Version 2.

76 Spectrum Analyzer
2000-2002 By Christopher Brown [email protected]

11-02

http://www.hamalyzer.com/ Brief description: HamAlyzer is a fast sin!le-c"annel ##$-%ased audio spectrum analyzer t"at "as %een customized for use %y HA& radio ent"usiasts. '"at(s )e* in +ersion 2.7:
, -ynamic .ulldo*n &enus: '"en usin! t"e /ontrolStrip pull-do*n menus allo* full control o+er t"e 0+erlay 'indo*. 1f your comforta%le *it" t"e 0+erlay *indo* t"en t"e menus *ill %e a piece of ca2e to na+i!ate. 3ou also !et a pull-do*n menu for t"e options *indo* %utton. $"is is a +ery "andy feature %ecause it allo*s you to control nearly e+ery aspect of t"e pro!ram from t"e /ontrolStrip4 , Added Sound #ormats: Some "ams "ad contacted me %ecause t"ey "a+e older sound cards t"at can only "andle 5-%it resolution. HamAlyzer(s input *as fi6ed at 16-%it so t"ey *ere out of luc2. 3ou can no* select t"e samplin! resolution you *ant from 5- to 27-%it 827-%it resolution is only a+aila%le on +ery "i!"-end sound cards9 . Also 1 added a samplin! fre:uency 51;2 Hz. $"is is nice %ecause it !i+es you a +ie*a%le fre:uency re!ion of 0 Hz to a%out 7 2Hz *"ic" is perfect for t"e Ham fre:uency ran!e. 1t also reduces file sizes *"en recordin! to *a+efiles. , .osition Bo6: $"e .osition Bo6 is a useful feature %ut it "as only %een a+aila%le *"en your usin! t"e lar!er /ontrolBar to control HamAlyzer. )o* *"en usin! t"e /ontrolStrip and *"en you left-clic2 on t"e plot *indo* a .osition Bo6 appears s"o*in! fre:uency and amplitude info. 3ou can close t"e *indo* manually or select <close position %o6 automatically( in t"e options pull-do*n menu and it *ill close *"en your done clic2in! on t"e plot *indo*.

As al*ays t"e %est *ay to see *"at(s ne* is to run t"e pro!ram4 1t(s "ard to e6plain *"at some features do and *"y t"ey are cool and t"e %est *ay to learn a%out *"at somet"in! does is to use it4

'"at(s )e* in +ersion 2.6:

, Amplitude =an!e Slider: 3ou can no* slide t"e *indo*s alon! t"e amplitude a6is li2e you could alon! t"e fre:uency a6is. A second slider pro+ides t"is function. '"en t"e amplitude ran!e is scaled all t"e *ay out 80-100dB9 t"is slider disappears since it(s not needed. , .lot *indo* en"ancements: $"ere are no* sliders located in t"e lo*er left "and corner of t"e plot *indo* so you can ad>ust t"e "ei!"t and *idt" of t"e plot *indo* *it"out ta2in! your eyes off t"e action. Also t"ere(s a <!ripper( in t"e lo*er left "and corner t"at you can use to resize t"e plot *indo* *it". , /ontrolStrip: ?one is t"e normal mode *"ere t"e controls are attac"ed to t"e plot *indo*. $"e floatin! tool%ar is no* standard and a ne* mode "as %een added called t"e /ontrolStrip. 1t(s a +ery small strip of %uttons *"ic" pro+ides access to almost all of t"e control *indo*(s functions %ut in a +ery compact size. $"e only controls not t"ere are t"e sliders 8*"ic" are no* on t"e plot *indo* too any*ay9 and t"e *indo* type fft size and sample rate %o6es. , Stic2y forms: $"e control %ar isn(t attac"ed to t"e plot *indo* anymore %ut no* if you dra! it close enou!" it *ill <stic2( to it so t"at *"en you dra! t"e plot *indo* around t"e control *indo* !oes *it" it. $"is is t"e case for t"e /ontrolStrip and t"e options and o+erlay *indo*s too. , 0+erlay en"ancements: 3ou clic2 t"e s"o* %utton to o+erlay a spectrum plot onto t"e plot *indo* and no* it stays t"ere e+en if you "it t"e start %utton. $o remo+e t"e o+erlay plot >ust clic2 t"e s"o* %utton a!ain. 1t no* *or2s li2e Spectra.@AS(s o+erlay feature.

