Computers

in
Amateur Radio

by Steve White, G3ZVW

with contributions by other authors

Radio Society of Great Britain

 Published by the Radio Society of Great Britain, 3 Abbey Court, Fraser Road, Priory Business
Park, Bedford MK44 3WH.

First published 2013

© Radio Society of Great Britain 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publ ication may be
reproduced , stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic ,
mechanical , photocopying, recording or otherwise , without the prior written agreement of the
Radio Society of Great Britain.

ISBN 9781-9050-8685-6

Publisher's note
The opinions expressed in this book are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the
publisher. While the information presented is believed to be correct, the authors, publisher and
their agents cannot accept responsibility for consequences arising from any inaccuracies or
om issions.

Front cover: Kevin Williams

Comp ilation, editing and typography: Steve White, G3ZVW

Production: Mark Allgar, M1MPA

Printed in Great Britain by Charlesworth Press of Wakefield

ii
 Contents

Chapter Page

1. Introduction

2. Datamodes 5

3. Logging Software 17

4. Antenna Modelling 48

5. Propagation Modelling 60

6. Terrain Modelling for HF 79

7. Software Defined Radio 87

8. Data Modes Software 100

9. Slow Scan Television 123

10. Internet Remote Operation 133

11. D-Star 144

12. Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System 162

13. Electromagnetic Compatibility 172

14. Internet Linking 188

15. Interfacing and Interfaces 195

16. Live Internet Applicatio ns 200

17. The Raspberry Pi 208

18. Useful Programs and Web Links 217

Appexdix 1 The Modern Personal Computer 224

Appexd ix 2 Software on the CD that Accompanies This Book 234

Inde x 2 47

iii
 Meet the Contributors
Internet Remote Control
Wojtek (Berni) Bernasinski, GOIDAlSP5GU

My interest in radio bega n at primary school, when a friend made a crysta l set
from an electronics kit. The fact that it needed no battery simply amazed me
and from then on I was hooked ! My first job was repairing radio pagers at a
company where , as well as taking my Morse test first then my RAE, my friend ly
manager gave me the opportunity to build radio projects. This is something I
still enjoy and do today.
In 1993 I stud ied Electronics at the Warsaw Technical University in Po-
land, during which I got a job in the mobi le phone industry as a voice mail and
text messag ing eng ineer. In 1998 I left for Germany, where I set up voicema il
and text messaging servers and serv ices for new mobile phone co mpanies .
One leap in techno log y where I was direct ly involved in was the impleme ntat ion of GPRS in the
Deutshe Bahn railway mob ile network, who were the first to use it in wor ld. In 2000 I changed my
caree r and embarked on gett ing an Airline Transpo rt Pilots Licence.
I am a keen contester and have won numero us events and been awarded many troph ies and
cert ificates . I am now a com mercial pilot wo rking for a major UK airline and live in an urban area with
lots of noise and little space for a 80 m antenna, so have made a complete remote station. Thanks to
a friend who lives in a very qu iet location my antenna is at his QTH, over 1OOkm from my home. With
it I am ab le to enjoy work ing five HF bands , hearing stations I wou ld never have done before .

Antenna Modelling
Ian Birkenshaw, G4UWK

I became a short wave listener at the age of ten and was first licensed as
G8ZAG in 1980. I have a BSc in Electronic Engineering fro m the University of
Wales and am now retired from a caree r in Civil, Military and Space Communi-
cations and Computer Networking , having worked both in the UK and over-
seas . My last wo rking role was as a Radio and Com munications Technology
Consultant fo r the National Health Service .
I became interested in antenna modelling to help in the development of
better low profile directional antennas for DXing from difficu lt urban environ-
ments . This can best be described as 'wo rk in progress '.

Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System

Chris Dunn, G4KVI

I live with my wife who is also licensed, in Midsomer Norton, near Bath. My
interest in radio started at school while bored in Chem istry and I went on to
pass my RAE in 1980.
I was very active during the 1980s and tried almost all aspec ts of amateur
radio. I worked for many years as a Field Engineer in the Cable TV industry . I'm
a member of RAYNET and spent severa l years as a group controller.
I have been involved with APRS for several years and set up MB7UB , the
Bath digipeater. I am also currently the repeater keeperforthe GB3UB repeater
at Bath University.

iv
HF Terrain Modelling
Alan Hydes, G3XSV

I was first licensed in 1968 and served a couple of years as Secre tary of
Southgate ARC, before leaving for Southampton Univers ity. I gained a BSc in
Electronic Engineering in 1974. My career since then has been in the compu-
ter industry, starting with IBM as a graduate R&D eng ineer at Hursley Park near
Winchester. In 19821 moved to Hewlett Packard, firstly in Wok ingham and later
transferring to Bristo l.
I have always been interested in the HF bands , OX, and particularly in
contesting. On moving to Bristol I became involved with the Bristol RSGB Group.
I have been Chairman of their contest ing arm, the Bristol Contest Group, for a
number of years and am delighted with the success we have enjoyed , especially
in field days and IOTA.
My interest in HF terrain analysis came about when try ing to pick good HF co ntest sites and to
understand what types of antenna and heights were needed.

