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Software Setup

Installing DSPIRA Software

Install the telescope applications and their processing blocks together.

Equipment and preparation
Equipment
An Ubuntu computer with internet access, installation permissions, and a receiver for live observations.
Before you start
Review software compatibility and identify your receiver. Preserve existing settings and customized flowgraphs before updating.
Planning your time
Review the tasks before scheduling a class. A classroom duration has not been confirmed for this lesson.

Teaching guidance · Software compatibility

The dspira-software repository contains the telescope applications and their processing blocks. These instructions target GNU Radio 3.10 on Ubuntu. The software guide records compatibility checks and remaining hardware testing.

Install dependencies

Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gnuradio-dev gr-osmosdr airspy cmake g++ git python3-h5py python3-matplotlib python3-yaml

For LimeSDR applications, also install gr-limesdr and check the receiver’s driver requirements.

Install DSPIRA software

git clone https://github.com/WVURAIL/dspira-software.git
cd dspira-software
cmake -S . -B build -DPYTHON_EXECUTABLE=/usr/bin/python3
cmake --build build
ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure
sudo cmake --install build

Check that Python can load the installed package:

python3 -c "from gnuradio import dspira; print(dspira.__file__)"

Restart GNU Radio Companion. The installed processing blocks appear in its DSPIRA category. From your dspira-software folder, open applications/spectrometry/calibrated-spectrometer.grc. Configure receiver settings and recording paths.

Update an existing installation

Preserve local receiver settings and customized flowgraphs first. From your dspira-software directory, run:

git status
git pull --ff-only
cmake -S . -B build -DPYTHON_EXECUTABLE=/usr/bin/python3
cmake --build build
ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure
sudo cmake --install build

If Git reports local changes, review and preserve them before continuing. Restart GNU Radio Companion after installing updated blocks. Reopen saved flowgraphs to regenerate their Python code with the current package.

Older environments

Existing images may contain the former combined gr-radio_astro package. Use the current DSPIRA installation for new GNU Radio 3.10 setups. The GNU Radio 3.8 guide describes a frozen historical release.

If an import fails, follow the package troubleshooting notes. Test receiver operation and calibration before relying on the setup in class.

All 11 lessons in Software Setup Published July 1, 2021