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Compasseur

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Posts posted by Compasseur

  1. 16 hours ago, Axel Mishael said:

    Strangely enoguh, the otg appears to be functioning but it still doesn't work on txadvance... do you have any list of approved tablets that surely works?

     

    thanks,

    Axel.

    When you plug a USB stick, can you open it from your tablet?
    Otherwise, many users are using Samsung Galaxy tab A serie with success. The A7 Lite seems to be quite popular.

  2. 20 minutes ago, Axel Mishael said:

    It's a tablet, chinese, the info is on the pictures attached, the dongle are the recommended from the txadvance site as well, neither of the possible combinations works and they all show the text I refer to or just says that I should check the connector.

     

    thanks in advance,

    Axel.

    IMG_0851.HEIC 2.58 MB · 0 downloads IMG_0852.HEIC 3.5 MB · 0 downloads IMG_0853.HEIC 1.43 MB · 0 downloads IMG_0854.HEIC 1.12 MB · 0 downloads IMG_0855.HEIC 1.46 MB · 0 downloads

    Your dongle and cables look good. I am suspecting the tablet ; many unbranded, low cost tablets claim to have OTG although they do not have it. you can try 2 things :
    -look for an OTG tester app on the app store and check if there is OTG,
    -download this app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mantz_it.rfanalyzer&hl=fr&gl=US and see if it works.

  3. 4 hours ago, Paul F said:

    Can I load the app on more than one device and then use it on one device at a time? I want to try it out on my phone, but I will likely use it on a tablet.

    Hi Paul,

     

    You buy the app through your Google Account. Therefore, any device which uses this Google account can download and use bought apps. So you can use TXAdvance on both your phone and tablet at the same time without problem.

  4. In TXAdvance, you can create a custom TX at whatever frequency you want. When you are on the TX edit screen, in brand, go at the bottom of the list and select "CUSTOM". Change the low and high frequency limits to the walkie bandwidth.
    Then you can select the walkie frequency for this custom TX and its potential intermodulations will be taken into account.

  5. 17 hours ago, MarvinLee said:

     

    Thanks for the reply!

     

    According to USB checker, this tablet does have OTG. I also set the tablet to "developer mode" and reset USB default to data. I was also hoping to use this with SD Remote, which requires USB midi to function. Doesn't connect there either. 

    Perhaps others who are using tablets might share what specific model tablet they are using? I am an iPad guy and this is very first Android. Pretty underwhelming so far.

     

    Hello Marvin,

     

    Can you try to download RFAnalyzer : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mantz_it.rfanalyzer&hl=fr&gl=US

    and check if it works with your SDR dongle. You should not need to go in developer mode.

    If it does not work, I suspect that the tablet does not have OTG despite claiming so. This would not be the first cheap Chinese tablet I hear about with this issue. 
     

    You can also contact me by MP or email : thecompasseur (at) gmail.com

  6. Hi everyone,

     

    I would like to introduce a new feature in the TXAdvance app : TXAdvance Scan Exchange (TASE). It is a collaborative worldwide map of RF spectrum scans.
    Scans are uploaded from TXAdvance and can be downloaded and imported by anyone.
    The scans are precisely geotagged and time-stamped by the phone/tablet and have a 5kHz resolution in any band from 50 to 1300MHz. 

     

    More infos there : https://www.compasseur.com/txadvance-scan-exchange-tase/
    And the app is there : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compasseur.txadvance

     

    Thank you.

    txadvance_v4_tasehome_screenshot.jpg

    txadvance_v4_tase_screenshot.jpg

  7. 6 hours ago, daniel said:

    As a follow up: 

    I stopped trying to reference the frequency co-ordination of TXA with those of the various RX in use  (🤯) and just went with TXA (as advised by Compasseur :) and so far been very happy. Ran the scanner during a location recce, built a TX list, applied exclusions, pressed AUTO and dialled the numbers into the HW. 7 channels all good to go on the day. Next job, has no recce but I've built a new TX list specific to the shoot, dialled in the provision numbers and saved (to 'home') so i can compare numbers to results specific to the next location but the same TX list and change as required.

