---
name: "grdab"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "gr-dab"
version: "0.5-1+b7"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/grdab"
---

# grdab(1)

DAB / DAB+ receiver for software defined radio

## NAME

**grdab** - DAB / DAB+ receiver for software defined radio

## SYNOPSIS

```
grdab [global_options] <command> [options]
```

## DESCRIPTION

**All SDRs supported by gr-osmosdr and which can tune to the DAB frequencies can be used with grdab. It has been verified to work with RTL-SDR, HackRF and USRP B200. grdab can receive both DAB and DAB+ audio.**

- **Calibration:**

  **When connecting a new radio, run:**

```
    grdab adjust
```

**This will bring up a GUI where you will see the frequency spectrum and the constellation diagram.**

- 1\.

  **Drag the channel selector to a valid DAB/DAB+ frequency in your area.**

- 2\.

  **Adjust the gain sliders such that frequency spectrum looks good. It should be an almost square looking wide signal.**

- 3\.

  **Adjust the ppm slider until the constellation diagram consists of 4 quite confined dots.**

- 4\.

  **Then click 'save configuration'**

- 5\.

  **Your SDR is now calibrated and can be used to receive DAB/DAB+ audio.**

**The calibration data is stored in the file ~/.grdab/adjustment.yaml. Whenever connecting a new SDR, you will have to repeat the adjustment procedure above.**

- **Check available channels:**

  **To see what channels are available on a chosen frequency, run:**

```
    grdab info -f <frequency_in_mhz>
```

- **Listen to DAB/DAB+:**

  **When you find a channel, you can start receiving audio with:**

```
    grdab receive -f 227.360 --bit_rate 80 --address 204 --subch_size 60 --protect_level 2 --audiorate 48000
```

**where you replace the different** *options* **with the output from 'grdab info' for the desired channel. You might have to experiment with a few different values for '--audiorate' (such as 44100 or 48000). Note that DAB+ is default. To receive classic DAB, add '--classic' an argument.**

- **Ncurses app:**

  **If you create a file called ~/.grdab/channels.yaml, and list all the channels in your area,** **you can afterward use the grdab ncurses application:**

```
    grdab curses
```

**It allows you to select a channel and listen to it. See /usr/share/doc/gr-dab/examples/channels.yaml for an example of a channels.yaml file**

- **ZMQ source:**

  **To allow starting and stopping grdab without having to reinitialize the Software Defined Radio, you can start apps/sdr-zmq-daemon in the background. If you then start grdab with \`grdab -z\`, it will start much faster.**

## OPTIONS

**Commands:**

```
    grdab [global_options] adjust [options]   - Adjustment GUI for gain, timing error etc.
    grdab [global_options] info [options]     - List DAB/DAB+ channels on a specific frequency
    grdab [global_options] receive [options]  - Receive audio from a DAB/DAB+ channel
    grdab [global_options] curses [options]   - Ncurses GUI for selecting between multiple channels
```

- **Global *options*:**

  - **-z**

    **ZeroMQ mode. Expects zmq-sdr-daemon to be running**

  - **--server \<address\>**

    **Address to ZeroMQ (Default is: tcp://127.0.0.1:10444)**

  - **--server\_control \<address\>**

    **Address to ZeroMQ for configuration (Default is: tcp://127.0.0.1:10445)**

- **Other *options* (common for all):**

  - **-f/--freq \<freq\>**

    **Receive frequency in MHz**

- **Other *options* (for 'grdab receive' only):**

  - **-a/--audiorate \<rate\>**

    **Audio rate in Hz (default: 48000)**

  - **--bit\_rate \<val\>**

    **Bit rate of the DAB/DAB+ channel.**

  - **--address \<val\>**

    **Address of the DAB/DAB+ channel.**

  - **--subch\_size \<val\>**

    **Subchannel size of the DAB/DAB+ channel.**

  - **--protect\_level \<val\>**

    **Protection level of the DAB/DAB+ channel.**

  - **--classic**

    **Use DAB instead of DAB+**

## SEE ALSO

**[sdr-zmq-daemon(1)](/sdr-zmq-daemon/1.md)**

## AUTHOR

**This manual page was written by Ruben Undheim \<rubund@debian.org\> for the Debian project (and may be used by others).**