My House View With Antennas

My House View With Antennas

Thursday 28 January 2010

How to Install Solar Panels : Battery Banks for Solar Energy

The battery bank gets the needed voltage to individual inverters. Learn about the battery bank for solar power from a professional in this free energy conservation video.

Expert: Roger Bacon
Bio: Roger Bacon is the owner of RGB Home Repair and Renovation in Santa Barbara California. He has experience in all phases of home repair and renovations such as plumbing, heating and solar power.
Filmmaker: Diana Bacon 



Simple Solar Update - Inexpensive Lead-Acid Battery

I was able to purchase this "Lawn and Garden" Lead-Acid battery for less than $20 at Wal*Mart. So, I thought it would be worth experimenting with since its size and capacity will probably reduce the number of times I need to charge it (compared to the smaller gel cells I featured in my previous video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHbx_Q... The battery is rated at 275 "Cold-cranking" amps, which isn't of much value to me since I'm not starting a motor or anything. Although it doesn't say, a quick internet search suggests this battery is rated at about 18 amp-hours - which puts it at about one third the cost of a comparable gel cell. Problem is, it's probably not rated for much of a deep discharge since lawn equipment provides a continuous trickle charge. Nevertheless, I'll keep experimenting with it to see if it's cost-effective. I use an in-line "Watts Up" meter to monitor the voltage. So far, I've allowed it to drop below 12 volts (the QRP radio gear I power with it is very voltage tolerant). With a half day of full sunlight I'm able to bring it back up to well over 13 volts - which last many days of lower power communications on my amateur radio station.

In the video I also mention that I'm now using Anderson "Power-Pole" connectors to eliminate a lot of the clip leads I've been using. Actually, I've been using these connectors for over a year now but just got around to introducing them to my simple solar stuff. They're great connectors and seem to be growing in popularity as a low voltage standard. Although not seen in this video, at times I have used a charge controller, or simple diode, to keep the batteries from discharging into the solar panel when it's cloudy and I can't be as attentive...

This video is in contrast to the one I made later during January of 2009. At that time it was a month after the winter solstice so the panel was pointing almost directly towards the horizon. For this particular video, recorded a month before the summer solstice, the panel is aligned almost straight upward to catch the fullest amount of solar radiation - in stark contrast to its winter orientation. Either way, the theme remains simple, and inexpensive - capturing the right amount of sunlight to charge a battery to power my amateur radio station and some other related equipment.

Here's a link to my personal solar power page:
http://www.rogerwehdell.com/solar.html

And here's a link to a page about my amateur radio station - the place I use most of the solar power I generate:
http://www.rogerwendell.com/qrp.html


N4LS mobile ham radio station

N4LS/M ham radio station installed in a Toyota FJ Cruiser. Kenwood TS480SAT HF radio and Kenwood TM-D710A VHF, UHF, APRS. HF antenna: Hamstick

 

Tuesday 26 January 2010

Hope-1 (XW-1, HO-68): A new satellite with Amateur Radio transponders

Hope-1 (XW-1, HO-68): A new satellite with Amateur Radio transponders 


Fun with amateur radio #22 USB to RS-232 cable trouble

Just recently purchased a USB to RS232 cable to use my packet radio modem on my Netbook, problem is that rs-232 connection dont seem to carry the complete 5 signal lines, only RTS and DTR well work, the others wont show up!

Anyone out there know of a workaround for this problem?



HAM radio operator monitoring signals from Haiti.flv

Haiti Earthquake Report Via Amateur Radio

When telephones, internet, and power are cut off, Amateur Radio fills vital communications needs. Fred Moore of Florida, callsign W3ZU provides a radio/telephone patch for Jean-Robert Gaillard, callsign HH2JR, of Port au Prince. Audio captured by Brian Crow. Images (c) their respective owners


FT857D Install .mp4

D Star The future is here ..

