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Hardware Setup

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ralphl edited this page Aug 2, 2026 · 2 revisions

Hardware Setup

NyxScope works with any SDR that has a Windows driver. The hard part isn't NyxScope — it's the device's native driver/firmware. This page walks through the install steps and known gotchas for each supported family.

Driver overview

NyxScope bundles SoapySDR and the device modules — you never install SoapySDR yourself. The only thing you install is the device's own driver or API service.

Device What you install Notes
RTL-SDR (and clones) WinUSB via Zadig One-time, but Windows Update can occasionally undo it
RTL-SDR Blog V4 WinUSB via Zadig NyxScope bundles the RTL-SDR Blog driver the V4 needs — see the V4 note below
HackRF One HackRF Windows driver Install official firmware first
Airspy R2 / Mini / HF+ Airspy Windows driver
SDRplay (RSP series) SDRplay API Service API service must be running; RSPduo runs single-tuner
LimeSDR / LimeSDR Mini LimeSuite Check FX3 firmware version
PlutoSDR / Pluto+ USB or Ethernet — no driver needed Native Rust network client; libiio not required
Fobos Fobos Windows driver
bladeRF bladeRF driver FPGA bitstream version matters
Network SDRs (rtl_tcp, SoapyRemote) None — auto-discovered via mDNS

RTL-SDR via Zadig

The most common starting hardware. Steps:

  1. Plug the dongle in.
  2. Download Zadig from zadig.akeo.ie.
  3. In Zadig: Options → List All Devices.
  4. Find your dongle — it'll show as Bulk-In, Interface (Interface 0) with VID 0x0BDA, PID 0x2838 (most common). Other PIDs (0x2832) also work.
  5. To the right of the driver dropdown, pick WinUSB.
  6. Click Replace Driver. Wait until it reports success.
  7. Unplug and replug the dongle.

NyxScope's Device dialog should now list the dongle.

Common Zadig mistakes:

  • Selecting the wrong device (e.g., your USB mouse). Look for "Bulk-In Interface" specifically.
  • Stopping after step 6 without unplugging/replugging.
  • Driver install needs admin rights — Zadig should prompt.

If Zadig doesn't see the dongle at all: the USB cable may be data-blocked (charging-only) or the dongle is dead. Try a different cable and port.

If the dongle was working and suddenly stopped: Windows Update sometimes replaces the WinUSB driver with the original DVB-T driver. Re-run Zadig.

RTL-SDR Blog V4: the V4 uses the R828D tuner and needs the RTL-SDR Blog fork of the driver — the classic osmocom driver "works" but produces white noise. NyxScope bundles the Blog driver and uses it for the V4 automatically. If a V4 shows only noise, make sure no system-wide SDR stack (PothosSDR etc.) is shadowing the bundled driver.

Sample rates below ~1 MHz: RTL dongles get unreliable under about 900 kS/s, so NyxScope clamps RTL rates up to a 1.024 MS/s floor. If you set a lower rate, the left panel shows the effective rate actually in use.

SoapySDR modules

HackRF, Airspy, SDRplay, LimeSDR, Fobos, and bladeRF all go through SoapySDR — but NyxScope ships its own SoapySDR runtime and device modules. Do NOT install SoapySDR, PothosSDR, or Soapy<Vendor> modules yourself; they aren't needed and an old system-wide stack can shadow the bundled one and break devices that the bundled stack handles fine.

The pattern is just:

  1. Install the vendor driver for your device (HackRF Windows installer, Airspy driver, SDRplay API service, etc.).
  2. Restart NyxScope. The Device dialog enumerates every device the bundled modules can see.

If you have PothosSDR or a standalone SoapySDR install from other radio software: NyxScope 1.33.4 and later prefer the bundled stack automatically. On older versions (or if you've set the SOAPY_SDR_ROOT environment variable), the system stack wins and can cause missing devices or white noise — unset SOAPY_SDR_ROOT and update.

Per-device gotchas

HackRF One. Flash to the latest firmware release before doing anything else. Old firmware has TX/RX path bugs that look like NyxScope problems. Use hackrf_info from the HackRF Tools to confirm.

