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OL-Master Software User Manual

OL-Master screenshot

Contents of this manual

  1. Important user notice
  2. Introduction
  3. System requirements
  4. Installing OL-Master
  5. Usage of OL-Master
  6. Additional features
  7. Environment variables
  8. General recommendations
  9. Database restore tool
  10. Frequently Asked Questions
  11. Troubleshooting

Important user notice

Before installing and using the OL-Master software, please read carefully:

Software license

This software, OL-Master, is derived from PowerSDR. The original PowerSDR software and our derived version are distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL), version 2, or any later version as published by the Free Software Foundation.

Please read the related documents at:

Introduction

The main purpose of this guide is to help you configure your Olliter OL-Master software for the first time and perform basic operations.

This guide may not fully cover every feature available on the software and it will be updated frequently.

OL-Master features

OL-Master provides a complete set of features to control and manage the Olliter SDR transceivers, here is a brief list of some of the main features available:

System requirements

An SDR transceiver requires a control device to work, the hardware of the transceiver is used to convert analog RF signals to an IQ stream that is sent to a software installed on the control device, where it is processed to extract an audio signal. When transmitting, the process is reversed. The hardware and software need to work together to receive and transmit signals using the SDR transceiver.

Some I/O are available on-board to interface with external accessories like microphones, headphones and Morse key or paddle.

A simplified schematic representation of the SDR device is shown below.

Schematic representation of the SDR functions

Software requirements

As any SDR device, one of the main components is the PC that is used to control the device, the same PC is also used to decode and process the raw digital stream of data to usable audio stream. This decode process requires some minimum software and hardware requirements that should be met.

Operating system requirements

The OL-Master application was developed for Microsoft Windows 11 or later. Virtualization of such operating systems is also supported if the host machine is capable enough.

Note

Compatibility with Microsoft Windows 8.1 or previous versions of Microsoft Windows cannot be ensured due to lack of support for the latest .NET modules which was used to develop the application.

.NET 8

The operating system should be updated to the latest version, and the .NET 8 runtime must be installed on the machine (download the latest runtime from the Microsoft website if needed).

Depending on the system configuration, both the .NET 8 SDK and .NET 8 Runtime might be needed.

Tip

The required version of .NET is automatically downloaded and installed during the first setup of the software, if the PC is connected to the internet.

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

Some components of the software were written using highly optimized C++ code, this requires the latest version of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package to be installed and updated. The latest version of this package can be downloaded from the following URL:

Tip

The required version of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable is automatically downloaded and installed during the first setup of the software, if the PC is connected to the internet.

Hardware requirements

Warning

OL-Master requires AVX2 instruction set which was introduced with the Haswell series of Intel® CPUs (4th generation Intel® Core i series), any CPU older than Intel® Core i5 4th generation cannot be used. For optimal performances, we highly recommend an Intel® Core i5 7th generation or later.

Recommended hardware setup is a 7th generation Intel® Core i5 or later, with at least 16GB of RAM and 2GB of available storage space

Tip

The disk and RAM usage may vary depending on additional features like recordings, cluster, EIBI, receiver bandwidth, number of receivers, and more.

Ethernet interface at 1Gbps on the control PC is a mandatory requirement between the SDR and the PC (and/or any other device in between).

Network requirements

Warning

The transceiver does not accept any link speed slower than 1Gbps. Network devices running at 10/100Mbps are not supported and will not work.

An Ethernet interface capable of 1Gbps is mandatory for the transceiver to communicate with the control device (PC), a properly configured Ethernet switch with interfaces at 1Gbps is suggested to be used in between the SDR and the PC.

Please note, the transceiver does not support negotiating any speed lower than 1Gbps with the control device or the switch/router that is plugged into.

An Ethernet cable CAT5 or superior is highly recommended to interface the SDR to the switch/router and the PC.

To ensure best performances, use high quality switch or router and cables, make sure the whole network from the SDR to the master PC is capable of continuously communicate at 1Gbps.

An internet connection is not required if not using external services (like clusters or EIBI).

The network connection diagram is available in the transceiver manual.