The D-STAR is born from a search of the Japanese government pressed ahead with the amateur JARL on how emerging technologies could be used even among amateurs. The result of this research began in 1999 comes to light in 2001 with the publication of the specifications of the system is a digital communication that uses GMSK modulation and the AMBE codec business.

DV Node Adapter to Icom ID-RP2C interface - transmit AND receive.

Another video from the VK5REX D-Star repeater site. Once again featuring my home-brew interface that sits between an Icom ID-RP2C D-Star repeater controller and a DV Node Adapter based GMSK repeater. This video shows my home brew D-Star compatible repeater both transmitting AND receiving using the Dplus software echo function.



Greenwich Island operation

XR9JA will be the callsign of Luis XQ5CIE, Carlos CE6UFF, Didier F6DXE and Dagoberto CE5COX, from February 1-28.

This operation was originally planned for January but has been re-scheduled.
Their QTH will be the Chilean naval base 'Arturo Prat' on Greenwich Island belonging to the South Shetland archipelago (AN-010).
Amateur radio operation is planned in CW, SSB, PSK-31 on 160m-6m and via the satellite AO-51.
Their QSL manager is CE5JA (via bureau or direct) and more information can be found on their website: http://www.ce5ja.cl/

Temporary Suspension of SO-67 Service

The Amateur Radio FM transponder on Sumbandila (SO-67) is being temporarily suspended to permit completion of the satellite commissioning activities.


On the AMSAT bulletin board Jan-Albert writes:

There is little more than 6 weeks left in which to complete the outstanding commissioning activities on Sumbandila before operations are planned to be handed over in middle-March to the Satellite Application Center, who will then continue to operate the satellite on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) - owner of the satellite.
Since our progress is currently hampered by the various SA-AMSAT payload activities, we have unfortunately no choice but to temporarily suspend this service on SO-67. We plan to have it "on air" again end-March / beginning Apr this year.
We have so far successfully executed more than 320 payload activations since we started using the SA-AMSAT payload in Q4 2009.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Best regards
Jan-Albert

The Sounds of SO-67
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2010/sounds_of_so67.htm

SO-67 - SDR thesis
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2010/so67_sdr_thesis.htm

ISS SSTV experiment

The Russian Federal Space website lists the International Space Station (ISS) MAI-75 experiment (Slow Scan TV on 145.800 MHz) taking place from Wednesday January 27 to Friday January 29.


This may mean Amateur Slow Scan TV (SSTV) may take place on one or more of these days. Previous activations of the SSTV system have produced some good images that can be seen on the ARISS SSTV picture gallery site.

The ISS puts out a strong signal on 145.800 MHz FM and a 2m handheld with a 1/4 wave groundplane antenna will be enough to receive it. The FM transmission uses 5 kHz deviation which is standard in much of the world.

Many FM rigs in the UK can be switched been wide and narrow deviation FM filters so select the wider deviation. Handhelds all seem to have a single wide filter fitted as standard.

Free PC sound card Slow Scan TV software such as MMSSTV can be used to display the pictures and you can use software such as the IZ8BLY Vox Recoder to save the audio for later decoding if you are away at work.

Russian Federal Space - ISS Experiments January 25-31 (Google English)
http://tinyurl.com/yhy49t4

Information on the MAI-75 SSTV experiment
http://www.energia.ru/eng/iss/researches/education-26.html

How to access the ISS Slow Scan TV
http://www.marexmg.org/fileshtml/howtoisssstv.html

Free Slow Scan TV Software MMSSTV uses your PCs Soundcard
http://mmhamsoft.amateur-radio.ca/

IZ8BLY Vox Recoder, enables you to record the signals from the ISS on 145.800 MHz while you're away at work
http://xoomer.alice.it/aporcino/VoxRecorder/

ISS Real Time Tracking (tick draw footprint)
http://www.n2yo.com/?s=25544

Amateur Radio on the International Space station (ARISS) SSTV picture gallery
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/SSTV/

ISS Fan Club
http://www.issfanclub.com/


AMSAT-UK publish a colour A4 newsletter, OSCAR News, that is full of Amateur Satellite information.
Join online at https://secure.amsat.org.uk/subs_form

