More PropNet Trials and Tribulations

I have been working on PropNet most of the day, and still not a single spot received by others. I have removed all other Radio Control programs from the transmit control computer, and reset tones and frequency to default.

I set up another receiver, connected to a dummy load and -30db of antenna attenuation, and a PSK31 decoder (fldigi) on yet another computer. The received signal looks and decodes fine along with the checks, as:

• FOR INFO http://www.PropNET.org
• wa0uwh>hg:[cn97bv]PHG2000F4/^A06A

Next I will have to have someone try to receive my ground wave at their station, maybe I am over modulating, but I don't think so.

I found an interesting way to look at the "PropNet Database" received data (just wait and watch):

• telnet LIVEx.goodbits.net 2023

Anyone can use this to watch what is being received. Apparently, a line with 2 commas before the "*" is a spot report by the listed station, while a line with 1 comma before the "*" is a self report of the text sent by your Radio Control computer via the Internet.

More tests to follow -

Sailing Vessel KatieLee

I have been working and chatting (via email) with a friend, Larry Littlefield - KB7KMO, who is sailing around the South Pacific at the Marshall Islands in a 45 foot sail boat - The Sailing Vessel KatieLee. Larry says; he is eating his way around the world.

I asked Larry to try to listen to my QRSS, WSPR and PropNet signals on 30m around 10.140mHz from his location - so far nothing. Larry tells me that he downloaded Spectran and ARGO to listen on the band, but again, so far nothing. Larry said that he is planning to replace his random length vertical with a Delta-loop - maybe he will get less noise and then be able to pick up the weak signals.

I asked Larry to key-down (actually mic key-down on AM) on 10.140100mHz for about 10 seconds - I did not receive his signal here near Seattle.

We will plan more experiments, and maybe I will talk him into connecting up the remaining wires to his Transceiver so that he can participate in WSPR to collect and provide spots.

Note: you can see Larry's IP address on my Cluster Map - he is the single "dot" out in the South Pacific. You may ask - how did he get an Internet connection? He uses WIFI from his Sail Boat to an Island shore and a local WIFI hot spot - they charge him for his access.

You can read more about Larry's sailing adventures at: http://svkatielee.blogspot.com

There will be more posted here about our attempts.

More tries with PropNet

Today I re-calibrated my receiver for MEPT QRSS, WSPR, and PropNet, using WWV on 10mHz. The best way that I have to do this is to output 10mHz on my AIM-4170B Antenna Anylizer and zero beat WWV - there is a CAL function that make this easy. To receive the zero beat, I use the receiver connected to sound card and ARGO and Spectran. The zero beat can be seen at a higher tone frequency, which is much eaier to match than trying to zero beat the receiver alone.

Then QSY the the receiver close to 10.1386000 and set the AIM to 10.140000mHz, what I look for on ARGO is a 1300Hz tone, if necessary change the receiver so that ARGO sees a tone exactly 1300Hz - All is then calibrated.

At that same time, I also zero beat my handy 30m Band Edge Marker, so that i have a portable marker for later use. This crystal seem quite stable.

But alas, I still do not receive any PropNet spot from any other stations. I have reset the mic modulation control to a very low setting, hopping that I was not over-modulating.

I don't understand, I have done something right in the past as I have received some spots before - but not now!

More work to be done!

My WSPR Sweet Spot

I must be in a WSPR Sweet spot, I alway seem to hear (or heard by) more stations than most other stations in the Pacific Northwest. Here is what I have recorded for in the last 30 minutes.

Full-screen

WA0UWH
Hearing: K1JT, K4NIN, K7LG, K7RE, KE7A, NN6RF, W0OGH, W1BW, W1XP, W3BCW, W3HH, W9HLY, WA6MTZ, WB3ANQ
Heard by: K7LG, K7RE, K8CT, KE7A, KJ4KNI, KL7OA, N9TV, W1XP, W3BCW, W3HH, W5OLF, W9HLY, WD8INF

Sweet!!