Electromagnetic Compatibility
John Pink, G8MM/F5VKU

After leaving co llege with a deg ree in physics, I fo llowed a long career in the
field of measuring instrumentation and radio communication. After working for
Redifon Comm unications and the Plessey Company I joined Hewlett Packard
and was able to further develop an interest in microwave tec hnology. I became
a specialist in precis ion measurements using automatic network analysers at
both low frequency and microwaves . I remained with HP for over 15 years,
serv ing from time to time on various ITU-R work ing groups. I remained with US-
based companies for almost all my working life, working with Scientific Atlanta
on satellite earth terminals for a number of years and then as Managing Direc-
tor of Wiltron Measurements - a company specialising in microwave instru-
mentat ion for over 17 years .
From 1990 until retirement I was Director and General Manager of the UK arm of Anritsu, the
renowned Japanese measuring instrument company. During this time Anritsu-Wiltrondeveloped a number
of leading edge products, including scalar network measuring systems, microwave power meters and a
Bluetooth protocol analyser. Although in a senior management position, I was able to remain in touch
with technology. I retired in 2002 and have been actively engaged in EMC matters with the RSGB EMC
committee. I am also a member of various BSI committees and working parties concerned with EMC.
I was licensed in 1960 as G30QB and in 2003 was able to get the callsign G8MM re-issued,
which had been in the family since 1937. I currently also hold F5VKU.

v
Raspberry Pi
PeterGoodhall,2EOSQL

In 2000 I became interested in amateur radio after finding out about digital
modes. After a couple of years as a shortwave listener I took the Foundation
Licence in 2002, atta ining the callsign M3PHP In 2008, after leaving Bucking-
hamshire New University with a degree in Multimed ia Technology - Web De-
sign, I attained my Intermediate Licence.
Since leaving university I have been work ing as a freelance web devel-
oper for a variety of clients, whic h lets me play about with all sorts of computer
techno logy, althoug h my work is heavily biased towards techno logies that work
on Linux based systems .
My interests in amateur radio centre on anything I can use a computer to
further the expe rience , I'm still keen on digital modes but also contesting and recently operating
through amateur radio satellites, both portable and from home . I also help run a large number of
amateur radio webs ites, includ ing HamTests.

Software Defined Radio and Data Modes Software

M ike Richards , G4WNC

Inspired by my father, I took to radio and electro nics co nstruction at a very early
age and we spe nt much of my early teens putt ing radios together. We were
fortu nate to have two exce llent component stores loca lly and most Sunday
evenings were spe nt window shopping. This informal apprenticeship served
me well and set me up for a great career with BT that spanned some 40 years.
During that time I worked on just about everything from po les and holes through
to broadcast serv ices, with a significant time dealing with the then emerging
field of data comm unications.
My writing career started about 25 years ago when I was asked to write the
RTTYcolum n in pw. Since then I have been writing regular columns and reviews '-----"''-----'_ -..---.c'''''--'
for a variety of magazines. First licensed as G8HHA, my amateur interests reallytoo k off in the 1970s when
I was able to link my Compuk it UK-1 01 computer with a friend's TRS-80 using full duplex on 2m and 70cm
and an old 300-baud modem . Since then my interest has focused on the digital side of amateur radio.

Logging Software
Mike Ruttenberg , G7TWC

I have been licensed since 1994 and operate mainly in contests due to limited
fac ilities and restricted environments in London locations over the years, in-
deed contesting is my lifeblood. I have been a regular attendee at the contes t
stations of various groups over the years and have wo n sections of CQWW and
CQWPX events on SSB and CWO
I work in Information Technology as a Quality Assurance webs ite tester
and love not hing better than making sure the PC in my shack is optimall y set
up. I have ten years of experience in database management from previous
employment in a database marketing company, so cross-check ing logs and
'looking under the hood ' of the database file behind N1MM to take maximum
advantag e doesn't phase me. I fee l at home with most modern logging software packages - specifi-
cally N1MM, MixW, SO, WinTest and Writelog - but also have exper ience of older packages .

vi
D-Star
Dave Thomas, MWORUH

My passion for radio came about from the days of CB. I was introduced to some
local amateurs around that time , but didn 't take things further. In 2006 , whilst
vo lunteering, I was trave lling with a paramedic officer when the vehicle radio
burst into life. The officer explained that the transmissions were detectable on
a scanner - an item I had in my possession at the time. Follow ing the monitoring
of these transm issions, I searched the Internet for other possible local trans-
missions . It was then I then came across the new amateur radio licensing
structure. I was hoo ked and too k my Foundation licence exam in February
2007, fo llowed by my Intermediate licence exam in August 2007 . Initially I
operated on HF and VHF, SSB and data (including SSTV and PSK31).
In 2008 I discovered D-Star and began to assist in t he promotion of the mode by giving talks and
demonstrations at local radio clubs. I am the Admin istrator for GB7CD in Wales, the on ly D-Star
repeater that is owned and operated by South Glamorgan RAYNET, of wh ich I am a membe r. I also
hold a NoV fo r MB6BA, Wales' first simplex D-Star Gateway. I wor k full time fo r a Local Authority and in
my spare time respond to 999 calls on behalf of the Welsh Ambulance Service , also assisting a local
search and rescue group , the Cardiff and Vale Rescue Association.