Tuesday 5 January 2010

OPTIBEAM OB17 4 ASSEMBLED BY SV9CVY

OB2-80+ Installation Part 5

We are here installing ob2-80+ 2element monobander for 80m by optibeam. this video is taken by 9K2MB


OB2-80+ Installation Part 4

We are here installing ob2-80+ 2element monobander for 80m by optibeam. this video is taken by 9K2MB  

OB2-80+ installation Part 3

We are here installing ob2-80+ 2element monobander for 80m by optibeam. this video is taken by 9K2MB  

OB2-80+ installation Part 2

We are here installing ob2-80+ 2element monobander for 80m by optibeam. this video is taken by 9K2MB  

OB2-80+ Installation Part 1

We are here installing ob2-80+ 2element monobander for 80m by optibeam. this video is taken by 9K2MB 


IK0XEZ Traliccio 70x70 18mt by Angelucci Rocco

Installazione Traliccio 70x70 18mt Angelucci Rocco di IK0XEZ Salvatore  


IZ6CLZ Traliccio 50x50 8mt by Angelucci Rocco

Installazione Traliccio 50x50 x h8mt
By Angelucci Rocco 


 

Ham Radio IZ6CLZ Antenna HOME MADE 10-15-20-40-80

Costruzione Plinto,Traliccio,Antenne
da Radioamatore,home made..
10-15-20-40-80MT 



Hy_Gain 14 Element Ham Radio Log Periodic Antenna Raised onto 70ft tower

http://www.hamradiofinds.com This was the scene recently at Dave's place W5SV, just north of Austin, Tx., where a Hy-Gain LP-1010 14 Element Log Periodic ham radio antenna was raised onto a 70ft free standing tower, with the help of a crane..There is a 5 element Cushcraft 6 meter beam above the lp..We had quite an interesting time with this project..All went fine until one of the forward elements got tied up with the boom of the crane..No damage was done to the LP, though you can see where it is now out of alignment with the rest of the elements..Will have to use a crane with a bucket to repair problem..After the installation was completed, coaxes & rotor hooked up, SWR checked fine on all bands from 30 to 6 meters..

The crew consisted of Craig KB5BI ( in the blue shirt), our tower monkey Tim KE5CFZ & myself, Mel WA5UTK..Dave was somewhere in the background..

Thanks for viewing & reading..73s, Mel

WA5UTK 



Cushcraft A3S Tri-band HF Ham Radio Beam Antenna Installed On Tower

http://www.kcomm.biz This was the scene at Clay's W5ZPV house here in San Antonio, Tx as his Cushcraft A3S 3 Element Tri-band Ham Radio Yagi Beam Antenna was put up on the tower..Our crew consisted of my brother Tim KE5CFZ who is the tower monkey, along with myself (behind the camera) & the boss, Craig KB5BI..The beam was tested & all checks were good..73s, Mel, WA5UTK 



W2RE Amateur Radio

2008 W2RE finished a 4 month antenna project that swapped out antennas and added antennas to maximize gain using HFTA. The new antennas and stacks will maximize gain with the guide of the HFTA (N6BV) software. 


OH2LZC MOBILE IN HARBOUR OF HELSINKI

A nice contact to Florida from the car with a small mobile whip antenna! I am in the harbour of Helsinki, right by the sea. I had a nice day of ham radio with super sea view.  

OH2K WORKING AO-51 FM SATELLITE

We have been re-activating satellite activity from our radio club... This is AO-51, a low orbit 2m/70cm fm-satellite. Since all traffic is on one frequency, things are usually quite hectic because everybody has only a few minutes to have contacts in the pass... 


OH2K ANTENNA MAINTENANCE #3

The access to the highest roof level where the tower is located requires strong nerves with the rusty ladder... 


OH2K ANTENNA MAINTENANCE #1

It is a rainy sunday afternoon, despite the wet conditions we are on the roof giving yagi antennas some needed attention. 


