Is it possible to have two receivers track each other? I want to feed the audio from the same signal to two different outputs so I can optionally listen to the signal why decoding, or decode the same signal in two different programs. The Copy function under manager doesn't copy frequency - that would work in some cases, but it would be desirable to have them track much like what happens with an external radio.
--
Don
W6CZ

On Tue, Mar 7, 2023 at 04:45 PM, Don Melcher wrote:

Is it possible to have two receivers track each other?

Don. For this use just one receiver and set audio output to a Virtual Audio cable. Then you can route the same virtual audio cable to both decoders. You can also listen to the VAC simultaneously if you wish (see below).

You can download a free one here:

https://vb-audio.com/Cable/

See my recent post here:

https://sdr-radio.groups.io/g/main/topic/vac_vbcable_in_console/97096655

Annoyingly all the embedded pictures have gone so I am attaching the pictures to this message. I think they are self-explanatory if you read the text. Although it's specifically for YaND the same principal applies for any decoder software.

73

Max

a sidenote ... if you are using sdrconsole with a digimode and do also want to transmit .. then you need to use TWO VIRTUAL CABLES!!

one for rx and one for tx

dg9bfc sigi

On Tue, Mar 7, 2023 at 10:21 PM, Siegfried Jackstien wrote:

a sidenote ... if you are using sdrconsole with a digimode and do also want to transmit .. then you need to use TWO VIRTUAL CABLES!!

Good point Sigi!

Max

if you use one cable the receive signal is inside audio buffers when you switch to tx (simon does not "null" all buffers when starting tx .. and also any noise from rx that is in buffers of the virtual cable(s) is already inside .. so only way to surpessit is with strikly having two different audio chains .. one for rx and one for tx

i route rx and tx audio both to its own virtual cables and use them on voice and on digi

main reason is that i always use these cables .. be it in digi or in voice and do not have to change that

and both are routed over voicemeeter potatoe...only in voice !!! .. digi modes direct use the virtual cables and i mute (or just turn down) the audio towards speakers in mixer (console set to 80% volume to have enough rx level in the digi mode soft)

nice side effect is that the noise gate in the mixer soft surpresses the small tiny hiss noise that the nr4 lefts over (like a squelch but not switched by signal but by audio) ...

stations on qo100 sound like on a local fm repeater (with absolute silence in speech pauses!!) .... so i can sit on a meetng qrg all day long without any hiss noise beating my ears

on tx i use the gate in mic line to surpress background noise like a running tv set or the small echo that is left over when receiving duplex ...

so both ways gain in quality when routing audio over mixing soft (in voice .. not in digi!!) .. the rx and the tx side

and cause both ways run over its own virtual cable towards/from console .. installig ANY digi mode software is an easy task

.... the only problem is latency .. but you will have that in any sdr setup and its only on voice a bit bigger (yes the mixer and cables eat some time) .. no problem on digi modes

so .. two cables is a must ... i  now have SEVEN :-) 4 installled plus 3 that came with the mixer ... 

main reason for mixer was .. i have 4 different soundcards to feed audio to .. but sdrconsole only can select one as output .. switching back and forth is no real solution

mixer can split that one rx signal from console into up to 5 real cards (could also be installed virtual cables!) plus the 3 that came with mixer .. so its 8x in and 8x out

if you have it all set .. you will newer step back :-)

greetz sigi dg9bfc

(sorry for getting a bit off topic)

I guess the missing piece of the puzzle is mixer. I have 5 VAC cables and have been using them for a while. The one problem I was encountering was different programs running simultaneously needing different levels and I guess the mixer would deal with that. 
--
Don
W6CZ

i have voicemeeter potatoe ... superb thingy (plus cable, cable a and b and hifi cable)

if you have a handfull off cables .. each one can be set as input or as output cable PLUS the mixer brings another 3 on its own .. (also as in or out usable)

only thing is it adds a bit of latency so if you have a very fast arq mode then use the cables direct ( what i do in digimodes)

on voice where the timing plays not such a bit role i route all over mixer (rx and tx) .. on digi i use the cables also but not over that mixing soft

and ... you still can control the level of each cable in windows sound settings (very practical if a digimode gives way way to high level towards the txing sdr software)

so don ... try it .. either "banana" (5 ch and brings 2 cable) or potatoe (8ch and adds 3 cable)

in the mixer set that it shoud start with windoze ... and set it that it reads its config file (i named mine mixer_default) at start

setup all cables and the mixer to your most used setup ,,, save that as defaut ... and depending what you do then do all the things in the mixer (exame replay a recording over the air to a qdo parter or whatever

with the mixer i can even watch a youtube video while having a chat round and depending on needs play the sound over air .. or complete surpress that it goes over air but still have both sounds (rx audio and the yt video) on my speakers

see it as a level controllable patch panel with some added functions like compressor, mixing, noisegate, denoiser etc

greetz and have fun

dg9bfc sigi

ps for hobby usage you can pay just a few bucks for the soft

Alternatively bring up two receivers. Send the first one to the audio output and the second one to the decoder. You'd have to manually tune the two receivers to the same frequency, though.

{^_^}

Hm, Simon, is the ability to "couple" two receivers for tuning frequency a reasonable request? Same mode might not be a good thing to link. But same frequency allows some playing such as my SA comment below.

{^_^}