputs and output selected on the sound card? My thought is that they should be digital since the server is processing a digital connection from the client.

Does it matter what the microphone is set to on the server. Currently, the radio setup is set for USB.

On the client:

I have the audio coming from my headset so the client is picking up the headset. I have the metering setup to see the TX audio… the radio is setup for USB. Is that correct. ?

In summary,

What is the proper setting on a client for the radio --USB

What is the proper setting on Linux for the server Radio USB?

Is there a bug with Pulseaudio on Linux that keeps the server from connecting properly to a remote client?

Has this been tested with Pipewire as an alternative to Pulseaudio on Linux?

BTW the Linux machine is a core 2 duo machine.

Windows Machines are 2 I5s amd 1 I11.

Maybe I have to write a bash script on the Linux box to somehow stop and restart alsa or pulse audio on the server. I’ve known of one other program that has that problem. Its a radio automation program called Rivendell. The developer of that program disables Pulseaudio entirely and relies on Alsa to do all the audio handeling. Just food for thought…

John Kosobucki
N0QJA

2

Hello,

We haven’t tested pipewire or jack although I suspect they will work.

The client side should of course be set to wherever client microphone and client speaker you have plugged in. Likely a USB device but not necessarily.

The server side should be set to the 7300 USB audio.

If you set to QT Audio and then “default” then you can use the operating system’s interface for selecting the audio device.

But I recommend, especially on the server, to select the 7300 audio device specifically. Save settings. Don’t forget!

For metering I like to select “TxRxAudio” on the client side. This way I can see my own audio going out and whatever is coming back in over receive. It switches automatically with the PTT. There is no need to select any audio metering at the server.

—E
de W6EL

3

I would start by putting a ferrite on the USB cable.
I’ve seen with other software that RF can make strange things happen into a computer. This could also be done for the power side but it would be less likely as the rectification and filtering right at the beginning of the switching supply filters alot of stuff from the line voltage side.

On another note. Did you ground the computer to the same radio ground? Some would say that it will cause ground loops. But would it be better to have the loop on the USB side? USB cable do make the radio and computer ground together. But that is not the best ground in the world.

Pierre
VE2PF

4

It’s not rf doing this. On recieve it acts that way at start up. It’s stable otherwise.

John

5

I’ll add one more thing, John,

You may have an easier time if you use a dedicated computer like a Raspberry Pi or Quadra:

https://wfview.org/wfview-user-manual/inexpensive-remote-server/

My dad is running this with his 7300. Once the configuration was set it’s been very reliable. It’s just fewer variables once it’s all in one little box used only for one purpose.

–E
de W6EL

6

I have considered that. I do have a couple of extra computers I can use. I also am going to try to setup Pipewire to see what the difference is.

I have a rack with 4 computers in it now. What’s one more?

Thats what ham radio is all about . Building the best station you can.

Thanks for the help and keep up the great work on the project.

John Kosobucki
N0QJA

7

If you saw my garage, what ham radio is all about would become quite apparent!

But yeah a little SBC really can handle it easily. No need for a dedicated server-class computer. I liked that Quadra a lot as I don’t have to buy a lot with it (except a power supply — the stock one made terrible noise all over HF).

8

Elliott,

Have you ever thought of creating an RPI image or a Quadra image and posting it somewhere for ppl to use? I mean something that auto-starts the wfview in server-mode in a headless environment. etc.

-Dan
W6DKW

9

That would be a security disaster to me…

10

I’ll consider it once we have wfview-server a little further along.

That or a proper package with a startup script.

Of course, you are responsible for your own network security…

—E
de W6EL

11

of course. everyone should be responsible for their security. I would think this would be no different than a ZUMspot image for Pi. Or a Pi-Star or any of the other digital radio do-dads that come up auto-magically and give you configuration page at some IP address. http://wfview.local anyone? :slight_smile:

12

One thing that they all have in common is a fairly large team of volunteers dedicated to just the management of said image, all using software provided by Jonathan G4KLX (among others)

Personally I would prefer to concentrate on making wfview as good as it can be and leave the installation etc. to the user, they might even learn something…

13

very true. well, i look forward to V2 and see what good surprises are in that release.

and kudos to all the hard work put into wfview thus far. it has helped me remote into my radio which is truly in a “shack” about 130feet from the house. And without much in temperature controls (too hot in the summer [90F or 32C] and too cold in winter [40F or 4C])

-Cheers