Airspy R2 / Mini. No firmware update required for normal operation, but airspy_info from the official tools is the first thing to run if NyxScope can't see it.

SDRplay (RSP series). Requires the SDRplay API Service running in the background — NyxScope cannot bundle it (SDRplay's license), so install it from sdrplay.com. If the service isn't installed or is stopped, the device silently never appears in the list. Check Services.msc for SDRplay API Service. The RSPduo works in single-tuner mode; dual-tuner isn't used.

LimeSDR / LimeSDR Mini. Verify FX3 firmware version with LimeQuickTest. Lower-than-expected firmware causes random USB hangs. The Mini has a sensitive USB-C connector — see USB notes below.

PlutoSDR / Pluto+.

  • USB mode (Linux only): the libiio path. NyxScope ships a subprocess-isolated bridge so libiio crashes can't take down the app.
  • Network mode (all platforms): uses NyxScope's native pure-Rust iiod client over TCP port 30431. Just give it the IP. Default is 192.168.2.1. NyxScope auto-discovers Pluto at 192.168.2.1 and at any custom IP you've configured.
  • NyxScope drives a single Pluto RX today. The Pluto+ second receiver is not yet used.
  • The Pluto+ has no bias-tee (confirmed against firmware and schematic) — if your LNA needs power, use an external inline bias-tee.

Fobos. Recent driver releases work cleanly. Verify with fobos_devinfo (ships with Fobos drivers).

bladeRF. Match the FPGA bitstream to your bladeRF model and firmware version. Mismatch produces "no compatible FPGA" errors. Run bladeRF-cli to load the bitstream once per session OR install it as the auto-loaded default.

Network SDRs (rtl_tcp and similar)

NyxScope auto-discovers rtl_tcp servers on the LAN via mDNS — no IP entry needed. To advertise your rtl_tcp server for auto-discovery:

  • Linux: use avahi-publish-service rtl_tcp _rtl_tcp._tcp 1234 (replace 1234 with your port).
  • Windows: Bonjour Print Services provides mDNS; or run dns-sd -R from the dnssd tools.
  • macOS: built-in Bonjour handles it.

Servers without mDNS still work — type the IP and port manually in the Device dialog → Add manual rtl_tcp server.

SoapyRemote servers are supported too: run SoapySDRServer on the machine with the radio and add it in the Device dialog. NyxScope bundles the remote-support module, so a HackRF or RTL-SDR hanging off a Raspberry Pi works like a local device. Practical note: a Pi serving an RTL over the network tops out around 1.024 MS/s — higher rates choke the Pi, not NyxScope.

USB cable quality matters more than you'd think

A surprising amount of "my SDR doesn't work" turns out to be:

  • A charging-only cable (no data lines)
  • A USB-C cable that's wired weirdly (some are USB 2.0 only despite the shape)
  • A long thin cable causing voltage drop under load (HackRF and SDRplay draw real current)

If your device enumerates intermittently or drops mid-scan, swap the cable for a short (under 1 m), known-good USB 3.0 / USB-C cable before debugging anything else.

Verifying the install

Once the driver is in place, before launching NyxScope:

Device Quick test
RTL-SDR rtl_test -t (from RTL-SDR tools) — should not error
HackRF hackrf_info — should print firmware + serial
Airspy airspy_info — should list the device
SDRplay SDRconnect (vendor app) — should see the device
LimeSDR LimeQuickTest — should pass
PlutoSDR (network) ping 192.168.2.1 — should respond

If the vendor tool can't see the device, NyxScope won't either. Fix the driver layer first.

When NyxScope still can't find it

After confirming the vendor tool sees the device:

  1. Restart NyxScope (the Device dialog enumerates at launch).
  2. Check the Windows Device Manager for yellow exclamation marks on the USB device.
  3. Run NyxScope as Administrator once to rule out a permissions issue (then run normally afterward — admin isn't required day-to-day).
  4. See Troubleshooting for the "SDR not detected" section.

Next: Trunking-Configuration for setting up P25 / EDACS / NXDN, or Troubleshooting if something's still broken.

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