diff --git a/lib/examples/npdsch_enodeb.c b/lib/examples/npdsch_enodeb.c
index 643125660..0b14ad49a 100644
--- a/lib/examples/npdsch_enodeb.c
+++ b/lib/examples/npdsch_enodeb.c
@@ -188,12 +188,12 @@ void parse_args(int argc, char** argv)
 void base_init()
 {
   // init memory
-  sf_buffer = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * sf_n_re);
+  sf_buffer = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(sf_n_re);
   if (!sf_buffer) {
     perror("malloc");
     exit(-1);
   }
-  output_buffer = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * sf_n_samples);
+  output_buffer = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(sf_n_samples);
   if (!output_buffer) {
     perror("malloc");
     exit(-1);
@@ -681,16 +681,10 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
       if (output_file_name && snr != -100.0) {
         // compute average energy per symbol
-        float abs[sf_n_samples];
-        srslte_vec_abs_square_cf(output_buffer, abs, sf_n_samples);
-        float abs_avg = 0;
-        for (int i = 0; i < sf_n_samples; i++) {
-          abs_avg += abs[i];
-        }
-        abs_avg /= sf_n_samples;
+        float abs_avg = srslte_vec_avg_power_cf(output_buffer, sf_n_samples);
 
         // find the noise spectral density
-        float snr_lin = powf(10.0f, snr / 10);
+        float snr_lin = srslte_convert_dB_to_power(snr);
         float n0      = abs_avg / snr_lin;
         float nstd    = sqrtf(n0 / 2);
 
diff --git a/lib/examples/npdsch_ue.c b/lib/examples/npdsch_ue.c
index fada32563..fbc2c8fc5 100644
--- a/lib/examples/npdsch_ue.c
+++ b/lib/examples/npdsch_ue.c
@@ -312,10 +312,12 @@ static char mib_buffer_disp[MAX_MSG_BUF], mib_buffer_decode[MAX_MSG_BUF];
 static char sib1_buffer_disp[MAX_MSG_BUF], sib1_buffer_decode[MAX_MSG_BUF];
 static char sib2_buffer_disp[MAX_MSG_BUF], sib2_buffer_decode[MAX_MSG_BUF];
 
+#if HAVE_RSRP_PLOT
 #define RSRP_TABLE_MAX_IDX 1024
 static float    rsrp_table[RSRP_TABLE_MAX_IDX];
 static uint32_t rsrp_table_index = 0;
 static uint32_t rsrp_num_plot    = RSRP_TABLE_MAX_IDX;
+#endif // HAVE_RSRP_PLOT
 #endif // ENABLE_GUI
 
 uint32_t sfn = 0; // system frame number
@@ -400,18 +402,18 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
       float               nsss_peak_value;
       int                 input_len = srate * 10 / 1000 * 2; // capture two full frames to make sure we have one NSSS
 
-      cf_t* buffer = malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * input_len * 2);
+      cf_t* buffer = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(input_len * 2);
       if (!buffer) {
         perror("malloc");
         exit(-1);
       }
 
-      if (srslte_nsss_synch_init(&nsss, cell, input_len, srate / 15000)) {
+      if (srslte_nsss_synch_init(&nsss, input_len, srate / 15000)) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Error initializing NSSS object\n");
         exit(-1);
       }
 
-      srslte_rf_start_rx_stream(&rf);
+      srslte_rf_start_rx_stream(&rf, false);
       n = srslte_rf_recv(&rf, buffer, input_len, 1);
       if (n != input_len) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Error receiving samples\n");
@@ -423,7 +425,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
       printf("Detecting NSSS signal .. ");
       fflush(stdout);
       uint32_t sfn_partial;
-      srslte_nsss_sync_find(&nsss, buffer, &nsss_peak_value, (int*)&cell.n_id_ncell, &sfn_partial);
+      srslte_nsss_sync_find(&nsss, buffer, &nsss_peak_value, (uint32_t*)&cell.n_id_ncell, &sfn_partial);
       printf("done!");
       srslte_nsss_synch_free(&nsss);
       free(buffer);
diff --git a/lib/src/phy/phch/npdsch.c b/lib/src/phy/phch/npdsch.c
index 3dc274beb..f00f76626 100644
--- a/lib/src/phy/phch/npdsch.c
+++ b/lib/src/phy/phch/npdsch.c
@@ -209,42 +209,42 @@ int srslte_npdsch_init(srslte_npdsch_t* q)
     q->encoder.tail_biting = true;
     memcpy(q->encoder.poly, poly, 3 * sizeof(int));
 