'"at(s )e* in +ersion 2.B:

, =ecord to 'a+efile: 1n t"e !eneral options *indo* you can no* select *"et"er you *ant to analyze t"e data comin! in from your sound card or record it directly to dis2 as a *a+efile. 1f you c"oose record no analysis *ill ta2e place %ut you can al*ays drop t"e *a+efile onto HamAlyzer later to analyze it. , =esize %u! fi6ed: #i6ed a small %ut irritatin! %u! *"ere *"en you resized t"e plot *indo* t"e 6 a6is slider *ould reset to zero. )ot t"at %i! a deal %ut sometimes *"en you !et it >ust *"ere you *ant it it(s +ery annoyin! to "a+e to redo it e+erytime. Also some "ams "a+e %een as2in! for t"e a%ility to !et a particular fre:uency ran!e in t"e plot *indo*. $"is %u! fi6 *ill "elp *it" t"at. )o* you can slide t"e 6 a6is slider so t"at t"e lo*er %ound of

t"e plot is *"ere you *ant it and t"en ad>ust t"e *idt" of t"e *indo* so t"e upper %ound is *"ere you *ant t"at.

'"at(s )e* in +ersion 2.7:

, Sa+e and load spectrum data files: #rom t"e o+erlay *indo* you can sa+e spectrum data as files onto your computer(s "ard dis2. $"ese files can %e loaded %ac2 into an o+erlay slot at any time. #iles are sa+ed usin! t"e e6tension .fft to t"e default capture directory. , )e* re!istration system: .re+iously 1 "ad to compile a ne* +ersion of t"e pro!ram for eac" re!istered user and send it to t"em as an email attac"ment. $"is *ay t"eir name and call si!n *ere compiled ri!"t in t"e pro!ram. )o* 1 >ust send you a re!istration 2ey %y email and t"en t"e e+aluation +ersion %ecomes your re!istered +ersion. $"is *ill ma2e up!rades a snap. 0nce your re!istered all you do is !o to t"e *e%site and do*nload and install t"e ne* +ersion at your leisure and your done.

'"at(s )e* in +ersion 2.C:

, =esiza%le plot *indo*: 3ou can no* resize t"e plot *indo* to >ust a%out any size you li2e. $"is *as really a %i! >o% *"ic" is *"y itDs t"e only feature implemented in t"is update.:9

'"at(s )e* in +ersion 2.2:

, @o! fre:uency scale: $"ere is no* a lo! fre:uency scale option selecta%le on t"e <!eneral( pa!e in t"e options *indo*. , Sa+e to t"e pn! ima!e format: .n! is really t"e ideal format for sa+in! HamAlyzer(s plots. 1t(s a lossless compression 8*"ic" means pn! ima!es loo2 %etter t"an t"e same ima!e as a >p!9 and t"e same plot is smaller as a pn! t"an as a >p!. .n! is also supported %y all ma>or *e% %ro*sers and ima!e +ie*ers so t"ere *ill %e no pro%lem +ie*in! t"em. 1f you are not familiar *it" t"e pn! ima!e format it is similar to !if. $"e difference is t"at t"ere are all 2inds of copyri!"t issues *it" !if ma2in! it essentially impossi%le to implement *it"out infrin!in! upon t"e copyri!"ts of Anisys /orp. *"o "olds t"e patent for t"e lz" compression sc"eme *"ic" is used %y t"e !if format. .n! *as de+eloped to %e a royalty-free open-source replacement for !if. , 1mpro+ed tooltips: $ooltips are t"e te6t%o6es t"at pop up *"en t"e mouse is "eld o+er a control. 3ou can select <+er%ose "elp te6t( and t"e tooltips *ill display a %rief description of t"e functionality of eac" control.