Installing OL-Master

After buying an Olliter SDR, you should receive the setup file for OL-Master, this is the main application that controls the SDR and must be installed on the PC.

The OL-Master software is distributed in two separate files, one for the first installation and one for the update. The two files are:

The first install or update procedures are almost identical, the only difference is that the first install will install all the required components and dependencies, while the update package will only update the existing installation without overwriting any user data or settings.

The setup procedure is described at this link: Installing or Updating OL-Master

Automatic update check

There is currently no automatic update check; users must manually check for updates by visiting the Olliter website or by contacting the customer care team.

We are actively working to implement an automatic update check mechanism in the future. We apologize for the inconvenience and we appreciate your understanding.

Upgrading OL-Master

To upgrade OL-Master to the latest version, please download the latest update file and run it. The update process is similar to the initial installation process, and you will be guided through the necessary steps.

You will be prompted to update the existing band plans if newer versions are available.

No user settings will be changed during the update process.

Configuring the firewall

Tip

The firewall must be properly configured for the transceiver to work. If the firewall fails to configure during OL-Master installation, the software won't be able to communicate with the OL-SDR device

If the OL-Master software turns on the radio and then powers it off immediately, please manually adjust the firewall settings by following the instructions in Configuring Firewall

Usage of OL-Master

Configuring OL-Master

All the following settings are accessed using the Setup menu of the OL-Master application, in OL-Master, click the Setup menu, then follow the subsequent instructions.

OL-Master v1.0.6 (6 Jun 2024) RX1 CH1

Settings are persisted using the Save or the Save and Close buttons.

Setup menu

Configuring the Olliter SDR address

In General > HW Config make sure the "Use static IP Address" option is enabled, then insert the IP address of the Olliter SDR that was configured.

This address is 192.168.1.111 by default, if it was manually changed following the above procedure, please input the new IP address that was configured.

Once the IP address has been configured and selected (using the radio button on the right), click Save and Close to close the dialog box.

IP Address selection

Configuring the operator settings

In General > Options, set the callsign and grid locator of the station. These values will be displayed in the main window of the software and will be used by some additional features like cluster or EIBI.

Grid square settings

Configuring the audio interface

If the user wants to enable the audio to be routed to the master PC, the following procedure is needed.

In Audio > Audio & Common VAC configure the Driver to MME, select the desired Input and Output devices, then select Enable PC Speaker via common VAC.

The onboard speakers can be deactivated using the Local speaker disable option.

Audio interface settings

If a microphone is connected to the radio, the RX Only option can be checked to exclude audio transmission from the PC

RX-only mode

Configuring the receiver bandwidth

The SDR is capable of receiving and displaying a wide area of the RF spectrum, the receiver span can be configured in the Spectrum width menu of each receiver window.

Warning

As the sample rate is increased, more system and network resources will be required by the software. Please adjust the settings accordingly.

The spectrum span that is rendered on the screen is roughly the 95% of the sample rate set in the settings menu, for example if 192000 samples per second are selected, the displayed spectrum will be a little more than 180KHz wide.

Tip

The recommended sample rate is 192000 samples per second.

Receiver bandwidth setup

Configuring the refresh rate

The refresh rate of the receivers windows can be adjusted in Display > General. The suggested value is between 10 and 20 frames per second.

Warning

Increasing the refresh rate can significantly impact the system load, if the system starts lagging or the UI starts behaving, reduce the "Main Display FPS" value

Screen refresh rate

Transmission profiles

OL-Master allows creating and saving multiple transmission profiles, these profiles can be used to quickly switch between different transmission settings. This is useful when operating in different modes or bands, as it allows the user to quickly switch between different settings without having to manually adjust each parameter, like a sharper profile for DX and a more relaxed profile for local contacts.

Transmission profiles

Exporting TX audio profiles

The OL-Master software allows exporting TX audio profiles for backup or sharing purposes. To export a TX audio profile, navigate to Transmit > Profiles, select the profile you wish to export, and click on the Export button.

Importing TX audio profiles

Note

This feature is available starting from OL-Master software version 2.2.0.4

To import a TX audio profile, go to Transmit > Profiles, click on the Import button, and select the profile file you wish to import. The imported profile will be added to your list of available profiles.

