PicoTuner Now Supported by Ryde

[G8GKQ]

I have today published a new Ryde software release (202403220) that supports use of the PicoTuner and the MiniTiouner. The 2 are interchangeable (NOT both connected at once) and should perform identically.

To update, log into the ssh console, type "menu" and press enter. Go to option 10 "Update" and follow the instructions from there.

Thanks to Colin G4EML and Tim MW0RUD for all their work on this software.

Please give details of any PicoTuner-specific bugs here - but first check that they don't happen with the MiniTiouner as well please!

Dave, G8GKQ

[g8lce]

I have changed my Ryde / Minitiuoner receiver for GB3NQ HD channel to a Ryde / PicoTuner. The RPi was updated to the latest software. The system runs continuously. Since changing over I have seen a few problems that might not show when used for a short while.
1)The audio stopped working. A reset of the RPI sorted that.
2)There are occasional 'waiting for source' then back to normal. This seems to be OK when a signal is received.
3)The 'waiting for source' stuck today and was cleared by a reset of the RPi.
The above feed can be seen using VLC with the below feed:
rtsp://82.144.238.35:8889/live/0

I have made both versions of the two channel RX. This shows the speed advantage of the FDTI modules which can handle two 2M SR channels while the Pico will just do two 1.5M SR while using Opentuner.

53649836046_0e86f9aeaf_k.jpg (524.94 KiB) Viewed 858 times

Martin G8LCE

[g8lce]

Further details from above.
The signal I am looking for with the Ryde / Picotuner is 1316MHz and 2M SR
The 'Waiting for Source' appears for about a second every few minutes or so. The above link to a VLC stream is easily overwhelmed if too many people watch it!

Martin G8LCE

[g4eml]

The RP2040 processor in the Pico board only supports USB1.1 spec which is 12Mb/s. The FTDI module supports USB2.1 which works up to 480Mb/s.

So unfortunately the PicoTuner USB will never be able to handle high SR signals as well as the Minitiouner. Especially when trying to receive two TS at the same time. As you say two 1.5M SR signals pretty much takes up all of the available USB transfer time on a PicoTuner.

I believe the BATC shop will continue to stock the Minitiouner PCBs for projects that need the higher SR capability.

Colin G4EML

[g8lce]

Yes Colin, I was not expecting to receive two 2M SR streams. It is just that I found this was happening to the Ryde when updated firmware and the Picotuner used. The sound was the first thing that failed after a long run. That was cured with a switch off/on. The Ryde worked for a while then stopped receiving and the software was still trying but came up with this:

Screenshot 2024-04-21 094902.png (1.28 MiB) Viewed 578 times

After forcing an update of the software it was back to normal working again .

I will continue to monitor the system and report any problems.

This Ryde and the old Minitiouner worked well. I have used two Picotuners with this Ryde and had software problems after long periods. It takes a while to identify exactly where the problem is.

Martin G8LCE

[g8lce]

While looking for a replacement RPi, I had a thought that it might be a memory size problem! I will look at the size of RPI memory in the old RPi incase it is a small one. Reading the Ryde info I see it says that a 4 or even 8 Gb memory might be needed in the future and the Pico update might have needed more than 2 Gb if left running for a long time.
Just a thought.

Martin G8LCE

[g8lce]

The problem seems to have gone! It started with a loss of audio and ended with a RPi crash! Since forcing a reboot (to the same updated software version) the system has been working ever since without a reboot. Same RPi and same Picotuner.
VLC stream rtsp://82.144.238.35:8889/live/0

Martin G8LCE