OH2K ANTENNA MAINTENANCE #2

Here is a preview of all the yagi-antennas lying on the roof waiting for replacement parts (mostly bolts, nuts and clamps)  

OH2K: 40 METER YAGI MAINTENANCE

On the beginning of March 2008 we are lowering the 2-el yagi for 40 meters down from the tower for maintenance. This "big gun" has given excellent dx - from Australia to Aruba!  

Polish Amateur Radio Station "Big Gun"

Polish Amateur Radio Station "Big Gun"  

My ham radio station ! IW7EBB

ham radio station with antenna array ! 

HF highly rotating directional antenna whit 500KW

Clip of 80m high rotaiting antena on the train platform. HF large antena for broadcast Radio station from 3Mhz to 30Mhz installation on the train platforn to rotating antenna pattern. Very impressive.


Motormouth MAUL Mobile

Motormouth MAUL has some nice stuff

m0ogy "Ham Radio" antenna system

This is the antenna system of the station of M0ogy consisting of Strumech P-60 tower ,Pro sis tel rotator,Opti-Beam OB6-3M HF Yagi beam,Cushcraft 5 ele 6 mtrs beam and a 12 element Jaybeam 2 mtr beam all built in summer 2007 


MONSTER QUAD ANTENNA IN NAGOYA JAPAN

ANTENNA FARM IN NAGOYA JAPAN  

JA2QXY(Hawk) Home-brew Monster ANT 7MHz&18MHz

This time around,assist designing in Antenna,He was intransigent about simulator design that's why monumental reprise until the very last minute.
At long last,He take action biuld Monster Antenna during Golden Week 2008.
I learned anew many thing from his design concept. JH9MEV also JQ2NZY 



How not to take down a house antenna

While removing this old antenna tower from the house using what we thought was a good plan, did all but successfully let the tower down; hitting awnings and ripping off shingles as it crashed into the house. 



EI7JM HI RES VIDEO OF TOWER INSTALL

Paul EI7JM 121 ft Tower install



VE7HA Tower Installation Project

Installation of a US Tower 90-foot tall HDX-589MDPL free-standing motorized crankup radio tower for a Steppir yagi antenna.  

Dave's new Ham Radio Tower

Dave's new Ham Radio Tower  

9K2HN Tower installation 2/2

18m hight ham radio tower installed over 9k2hn house


9K2HN Tower Installation 1/2

18m hight ham radio tower installed over 9k2hn house 

Tower installation part 4

I had to raise it but without the antenna because I'm having obstructing limbs cut down for clearance of the arch radius. I had to get the tower out of the way so the limbs do not crush my tower upon falling to the ground. As soon as the limbs are cut, I can then raise the tower with the antennas on it. 



Tower installation part 3

Video 3 of the tower installation involves the assembled tower on its side and I added my 10 meter dipole to it. I'll add my 2 meter ringo ranger once I'm ready to raise the tower. All of the coax is secured to the sides of the tower along with the rotor cable. I find out I need to trim some over head limbs from a tree above because the arc of til axis looks like it would conflict with the raise. I installed a 4x6 pressure treated arsenic saturated post behind the tower of which I will be adding a 1500lbs capacity hand winch to along with a pulley for anti friction.



Tower installation part 2

I dug holes 28" deep through soil and clay, then positioned concrete cylinders. Sequentially I then tapped each 3 foot long 3/4"-10 threaded dowel into the bottom of the hole surface in relation to each corresponding hole on the hinge plate. Once all threaded dowels were established, I poured quickcrete into each cylinder to the brim. I joined all four of the inner exposed concrete forms by digging a pit in the center and filling it too with concrete. After the concrete solidified, I mounted the hinge plate on the foundation. I actually screwed on some 3/4" nuts n each threaded dowel so that I could manually adjust the height of each corner should there be any mistake (inevitably there was). I placed the bottom tower section on the hinge plate and secured it with provided screws on the hinge brackets. 