, Smoot"er E-a6is scrollin!: '"en you are scrollin! alon! t"e fre:uency a6is it is no* muc" smoot"er. $"is "as %een accomplis"ed *it"out any performance de!radation.

'"at(s )e* in +ersion 2.1:

, 0+erlay: $"e most important ne* feature in +ersion 2.1 is t"e a%ility to o+erlay sa+ed traces %ac2 onto t"e plot *indo*. 3ou can sa+e up to 7 different traces and eac" can %e o+erlayed independently. .lot colors can %e specified for eac" o+erlay. $"is feature allo*s you to easily compare spectra on t"e same plot. A %rief tutorial on "o* to use t"e o+erlay feature is included. , &ultiple plot mar2ers: Also ne* in +ersion 2.1 is t"e a%ility to add t*o plot mar2ers simultaneously. 3ou could only add one at a time pre+iously. =i!"t clic2 t"e plot *indo* and a mar2er is dra*n at t"at fre:uency. $"e fre:uency and amplitude information are *ritten in t"e upper ri!"t "and corner of t"e plot *indo*. =i!"t clic2 a!ain and a second mar2er is dra*n eac" mar2er is num%ered 1 or 2 and t"e fre:uencies of eac" is displayed. )o amplitude information is *ritten to t"e plot *indo* *"en t"ere are t*o mar2ers present. 1 tried it %ut it started loo2in! li2e an msn%c ne*s %roadcastF +ery %usy. , .lot-capture en"ancements: 3ou can no* sa+e t"e fft-data to t"e *indo*s clip%oard. -ata are ta%-delimited and can easily %e pasted into a te6t file or spreads"eet file. 3ou can no* capture plot ima!es usin! specific filenames. Also t"e sa+ed plots can %e timeGdate stamped. , /olor en"ancements: $"e controls no* ad"ere to *indo*s color sc"emes. $"is is important particularly if poor +isi%ility forces you to use a "i!"contrast sc"eme. Also t"e %ac2!round of t"e plot *indo* can no* %e made eit"er *"ite or %lac2. , )umerous en"ancements and %u!-fi6es: @et(s face it. All soft*are is a *or2 in pro!ress. &any of t"e %u!s reported %y users "a+e %een addressed in t"e ne* +ersion. Some nota%le ones include screen fontGredra* pro%lems installation pro%lems and t"e notorious runtime error B at startup. 1n fact all 2no*n %u!s "a+e %een s:uas"ed.

0t"er features:
, C &odes of analysis 8actually 79: #reerun in *"ic" t"e 8almost9 instantaneous ##$ plot is displayed. .ea2 in *"ic" t"e ma6imum +alue of eac" fft %in is displayed. A+era!e: $"ere are t*o. $"e user can select *"ic" one to display in t"e

