Installing PLSDR on a linux OS

A Software-defined radio application written in Python. PLSDR is not compatible with GNU Radio 3.9 or higher.

This document will guide you through installation of PLSDR on the platform built in the "Installing drivers for the SDRplay RSP1A, HackRF One and RTL-SDR" document for your OS and depends on that installation.

• Prerequisites
  • GNU Radio version 3.8 and gr-osmosdr, which were installed in "Installing drivers for the SDRplay RSP1A, HackRF One and RTL-SDR"
  • python3-pyqt5, which needs to be installed for the armhf 32-bit Raspberry Pi OS installation.
  • Test to see if PyQt5 is installed.

    python3

    # At the >>> prompt type
    from PyQt5 import Qt
    # If the >>> prompt is returned after you press enter, it is installed.
    # If it displays No module named 'PyQt5.sip', it is not installed.
    Press Ctrl-D to exit Python.
    

  • To install PyQt5 if necessary

    sudo python3 -m pip install sip
    pip3 install pyqt5-sip

• Install

  cd ~/
  git clone https://github.com/lutusp/PLSDR.git
  

• Setup
  • With your file manager, navigate to ~/PLSDR/scripts
  • Right-click on "create_linux_desktop_icon.sh", select Properties and click on the Permissions tab.  In the Execute pull-down, select a group such as "Only Owner".
  • Double-click "create_linux_desktop_icon.sh"
  • With your file manager, navigate to ~/PLSDR
  • Right-click on "PLSDR.py", select Properties and click on the Permissions tab.  In the Execute pull-down, select a group such as "Anyone".
• Run
  • Double-click PLSDR on the desktop.
  • Before clicking Start/Stop
    • On the Control tab, select your SDR from the Device menu.
    • On the Configure tab, change the sample rate to something more reasonable such as 2000000.
    • On the Control tab, change RF BW Hz to something closer to what you selected for sample rate such as 1536000.
    • Click Start/Stop.
  • On some operating systems, audio will be garbled. It is better on Raspberry Pi OS. Try these audio settings. They will not always help.

    sudo featherpad /etc/openal/alsoft.conf
    

  • Find the line: #periods = 3  Remove the "#" and change it to periods = 4
  • Reboot and run PLSDR. With any luck, the audio should be good.