Tower pre-installation part 1

I got this tower from a fellow ham radio club member who got it from a CB'er. All I had to do was donate $100 to the club treasury and it was all mine! It is 33 feet in addition to a 10 foot mast. I wont be putting a lot of antenna weight on so the aluminum mast and tv antenna rotor will do just fine! I'll be mounting a 10 meter dipole and a 2 meter ringo ranger onto it and possibly even stringing up a dipole on it as well. I will upload videos of the tower erected and with antennas in due coarse. 


Raising Tower for Field Day 2009

Raising Tower for Field Day 2009  

PANCAKE HF ANTENNA INSTALLATION

first try not successful....second try.....will see!!!  


FieldComm TV - raising HF antenna

Video of the crane raising the antenna into place. Yes, we know it slammed into the crane...But we got that sorted out and put it into place.  


Part 3 Raising the Tower

This completes the 3 Part series on Installing and Raising the Tower and Antenna. The Antenna is a M2 KT36XA - 6-element tri-bander on a 32' foot boom. These are the still photos, video to follow once I reload my Avid Edit S/W on the computer. 


Part 2: Installing a Ham Radio Tower; Setting the Foundation.

This is Part 2 of a 3 Part Series covering Installing a Ham Radio Tower. This video covers digging the hole, dropping in the rebar cage and pouring the cement foundation. 


Part 1: Installing a Ham Radio Tower - Getting the Tower

Covers the installation of a 55' US Tower HDX-555 

SSV Tower Base

This clip shows the concrete pour and finishing for the base of my Rohn SSV ham radio Tower. The completed tower will be a self-supporting 100 foot tower used for amateur radio and local emergency communications. 


My Ham Radio Tower & Antenna Project

A video detailing the installation of my Ham Radio Tower, a Mosley 33 Classic Tri-Bander, Cushcraft 13B2 2m Beam, and a 2m/440mhz dual band vertical antenna. 


Benny's ham radio antenna and tower work

A short time lapse video of Benny, John, and the crane putting up a 6 meter quad and a 20 meter beam. But first, Benny takes down a couple of antennas to make some room!

The video was taken at 1 frame every 2 seconds. It plays back at 30 frames per second.



Petes Moon Bounce Station Central Kansas

This is a video shot on 1 Jan 2010 of Pete's Station in Central Kansas. The highlight is the massive 28 foot 1.2 GHz Dish mounted on the navy Gunturrent. The echo demonstration off the moon, both on CW and Voice was amazing. Can't wait to see what Pete puts up on the other new towers he installed on the site this fall. 


Monday 4 January 2010

Using LOGic's Data Access Forms - Part 3

LOGic features powerful and flexible data access forms for logging and other needs.

This three-part series shows you how to use the many features of these forms.

Part 1 - Adding, Editing, and retrieving data

Part 2 - Advanced searching--easily find data using any search field or combination, using LOGic's query-by-example.

Part 3 - Grid-only data forms and summary.
We recommend watching this video in High Quality.

For information, purchasing, and a free demo of LOGic, please visit http://hosenose.com/logic



Interfacing LOGic with TRX-Manager

Interfacing TRX-Manager to LOGic for the ultimate in remote control. TRX-Manager is the state-of-the-art rig control program. (Note: It is not necessary to use TRX-Manager to interface LOGic to your computer).
We recommend watching this video in High Quality.

For information, purchasing, and a free demo of LOGic, please visit http://hosenose.com/logic



Setting up LOGic

LOGic features powerful and flexible data access forms for logging and other needs.

This three-part series shows you how to use the many features of these forms.

Part 1 - Adding, Editing, and retrieving data

Part 2 - Advanced searching--easily find data using any search field or combination, using LOGic's query-by-example.

Part 3 - Grid-only data forms and summary.
We recommend watching this video in High Quality.