options *indo*. @on! $erm: in *"ic" t"e time-a+era!ed plot is displayed. '"en lon! term a+era!in! is selected t"e num%er of slices *"ic" ma2e up t"e a+era!e is displayed in t"e upper ri!"t "and corner of t"e plot. =ollin!: in *"ic" a rollin!-*indo*ed a+era!e is displayed. 3ou can select "o* many slices you *ant to ma2e up t"e a+era!e in t"e options *indo* from %et*een C and 20. , Aser selecta%le ##$ *indo* size 81027 2075 70;6 51;2 16C57 H C27659 H samplin! rate8220B0 C2765 8if supported9 H 771009. Varyin! com%inations yield +arious le+els of fre:uency resolution from %in spacin! of 7C Hz 80Hz to 222Hz displayed on screen9 do*n to %in spacin! of a%out 1.CB Hz. '"en zoomed t"e DE =an!eD slider can %e used to mo+e to t"e desired fre:uency re!ion. , Static *a+efile analysis. Iit"er drop a *a+efile 8or se+eral *a+efiles9 onto t"e plot area for lon! term a+era!in! of multiple files or clic2 t"e file %utton and select a sin!le *a+efile you *ould li2e to analyze. $"e file s"ould %e in 'indo*s ./& format and "a+e a +alid =1## "eader 16-%it resolution and a samplin! fre:uency of eit"er 220B0 C2765 or 77100 samples per second. 1f t"e *a+efile is in stereo you *ill %e prompted to select *"ic" c"annel to analyze. , =eal-time input +ia a *indo*s-compati%le sound card. 1t s"ould %e autodetected %y HamAlyzer. Ase HamAlyzer in con>unction *it" t"e *indo*s mi6er control to select *"ic" input HamAlyzer *ill use. &a2e sure t"e desired input 8/- &ic 'a+efile etc.9 is not muted and t"at t"e le+el is appropriate and HamAlyzer s"ould %e a%le to DseeD it. , /apture plot to eit"er t"e clip%oard a >pe! or a %itmap file. #iles are named: D#ile001.%mpD etc.. Iac" >pe! is %et*een 112 and 1B2 and eac" %itmap is a%out 7B02 in size. $"e sa+e-to directory can %e specified in t"e options *indo*. , &ouse position. '"en t"e mouse is dra!!ed o+er t"e plot t"e cursor %ecomes a cross"air. Hold t"e left mouse %utton do*n and %ot" t"e fre:uency and amplitudes for t"e a+aila%le plots t"at correspond to t"e cursor position *ill %e displayed in t"e DpositionD %o6. /lic2 t"e ri!"t mouse %utton to dra* a +ertical mar2er line at t"e fre:uency position of t"e cursor and t"e fre:uency and amplitude8s9 *ill appear on t"e plot. @eft-clic2 any*"ere on t"e plot to clear t"e mar2er. , 'indo*in!: Hannin! Hammin! Bo6car 8rectan!le9 Bartlett 8trian!le9 Blac2man Harris-)uttall ?aussian and .oisson *indo*s are a+aila%le.

 Sa+e settin!s: 1n t"e options *indo* c"ec2 Dsa+e settin!sD to "a+e all of HamAlyzerDs settin!s sa+ed to %e reinstated t"e ne6t time t"e pro!ram is run. Just a%out e+eryt"in! is sa+ed includin! *indo* position. $"e only settin! t"at is not sa+ed is 6-ran!e slider position. , Amplitude scalin!. $"e user can scale t"e 3-a6is from a 100 dB ran!e to a 20 dB ran!e. $"e scale is in relati+e dB+. , .erformance feed%ac2. #or static *a+efile analysis or *"ene+er @on! $erm A+era!e &ode is selected t"e num%er of slicesGsec is !i+en in t"e lo*er left "and corner. 'arranty: )o *arranty is e6pressed or implied. .lease use HamAlyzer at your o*n ris2.

-istri%ution: Since t"is is a re!istered +ersion of t"e pro!ram please do not distri%ute it to ot"ers. Ho*e+er you are free to install it on as many mac"ines as you need for your o*n personal use. /redits: $ireless %eta testin! ad+ice and support "a+e %een pro+ided %y -ic2 $urs2e $om &orton and Sam Kennedy. .lease see t"e HA& pa!e on "amalyzer.com for details. &urp"y &c/auly is responsi%le for t"e VB implementation of t"e ##$. HamAlyzer started out as "is -eet"SA. $"an2s a lot &urp"y. "ttp:GG***.fullspectrum.comGdeet"G &urp"y in turn %orro*ed from -on /rossDs /LL and .ascal ##$ code. "ttp:GG***.intersr+.comGMdcrossGfft."tml $"e installer pro!ram is called 1nstall &a2er a +ery "i!"-:uality reasona%ly price pro!ram *ritten %y t"e /lic2 $eam in #rance. 1f you *rite and distri%ute soft*are you o*e it to yourself to c"ec2 t"is pro!ram out. "ttp:GG***.clic2team.comG $"e "i!"-:uality slider control pro!ress %ar and upGdo*n control are from t"e /ommon /ontrols =eplacement .ro>ect //=.. "ttp:GG***.m+ps.or!Gccrp $"e copy-to-clip%oard feature and ta% control is %y Ste+e &c&a"on at