No PropNet Spots Recived from Others

I must still have a problem with my PropNet Transmission, I am going to try to reset the Transceiver Frequency again - I was transmitting a side tone of 1725Hz, and now moved down to 1700Hz (RF = 1700 + 10.138700mHz Base = 10.140400mHz, which is the North America PropNet Freq). It takes a while to get new spots after a change to anything on PropNet. It is hard to see results very fast.


Note: I use 10.138700mHz for my base receiver frequency, so that some of my other programs will work with ProgNet, all sharing the same transceiver at the same time. Or, at least thats the way most of them work :-)

From the Local News Paper

I am posting this from the local news paper, to record and archive the details of our Field Day event.

Note, they misquoted some of the facts, but the public did not mind.

PropNet Spots are Now Being Received

OK, I now have a PropNet Spots being received by other stations. I think my transmitter was off frequency via the tones from the sound card. I am somewhat at the mercy of the 6 digit display of the ICOM-730 and it frequency drift.

Normally I can set the received base frequency right on the money (via my band edge marker) but things drift over time on the ICOM.

It is kind of fun watching WSPR and PropNet programs compete for the transmitter, actually they share as their sound card tones are different. Due to the two programs slightly random transmitting schedule, they sometime are actually send tones at the same time. The transmitter just turns the two tones into two different FSK RF signals.

I use VOX on the transceiver and all works well with the sound card and the two programs. Except if the computer needs to "beep" (as on an error) - the transmitter is triggered. I try to turn off the VOX if I know I am doing something on the computer that will generate a lot of beeps. It would be best to use PTT via the serial DTR line as documented on the web, but I have not built that connection yet.



In this capture, you can see the WSPR program output started first at (10.)140225mHz, and then the PropNet program started at a higher tone (RF Frequency (10.)140425mHz) .

WSPR signal transmits for 2 minutes, while PropNet transmits for about 20 seconds. Click on the image to see a larger view.

Note: the display program "Spectran" does not support 8 digit frequency calibration scale, so add 10mHz to what you see.

Also note, this image capture was created on another local computer and a standalone local Kenwood R-2000 Receiver - which was somewhat overloaded by the transmissions.

Sound Card Is Now Working

I fixed my QRSS Grabber, WSPR and PropNet Transmit problem - the sound card "Wave" output was muted. The "spots" are now working.

I still have a problem, I do not seem to get any PropNet spots on the PropNet list or map, all spots are from my receiving others. So far, I can not confirm that my PropNet Transmit is working? All look well, and the Transceiver goes into transmit mode with RF ouput as indicated on the meter. Go figure??

Setting Up this Blog

I worked a lot of the day on setting up this Blog, something that I have been planning to do for a long time. I am surprised how easy it is setting up a blog with Google's blogspot.com . Somethings are much different than I would like, that is because, only set of standard templates can be used - but it is free!

Thanks Google!

Using email to post to the blog is very easy (as with this post), the only thing I have to do is create the post (with photos as necessary) in a mail client with a subjuect line (the title) and mail it to a secret email address "your_login.somesecret @ blogger.com". It could not be easier!

Google's blogspot allows you to have more than one blog, in my case; one for my Amateur Radio stuff, and one for my Ranch blog.

Now all I have to do is, try to keep them up-to-date.

Note: if you make a mistake, you can edit your posts online.

My 30m Band Edge Marker or CW QRPP Transmitter

This is a little quick project that I cobbled together, and now, I have found it very useful to help find the 30m MEPT QRSS and WAPR band edge on the Receiver.

It is set to 10.140300mHz, which is the upper limit of the 30m WSPR band. I watch and check the frequency on FLDIGI will tunning the receiver to about 10.138700mHz. This received frequency provides an offset of 1300Hz for my QRSS Grabber (ARGO), 1400Hz offset for the WSPR programs and a 1700Hz offset for PropNet program.

All three programs run at the same time on one computer. Note sometimes WSPR and PropNet programs transmit at the same time, but that is no problem as they are using different tones.

All parts are mounted "Ugly Style", all parts are SMD except the; Cystal, Trimmer, Voltage Regulator, the Output Cap (the antenna) and the Key (switch).

At best guess, the power output is about 45uW.

This Oscillator is surprisingly stable.