The last several days I have be working through some mindless boring legal issues, and have not had much time for Ham Radio. - So my WSPR receiver is doing all of the radio work for me.
My long wire and Kenwood R-2000 with the audio connected to Ubuntu 8.10 workstation has been working in the background while I work the keyboard - Look ma - Ham Radio at 11,000km with no hands!
(sorry I deleted the include WSPR report table, it did not format well in my blog)
On 40m
See the on-line pre-formated Report at WSPRnet.org
Now QSY to 80m - as of 200912112150
See the on-line pre-formated Report at WSPRnet.org
Now QSY to 600m - as of 200912122330
See the on-line pre-formated All Spot Report at WSPRnet.org
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Showing posts with label R-2000. Show all posts
Showing posts with label R-2000. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
A new QRSS Contact
This morning while working in my shop getting frustrated with progress on trying to get a new DC Receiver working, I abandoned work for a while. I plugged the computer sound card back into the R-2000 general coverage receiver and turned the dial. I noticed a several signals as reported by ARGO on the computer screen, that is normal noise within the sound card and the ground loops from the receiver, I really need to get a better interface. Most of the displayed signal lines on the screen are steady and associated with 60Hz. Nothing unusual here.
A minute or so later, I check the screen - there was a single perfectly formed QRSS3 "C" on one of the hum lines!!! What, did I touch something that caused the receiver to jump frequency in time with a perfect QRSS3 "C" - I don't think so. Where did it come from??? I continued to watch, nothing suggested it was anything but a 60Hz hum line.
Several minutes later, on the same line was a perfect QRSS3 "O"!!!
Now this has my interest!
Who would be sending QRSS3 letters at such a slow rate??, And what was the rate??
I started a timer and put the Grabber into capture mode, and waited, and waited - Eleven minutes later - a perfect QRSS3 "N" - WOW - I have to watch this! Someone is sending some very slow QRSS - I am excited - I have to figure this out!
I can't touch anything - not even the dial - I'll just have to wait!!
At the next Eleventh minute, right on schedule, I could see the leading edge of a letter, BUT at that very moment my "WSPR" transmitter obliterated the receive signal. I did not get that letter.
Who ever is doing this must have an synchronised clock and is transmitting single QRSS3 letter at the begining of minute interval. This has really got me interested! WSPR transmits precisely on even two minutes intervals and then receive-only for (in my case) 20 minutes. To avoid having WSPR obliterate another letter, I turned WSPR off. I checked my (other) standard local Grabber, I could see the same signal there - but a little weaker - a different antenna is used and maybe my long wire on the R-2000 had an advantage at the right direction.
I computed the time for the next letter, and waited. Right on schedule, A perfect QRSS3 "W" was recorded. I now have "CON_W" received over a 50 minutes period. I wonder what the message would say and to/from whom?
Ten minutes later, a perfect QRSS "A" was received - the first part of a CALL?? - maybe the first few letters, was the last part - I checked the QRZ data base for "WA something CON" - the QRZ database does not have option letter search (that I know of) - no joy.
Ten minutes later, a perfect QRSS "0" (zero) was received, although the frequency was shifting down - NOW this is part of a CALL! - Checked the QRZ database again with "WA0CON", checked Google - still no joy. I will just have to wait for more of the message.
Now, I started wondering, who would transmit QRSS3 at such a slow rate? Who ever it was must be on a battery because I could see the tell-tale frequency shift of a heavy loaded transmitter - transmitting a long "zero" for that last received letter.
What could have been the letter that I missed, while my WSPR was transmitting?? an "R", "K", or a comma?? - What kind of message could this be??
I started thinking about my old beacon messages, which consists of something like the following:
THAT'S IT!!!
BUT, I don't have anything that transmits single characters at 10 minute intervals - or, do I?
There, On the shelf, was the previous weeks experiment, the dead 9Volt battery QRSS Transmitter, with the battery still attached, just as I retrieved it from the cold, wet, centre-insulator of the dipole several days go. See previous experiment.
To make sure this was NOT transmitting, I pulled the battery clip off - the signal went away! Dang!
The extremely low battery voltage must have put the KID2 Keyer (PIC) into some kind of very slow mode, as the characters were being generated one per 10 minute intervals. This is not a normal KID2 Keyer or QRSS mode! Transmit power must have been extremely low, the warmth of the shop must have re-activated the battery (a little), when I turned on the shop heat this morning.
For about 90 minutes, this was a very exciting chase, with a little bit of a let down, but that is what ham radio is all about, chasing signals, even when they are your own!