For information, purchasing, and a free demo of LOGic, please visit http://hosenose.com/logic




DL2HS PSK 63 DM780 5.0beta

PSK,Amateurfunk,BPSK 63 QSO with HG3FMZ  


Gpredict Satellite Tracking with the Asus Eee PC 701

This video shows the Gpredict satellite tracking and orbit prediction program running on my old Asus Eeepc 701 first generation netbook with Ubuntu linux 9.04.
Gpredict is free and open source software available for linux, BSD, Windows and Mac, see http://gpredict.oz9aec.net/






Sunday 3 January 2010

SDR Radio V 1.0

A short demo on Simon Brown's SDR Radio V 1.0. 



K2SCX HAM SHACK.

A walk through of what is yet to come.  


Amateur Radio - 2009 ILLW - ZL6LH - Part 2 of 2

Papakura Radio Club members John ZL1ALZ, John ZL1BYZ and David ZL1DK working the 2009 International Lighthouse and Lightship weekend at East Cape Lighthouse, East Cape, NI, NZ with the callsign ZL6LH Also see http://www.qsl.net/zl1vk/PRCMembersPage/PRCZL6LH/zl6lh.html 





Amateur Radio - 2009 ILLW - ZL6LH - Part 1 of 2

Papakura Radio Club members John ZL1ALZ, John ZL1BYZ and David ZL1DK working the 2009 International Lighthouse and Lightship weekend at East Cape Lighthouse, East Cape, NI, NZ with the callsign ZL6LH Also see http://www.qsl.net/zl1vk/PRCMembersPage/PRCZL6LH/zl6lh.html 





SM7YES 210 ft (64m) radio tower construction

Final construction of 210 ft ham radio tower at SM7YES QTH Pictures: http://www.fotosidan.se/gallery/view.htm?ID=212020



HO-68 Amateur Radio Satellite NA/EU DX

I had a small window towards Europe on Jan 1st 2010 using the HO-68 Satellite. Pretty good results for such a short time


 

AO-51 Amateur Radio Satellite 12/30/09

AO-51 satellite pass. Nice western pass low on my horizon. 17el on 2m and 28el on 70cm 



AO-7 Amateur Radio Satellite 12/31/09

AO-7 satellite pass to my west. Nice signal from the old bird, one of my favs. Using FT-847, 17el 2m and 28el 70cm. 


HO-68 Amateur Radio Satellite 12/29/09

HO-68 Satellite pass in SSB mode Dec. 29, 2009. Rig FT-847 and using my tropo yagis, 17el 2m - 28 el 70cm. Made a couple contacts, received a few. 


Which digital mode should I be using for keyboard to keyboard QSOs?

Which digital mode should I be using for keyboard to keyboard QSOs?


This is not intended to be a polemical discussion. There are lots of hams that are smarter than I am and far more knowledgeable than I am that hold different views. That is probably because we value different facets of this complex hobby. But it may be because I am in error on some point.



This is also not intended to be a technical discussion of the communications theory but rather a discussion aimed at hams who are faced with making a decision about what mode they are going to use tonight to call CQ.


I enjoy conversational digital QSOs

In my years as a ham, I have found digital operators to be among the most sophisticated hams on the air. Many DX digital hams write good English. My favorite activity in this hobby is to have an extended digital QSO with a ham in a country with a different culture form my own where I have the opportunity to really get acquainted with the individual and learn to understand something about his values and personality. Much of my activities over the past twenty years have had as their goal to build a station that can hold a stable "circuit" for an hour with a marginal DX station during varying propagation.

Many modes are slow or else susceptible to ionospheric disturbances or QRM

Some digital modes excel in other types of QSOs. The quick "turn around" and tuning tolerance of 45 baud RTTY make it ideal for contesting. Dave, AA6YQ, has pointed out that the narrow bandwidth of PSK31 and the availability of panoramic reception software make it ideal for DX pileups where the DX station can use such software to pick out calls. PSK31 is also quite sensitive. Both of these modes have found widespread use with stations working toward DX awards.

