GNURadio -- Beginner's questions

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Swamp Thing
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I would like to experiment with GNURadio (https://www.gnuradio.org/) to process the audio that I can hear from online radio receivers (with web interfaces) like WebSDR and KiwiSDR. I have a couple of questions.

General question: I have installed GNURadio on my Raspberry Pi 5. Would it be fast enough to process audio frequency inputs in real time to decode digital modulation with bandwidths of 1 or 2 khz?

Specific Question: I want to pipe the output that I can hear on the receiver's web page, to an "Audio Source" block in GNURadio. I have tried following these instructions:
1) https://stackoverflow.com/questions/32213443/gnu-radio-use-sound-output-as-input-source
2) https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PulseAudio/Examples#ALSA_monitor_source

I can now see "Monitor of Bluetooth Headphones" in the PulseAudio volume control, and I can see it listed as a monitor when I run pactl list. I have entered its name (which is bluez_output.A2_10_10_A1_3A_5F.1.monitor) into the "Name" field in the Audio Source Block. However, the block's output pin and the connection wire are shown in red (which I understand indicates an error). The "Run" button is greyed out.

How can I fix this problem with the Audio Source?

====== UPDATE ======

I just found that there is a red "x" button that opens an error window. The error was that I was trying to wire a "float" type source into a "complex" block. After inserting a float-to-complex converter, I can now run the flow. But I have a new issue:

Code:
QStandardPaths: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set, defaulting to '/tmp/runtime-root'
ALSA lib pcm.c:2666:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM bluez_output.A2_10_10_A1_3A_5F.1.monitor
audio_alsa_source :error: [bluez_output.A2_10_10_A1_3A_5F.1.monitor]: No such file or directory

==== UPDATE - 2 ====
Problem solved: You have to put in the monitor source's alias name that you create in asound.conf, as per the two links in my question. Silly me, I put in the internal system name rather than the alias of the monitor source.
 
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1. What is GNURadio?

GNURadio is an open-source software development toolkit that provides signal processing blocks to implement software radios. It can be used with readily-available low-cost external RF hardware to create software-defined radios, or without hardware in a simulation-like environment. It is widely used in academic, hobbyist, and commercial environments to support both wireless communications research and real-world radio systems.

2. How do I install GNURadio?

GNURadio can be installed on various operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS. For Linux, it is typically installed using package managers like apt or yum. For Windows, precompiled binaries are available, and for macOS, it can be installed using MacPorts or Homebrew. Detailed installation instructions can be obtained from the GNURadio website or the respective GitHub repository.

3. What are some basic components of GNURadio?

GNURadio consists of a graphical interface called GNURadio Companion (GRC), where you can drag and drop signal processing blocks to create flowgraphs. Key components include source blocks (which generate or input signals), sink blocks (which output or display signals), and various processing blocks (filters, modulators, demodulators, etc.) that manipulate the signals.

4. How do I create a simple FM receiver in GNURadio?

To create a simple FM receiver, you would start by opening GNURadio Companion and creating a new flowgraph. You would then add an RTL-SDR Source block or other appropriate source block, connect it to an FM Demod block, and then connect this to an audio sink block to output the sound to your speakers. You may also need to add a Low Pass Filter block depending on your specific setup to ensure clear audio quality.

5. Where can I find more resources to learn about GNURadio?

There are numerous resources available for learning GNURadio. The official GNURadio website offers a comprehensive manual, tutorials, and a wiki. Additionally, there are community forums, mailing lists, and a Slack channel where users can ask questions and share knowledge. YouTube also has a variety of tutorials ranging from basic to advanced topics. Finally, attending conferences or workshops on GNURadio can also provide valuable hands-on experience and networking opportunities.

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