It was a real rush, even though it was from my own system.
But, I will never ever trust dead batteries again!
-
A minute or so later, I check the screen - there was a single perfectly formed QRSS3 "C" on one of the hum lines!!! What, did I touch something that caused the receiver to jump frequency in time with a perfect QRSS3 "C" - I don't think so. Where did it come from??? I continued to watch, nothing suggested it was anything but a 60Hz hum line.
Several minutes later, on the same line was a perfect QRSS3 "O"!!!
Now this has my interest!
Who would be sending QRSS3 letters at such a slow rate??, And what was the rate??
I started a timer and put the Grabber into capture mode, and waited, and waited - Eleven minutes later - a perfect QRSS3 "N" - WOW - I have to watch this! Someone is sending some very slow QRSS - I am excited - I have to figure this out!
I can't touch anything - not even the dial - I'll just have to wait!!
At the next Eleventh minute, right on schedule, I could see the leading edge of a letter, BUT at that very moment my "WSPR" transmitter obliterated the receive signal. I did not get that letter.
Who ever is doing this must have an synchronised clock and is transmitting single QRSS3 letter at the begining of minute interval. This has really got me interested! WSPR transmits precisely on even two minutes intervals and then receive-only for (in my case) 20 minutes. To avoid having WSPR obliterate another letter, I turned WSPR off. I checked my (other) standard local Grabber, I could see the same signal there - but a little weaker - a different antenna is used and maybe my long wire on the R-2000 had an advantage at the right direction.
I computed the time for the next letter, and waited. Right on schedule, A perfect QRSS3 "W" was recorded. I now have "CON_W" received over a 50 minutes period. I wonder what the message would say and to/from whom?
Ten minutes later, a perfect QRSS "A" was received - the first part of a CALL?? - maybe the first few letters, was the last part - I checked the QRZ data base for "WA something CON" - the QRZ database does not have option letter search (that I know of) - no joy.
Ten minutes later, a perfect QRSS "0" (zero) was received, although the frequency was shifting down - NOW this is part of a CALL! - Checked the QRZ database again with "WA0CON", checked Google - still no joy. I will just have to wait for more of the message.
Now, I started wondering, who would transmit QRSS3 at such a slow rate? Who ever it was must be on a battery because I could see the tell-tale frequency shift of a heavy loaded transmitter - transmitting a long "zero" for that last received letter.
What could have been the letter that I missed, while my WSPR was transmitting?? an "R", "K", or a comma?? - What kind of message could this be??
I started thinking about my old beacon messages, which consists of something like the following:
"BCON F WA0UWH (CWID)"
THAT'S IT!!!
"BCON _ WA0UWH (CWID)"
BUT, I don't have anything that transmits single characters at 10 minute intervals - or, do I?
There, On the shelf, was the previous weeks experiment, the dead 9Volt battery QRSS Transmitter, with the battery still attached, just as I retrieved it from the cold, wet, centre-insulator of the dipole several days go. See previous experiment.
To make sure this was NOT transmitting, I pulled the battery clip off - the signal went away! Dang!
The extremely low battery voltage must have put the KID2 Keyer (PIC) into some kind of very slow mode, as the characters were being generated one per 10 minute intervals. This is not a normal KID2 Keyer or QRSS mode! Transmit power must have been extremely low, the warmth of the shop must have re-activated the battery (a little), when I turned on the shop heat this morning.
For about 90 minutes, this was a very exciting chase, with a little bit of a let down, but that is what ham radio is all about, chasing signals, even when they are your own!
It was a real rush, even though it was from my own system.
But, I will never ever trust dead batteries again!
-
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Two Reporters on WSPR
For a long time I wanted to run WSPR on my Ubuntu system, after many Google searches I found G4ILO where WSPR was compiled for the PCee system which is Linux. I downloaded it to run on my Ubuntu workstation.
So now what do I do with it?
I decided to try to "receive only" the same spots on a second Receiver (Kenwood R-2000) as on my standard WSPR station (IC-730). It was interesting to compare the Timing, Frequency and Signal Strength between the two system received spots.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE IC-730 TRANSMITTED!!!, on it regular schedule, into the poor R-2000's ear (antenna) and mine! The S meter went Off Scale at +++40db , it is a wonder that the R-2000 front-end was not blown!
The R-2000 Receiver must be well protected, so far it has not appeared to have suffered ill effects, after multiple assaults.
When I started this, I did not "upload" my R-2000 received spots.
BUT, Why not?