"ttp:GG***.+%accelerator.com $"e sa+e to pn! feature *as %orro*ed from a !reat e6ample pro>ect %y Scott Seli!man at "ttp:GG***.scottandmic"elle.netGscottGcodeGinde62.m+NcodenumO0;2 $"e >pe! tec"nolo!y *as pro+ided as a free dll %y t"e -1 pro>ect. $"is is a !reat open source pro>ect c"ec2 t"em out. "ttp:GG***.disoft.comG The color palette control is a drop-in active x control written by Eduardo A. Morcillo. The control and source are available at: http://www.domaindlx.com/e_morcillo/ $"e stay on top feature is from a VB Ho*-$o %oo2Ds companion cd. 1 donDt remem%er *"ic" %oo2 %ut t"e comments say t"at aut"or of t"e code is Bo% =eselman and t"e %oo2 pu%lis"er is &ac&illan.

Version History: 1.0 #irst +ersion. Basically &urp"y &c/aulyDs -eet"SA 1.0 *it" lon! term a+era!in!. 1.1 Bumped up t"e samplin! rate to 222 and optimized some code. @ots of cleanup added stay on top. 1.2 E-a6is la%els. 'indo*in!F *or2in! %ut poorly implemented. /opy-toclip%oard. 1.C Added separate options dialo! !ot clip%oard copy to *or2 ri!"t also %itmaps. 3 a6is la%els. 1.7 #inally correct *indo*in!. $uc2er -a+is interface. E and 3 cursor coordinates. 1.B Static *a+efile analysis all %ut last c"un2. )o* mouseo+er !i+es actual plot +alues. Ad>usta%le ##$ *indo* size. .erformance feed%ac2. 1.6 E-a6is slidin!. 0ptimized plottin!. /leaned up static analysis. Ad>usta%le samplin! rate. 1.7 -ra!DnDdrop for multiple files. )o* does last c"un2 in *a+efiles. @o! 3 a6is and correct amplitude scalin!. Added some *indo*s. 1.5 #irst release +ersion. All !rap"ics are no* "andled %y t"e A.1. Smoo+escrollinD E a6is %ac2!round !rid. Added color options .lot mar2er. )o* oc6-free4 Ases a "omemade pro!ress %ar and a %orro*ed slider. 2.0 $"e lon!-a*aited name c"an!e. Added a pea2 mode and a rollin! a+era!e mode. $*ea2ed t"e interface >ust a %it and cleaned up some minor %u!s. Added an icon. Added a sa+e options feature sa+e to >p! sa+e-to folder %ro*ser and SpaceSa+er mode. Started "amalyzer.com. Added installer s*itc"ed to ccrp oc6Ds for t"e user controls. 2.1 0+erlay feature multiple plot mar2ers capture time stamp and file namin!. Blac2 %ac2!round *indo*s color sc"eme compliant na!!in! screen font size pro%lem finally !one. 0t"er %u! fi6es includin! t"e

2.2 2.C 2.7 2.B --

runtime error B. Sa+e to pn! lo! fre:uency a6is smoot" updatin! on fre:uency a6is scrollin! fancy tooltips. =esiza%le plot *indo* cpu priority option. Sa+e(n(load spectrum plots from t"e o+erlay *indo* ne* re!istration system. /ouple of %u! fi6es sa+e to *a+e.