The application will automatically check for duplicate profile names and will prompt you to rename the imported profile if a conflict is detected.

Starting the device

Once the device settings were configured by the user, the device can now be started using the PWR button, the spectrum should animate, and audio will start.

Starting the transceiver

Controlling the transceiver

This chapter will cover the main settings of the OL-Master software, such as changing band, changing mode or interacting with the spectrum.

Controlling the transceiver

Selecting a different band

The transceiver can operate on all amateur bands of HF plus the 50MHz (6mt) band. The received band can be selected using the dedicated buttons.

Bands selection

Tuning a frequency

There are multiple ways to tune the received frequency, the main ones are by panning the receiver spectrum or by selecting the frequency using the dedicated numeric input.

Tuning a frequency

To type the frequency digits directly, move the mouse pointer to the VFO window and press the Cancel key to activate Editing mode. Type the frequency in MHz and then press Enter to confirm. Use the Backspace key to delete the last digit, or press Esc to abandon typing and return to the previous frequency.

Setting the visualization mode

Different viewing modes can be selected for the receivers, each band will save the view setting that is restored every time the band is recalled.

Setting visualization mode

Interacting with the spectrum

The receiver spectrum can be interacted using the spectrum controls, these allows zooming, panning and setting the tune step.

The spectrum can be rendered to display the average or the peak mode.

Zooming and panning

Setting the receiver mode

All main operative modes are supported by the transceiver, this can be selected using the dedicated buttons.

Changing operating mode

Then, for each operating mode, the bandwidth can be adjusted as needed.

Adjusting bandwidth

Adding additional receivers

RX1 opens with the main window of the software and cannot be closed; additional receivers can be enabled using the RX2, RX3 and RX4 buttons in the main window.

Warning

Using additional receivers may significantly impact the system load, if the system starts to lag, reduce the number of receivers, or reduce the sample rate.

Additional receivers

Multi-receivers layout

Adjusting the receivers volume

The main and sub volumes, per each receiver can be configured using the Volume controls group.

Adjusting volumes

DSP options

Multiple software-based filters can be added to any receiver mode, these can significantly improve the reception of a given signal. Some filters are tuned to improve the voice quality, others to remove clicking, background noise or unwanted whistles. Filters can be enabled using the dedicated buttons.

DSP Options

Notch filter

When receiving a station in voice modes, interfering carriers can create unpleasant hiss that reduces the intelligibility of the received signal. OL-Master has functions to reduce or cancel this hiss with minimum impact on the received signal.

There is no limit to the number of notches that can be defined.

Defining a notch filter

Notches can be created in Panadapter, Spectrum and Panaspectrum display modes, but since the resolution of Spectrum and the spectrum sub-window of Panaspectrum display mode is higher, it is recommended to define the notch there because notches can be positioned with better precision. It is also recommended to activate the notch function by clicking the NOTCH button before creating notches: the effect of the notch will be audible in real time and immediately visible on the spectrum.

Notch filter

To define a notch: move the mouse pointer on the spectrum over the interfering signal and click the right button. A green vertical marker will appear. The first number is a progressive notch number, and the second number is the notch width. To change the notch width, move slightly the mouse to highlight the notch marker, then use the mouse wheel to adjust the width. The notch depth is automatically adjusted for best attenuation. If the notch (NTCH) button is active, the notch effect will immediately be audible and visible on the spectrum.

Disabling a notch filter

To disable a defined notch, highlight the marker by moving the mouse pointer over it and then right-click: the notch marker will become a dashed line.

To enable a defined notch, highlight the marker by moving the mouse pointer over it and then right-click: the marker will become a continuous line.

Deleting a notch filter

To delete a defined notch, highlight the marker by moving the mouse pointer over it and then double-right-click.

To delete ALL defined notches at once, press the left Alt key on the keyboard and then right-click anywhere on the Panadapter, Spectrum, or Panaspectrum window and confirm the action by selecting Yes.

Notch filter considerations

If the notch (NTCH) button is active, the Spectrum will immediately reflect the changes. No changes will be seen on the Panadapter since its data are collected before any function is applied. Spectrum data, however, are collected after all activated functions (e.g., filters, mode, noise reduction, notches) are applied.

