Skywave Linux / Blog: Recent posts

Skywave Linux 3.0 is released. This version has a different look, now using the MATE desktop environment. It is efficient and has visual appeal. We're now on the Xanmod Kernel 4.13, which makes for a responsive and stable base system. Audio now starts as a plain PulseAudio system, without plugins, for greater hardware compatibility. More wifi drivers are also included in Skywave Linux 3.0. Multiple desktops are enabled, so users can de-clutter and organize their activities on the system.... read more

Skywave Linux 2.3 is being uploaded, with updates and usability refinements. As usual, be aware that the isofile is coming from a location with astoundingly restricted internet service. Uploading is expected to be completed by 1200 UTC, August 2, 2017.

This will probably be the last version 2 upload, as work begins on Skywave Linux v3.0.

Enjoy this update!

Sometimes there is a need to switch between soundcards and devices in a running system. For example, you may have a computer which boots with no sound because Skywave Linux automatically selected the wrong device for your actual hardware. Here is a script which will switch do a different configuration and run an audio test to make sure it is correct. Download from the link here:

https://github.com/brightflash64/Skywave-Linux/blob/master/audioswitch.sh... read more

A few users are having problems with Broadcom wireless hardware on machines running Skywave Linux. The best reference for installing and / or enabling firmware for those devices is here:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/55868/installing-broadcom-wireless-drivers

Consider running the system from a USB flashdrive, either fully installed or booting with a persistent configuration.... read more

Please stand by for the upload of Skywave Linux version 2.2, bringing updated software and expanded hardware compatibility.

Software packages for the user interfaces Gqrx and CubicSDR have been freshened. You now have R820Tweak for adjusting driver parameters in R820 based RTL-SDRs. Also, a new subcarrier tuner has been scripted for RTL-SDRs - perfect for accessing TACAMO ORDERWIRE sognals or accessing subcarriers on your local FM broadcasters.... read more

After doing bug fixes and system updates, Skywave Linux 2.1 is uploading. Completion of the upload is expected at approximately 1000 UTC, 01/06/2017. Connectivity to SourceForge is terrible today, mostly due to the local internet provider.

Bit torrent downloads are much faster and available now:

Skywave Linux 2.1 Bit Torrent Page... read more

A number of users have reported no audio on certain soundcards. I believe the problem is related to setting up pulseaudio in a brittle manner. The next upload will be more hardware agnostic!

Others had problems installing Skywave Linux in their own language and timezone, suffering a system crash when configuring those items. Ubiquity has been updated and is being tested, also slated for the next upload.... read more

Enjoy the updated software and smoother operation of Skywave Linux v2.0. It is now using a base of Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, stripped to bare metal and rebuilt for software defined radio plus conventional streaming.

Uploading of the new iso file is in progress, with completion expected 10/07/2016, 2000 UTC. As always, please verify the checksum before using the file.

skywavelinux-2.0.iso Release Date (10/07/2016):
md5sum: 291c41afdf4edb5bba37923bab494fe9
sha1sum: bc837f9e144b9578e7aae1957e914ad3d90dbdd1

Enjoy the updated software and smoother operation of Skywave Linux v1.7. Uploading of the new iso file is in ptogress, with completion expected 07/6/2016, 0200 UTC. As always, please verify the checksum before using the file.

skywavelinux-1.7.iso (Release Date 07/25/2016):
MD5SUM: 99e690a87cfbd22c4550a85a4b19368b
SHA1SUM: 8a5d0772ad1a5a517e15ba2c81c6b8615cf1b539

There is a software bug in Skywave Linux 1.6 which interferes with the configuration of Dump1090
for the SDRPlay. Please use the following shell command to correct the script and restore normal functionality. The command needs to be run only once for fully installed versions of Skywave Linux 1.6. Users booting from the iso file or DVD should run the command once per computing session before running Dump1090 on the SDRPlay:... read more

Skywave Linux v1.6 is now uploading to SourceForge, and completion is expected by 06/04/2016, 0800 UTC. Please be sure to verify iso file integrity with the MD5 and SHA1 sums before using.

skywavelinux-1.6.iso (Release Date 06/04/2016):
md5sum: 4968e8a2108fc88a1bd13db573b8c5ba
sha1sum: 1afd73ed0097fde9c3169c6e1074506a06afb577

This version includes system and application updates and expaded support for SDRPlay and Airspy devices. OpenWebRX is installed, offering an elegant and network capable interface for local and distant SDR hardware. Trunked radio systems may now be monitored in the SDRTrunk application.... read more

Skywave Linux version 1.5 is now uploading to SourceForge, featuring new software and internal system enhancements. Here are the MD5 and SHA1 sums:

skywavelinux-1.5.iso:
md5sum: 3589b0ece1ae314e2a1ce84142725756
sha1sum: 43b998045ab2d271a7bad98b8d97d78452b96360

Gqrx is included as yet another SDR interface, along with WXtoImg and Gpredict to enable weather satellite reception. There are updates for CubicSDR, Fldigi, and other packages.... read more

Here is a short post about connecting the audio stream from a web based receiver (WebSDR or OpenWebRX) to applications such as Fldigi and WSJT. If you are interested in PSK-31, RTTY, WSPR, WSJT, and the many other digimodes, this is how to get a direct feed without coupling through the computer's microphone.

