RX888 go on!

[kris]

     RX888 "veni, vidi, vici".
    I'm not a computer scientist and for me, getting this receiver started was like discovering America.
The receiver, HDSDR and my PC, fiercely defended themselves against installation.
My experiences may save someone from frustration and a bad night's sleep.
    Here are the most important steps to prevent problems:
! download HDSDR program (I have ver. 2.80 Beta13) and install it in C: \ HDSDR directory
! download ExtIO_sddc and unpack the .zip to HDSDR directory
  These four files must be in it:
      ExtIO_sddc.dll
      BBRF103_SE.img (I have its rx888 counterpart)
      libfftw3f-3.dll
      pthreadGC2.dll
! download the Cypres FX3 USB driver for Win10 x64, and unpack the .zip to some supporting directory
   The Win10 Pro x64 system does not allow you to install the Cypres FX3 USB drivers, which is necessary to operate the receiver.
 To force it, you need to disable:
- "Enforcing driver signature" (you will do it in PC Safe Mode). Win interrupts the installation of non-Windows Cypres
- "Automatic driver update" (you can do it in Win Update). Each time the computer is turned off or the receiver is disconnected, the Windows company driver (which does not support the radio) is reinstalled.
! connect RX888 to PC> Win will install it as West Bridge (see:  Device Manager> Other Devices
- open its Properties> Driver> Update Driver> select the path to the Cypres FX3 directory and install this driver.
West Bridge will disappear and the radio will be installed in "Serial Bus Controllers" as "Cypres FX3 USB Streame Example Device"
In his files I have
C: \ WINDOWS \ System32 \ Drivers \ CYUSB3.sys   and
C: \ WINDOWS \ System32 \ WDFCoInstaller01011.dll
Restart your PC and you can enjoy great 16 bit ADC !!!
   Sources:
http://www.hdsdr.de/index.html
https://sites.google.com/site/g4zfqradio/installing-and-using-hdsdr
https://www.sdr-radio.com/rx-666
http://www.steila.com/blog/index.php?controller=post&action=view&id_post=18

[ChrisSmolinski]

Thanks for posting this, I assume I'll need to do battle as well to get it running, once mine arrives. It's at least left SHENZHEN.

[East Troy Don]

     RX888 "veni, vidi, vici".
    I'm not a computer scientist and for me, getting this receiver started was like discovering America.
The receiver, HDSDR and my PC, fiercely defended themselves against installation.
My experiences may save someone from frustration and a bad night's sleep.
    Here are the most important steps to prevent problems:
! download HDSDR program (I have ver. 2.80 Beta13) and install it in C: \ HDSDR directory
! download ExtIO_sddc and unpack the .zip to HDSDR directory
  These four files must be in it:
      ExtIO_sddc.dll
      BBRF103_SE.img (I have its rx888 counterpart)
      libfftw3f-3.dll
      pthreadGC2.dll
! download the Cypres FX3 USB driver for Win10 x64, and unpack the .zip to some supporting directory
   The Win10 Pro x64 system does not allow you to install the Cypres FX3 USB drivers, which is necessary to operate the receiver.
 To force it, you need to disable:
- "Enforcing driver signature" (you will do it in PC Safe Mode). Win interrupts the installation of non-Windows Cypres
- "Automatic driver update" (you can do it in Win Update). Each time the computer is turned off or the receiver is disconnected, the Windows company driver (which does not support the radio) is reinstalled.
! connect RX888 to PC> Win will install it as West Bridge (see:  Device Manager> Other Devices
- open its Properties> Driver> Update Driver> select the path to the Cypres FX3 directory and install this driver.
West Bridge will disappear and the radio will be installed in "Serial Bus Controllers" as "Cypres FX3 USB Streame Example Device"
In his files I have
C: \ WINDOWS \ System32 \ Drivers \ CYUSB3.sys   and
C: \ WINDOWS \ System32 \ WDFCoInstaller01011.dll
Restart your PC and you can enjoy great 16 bit ADC !!!
   Sources:
http://www.hdsdr.de/index.html
https://sites.google.com/site/g4zfqradio/installing-and-using-hdsdr
https://www.sdr-radio.com/rx-666
http://www.steila.com/blog/index.php?controller=post&action=view&id_post=18

Kris, are you SURE you're not a computer scientist ?! 

[Jari Finland]

Kris, are you SURE you're not a computer scientist ?! 

He is. I looked a lot of time that elusive extio.dll in IK1XPV files and I never found it anywhere.

I gave up and smuggled to my use a Chinese cracked HDSDR instead. 

Files: http://www.teknokekko.fi/RX888/

[Jari Finland]

In a relatively cheap and basically homebrew unit the quality of work can vary a lot. However, RX888 seems to have a typical issue.

A Japanese blogger and Norwegian DXer have both complained that occasionally the noise level goes disastrously high. Then it is unexplicably over. I noticed the same issue, and it was easy to locate it to SMA antenna plug. When I opened the device I saw that the center pin of HF input was practically unsoldered. There was also something to say about two other pins.


 
I soldered the HF input again. After that there has been no problems.

Soon there will be a real field test and comparison with beverage antennas.

[ChrisSmolinski]

Jari, thanks for the tip. Looks like I may have ordered a Chinese HeathKit 

[Jari Finland]

Jari, thanks for the tip. Looks like I may have ordered a Chinese HeathKit 

 

[kris]

   Hi ALL - Thanks for appreciating my self-denial!
Indeed, I found myself, here is the installation kit that works.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1l6zIgal1RosyXpTBjM1JWJmLJ6OuUWP_
 A little - what is what you will learn here:
controller=post&action=view&id_post=21]http://www.steila.com/blog/index.php?controller=post&action=view&id_post=21
Filtering and tuning is made using overlap and add with frame of 1024 as 768 +256 samples. The filter time responses are 257 sample long.

When 32Msps is used the local oscillator of HDSDR is fixed to 16 MHz at centre of spectrum and the fine tuning of HDSDR allows reception from 500 kHz to 31500 kHz, while with lower sample rates the local oscillator can be tuned with 125 kHz step while the fine tuning is made by HDSDR.

At this development stage ExtIO_sddc.dll has a GUI dialog with 4 tabs :

Status - reports ADC rate and I&Q rate.
BBRF103 -  buttons :
LW-MW this is used to modify the FFT output filtering to receive the low frequency band.
    (is missing in my version  (info Kris)
HF - standard HF setup .
VHF - enables R820T2 ( it is disabled, to enable undefine _NO_TUNER_ in config.h and recompile)
DITH - enables the ADC dither.
RAND - enables the ADC randomize.

TRACE - enabled in debug mode  to trace some signals to log files.

Test
RF ADC stream: it requires BB103, ADC input ,default,
RF virtual tone: it requires BB103, virtual tone,
RF virtual sweep: it requires BB103, virtual sweep,
IF virtual tone: NO hardware required, virtual tone ,
IF virtual sweep: NO hardware required, virtual sweep,[/i]

[syfr]

Jari, thanks for the tip. Looks like I may have ordered a Chinese HeathKit 

 

Except Heathkits came with detailed instructions !