-    q->d = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * q->max_re);
+    q->d = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(q->max_re);
     if (!q->d) {
       goto clean;
     }
     for (uint32_t i = 0; i < SRSLTE_MAX_PORTS; i++) {
-      q->ce[i] = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * q->max_re);
+      q->ce[i] = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(q->max_re);
       if (!q->ce[i]) {
         goto clean;
       }
       for (int k = 0; k < q->max_re / 2; k++) {
         q->ce[i][k] = 1;
       }
-      q->x[i] = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * q->max_re);
+      q->x[i] = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(q->max_re);
       if (!q->x[i]) {
         goto clean;
       }
-      q->symbols[i] = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * q->max_re);
+      q->symbols[i] = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(q->max_re);
       if (!q->symbols[i]) {
         goto clean;
       }
-      q->sib_symbols[i] = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(cf_t) * q->max_re);
+      q->sib_symbols[i] = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(q->max_re);
       if (!q->sib_symbols[i]) {
         goto clean;
       }
     }
-    q->llr = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(float) * q->max_re * 2);
+    q->llr = srslte_vec_f_malloc(q->max_re * 2);
     if (!q->llr) {
       goto clean;
     }
     bzero(q->llr, sizeof(float) * q->max_re * 2);
 
-    q->temp = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(uint8_t) * SRSLTE_NPDSCH_MAX_TBS_CRC);
+    q->temp = srslte_vec_u8_malloc(SRSLTE_NPDSCH_MAX_TBS_CRC);
     if (!q->temp) {
       goto clean;
     }
-    q->rm_b = srslte_vec_malloc(sizeof(float) * q->max_re * 2);
+    q->rm_b = srslte_vec_u8_malloc(q->max_re * 2);
     if (!q->rm_b) {
       goto clean;
     }
@@ -412,7 +412,11 @@ int srslte_npdsch_decode_rnti(srslte_npdsch_t*        q,
       }
       total_syms += cfg->nbits.nof_re;
     }
-    assert(total_syms == cfg->grant.nof_sf * cfg->nbits.nof_re);
+
+    if (total_syms != cfg->grant.nof_sf * cfg->nbits.nof_re) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "Error expecting %d symbols but got %d\n", cfg->grant.nof_sf * cfg->nbits.nof_re, total_syms);
+      return SRSLTE_ERROR;
+    }
 
 #if DUMP_SIGNALS
     if (SRSLTE_VERBOSE_ISDEBUG()) {
@@ -445,7 +449,7 @@ int srslte_npdsch_decode_rnti(srslte_npdsch_t*        q,
     // demodulate symbols
     srslte_demod_soft_demodulate(SRSLTE_MOD_QPSK, q->d, q->llr, cfg->grant.nof_sf * cfg->nbits.nof_re);
 
-#if 0
+#if DUMP_SIGNALS
     uint8_t demodbuf[320];
     hard_qpsk_demod(q->d,demodbuf,cfg->nbits.nof_re);
 
@@ -567,7 +571,7 @@ int srslte_npdsch_encode_rnti(srslte_npdsch_t*        q,
 {
   if (rnti != q->rnti) {
     srslte_sequence_t seq;
-    // FIXME: skip sequence init if cfg->is_encoded==true
+    // TODO: skip sequence init if cfg->is_encoded==true
     if (srslte_sequence_npdsch(&seq,
                                rnti,
                                0,
diff --git a/lib/src/phy/phch/test/npdsch_npdcch_file_test.c b/lib/src/phy/phch/test/npdsch_npdcch_file_test.c
index 74c3eb7c1..f9f3b1405 100644
--- a/lib/src/phy/phch/test/npdsch_npdcch_file_test.c
+++ b/lib/src/phy/phch/test/npdsch_npdcch_file_test.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ void parse_args(int argc, char** argv)
         }
         break;
       case 'x':
-        snr = atof(argv[optind]);
+        snr = strtof(argv[optind], NULL);
         break;
       case 'v':
         srslte_verbose++;
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ int base_init()
   }
 
   flen         = 2 * (SRSLTE_SLOT_LEN(srslte_symbol_sz(cell.base.nof_prb)));
-  buff_ptrs[0] = malloc(flen * sizeof(cf_t));
+  buff_ptrs[0] = srslte_vec_cf_malloc(flen);
   if (!buff_ptrs[0]) {
     perror("malloc");
     exit(-1);