Start up the web browser and load the SDR page for the site you want to use. Next, open the digimode app - WSJT or Fldigi in this example. You may see signals being received by the system microphone at this point, but ignore that! Listen instead to the monitor signal on the audio plugins running in Skywave Linux. The last one has the most refined audio, which has already been equalized, dynamically processed, and passed through a limiter.... read more

A Skywave Linux user recently had a question about connecting the audio stream from QtRadio into Fldigi (for PSK-31 and other modes). It is not quite as simple as it seems, though it seems to work out-of-the-box on a lot of computers.

On a lot of laptops, especially, speaker audio couples into the microphone and digimode reception is possible in Fldigi. A more effective way to operate is directing QtRadio’s output into the Pulseaudio processing chain and also connecting Fldigi to that chain’s “monitor”.... read more

Skywave Linux v1.4 is uploading. It features software updates, system tweaks, and just a bit of new software. Here is authentication data for the iso file:

skywavelinux-1.4.iso:
md5sum: 738c032e47978aa2796765767e64a6eb
sha1sum: d19b825c305672228de252741e0a28f171618c83

CudaSDR is added to the system for more HPSDR support, and it works with the rtl_hpsdr translation software for RTL-SDR devices. QtRadio now has up to 200 kHz FM bandwidth. Also, the passbands for SSB have been adjusted for better ECSS and extended sideband reception. Last, but not least, Dump1090 has been set up for more effective capture of weak signal ADS-B signals.... read more

Skywave Linux version 1.3 is now uploading to SourceForge, featuring internal system enhancements and upgraded softwape packages.

For users with single core CPUs or less memory, there should be a noticeable improvement in stability and speed. Zram is now enabled, plus swappiness and caching settings have been changed. Minor changes were also made in QtRadio and Rhytmbox.

Upload completion time is estimated to be 1600 UTC, 12/05/2015.... read more

Skywave Linux version 1.2 is now uploading to SourceForge, featuring internal system enhancements.

For users with single core CPUs or less memory, there should be a noticeable improvement in stability and speed. Zram is now enabled, plus swappiness and caching settings have been changed. Minor changes were also made in QtRadio and Rhytmbox.

Upload completion time is estimated to be 0000 UTC, 09/14/2015.... read more

Note: The upload to SourceForge is terribly slow, and is expected to he complete by 0000 UTC, 8/28/2015. You can get Skywave Linux v1.1 faster via bit torrent!

http://linuxtracker.org/index.php?page=torrent-details&id=7ab47c99d41116eb794ebdcadbccd2ed67e34af0&hit=1

Skywave Linux version 1.1 is now uploading, bringing enhancements to a number of software defined radio applications plus some system refinements.... read more

EDIT: Upload complete, 2100 utc, 8/23/2015.

Version 1.1b1 of Skywave Linux is uploading. This will interrupt downloads for a few hours until the whole iso file is on the servers. There are usually a few upload failures and resumptions before it successfully completes.

Please check your downloads against the md5 and sha1 sums given on the summary page. Then, enjoy the freshened Skywave Linux!

If your computer is running Windows and you would like to install Skywave Linux to a USB flash drive or SD card, a good application to use is YUMI.

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/

It does a very nice job of setting up the drive to boot and run live Linux distros downloaded as ISO files. If the storage device is large enough, it is possible to set up multiple distros, selectable at boot time.

Tweaks and updates for the next release:

• QtRadio expanded Softrock support
• Pulseaudio preferences / networked audio
• WSJT apps (WSPR, JT65, etc)
• Glfer
• RDS decoding

It may take a bit of time to get the work done, but that's the plan. First, it'll be necessary to make sure it can all be done with free & open source software. Then testing to make sure it all works.

After multiple attempts to upload the iso file, it is finally acomplished. Likewise, the torrent at Linuxtracker is verified by MD5 and SHA1 sums.

It's a very slow process to upload from my location, but it is happening! Hopefully Skywave Linux v1.0 will be downloadable from SourceForge by 0600 or 0700 UTC, August 2nd. Torrents are uploading as well, and the group of trackers is linked on our page at Skywave Linux.

This project is exciting; it is expected to bring shortwave listening to a vast number of people in a way that frees them from the need to have local hardware, big antennas, and so forth. Until this moment, just a few experts have been running high performance software defined radio servers and being accessed by the other experts. I built a Linux system similar to Skywave Linux, and realized that there certainly are others like me - who are interested in radio, seeking access to the airwaves from other places, and frustrated with the difficulty of installing the software.... read more