Quick setup guide — Qthid (formerly FUNcube Dongle Controller)
1) What Qthid is
- A Qt-based HID control app for the FUNcube/Funcube Dongle (FCD) SDR family (Pro / Pro+).
- Lets you set frequency, RF/IF gains and filters, apply I/Q correction, and upgrade firmware; communicates via USB HID while the dongle streams I/Q over USB audio.
2) Download & pick correct version
- Get Qthid from the project pages (GitHub: csete/qthid) or SourceForge.
- Use Qthid 4.x for firmware 18f or later; use Qthid 2.x only when upgrading older firmware.
3) Install prerequisites (by OS)
- Linux: Qt runtime (Qt4/Qt5 packages), libusb-dev for builds. If available, install the distro package (qthid-fcd-controller) to simplify setup. Create the provided udev rule (copy funcube-dongle.rules to /etc/udev/rules.d/70-funcube-dongle.rules) so non-root users can access the device.
- macOS (10.6+): bundled Qt libs in the macOS app — no extra steps usually needed.
- Windows: use the self-contained Windows package — no separate Qt install required.
4) Connect & verify
- Plug the Funcube Dongle into USB. The device should expose a USB audio interface (I/Q stream) and a HID control interface.
- Launch Qthid; it should auto-detect the dongle. If it doesn’t, check udev rules (Linux), USB permissions, or try a different USB port/cable.
5) Basic configuration steps in Qthid
- Set desired center frequency (enter value or use tuning buttons).
- Set frequency correction (ppm) if you have a reference.
- Adjust RF and IF gains and select filters to optimize SNR. Use the “Defaults” button on first run to reset sensible gains.
- Use I/Q correction if you observe image rejection problems.
- Use auto-repeat tuning (hold button) to scan.
6) Integrate with SDR software
- Point your SDR software (gqrx, SDR# via virtual audio, GNU Radio, etc.) to the system’s USB audio input from the FCD. Qthid only controls the dongle; the I/Q stream is handled by your SDR app.
7) Firmware upgrades
- Qthid can write and verify firmware (use only firmware versions recommended for your hardware). If upgrading older firmware, use Qthid 2.x to reach 18f, then switch to 4.x. If the dongle enters bootloader mode, follow the included bootloader instructions to write a correct .bin and reset to app mode.
8) Troubleshooting (quick)
- Not detected: check USB cable/port, permissions, udev rule (Linux), or try bundled Windows/macOS build.
- No audio/IQ in SDR app: ensure the SDR app is using the FCD USB audio device (sample rate/settings).
- Features missing: firmware too old — upgrade firmware as above.
- Crashes: try a different Qthid version (v4.0 stable recommended for firmware 18f+).
9) Resources & support
- Official repo: https://github.com/csete/qthid
- Project pages: FUNcube/Funcube Dongle site and SourceForge listing.
- Community: relevant FUNcube/FCD user groups and mailing lists for troubleshooting.
If you want, I can produce step-by-step commands for your OS (Linux: udev rule install + package install; macOS app steps; Windows unzip/run).
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