Propagation Modelling
Gwyn Williams, G4FKH

My career in radio started in 1965 when I joined the Royal Air Force and trained
as a Telegraphist , which means that I was taught to type and to send and
receive Morse. I was lucky enough to be stat ioned at an overseas station
where Morse was the only means of contact with the outside world . It was
during this time that I became interested in propagat ion. Upon my demo b I
went into communications (IT) in the City of London. I passed my RAE in 1975
and became G4FKH.
It was inevitable that I would combine my hobby with computers and
automation and now write programs in PERL for propagation prediction pur-
poses . I use all the programs that I examine in my chapter, as well as som e that
do not go into.
My HF propagation pred ictions appear in RadCom and on the RSGB web site. I also prepare
propagation predictions for the magazines of two other national radio societies and maintain a few
databases in Access, which the 5MHz group use and publish on the ir web site.

Slow- Scan Television

Paul Young, GOHWC

My interest in radio started when I was around 12 as a Short Wave Listener.

Later I was into CB radio and finally I got around to taking the RAE in 1985. A
year later I got my A licence . Once licensed I soon got into SSTV and built
myself a Robot 1200 clone, designed by G3WCY and G4ENA. My first move
over to SSTV on the PC was with Pasokon SSTY, by WB20SZ.
I was also involved in pac ket radio when it was all the rage and ran
packet BBS GB7AAA. Wile living in Northampton I was an active member of the
local radio club and served on the committee for a numbe r of years.
Overthe years I have wor ked in PMR and cellular communications. These """"'~~~ ..
days I drive a truck around the UK and sometimes run SSTV from it while
parked up at night.

vii
All other chapters
Steve White , G3ZVW/AF6SU

I became interested in electronics and radio at an early age , having been

brought up in a home that had a cupboard full of electronic components . I
heard my first radio amateur on a home constructed crystal set and passed the
radio amateurs' exam at the age of 17, while st ill at school. After leaving school
I followed an engineering career in telecommunications , initially with Post Of-
fice International Telegraphs and the n various computer and communication
companies . In parallel with wor k I was always involved with my local radio clu b,
serving in various posts on the committee fo r over 20 years and taking an
act ive interest in home construction, contest operating and helping newly li-
censed operators get themselves set up.
At various times in the 1980s and 1990s I tuto red students who were study ing for the radio
amateurs ' exam , helping a large numbe r of them gain their amateur radio licence. I developed a
method of teaching the basics of Morse code in a remarkably qu ick timeframe and for over ten years
organised amateur radio events.
In 1997 my technical experience and broad knowledge of amateur radio in general led to me
becoming the Technical Editor of Radio Communication and in 1998 the Editor. After leaving RSGB I
beca me a regular contributor to RadCom and I have also written for other magazines in technical and
non-technical capacities. For the last twe lve years I have produced the RSGB Yea rbook, the Rig Guide
and was also Pat Hawker's biographer.
My interest in amateur radio is st ill mainly centred around home construction and contesting ,
and I am regularly active on the bands .

vii i
 Introduction

1.
Introduction
by Steve White, G3ZVW

When electron ic computers first became available to the public they

were too expensive for all but the most wealthy or enthusiastic to
aspire to owning one . Their functionality was also extremely limited .
Without such things as BASIC interpreters, machine code program-
ming was the order of the day. This, and the fact that memory was
expensive, resulted in programs that were compact, but not intuitive
to write or debug. As technology advanced, memory became less
expensive, storage and transferring data between machines became
more straightforward, and programs easier to write .
Radio amateurs were quick to discover that a computer could be
used in conjunction with their hobby to make operating easier or
provide something extra at the station. When the Internet started to
become popular it was clear that the world was going to change
dramatically and some people thought it spelt the end for amateur
radio, but it wasn't to be. Computers became appliances that just
about everybody wanted, competition between companies resulted in
prices tumbling, and the hitherto technical challenges of building one
disappeared. Computers simply became tools that did jobs.
These days it is practically impossible to avoid the microproces-
sor and just about everybody has some computing power at their
disposal, even if it is only in a household appliance. Computers are
practically an essential part of amateur radio, but few of us use them
to do everything they are capable of doing.
For the purposes of this book, the machine discussed will the the
IBM compatible type. Such machines usually run a version of Microsoft
Windows.
Desktop machines are easily modified, as the devices and con-
nectors are standard and there are numerous companies manufacturing

1
Computers in Amateur Radio

compatible moduled and devices forthem. To a lesser extent the same

applies to laptop PCs.

