HD Homerun and SDR Radio/software uploading to Rabbit Ears DTV and FM Live Bandscans

[K4LY]

Let's make this topic location a place for helping those of us who are less computer/software savvy, but want to upload to Rabbit Ears Live Bandscans.

I know from many DXing site comments, from emails, and from my own experience, of the difficult challenge of interfacing one's HDHomeRun or SDR radios to scanning/uploading software for uploading to Rabbit Ears Live Bandscans. Yes, many have been uploading DTV identifications to Rabbit Ears Live Bandscan for several years, but not without problems and needing help from others. Judging from the few using the FM Live Bandscan and my own experience, the FM decoding/logging/upload software interface is even more difficult. FM DXers can use SDRSharp or SDR Console (and maybe other software) with KB8U software for scanning/logging uploads to to the Rabbit Ears FM Live Bandscan. Several scanning and logging software "plugins" such as RDS Logger, are available, and often required, and need to be correctly interfaced. I have finally been successful in interfacing SDR Console to the KB8U upload, but so far have not been successful with SDRSharp with RDS Logger, often considered the better alternative. It would be helpful to us struggling with the interface problems if you more computer/software savvy DXers related your trials and successes, and EXACTLY WHAT STEPS LED TO SUCCESS. I'm sure there are many others struggling with the complexities of contemporary, computer aided DXing who need a helping hand.

[K4LY]

Are some other WTFDA members using SDR Sharp or SDR Console with the KB8U software to upload to Rabbit Ears? Why or why not? What are your experiences? Do you have a preference of one over the other?
Here was a helpful answer to me by Les, N1LF, a few years ago, on setting up RDS Data Logger plugin with SDRSharp-

Doug,

Finally think I might be able to "pay back" some of the considerable help that I've been offered since I started FM DXing. First of all, a few questions, and recommendations:

1.) Make sure that you've downloaded the latest version of the #SDRSharp software. Which is currently Rev. 1671

https://airspy.com/download/

2.) Then install the latest version of RDS Data Logger Plug In, which is version Beta Version 18. In order to install a plug-in for #SDRSharp software, you have to use a text editor to edit one line of code per plug-in. It sounds worse than it is. But let me know if you need help with that too:

http://www.apritch.co.uk/sdrsharp_plugins.htm

Once you have installed everything, and edited the text file. You should have a sub-folder inside your #SDRSharp folder labeled:

RDSDATALOGGER

3.) Now you just have to set up the Plug-In correctly:

Under Basic Settings:

Change channel spacing to 200 Khz
Put a checkmark in "Log" and "Skip Locals"

Under advanced settings:

Change Sweet Time to 7 Seconds
Audto Reset RDS Time to 120

Scan from 88100000 and 107900000

Click on "Apply Settings."

Then click on "Start Scan" The SDR should begin to automatically change frequency every 7 seconds and log any RDS signals it receives. Wait about ten minutes, stop the scan and check. If things worked, you should now have a file inside the "RDSDATALOGGER" file marked something like:

RDSDataLogger-2018-08-20.csv

This file should open fine in Excel.

While RDS Data Logger is great--it's not very sensitive. To really make this work as an Auto Logger, you need to download another plug-in that allows the AirSpy to output it's MPX signal. This can then be fed to "RDS Spy" software to log RDS signals. It's much more sensitive. RDS Data Logger basically just controls the tuning (acting as a scanner) but RDS Spy handles decoding and logging. This is the method that most European FM DX'ers use to great effect.

Fire away with any questions, Doug. Happy to help.