    I think my anxiety around the difference between TXA and the RX co-ordination is not knowing how TXA handles the different RF footprints of the specific brands and ranges? I guess if TXA uses the largest 'footprint' for the calculation it doesn't matter?

     

    Hi Daniel, 
    I am glad that the auto mode worked well !
    About it, the app does not take into account TX specific deviation but has a general settings TX bandwidth (and also IM bandwidth). This setting will affect the bandwidth of a frequency on the charts (so the red line representing TX), the number of "orange" dots in the frequency list (so the frequencies considered too close to an already taken (red) frequency and the auto mode.
    The auto mode will take every possible frequency for a TX (so the "frequency step" settings in the TX setting will affect the auto mode, especially the time it takes), and give it a rate. The higher the rate, the worst the frequency is considered ; for example frequencies which are already occupied by another TX or are at a 2T3O intermod will get a very very high rate. 

    For every frequency, the rate will include the surrounding frequencies (the number of surrounding frequencies is determined by the TX bandwidth setting), so the closer you are to an intermod the higher the rate will be, but a 2T7O will not increase your rate as much as a 2T3O...

    And of course, the noise value of every frequency (and its surrounding frequencies) is also taken into account.

    Also, the surrounding frequencies are always with a 5kHz resolution like the scans are  (and thus do not depend on the "frequency step").

    I hope that it clarifies a bit how the auto mode works.

    6 hours ago, Fred Salles said:

    Hello all, back from my shoot in Palestine/Israel. 6 wireless lav LT tx, 2 HMa, 3 different IFB tx (sennheiser G4, lectro LT et sony something). No SL2 but the PSC multiplexer 8x inputs and lectrosonics lpda antennas. The app really gave me confidence and saved quite some time. I followed its auto function for each set without any trouble. Only some tx could not give me easy access to the frequency suggested by the app (no time for fine tuning) so I choose the closest available in all green and changed it manually in the app. Not a single rf interference during the 10days. Quite a breeze overall!

     

    Important advice: the usb connections need to be perfect. I had a bit of gap in the female usb A connector and the sdr usb male, and that gave me lots of scans stopping not completed. I had to hold it in a way that the connection is maintained without moving for the time of the scan. Will look for better adaptor now 😉

     

     

    Hi Fred,

     

    Thanks a lot for the feedback. Indeed you are right, all OTG were not created equal and some can be sensitive. I would recommand to put the phone/tablet and SDR dongle on a table or something so that they do not move while scanning.

  8. On 5/11/2022 at 4:44 PM, Fred Salles said:

    It is quite fancy for me to be able to get a scan on all locations discreetly during technical reccie!! Getting an idea of the fx availability before getting the gear is pretty reassuring. 
     

    8529659F-C32A-4E42-87F9-253418625E2D.jpeg

    (PS: sorry Jerusalem’s sun is stronger than my display but it is quite clear from 470 to 700Mega)

    Thanks Fred, and nice view!
    Here are also a nice view and pretty clean spectrum from not very far...

    txadvance_kazneh.png

    On 5/11/2022 at 7:22 PM, daniel said:

    Thanks Roubi, obvious now you say it. 4 custom exclusions: everything up to 582; everything up to 606; everything from 614; everything from 638. Depending which 2 I deploy i can scan ch38 and/or 2 overlapping 32mhz (wisy friendly) bands with ch38 at 1 end or the other. There's probably something smarter but this will do.

     

    Is there a way to program or import a given brands receiver Groups into TXAdvance? Perhaps on the 'Edit TX' screen. When I'm trying to determine best freqs. it would be kinder to have both systems offer the same freqs. or am I missing some trick here too? I get the feeling either set of compatible freqs (offered by the RX or TXA) will work but have not determined if if 1 is better than the other. I tried locking the 1st TX to a frequency from 1 of the RX brand's groups but the AUTO button didn't modify the others to correspond to the rest of the freqs in the same (RX brand) group.