Selecting a Computer for The Shack

There are a number of criteria that you should consider when selecting
a computer for use in the shack. The computing power of the average
modern machine will be perfectly adequate for most purposes, except
perhaps when used in conjuntion with a Software Defined Radio.
Rather, the aspects of selecting a compute r are more to do with inte-
gration into the station and ergonomics.

Audible Noise
The last thing you are likely to want in your shack is a computer that has
fans so noisy they can be heard when you transmit or prevent you from
hearing a weak station when you receive, so select a machine with quiet
fans. CPU fans tend to be the noisiest, but the type of fan used depends
on the heatsink on the CPU chip. A better heatsink might enable the use
of a quieter fan, and they are relatively easy to swop out.
Laptop computers score highly in this respect , because they do
not have fans on their power supplies and their CPU fans are very quiet.

Electrical noise
Some desktop computer cases are better quality and offer better
screening than others . Equally, more expensive power supplies are
likely to incorporate better filtering. Genrally speaking, the more you
pay for a case, the better screened it is likely to be; and the more you
pay for a power supply, the better filtered it is likely to be .
Laptop computers employ external powersupply modules. Some
of these are more electrically noisy than others. Users should be
particularly wary of cheap, third party replacements.
If you are going to buy a new computer from a shop, it can be
useful to take a portable receiver with you and check how much noise
emerges from the case, cables, power supply etc , by placing it close
to each of them in turn. You might get some puzzled looks from the
shop staff, but you won't be laughing if you get your new machine
home and discover that it causes interference.
You will find more in the EMC chapter on how to select a good PC
case, how to suppress electrical noise and how to wire your station to
minimise noise pickup.

Size
If your shack is small you are hardly likely to want a physically large
computer in it, but generally speaking the bigger the screen , the better.
If space is really at a premium , a laptop computer is likely to be your
best option.

2
 Introduction

Connectability
First and foremost , make sure your computer has all the ports that yo u
are ever likely to need .
Few modern PCs have parallel printer ports (somet imes very useful
for keying), and some do not have RS232 serial ports. If required, you
can use plug-in cards to provide you with these interfaces .
Some compute rs have few USB sockets, some have more . If yours
does not have enoug h, a plug-in card or a hub that will give you more
is relatively inexpensive .
If you are going to use a laptop computer that you don 't leave in
the shack permanently, to reduce the number of times you have to plug
in and unplug all your peripheral devices , consider buying a USB hub.
This will enable you to plug items such as interfaces , a keyer, mouse
and keyboard into it and then make one connection to the comp uter.

Operating System

Without an Operating System (OS) a computer can do nothing , Win-

dows and Linux being the ones most commonly found on modern PCs.
A computer then needs programs to perform specific functions .

Software Packages

Software packages (programs) that the general public tend to be

familiar with are those used for e-mail, Internet access, word process-
ing , spreadsheets , drawing , the management of digital photographs
etc, but there are numerous specific packages that can be of real use
to radio amateurs .
In a number of the chapters that follow, some of the contributing
authors take detailed looks at some applications and specific software
packages . Please be aware that it is not unheard offor patches to be
requ ired for some ofthese software packages to run under certain
operating systems . Also be aware that programs don 't remain as they
are. By this I mean that bugs are fixed, facil ities are added, functional ity
and appearance is changed, etc . The odds are that if you have been
running an amateur rad io related software package for some cons ider-
able time , it has been updated. A check of the Internet should reveal if
you are running the latest version , and if you are not you should con-
sider downloading and installing the latest one .
Something you should already be aware of is that a CD with a
useful selction of amateur radio software accompanies this book .
Details of the software are g iven in Append ix 2 .
There are innumerable online calculators . Some ofthese are
looked at in a separate chapter, but the very nature of the Internet is

3
Computers in Amateur Radio

that it is highly dynamic . New web sites are appearing all the time and
old web sites disappear almost as quickly, so it would be impossible to
even attempt to provide an exhaustive list of what is available out there .
The best that any of us can hope for is to use search engines to find
what we want.
In fact the hobby of amateur radio is extremely well served when it
comes to software packages, because a lot of radio amateurs are
technically-minded and have an interest in programming . Those who
are capable of doing so tend to develop new packages to solve a
particular problem, and these days the logical method of distribution is
via the Internet. Althoug h it is necessary to pay for some of these
software packages, many are free. We have our fellow, philanthropic
radio amateurs to thank for that!

4
 Datamodes

2.
Datamodes
by Steve White, G3ZWJ

Computers have revolutionised datamode operation for radio amateurs.