But both of these modes are quite susceptible to ionospheric disturbances.. In response to this need, gifted engineers have developed a plethora of much more robust modes, some of which are exquisitely sensitive. In my opinion, some of these that are widely used for "ragchew" QSO's are too slow. Now many, if not most, young adult hams started typing in grade school and spending their valuable recreation hours limited to less than 30 words per minute is frustrating. During a recent QSO I turned up the volume on the radio, walked to the kitchen, made a cup of instant coffee in the microwave oven, returned to the radio desk, and read the other fellow's text before it was my turn to transmit. After one such QSO that lasted an hour I realized that we had exchanged so little information that I really did not know much about the DX ham. But fortunately, we have many modes to choose from.



I have graphed the bandwidth versus the speed of several digital modes above. I have chosen only modes with bandwidths of 500 hz or less only because it seems not to be good stewardship of the bands to use wider modes for ragchew QSOs. They may well be appropriate for file transfer, etc. Despite the intuitive bias that wider modes should have greater throughput, there is little correlation in the above graph. Why? The lack of correlation can be explained by the increased robustness of certain of the slower or wider modes.


I have indicated those modes that are slower than 30 words per minute, an arbitrary lower limit for keyboard QSOs that seems reasonable to me for most experienced typists. It is also useful to frame this broader discussion since there are modes both slower and faster with marked advantages for specific applications.




The data in the above graph is from Tony Bombardiere, K2MO, who used PathSim software from Moe Wheatley, AE4JY, to determine the weakest signal that would give good copy with each mode. Probably there would be little debate about this data. Other investigators might obtain values that differ by a db or so. Suffice it to say that there are several quite sensitive modes that are faster than 30 wpm and with bandwidths that are appropriate for the HF bands.




This data is also from K2MO. Here he used PathSim to introduce simulated ionospheric disturbances and measured the percentage of correct copy that resulted from passing text through each mode at various signal levels. I have grouped the data into three classifications used by Murray Greenman, ZL1BPU: Good Copy 90-100%, Difficult Copy 70-89%, and Impossible Copy below 70%. Path simulation software does not model all the insults and vagaries of HF propagation that our signals meet on their way around the globe and they certainly don't indicate how modes deal with QRM. But the data is useful in making suggestions about how robust these various modes are.


So which digital mode should I use tonight for a ragchew QSO?

I am quite agnostic on this question. I am not certain which is the best mode, and that may change as new modes or new software for existing modes are developed. In designing any mode an engineer makes a decision about how to balance throughput and bandwidth to arrive at a desired level of robustness. But from this data it appears that at least three modes offer an appropriate balance of these constraints for extended conversational QSOs: MFSK16, Contestia 500/16, and Olivia 500/4.

But I can't even recognize those modes on the air!

As of November 2009 Patrick Lindecker, F6CTE has developed an answer to this issue. Several digital software packages include his Reed Solomon ID protocol that sends a two second code before each text transmission informing the software at the other end what mode is being used to send the message and the center frequency for the transmission. At this time I am aware that Fldigi, Digital Master 780 v5, and MultiPSK all implement this protocol in their latest versions. Recent versions of all three of these packages also include the three suggested modes. For MixW users to obtain Olivia, Contestia, and RTTYM it is necessary to download the dll files to their MixW subdirectory.

Of these three, MFSK16 uses less bandwidth but hams often complain that it is difficult to tune. In response to this impediment, recent versions of some of the software packages lengthen the lowest tone at the beginning and the end of the transmission as a tuning aid. It is interesting that all three of these are multiple frequency shift keying modes rather than phase shift keying modes even though it is faster to detect the phase of a signal than the frequency of a signal. One advantage of frequency shift is that if only one tone is transmitted at a time the tranmitter is not required to be linear. Also with a single tone the transmitted power is not spread over several frequencies.

So I don't care what mode you use tonight. Just get on the air and if one doesn't work, we can change.

Friday 1 January 2010

powersdr-iq _ham radio deluxe 5.0 softrock 6.2 RxTx

powersdr-iq ham radio deluxe 5.0 softrock 6.2 RxTx synch Kenwood TS-480