    Hi Daniel, I am not sure I completely follow you. You need to first set up your scan limits, let's say from 470 to 694. So any frequency below 470 or higher than 608 will not be scanned but can still be selected for a TX (you will just not know the frequency content in dBFS) then set your TX frequencies limit : you can keep the default one or in the case of MCR54, set them up so that they represent 32MHz. That will make sure the app only presents you with 32MHz worth of bandwidth frequencies. You can then add exclusion lists from 608 to 614 for example (I believe this band is forbidden in the US) and any other you need. The frequencies in exclusion lists will also be kept out of the list of frequencies for every TX. That can also be useful if you have to share the RF spectrum with other people.

    As for the frequency tables from the manufacturers, I don't think I will as the point of app is that you don't really need it anymore. But, you can also work the other way around and set up your TX/RX and then check if everything is fine thanks to the app.

    Sorry if I didn't get your point and thus did not answer right. Please tell me if that's the case !

    On 5/12/2022 at 6:47 PM, soundflowers said:

    Hi 

    just got it and I’m very excited :)

    is there away too put a us zip code to get all active tv stations , kind of like in wireless workbench or FreqFinder ? 

    Hi Soundflowers,

     

    Thank for getting the app. At the moment it is not possible but that is on my list. 

  9. On 4/29/2022 at 5:13 PM, daniel said:

    How are people getting on with this? 1st day testing at home. Navigating between TX lists was a bit unintuitive (created an analogue 1 and digital 1). Main worry right now though is the spread of frequencies offered is either too wide to work with the 35 mhz limit of wisycom or if I apply a custom exclusion list (leaving 550 to 638) the app says no frequencies available. Maybe I just can't handle the RF truth but the wisy scanner will offer me freqs and in a smaller BW. Am I doing something wrong? I've tried reducing the gain as well, different antenna.

    Hi Daniel,

     

    To work with the MCR54 and its 32 MHz window, i recommend at the creation of your TX list to modify the low and high frequency limits of your first TX so that it has a bandwidth of 32 MHz. You only have to do it once for the first TX. When you add another TX, it will get the specifications of the last added TX.

    Exclusion lists are list of frequencies to avoid. So the frequencies in those list will be excluded from the list of available frequencies for any TX and from the auto mode. They will be scanned though and you can bypass them by manually entering a frequency for your TXs.

    I need to find an easier solution for those MCR54. I'm open to any suggestion.

    18 hours ago, Fred Salles said:

    I found a basic Wiko android 8 phone in a drawer, ordered the sdr dongle, waiting for it.

    now I am wondering about the antenna. I do not see how a single whip antenna like the one on your photo would allow a good scan from 470Mhz to 694, and even less up to 800.

    What antenna do you recommend for a scan from 470 to 800Mhz?

    A dipole?

    I read someone advising a telescopic antenna. I guess you would have to do several scan with different lenght step by step? Does the app keep memory of the different medium band scans and can then assemble them to view the total wide band?

    Thanks

    Hi Fred,

     

    From the receiver side, the length of the antenna is not as important as from the transmitter side. Of course it will be better to have the exact length for every band but if your antenna is tuned to the center of 470-694 MHZ, the app will detect any frequencies which could be problematic for our use in this band. You will even detect radio stations frequencies at 90-100 MHz or your car keys at 434 MHz. 

  10. 1 hour ago, Derek H said:

    So I tried this with an ancient android phone I had laying around (Motorola Droid Turbo) and a nooelec smart sdr dongle from a few years ago (not sure if it’s the latest version) it would scan sometimes and then not. The debug in the SDR driver claims that it’s not getting enough power from the phone. 
     

    Have you found that most recent android devices provide sufficient power to the dongle? Are the Google pixel phones a safe choice?