With their advent we were no longer restricted to the use of huge,
clunking , mechanical teleprinters, although there is nothing to prevent
us from using such equipment if we choose. Neither were we restricted
to the modes that these machines were capable of employing - invari-
ably only one per type of machine.
The first advances in electronic datamode operation took place
pretty much as soon as personal computers became available, usually
by the use of an external modem. By about 1980 there were modems
and software packages available forthe computers ofthe day; machines
such as the Tandy TRS-80. IBM introduced their Personal Computer in
1981, but it was too expensive for most people to consider having one
at home. Besides, in the first half of the 1980s Sinclair Electronics
established a strong presence in the UK computer market, first with the
ZX80 and later the ZX Spectrum. Huge numbers were sold and a wide
variety of communication (and other) programs written forthem. There
were numerous other brands and types of computer available for the
home market, but software wasn't compatible across the platforms.
Code tables for the common data modes described here can be
found in the Code Tables chapter.

Morse

The original 'datamode', Morse code is attributed to Samuel Morse , but

the Morse in use today - and which has been is use for over 150 years -
is not the same as the code developed my Samuel Morse.

5
Computers in Amateur Radio

THE CAT

~ ~~~~ ~ ~~~~ ~~ ~
Fig 2.1: An
example of two II I I III I1I II II 111111 1
words sent in '---v---' '---v---' '---v---' '---v---'
Morse, with Letter Lette r Letter Lette r
vertical lines to
show the official
space spac e
'----v-------"
Word
space spa ce
.
Word
timing and
space space
spacing.
With Morse, the dots, dashes and spaces are all intended to vary
in proportion to one another, as transmission speed varies . Depending
on the speed of transmission , it may sound like a heterodyne (steady
whistle) that is switched on and off. As Fig 2.1 shows, a dash (usually
pronounced 'dah') should be three times the length of a dot (pro-
nounced 'dit'). The space between the letters of a word should be the
same length as a 'dah', i.e. three times the length of a 'dit' and the
space between words should be seven times the length of a 'dit' .
Depending on its use and the ability of individual operators, Morse
may be sent at widely differing speeds. On VLF it may be sent extremely
slowly. This is known as QRSs operation , where a 'dit' may be many
seconds long . Such slow Morse would be sent by computer, because
manual operation would be too tedious . At the receive end , it would also
be detected and displayed on a computer. This is because at extremely
slow speeds a computer running a Fast FourierTransform program can
detect and display a signal that is not audible to the human ear.
The speeds that are commonly sent and copied manually by an
operator range from about 5-40 words per minute, although speeds in
the 20s are the most common .
Prior to the development of modern datamodes , looped record -
ings of high -speed Morse (often at 80 words per minute) used to be
employed by Meteor Scatter enthusiasts. Whilst incomprehensible to
the human ear, repetit ive high speed Morse messages sound slightly
rhythm ic. On receive, fragments oftransmission (for that is all that are
typically received in a meteor scatter contact) wou ld be recorded on
tape and then played back at slow speed , for the rece iving operator to
copy by ear.
Morse is normally transmitted by on/off keying (Amp litude Shift
Keying), although many beacon stations use Frequency Shift Keying .
Although not often referred to in such terms , Morse code is the Interna -
tiona l Telegraphic Alphabet No .1.

Baudot (RTTY)

The so-called International Telegraphic Alphabet NO .2 was developed for

numerous reasons , not the least of which is that Morse is not easy to

6
 Datamodes

receive and decode with a mechanical machine. This is primarily be-

cause, irrespective of the sending speed, not all the characters take the
same length oftime to transmit. Emile Baudot overcame this problem in
the 1840s, by developing a code in which all the characters were the
same length. This permitted receiving equipment to be synchronised for
each character sent.
The construction of RTIY data is shown in Fig 2.2. The standard
Mark condition tone is 2125Hz (logic '1 ') and the Space condition tone
is 2295Hz (logic '0'). The grey areas are 1's or O's , depending on the
characters being sent. Transmission of each character commences with
a 'start' bit. The length of the start bit - indeed all the bits - depends
upon the rate of transmission. For a 50 baud transmission (as used by
the Telex network), the length is 20 milliseconds. For 45.-45 baud trans-
mission (as commonly used by radio amateurs), the length is 22 milli-
seconds. The start bit is followed by five data bits (10010 for a letter D),
then 1.5 stop bits. The extra length of the stop element of the character
is to give mechanical teleprinters the opportunity to come to a halt
before the next character arrives.
Five data bits give a possible 32 combinations , which is not
sufficient for transmission and reception ofthe 26 letters of the alphabet,
the numbers 0-9, and common punctuation marks and control charac-
ters such as a bell, new line, carriage return, etc. This problem is over-
come by dedicating two ofthe 32 possible character combinations for
Letters Shift and Figures Shift. In Letters Shift, the 26 letters ofthe
alphabet plus some common functions (carriage return , new line, space)
are possible. In Figures Shift, numbers, punctuation , a few symbols and
the same common functions are available.
RTIY is normally transmitted by a process known as Freq uency
Shift Keying (FSK) or Audio Frequency Shift Keying (AFSK). In a loud-
speaker this results in a wobbling sound, because the transmitted signal
is being
switched Fig 2.2: How
between two
frequencies.
First character I Sec ond cha racter I RTTY characters
are constructed
During peri- Space and transmitted.
ods when no (logic 0)
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
data is being
Mark
transmitted
but the
transmitter is
still on , there
is a steady
~