But, How? I already have the IC-730 reporting spots and I wanted to have both receivers report separately into the WSPR Data Base and onto the Map.
I turned on reporting.
I checked the WSPR Data Base and sure enough, two spots were being reported and logged with different signal strength for the same receiving call sign. The WSPR Map would only show the original call FLAG (maybe the "red" (receive only) FLAG may have be behind, but I could not see it).
I tried several things; I change my call to "WA0UWH2" - that work for the Map, but the DB did not report and received spots - I think because the added suffix of "2" was not a standard call format. I think (but, I may be wrong) the DB only reports spots "to and from" active transmit stations? The Map reports "Receive only" stations with a red call FLAG.
I changed the configuration back to "WA0UWH" and decided to try to make the call FLAG stand out, I could move the mapped point by changing the reported grid location "over by one" grid square. Besides, that is where my Data Centre is located and I will have receiver there, someday? My call "WA0UWH" was reporting itself to the DB in Grid "CN97bv" and to "CN97av"!! It worked!?
But, I checked the WSPR Map, only the original call FLAG was being displayed for my call sign.
I decided to try something else, I removed the last letter of my call for the "receive only" stations. I checked the QRZ call Data Base, my foreshortened call "WA0UW" is not assigned, and I think a SWL-only station can use anything they desire for a handle? maybe? Or it may be illegal?
For now, I have Two Map Flags, and Two Data Base entries for each received spot. Note, the Signal Strength is very different from each, as the receivers and antennas in use are very different. The FLAGS still covered each other on the map, so I cheated a little more and move the R-2000 up a grid square (now it is; up one, over one).
Now I can start looking at some received diversity reports, and see it displayed on the WSPR Map.
Too bad, the WSPR reporting system did not easily accommodate multiple receiver situations like this? I'll have to request it.
UPDATE:
WSPR Data base now allows for Call sufixes, you may see my receive only station as WA0UWH/R - the R is for "remote".
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So now what do I do with it?
I decided to try to "receive only" the same spots on a second Receiver (Kenwood R-2000) as on my standard WSPR station (IC-730). It was interesting to compare the Timing, Frequency and Signal Strength between the two system received spots.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE IC-730 TRANSMITTED!!!, on it regular schedule, into the poor R-2000's ear (antenna) and mine! The S meter went Off Scale at +++40db , it is a wonder that the R-2000 front-end was not blown!
The R-2000 Receiver must be well protected, so far it has not appeared to have suffered ill effects, after multiple assaults.
When I started this, I did not "upload" my R-2000 received spots.
BUT, Why not?
But, How? I already have the IC-730 reporting spots and I wanted to have both receivers report separately into the WSPR Data Base and onto the Map.
I turned on reporting.
I checked the WSPR Data Base and sure enough, two spots were being reported and logged with different signal strength for the same receiving call sign. The WSPR Map would only show the original call FLAG (maybe the "red" (receive only) FLAG may have be behind, but I could not see it).
I tried several things; I change my call to "WA0UWH2" - that work for the Map, but the DB did not report and received spots - I think because the added suffix of "2" was not a standard call format. I think (but, I may be wrong) the DB only reports spots "to and from" active transmit stations? The Map reports "Receive only" stations with a red call FLAG.
I changed the configuration back to "WA0UWH" and decided to try to make the call FLAG stand out, I could move the mapped point by changing the reported grid location "over by one" grid square. Besides, that is where my Data Centre is located and I will have receiver there, someday? My call "WA0UWH" was reporting itself to the DB in Grid "CN97bv" and to "CN97av"!! It worked!?
But, I checked the WSPR Map, only the original call FLAG was being displayed for my call sign.
I decided to try something else, I removed the last letter of my call for the "receive only" stations. I checked the QRZ call Data Base, my foreshortened call "WA0UW" is not assigned, and I think a SWL-only station can use anything they desire for a handle? maybe? Or it may be illegal?
For now, I have Two Map Flags, and Two Data Base entries for each received spot. Note, the Signal Strength is very different from each, as the receivers and antennas in use are very different. The FLAGS still covered each other on the map, so I cheated a little more and move the R-2000 up a grid square (now it is; up one, over one).
WA0UWH and WA0UW
Now I can start looking at some received diversity reports, and see it displayed on the WSPR Map.
Too bad, the WSPR reporting system did not easily accommodate multiple receiver situations like this? I'll have to request it.
UPDATE:
WSPR Data base now allows for Call sufixes, you may see my receive only station as WA0UWH/R - the R is for "remote".
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