It is also possible to use to use hamlib with an SDR software at the condition it emulates an existent radio protocol. As example following the instructions to connect hamlib with the well know application SDRUno.
Before to start a little explanation.
SDRUno, being a software application, doesn’t directly connect to physical serial ports. To enable communication between SDRUno and other software that uses serial communication (like hamlib), a virtual COM port is used as an intermediary.
A null-modem emulator is a software tool that emulates the behavior of a null-modem cable, which is traditionally used to connect two serial devices (like computers or devices with serial ports) for communication.
To create a virtual COM pairs it is possible to use a null-modem emulator called com0com.
Instead of using physical serial ports and cables, com0com creates virtual COM port pairs. These are pairs of virtual serial ports that are connected to each other as if they were physical ports with a null-modem cable in between.
For example, if you create a pair COM4 <-> COM5, data sent to COM4 will be received by COM5, and vice versa.
In the example of COM4 <-> COM5:
– SDRUno communicates with the virtual COM port COM4.
– COM4 is part of the virtual COM port pair created by com0com.
– COM5, the other end of the pair, is connected to hamlib.
– Therefore, SDRUno <-> COM4 <-> COM5 <-> hamlib forms a complete communication chain.
In summary, the null-modem emulator (com0com) is used to create virtual COM port pairs, allowing SDRUno to connect to a virtual COM port, which is then linked to hamlib through another virtual COM port, establishing a communication path for controlling amateur radio equipment.
Step 1
Download com0com at this link :
https://sourceforge.net/projects/com0com/
Run the setup and create virtual COM pairs. COM4 and COM5 ( the numbers of the port can be different because it depends on your hardware).
Take note of the names of the COMs created.
Step 2
Open SDRUno and click on the SETT. Button of the SDRUno RX CONTROL
Select the CAT tab and set the COM and click on the click box ENABLE & CONNECT
Step 3
As you have seen in the previous sections dedicated to hamlib you have to let know to hamlib how to connect to your radio that in this case is the SDRUno software.
The rigctld command will be the following :
rigctld -m 2051 -r COM5
Where 2051 is the number that identify the SDRUno sdr application.
COM5 is the other end of the virtual COM pairs COM4<->COM5