Start
bit
-----
Data
bits
'---v---'

Stop
element
(logic 1)

tone. Practi-
cally any two
audio tones
can be used,
~

Sta rt
bit
-----Data
bits
'---v---'

Stop
element
the standard

7
Computers in Amateur Radio

Mark-Space shifts being 85Hz, 170Hz, 425Hz or 850Hz. The most

popular shift used by radio amateurs on HF is 170Hz. 85Hz tends to be
used at VLF, because the bandwidth of antennas is extremely small,
while sending RTTYat higher rates requires a bigger frequency shift and
consequently greater bandwidth. When FM or SSB is being used, the
two tones are usually 2125Hz and 2295Hz. These two frequencies ensure
that any audio harmonics are outside the passband of amateur transmit-
ters, because their audio cut-off is about 3kHz . Data throughput is about
60 words per minute at 45.45 bauds.
Although RTTY is limited by the fact that it contains no error
detection or correction, it remains an extremely popular datamode
amongst radio amateurs.

ASCII

The original ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Exchange)

used electromechanical teletypes that worked at 110 bauds. This
equated to an element length of9ms.
ASCII was a significant improvement on Baudot, because it con -
ta ined seven data bits . The 128 possible combinations meant that upper
and lower case letters could be sent, plus a lot more symbols, punctua-
tion and control characters.
As standard, ASCII does not incorporate error detection or correc-
tion, but it is possible to add a measure of error detection by adding a
parity bit.
Although there is no reason why it should not be used in its basic
form by radio amateurs, it tends not to be. Rather, it tends to be used
as the core code for some other datamodes.

PSK31

PSK31 was invented by Peter Martinez, G3PLX in 1998. It employs

Phase Shift Keying at 31.25 bauds and has the advantage of requiring a
very narrow bandwidth (31 Hz). It was designed primarily for real-time
keyboard-to-keyboard QSOs, is capable to transmitting all the charac-
ters on a keyboard and has even been used to transmit small pictures.
Rather like Morse, where not all characters take the same time to
transmit (with the most commonly used ones taking the least amount of
time), PSK31 uses a 'varicode' system. More commonly used letters
such as 'e', 'n' and 's' employ less bits and take significantly less time to
be transmitted. Iftransm itting a passage oftext in lower case letters , a
throughput of about 53 words per minute can be achieved , but if the
same text is transmitted in upper case letters the throughput drops to
about 39 words per minute.

8
 Datamodes

Whilst not supporting error detection or correction, PSK31 is self-

synchronising. It is very good at working through noise, indeed it is
copyable by a computer when it is too weak to detect by ear. It has a
high duty cycle though, which can easily lead to overheating if a trans-
ceiver is run at full power. Consequently it is advisable to run equipment
at a significantly lower power level than its maximum. 30 watts is consid-
ered by many to be more than sufficient on the HF bands.
On air, PSK31 sounds like a pulsating high -pitched whistle. Tuning
and frequency stability are critical for correct operation.

Olivia

This data mode was des igned by Pawel Jalocha, SP9VRC, to work
effectively over difficult radio paths, i.e. those suffering from fad ing,
interference, auroral distortion, flutter, etc . It can work when the signal is
10-14dB below the noise level, which means that worldwide communica-
tion is possible using low power.
Olivia has 40 possible formats, this being brought about by the fact
that eight possible numbers of tones can be transmitted in five possible
bandwidths. There can be 2, 4, 8,16,32,64,128 and 256 tones, and
bandwidths of 125, 250, 500, 1000 and 2000kHz. All these combinations
result in differing characteristics and capabilities. The 'standard' formats
(bandwidth/tones) are 125/4,250/8,500/16, 1000/32, and 2000/64, while
the formats most commonly used (in order of use) are 500/16, 500/8,
1000/32,250/8 and 1000/16. Data throughput is just under 60 words per
minute at 1000/8.
The basic code used is 7-bit ASCII and Olivia works by sending
characters in blocks offive overthe course oftwo seconds. Multi
Frequency Shift Keying (MFSK) is employed, with Forward Error Cor-
rection (FEC).

