SDRconnect Preview Software - A Primary Look

SDRPlay's current proprietory software for their SDRs is SDRUno - a program consisting of many more or less independent windows that can be moved around, and possibly tied together - in any case it always looks like a mess on my PC desktop and the lettering is hopelessly small for a modern PC monitor, hence I never use it for my RSPdx. Nice then, to have HDSDR and SDR Console to do the job. Others may feel differently about this - I'm not the judge.

The past few months though, another software has begun to emerge from SDRPlay: SDRconnect is their multi-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux) 64-bit software with built-in server capacity. So, while at the KONG HQ this early March weekend, I took some time to play with it.

First off, the full display (click on image for a larger version)

The layout consists of three sections: Primary SP, Aux SP and Recording, in addition to a Control panel that can be toggled on and off. The sections can be resized relative to each other. SDRUno users will recognize the "Bands" control which has been supplemented with a keypad. An IQ or audio recorder is now easily available to the lower right - at the moment the functions are very rudimentary but at least it's there and not hidden in "Scheduler". And as you can see, it works.

By the way, at the time of testing the software I was on 6185 kHz for a reason: Young Finnish radio enthusiast Joakim Wickström was granted permission to set up a temporary SW station from Raasepori on Finland's southwest coast, 1230 km away from me. His 15-watt transmitter was heard with a weak, but stable signal and was also heard in Austria. RealMix Radio is the ID to look out for.

A brief test on the MW band was next:

There is a "Toggle Assymetric Filter" function  (top red circle) which allows full flexibility on both sides of the bandwidth settings, in both AM, SAM, USB and LSB mode (those I tested). With it enabled, I was able to keep a wide bandwidth for a readable signal from CJWI Montréal 1410 while keeping the stronger signal on 1413 out. I was actually quite pleased with the result. You can't move the passband itself (yet?) though, like you can with the Perseus software. There is also a Notch Filter function which I haven't tested.

Another MW view here, WWKB Buffalo NY 1520 with signals on 1510 and 1530 as well, this time with "Toggle Preview Filter" on (red "circle") and Control Panel toggled off. At this time of the morning, almost all European stations are gone.

Both visually and operationally SDRconnect is a huge improvement over SDRUno. What potential users should note is that only 64-bit systems are supported, and Windows users should note that there is no support for pre-Windows 10 systems. Hence, I suppose that SDRConnect is an alternative to and not a replacement for SDRUno. At least for now.

Server functionality has not been tested yet.

But remember: It's a preview for dog's sake! Now is the time for SDRPlay users to report inconsistencies and omissions.

More info from the manufacturer here.