     

    I have tried using a “powered” OTG cable which has a y-split to attach a charger but the problem there is the phone seems to decide to only do one thing at a time. Either use the dongle or just charge but not both. Maybe if I used a dumb power supply it would work but phone chargers or battery packs seem to be too smart for their own good in this case. 

     

    Hi Derek,

     

    Yes recent phones will definitely provide more power. I have a beta tester and now a few users with Pixel phones and it works fine.

     

    Alternatively, I know that some of those "powered" OTG can be tricky. You have to try different orders, like :

    1) plug the power, then the phone, then the SDR

    2) plug the phone, then the SDR, then the power

    ......
     

    When and if you find the right one, remember it !

    Keep me(us) inform please.

  11. 12 hours ago, Derek H said:

    Can you elaborate on the gain setting? Why is the default "2" and when would it be useful to change it?

     

    This is very cool. Not the most intuitive but that's ok. The more I use it the more I see the logic. 

    The R820T2 has 29 different settings for gain, from 0 to 496 (0, 9,14, 27, 37,...439, 445, 480, 496).  To make it simpler, I chose 7 values and named them 1 to 7.

    Here are the corresponding values :

    1 -> 9

    2 -> 77

    3 -> 125

    4 -> 229

    5 -> 280

    6 -> 402

    7 -> 480

     

    I found that the setting 2 (77) is a good compromise between seeing signals and noise floor. If the app was about listening some very weak signals, I would have put more gain values.

    For our use, with a gain of 2 (77), the SDR receiver would get the signal the same way our wireless RX do (this is approximate of course as it depends on the receiver and the antenna used).

     

    If you have wireless transmitters close to the SDR (less than 1m, depending on the transmitting power), it can be wise to lower the gain so as to not overload the receiver.

     

    Trying to find a good compromise between simplicity and customization...

     

     

    10 hours ago, Dalton Patterson said:

    Make this work on ios and I will throw money at you.

    Genius. 

    i am sorry but it is not possible to directly plug and communicate with the SDR dongle on iOS. Believe me, I would have loved to implement it on iOS too as most of sound engineers use iPhone...

    For the demo version, not at the moment, but you can buy the app and be reimbursed if needed.

  12. Hi,

     

    I would like to introduce TXAdvance, an Android app for managing wireless transmitters. It's an all-in-one solution providing RF spectrum analysis and frequency coordination.

     

    Main features :

    -Scan any part of the RF spectrum from 50 to 1300MHz with a 5kHz resolution using SDR technology,

    -intermodulation calculation up to 7th order,

    -automatic function for finding optimal frequencies.

     

    Available on Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compasseur.txadvance

    More infos : https://www.compasseur.com/

     

    Thanks.

    screenshot_accueil_full.jpg

    screenshot_accueil_edit_txfreq.jpg

    tel_plus_cle_clean_small.png

  13. Hello fellow sound mixers,

     

    I am developing an Android app for coordinating RF transmitters (including frequency spectrum analysis and intermodulation calculations). The app is in beta state and I am looking for a few people to beta test it in real world with different configurations.

     

    Should you be interested, here are the requirements :
    -having an Android smartphone with at least Android 6 and OTG ability and being able to download apps from the Google Play store,
    -having and using several UHF links (mics, ifb, hop…),
    -being ready to test it and send me reports about the app (keeping in mind that it is a beta version so do not rely only on it for professional purpose at the moment).

     

    By coming on board you will help developing a new tool for the sound community and you will get the app for free (it will be a paid app).

     

    If you wish to participate, please send an email at thecompasseur@gmail.com with the following infos :
    -where you live (town, country),
    -your list of equipment (mixer/recorder + wireless stuff),
    -the model of smartphone you will be using.

     

    Thank you very much,

     

    Grégoire (also known as Roubi on JWSoundgroup)

     


     

    homescreen_full_light.jpg

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