Packet Radio

Packet Radio is a datamode used for sending text messages. It is a

time division multiplex system, so more than one contact can take
place on one frequency at a time. It also includes full error correction.
These two facets resulted in the creation of a worldwide network that
supports real-time QSOs and non-real-time contacts via mailboxes. The
former is akin to Instant Messaging used across the Internet, while the
latter is akin to e-mail, but they were both in widespread use by radio
amateurs before many members ofthe general public had Internet
access. On HF, Packet is transmitted at 300 Bauds, while on VHF the
rates used are 1200 and 9600 Bauds.
Data is transmitted in frames, which contain a start flag, an ad-

9
Computers in Amateur Radio

dress, text and an end

flag. Each frame is
identified by the receiv-
Fig 2.3: The AEA
ing station by a unique
PK232 multi-
mode data number. If it coincides,
controller. the receiving station
sends an ACK frame and
the next frame is then sent.
Packet Radio uses ASCII code in a Link-Layer protocol known as
AX25. It can operate between 'dumb' terminals (teletype machines,
VDUs etc), which was useful before the widespread adoption of com put-
ers.lt did however mean that special terminal equipment was required,
not just a modem. Such equipment is known as a Terminal Node Con-
trolled (TNC). Common models were the Paccomm Tiny 2 and the AEA
PK232 (which also catered for many other modes). See Fig 2.3. These
days it is common for Packet Radio software to be run on a computer,
the sound card being used as the modem.
Packet Radio can also be used in a broadcast mode, which is how
the DX Packet Cluster network came about.

AmTOR

Amateur Teleprinting Over Radio (AmTOR) was developed in 1979 by

Peter Martinez, G3PLX. It is an adaptation of the commercial system
Simplex Teleprinting Over Radio (SiTaR), used mainly by maritime
stations.
AmTOR uses Frequency Shift Keying and is sent at 100 baud,
usually with a frequency shift of 170Hz. It employs a special7-bit adap-
tation of the Baudot telegraphic code that contains a fixed ratio of 4
'mark' bits to 3 'space' bits . AmTOR has two primary modes - A and B
-which stand for Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) and Forward Error
Correction (FEC).
In Mode-A, stations in communication need to be synchronised
and characters are transmitted in groups ofthree. The receiving equip-
ment (slave) checks each character for the correct mark-space ratio and
then sends a single character back to the master - an
ACKnowledgement (ACK) if all the characters met the requirement and a
Negative ACKnowlegelent (NACK) if any character contained one or
more error. There are two codes for the ACK signal- known as Idle
Signal A and Idle Signal B. They are sent alternately, and the master
checks that it receives alternating ACKs. Receipt of an appropriate ACK
informs the master that it can then send the next g roup of three charac-
ters, while receipt of a NACK causes it to re-send the whole group of
three characters, irrespective of which character (or characters) were
identified as containing a corruption. The whole process - known as a

10
 Datamodes

frame -takes 450ms; 210ms to send the three characters, followed by a

240ms receive 'window' during which the transmitting station expects to
receive the 70ms -long ACK or NACK response. Mode -A is suitable for
communication between two stations and is characterised on air by
interleaved long and short chirping sounds. The speed of transmit/
receive switching is critical to operation, especially on long distance
paths on which the propagation delay is app reciable .
Ifthree or more stat ions wish to communicate by AmTOR, it is not
possible fo r each of the receiving (slave) stations to return ACK or NACK
signals to the master, so Mode-B is used. In this mode the master sends
each cha racter twice. Each slave compares the two characters , as well
as the mark -space ratio. If the mark-space ratio is met and the same
character is decoded twice , it is assumed that there was no cor ruption
and the character is displayed, while a failure of the mark -space ratio or
a difference between the two characters results in an 'error ' character
being displayed. In this mode, AmTOR sounds like high speed RnY.
It is possible to listen-in to AmTOR transmissions, but without the
ability to send NACK signals it is likely that some corruption of mes-
sages will occur.
Although it revolutionised RTTY links when it was introduced ,
AmTOR was very much a product of its time . It was defined and intro-
duced before the days of the microprocessor, so the error detection
needed to be simple enough to implement in the electronics of the day.
This led to AmTOR having a relatively weak error handling capability,
because it detects an error only if the requi red mark/space ratio of a
character is incorrect. This is good at detecting single bit errors, but if
two or more bits of a character are cor rupted it is possible that a char-
acter will still be determined as having the correct mark-space ratio.
Another problem with AmTOR is the modulation method used, because
FSKsuffers from multi-path propagation effects.

PacTOR

Using AmTOR as the model, PacTOR was developed in 1991 by Hans-

Peter Helfert, DL6MAA and Ulrich Strate , KF4KY. The bas ic structure is
the same as AmTOR, with its fixed interval data blocks and correspond-
ing acknowledgements , but PacTOR also comb ines important charac -
teristics from Packet Radio. First of all it uses ASCI I code, so the
character set is much larger. Also, the baud rate has automatic variabil-
ity (100 or 200 baud), which enables traffic to move faster when propa-
gation paths are good but still maintain contact when paths are poor. It
is an FSK mode with a shift of 200Hz.
PacTOR uses a longer acknowledgment signal than AmTOR, plus a
Cyclic Redundancy Code (CRC) checksum to detect errors in the
transmiss ion. All this leads to a much higher quality of error detection

11
Computers in Amateur Radio

and correction than Packet Radio or AmTOR. Forthis reason, PacTOR

has largely replaced stra ightforward Packet Radio on HF.
The PacTOR frame is 960ms seconds. Although there is no reason
why it cannot be used on VHF/UHF, PacTOR was designed for use on HF.
A particularly interesting and effective aspect of PacTOR is the so-
called 'Memory ARQ' . If a corrupted frame is received, a NACK signal is
returned to req uest a re-send of the frame in error. If the re-sent frame is
received for a second time with a corruption, it is then compared to the
previous frame (which was stored, ratherthan discarded) . By so doing,
it often transpires that the data can be reconstructed, eliminating the
need for a second NACK .
A more recent variant, PacTOR II, is backwards compatible with
PacTOR, but uses a different four-phase PSK modulation system and
much higher speeds.

