FAQ and Known Errors

This section collects common installation issues, compatibility notes, and hardware questions that come up repeatedly when running Wsprry Pi.

Install Error bash: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token `<'

or curl: (22) The requested URL returned error: 404

If this happens, the DNS redirect (vanity URL) I use to make the install command shorter and easier to type may have broken.

Explanation: The installation command line uses an application called curl to download the target URL. The pipe operator (|) redirects that to whatever follows, in this case sudo and bash, so the script runs as soon as it downloads. If the redirect breaks, a normal HTML page may be returned instead of the shell script. Bash does not interpret HTML, so it stops immediately when it sees the leading <.

You may use the following longer form instead:

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/WsprryPi/WsprryPi/main/scripts/install.sh | sudo bash

WSPR-15 Support

I have removed WSPR-15 support in version 2.x.

WSPR-15 (“Weak Signal Propagation Reporter” with a 15-minute transmit/receive cycle) was introduced in January 2013 as part of the experimental WSPR-X software suite. By stretching the standard 2-minute cycle to 15 minutes, WSPR-15 lowers the symbol rate to about 0.183 Hz tone spacing, compared with 1.4648 Hz in standard WSPR, narrowing the occupied bandwidth to about 0.7 Hz. This yields roughly a 9 dB sensitivity improvement and made it attractive for very low-frequency and medium-frequency beacon work where Doppler shifts are minimal.

Sources:

Current Support and Viability

  • Software support is scarce. The only decoders that handle WSPR-15 are the legacy WSPRX program and the now-unmaintained WSPR-X client. Mainstream WSJT-X releases implement only the standard 2-minute WSPR protocol.

  • Network integration is limited. The central WSPRnet database and most reporting services expect the standard WSPR2 format, so WSPR-15 uploads and mapping generally require unofficial workarounds.

  • Modern alternatives outperform it. Within WSJT-X, the FST4W family achieves similar or better sensitivity than standard WSPR while remaining actively developed and widely used on LF and MF bands.

Bottom line: WSPR-15 still works in legacy workflows, but it remains a niche protocol with minimal software and network support. For new weak-signal experiments, FST4W or standard 2-minute WSPR are the more practical choices.

Why 12m Looks “Noisy” on the Raspberry Pi

This section has been moved to a separate document for clarity. See: Why 12m Looks “Noisy” on the Raspberry Pi

Low Pass Filter Requirements

This section has been moved to a separate document for clarity. See: Low Pass Filter Requirements