LimeSdr USB Gqrx Ubuntu 18.04

Projects LimeSDR
1

Hi all,
I made a fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04 Mate and added successfully Gnuradio Compagnion, LimeSuite Gui en Limeutils, gr-limesuite. Gnu radio is working fine, the RX source Limesuite is correctly finding the LimeSdr USB3
I installed also Gqrx and selected device “Other” and device string “soapy=0,driver=lime” input rate 5000000 bandwidth 100,000000M.
It worked at the first attempt.
Then I tried to use the LimeSdr instaed of “Other” since then nothing is working anymore: I restores the device “Other” with his settings, but no result:
I have a waterfall and signal strength screen probably working correctly, but obviously the program did not connect the lime.
Here part of the output during startup of the program:
----->
Controlport disabled
No user supplied config file. Using “default.conf”
gr-osmosdr v0.1.x-xxx-xunknown (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.11
built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd plutosdr miri hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy airspyhf soapy redpitaya freesrp
FM demod gain: 3.05577
Resampling audio 96000 -> 48000
IQ DCR alpha: 1.04166e-05
Using audio backend: autoControlport disabled
No user supplied config file. Using “default.conf”
gr-osmosdr v0.1.x-xxx-xunknown (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.11
built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd plutosdr miri hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy airspyhf soapy redpitaya freesrp
FM demod gain: 3.05577Controlport disabled
No user supplied config file. Using “default.conf”
gr-osmosdr v0.1.x-xxx-xunknown (0.1.5gitControlport disabled
No user supplied config file. Using “default.conf”
gr-osmosdr v0.1.x-xxx-xunknown (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.11
built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd plutosdr miri hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy airspyhf soapy redpitaya freesrp
FM demod gain: 3.05577
Resampling audio 96000 -> 48000
IQ DCR alpha: 1.04166e-05
Using audio backend: auto
BookmarksFile is /home/freddy/.config/gqrx/bookmarks.csv
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock

RtApiAlsa::getDeviceInfo: snd_pcm_open error for device (hw:0,0), Device or resource busy.
) gnuradio 3.7.11
built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd plutosdr miri hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy airspyhf soapy redpitaya freesrp
FM demod gain: 3.05577
Resampling audio 96000 -> 48000
IQ DCR alpha: 1.04166e-05
Using audio backend: auto
BookmarksFile is /home/freddy/.config/gqrx/bookmarks.csv
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock

RtApiAlsa::getDeviceInfo: snd_pcm_open error for device (hw:0,0), Device or resource busy.

Resampling audio 96000 -> 48000
IQ DCR alpha: 1.04166e-05
Using audio backend: auto
BookmarksFile is /home/freddy/.config/gqrx/bookmarks.csv
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock

RtApiAlsa::getDeviceInfo: snd_pcm_open error for device (hw:0,0), Device or resource busy.

BookmarksFile is /home/freddy/.config/gqrx/bookmarks.csv
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock
JackShmReadWritePtr::~JackShmReadWritePtr - Init not done for -1, skipping unlock

RtApiAlsa::getDeviceInfo: snd_pcm_open error for device (hw:0,0), Device or resource busy.
-------<

Some of you has a clue of how to resolve this ?
Thank you very much for your time!

Freddy, ON7VQ

2

When I see “Device or resource busy.” I run limesdr_stopchannel from this repository: https://github.com/emvivre/limesdr_toolbox
I know this is only workaround.

3

Update:
I did a fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04 and followed then these instructions:

soapysdr seems not to exist in the Myriad repositories!
So, no succes, gnuradio and LimeSuite are both working but gqrx does clearly not install the correct driver for my LimeSDR-USB
So, I think I will return to my Debian 9.5 and leave Ubuntu where it is for a while …
Unless someone has an idea how to resolv this problem?
Thanks!
Freddy ON7VQ

4

Looks like it’s not packaged for 18.04 yet. You could try asking @joshblum nicely, else built it from source.

5

soapysdr seems not to exist in the Myriad repositories!

But its in the official ubuntu release for 18.04 so isnt this ok? Just tried this on a machine I recently updated to 18.04 LTS

They just renamed one package sudo apt-get install soapysdr to soapysdr-tools so I followed suit and made the same rename upstream for future packages.

Now eventually I will have to reupload everything when I tag 0.7 release, but for now I think its ok. I would like to hear if something specific is out of date or needs re-upload.

6

wow i just started messing around with some fresh installs of ubuntu.
18.04
18.04.3
18.04 daily
19.04
19.10
(all 64 bit Desktop)
i tried updating and installing and then adding myriadrf/drivers ppa (changed disco to bionic in repos) and still couldnt successfully get gqrx going.
same for sdrangelove
LimeSuiteGui, works fine
SoapySDRUtil --info and --find work fine
LimeSuiteUtil --info and --find work fine also.
gqrx just wont seem to work for me so far.
im thinking about going back to 17.10 as thats prob last time it was working without this trouble?