All kinds of trouble with rtl_sdr

[Kevin Key]

Any idea what is going on? I've tried reinstalling rts_sdr, weewx, reboots, new SDR hardware, and more. No luck.

May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr: rtl_433 version 25.02-18-g12ae3c5a branch master at 202505211856 inputs file rtl_tcp RTL-SDR with TLS
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr: Use "-F log" if you want any messages, warnings, and errors in the console.
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr:
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr: Kernel driver is active, or device is claimed by second instance of librtlsdr.
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr: In the first case, please either detach or blacklist the kernel module
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr: (dvb_usb_rtl28xxu), or enable automatic detaching at compile time.
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr:
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: ERROR user.sdr: usb_claim_interface error -6
May 21 11:24:34 linux weewxd[11983]: INFO weewx.engine: Main loop exiting. Shutting engine down.
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: INFO user.gw1000: GatewayCollector thread has been terminated
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: INFO user.sdr: shutdown process rtl_433 -M utc -F json
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: Exception in thread stdout-thread:
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: Traceback (most recent call last):
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:   File "/usr/lib/python3.12/threading.py", line 1073, in _bootstrap_inner
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: Exception in thread stderr-thread:
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: INFO user.MQTTSubscribe: (Service) Disconnected with result code 0
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: Traceback (most recent call last):
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:     self.run()
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:   File "/usr/lib/python3.12/threading.py", line 1073, in _bootstrap_inner
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:   File "/etc/weewx/bin/user/sdr.py", line 226, in run
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:     self.run()
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:   File "/etc/weewx/bin/user/sdr.py", line 226, in run
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:     for line in iter(self._fd.readline, ''):
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]:     for line in iter(self._fd.readline, ''):
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: ValueError: PyMemoryView_FromBuffer(): info->buf must not be NULL
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: ValueError: PyMemoryView_FromBuffer(): info->buf must not be NULL
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: INFO user.sdr: shutdown complete
May 21 11:24:35 linux weewxd[11983]: CRITICAL __main__: Caught WeeWxIOError: rtl_433 process is not runn

[matthew wall]

> On May 21, 2025, at 14:26, Kevin Key <kevi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Any idea what is going on? I've tried reinstalling rts_sdr, weewx, reboots, new SDR hardware, and more. No luck.

it looks like some other process is using the sdr device (the message 'usb_claim_interface error -6' is the giveaway, and the details are in 'Kernel driver is active, or device is claimed').

have you blacklisted the kernel module so that the kernel does not load the sdr?

https://github.com/weewx/weewx/wiki/sdr-rpi-recipe#troubleshooting

is something else running that is using the sdr device?

after you blacklist, you might have to unplug then replug the device.

all of the 'not be NULL' errors are because weewx could not connect to a process that is talking to the sdr.