To disable the manual notch mode, use the notch (NTCH) button to deactivate it. Please note that notches can be defined even if the notch (NTCH) button is not active, but the effect will not be visible or audible until the notch (NTCH) button is activated.

AGC and Gain Control

Tip

These features come from the WDSP library by dr. Warren C. Pratt (N0RV). Please refer to “The WDSP Guide” available on GitHub, for further information.

AGC and Gain Control

AGC control in OL-Master is based on the WDSP implementation and provides flexible automatic gain control for each receiver window. Key capabilities include:

AGC modes

Six preset AGC modes are available for each RX window; they differ only by the time constants used by the algorithm:

MODE Attack (ms) Decay (ms) Hold / Hang (ms)
Fixed OFF OFF OFF
Long 1 500 2000
Slow 1 250 1000
Medium 1 250 OFF
Fast 1 50 OFF
Custom 1 See below See below

Custom Mode parameters are defined in Setup > DSP > AGC.

The attack parameter controls how quickly the AGC reduces gain when a strong signal is received, while the decay (restore) time controls how slowly gain is returned after the signal falls. A second fast decay is applied internally to quickly restore level after brief impulses so that the receiver is not held at low gain for the full normal decay period.

Gain (Threshold)

The Gain (Threshold) parameter is the maximum gain of the receiver RF chain when no signal is received. It can be adjusted with the Gain slider in each receiver's window or by adjusting the green line on the panadapter canvas (by dragging the -G green square on the left side of the spectrum).

For optimal operation, it is recommended to set the threshold close to the background noise level of the received band. Setting the threshold too low on the Gain slider (or too high on the panadapter) will reduce the audio output and may mute the receiver entirely. Note that the receiver is very quiet by design; even at maximum gain, the threshold line on the panadapter will remain above the noise floor when no antenna is connected.

When Fixed Mode is selected for AGC, the Gain slider and the reference line on the panadapter directly control the receiver's RF gain. In this mode, set the gain lower on the slider (higher on the panadapter) than the typical operating level, and ensure it remains well above the strongest received signals. This prevents clipping and saturation in the receiver chain. Note that signal peaks may not always be visible on the panadapter due to its averaging, so it is important to leave sufficient headroom.

Hang Time

In Slow, Long, and Custom AGC modes, a yellow Hang Level line appears on the panadapter. When a received signal peaks above this line, the AGC maintains the current gain for a short period (the hang time) after the signal drops. This prevents the background noise from rising abruptly during brief pauses in speech, resulting in a more comfortable listening experience, especially on medium or strong signals.

You can adjust the Hang Level directly on the panadapter by dragging the yellow -H square. The Hang Level is always set above the green Gain Level line, typically ranging from 10 dB to 30 dB. Moving the Gain Level will also shift the Hang Level accordingly.

This feature is particularly useful for SSB and CW modes, where maintaining consistent audio levels during speech or keying pauses improves intelligibility and listening comfort.

Slope

The Slope parameter controls the perceived loudness difference between strong and weak signals. It can be adjusted independently for each receiver in the Setup > DSP > AGC panel.

A value of 0 dB means all signals will be heard at the same loudness, regardless of their strength. Increasing the slope value makes stronger signals sound louder compared to weaker ones. By default, the slope is set to 0 dB.

Other options

In the Setup > DSP > AGC panel, you can choose whether to display the Gain Level and Hang Level lines, along with their corresponding square markers, on the panadapter. Enable or disable these visual aids according to your preference for easier adjustment and monitoring of AGC parameters.

Preamplifiers and attenuators

OL-Master allows controlling the preamplifier and attenuator settings of the Olliter SDR device. These settings can be adjusted in the main window of the software.

Each hardware receiver chain has its own preamplifier and attenuator controls, these can be adjusted independently for each receiver window.

Note

Mapping between logical receivers and hardware chains can be configured in the Setup > General > Ant & CH Mapping menu.

Enabling a preamplifier will increase the signal being fed to the ADC, while enabling an attenuator will reduce the signal being fed to the ADC.

Note

As both the preamplifier and attenuator gains are known by the SDR, the software will automatically compensate for those settings and display the actual signal intensity being measured at the input of the antenna connectors, so even if a preamplifier or attenuator is enabled, the signal strength will be displayed correctly and will not vary on the S-Meter or the panadapter screen.

Operating the transceiver

TX audio memories

TX audio memories

This chapter explains the full workflow to record and use the 4 voice messages that can be recalled with the M1, M2, M3, and M4 buttons on the main screen.

What TX audio memories are

TX audio memories are 4 voice messages (M1-M4) that can be:

Important note:

Prerequisites

Before recording:

  1. Start OL-Master.
  2. Verify which TX you will use (TX1/TX2/TX3/TX4).
  3. Check microphone level.

During recording, the TX meter automatically switches to microphone level (MIC_LVL):

Recording procedure (TX Message Manager)

TX Message Manager

  1. Open the Recorder window.
  2. In the TX Message Manager panel:
    • select the message to record: Message 1, 2, 3, or 4
    • select destination TX: to TX 1, 2, 3, or 4
  3. Press Rec to start recording.
  4. Speak into the microphone with a proper level.
  5. Press Rec again to stop recording.

Result:

Quick recording check

After recording:

  1. Stay in Recorder.
  2. Select the same Message and TX used for recording.
  3. Press Play TX message to listen to the result.
  4. If needed, record again with Rec.

Practical tip:

Use from main form (Buttons 1-4)

To transmit a message from the front panel:

  1. Press M1, M2, M3, or M4.
  2. The radio goes to TX (MOX ON).
  3. Playback of the associated message starts.

Button behavior:

Behavior with loop OFF

If loop is disabled:

  1. The message is transmitted once.
  2. At end of file, the system automatically returns to RX.
  3. The Mx button and TX command both return to inactive state.
Behavior with loop ON

If loop is enabled:

  1. The message is repeated continuously.
  2. The radio remains in TX until you stop it manually.

To stop loop you can:

In both cases:

Stop during playback (No Loop)

Even with loop disabled, if a message is currently playing you can stop immediately:

Effect:

Where loop is enabled

TX memory loop can be controlled:

Both controls are synchronized.

Operational best practices
  1. Record each message on the TX channel you will actually use on-air.
  2. Always verify MIC level before recording.
  3. Perform a quick playback check after every new recording.
  4. Keep messages concise and clearly articulated.
  5. During real operation, if you need to stop immediately, use TX or the same active Mx button.
TX audio memory troubleshooting

If pressing M1-M4 does not play the expected message:

  1. Check that you recorded that message number on the correct TX.
  2. Verify the file was actually recorded (play it from Recorder).
  3. Check microphone settings and audio levels.
  4. Confirm whether loop is ON/OFF so behavior matches expectations.

If the message keeps repeating:

Diversity reception

Note

This feature is available starting from OL-Master software version 2.2.0.7 or later.

Diversity reception combines two synchronized receive paths (RX1 and RX2) tuned to the same frequency, typically fed from two different antennas. Because fading, noise, and interference are often different on each antenna, diversity can improve intelligibility by either:

For best results:

The feature is explained at: Diversity reception

PureSignal

PureSignal is the name given to the theory and implementation of the clean transmission logic developed by the OpenHPSDR team and implemented in both the Olliter SDR software and transceiver. The algorithm behind the PureSignal technology is quite simple: when both the drive applied to the digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) and the output measured at the antenna are known, it is possible to modify the drive so that the output is as clean as possible.

For further details please see: PureSignal.

Firmware upgrade

The upgrade procedure for the Olliter SDR firmware is performed using the OL-Master software. A detailed guide about the firmware upgrade procedure is available at: Firmware Upgrade

Additional features

The OL-Master software can be configured to use external services like clusters or EIBI, these services might require an internet connection to work.

Additional features are explained in Additional Features.

Environment variables

Some options of OL-Master can be configured using environment variables, this can be useful to configure some behaviors without setting them in the software.

List of available environment variables:

General recommendations

Please see: General recommendations

Database restore tool

Please see: Database Restore Tool

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see: FAQ

Troubleshooting

Please see: Troubleshooting