MFSK

Piccolo was the original Multi-tone Frequency Shift Keying (MFSK)

mode, devised for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the
1950s. It used 33 tones, one for each of the characters of the Interna-
tional Telegraphic Alphabet No .2, and one for the idle condition. It was
capable of sending 10 characters per second in a 400Hz bandwidth , by
switching between tones. Later versions transmitted fewertones , but
transmitted more than one at a time.
As far as amateur radio is concerned, there are a number of MFSK
modes, all of which have appeared in relatively recent times. Here are
some of the more common ones.

MFSK16 was devised by Murray Greenman, ZL1BPU, in 1999, and

developed for MS Windows and sound card use by Nino Porcino ,
IZ8BLY. It uses 16-tone MFSK at 15.625 bauds. Employing varicode, it is
(a) capable of up to 40 words per minute, and (b) accommodating very
large character sets. It was designed for working over long distances ,
but because it employs a low bit symbol rate it is able to handle severe
mult i-path reception. It is also good for use via NVIS propagation. There
is also a more sensitive but slightly slower version - MFSK8 - that uses
32 tones and operates at 7.8125 bauds.

Throb was written by Lionel Sear, G3PPT. It employs either five or nine
tones, depending on the version in use. The latest is the 9-tone version.
The tones are spaced 8Hz or 16Hz apart, leading to bandwidths of 72Hz
and 144Hz respectively. There are three speeds oftransmission (meas-
ured in Th robs per second) , leading to data rates of 10,20 and 40
words per minute respectively. The baud rates are 1,2 or 4. Throb uses
a special code, which results in a restricted character set. A-Z, 0-9,

12
 Datamodes

<space> and a few punctuation characters are possible. ThrobX is a

newer development. It uses 11 tones at a baud rate of 1 or 2 only. In th is
mode 53 character combinations are poss ible, so a few more punctua-
tion characters are catered for. Throb works well under poor propaga-
tion cond itions , but is not widely used.

The WSJT suite of communication protocols was developed by Joe

Taylor, K1 JT for meteor scatter operation and other act ivities where a
signal path might be prese nt only briefly and with poor frequency
stab ility (Doppler shift). For this reason a very high data rate is requ ired,
which necessitates wide bandwidth. Three sequential tones are used to
send each character at 441 baud, making the transmission rate 147
characters per second (441/3). Within the suite , protocols are optimised
for various pu rposes . FSK441 is for meteor scatter op eration. JT6M is for
ionospheric scatter and meteor scatter on the 6m band . JT65 is for
Earth-Moo n-Earth at VHF/UHF and for HF sky wave propagation . JT2,
JT4 and WSPR (Whisper) are experimental modes .

Hellschreiber

The Hellschreiber ('bright writer', in German) was developed in the 1920s

as a simple means of distributing text from central press offices to
newspapers . Pictured in Fig 2.4, it was also used extensively during
WWII for military communications , for non-secret traffic. After that it fell
into disuse, but was 'rediscovered' by radio amateurs in the 1970s.
It is a facsimile type mode , whereby characters are 'scanned' and
transmitted. There is no encoding of data and no timing or synchronisa-
tion . Each character to be transmitted is scanned much like a miniature
facs imile, usually with fourteen dots per column and seven dots (verti-
cally) per character. Referring to original type equipment, at the rece iv-
ing end , a strip of paper would be driven slowly through the equipment,
in a similar way that a tape reco rder
moves tape with a slow running
motor and a pinch roller. The paper
would pass between a hammer and a
spinning 2-turn helix that was inked.
As an audio tone was received , it
would cause a solenoid to pull the
hammer in and strike the paper in
two places . This resulted in the Fig 2.4: Early
characters ofthe message being Hellschreiber
received appearing twice along the machine.
strip, one above the other. The
reason for this is that because there
is no syn chronisation or timing ,

13
Computers in Amateur Radio

characters wo uld drift up or down the paper strip, off one edge and
back onto the other. To minimise drift , the speed of the motor in the
receiving equipment would be adjusted manually by the person operat-
ing it, but invariably some drift rem ained . By printing each character
twice , one at least would be 100% visible.
The original mode is now called Feld-Hell and is still used , usually
employing computers. It uses Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) at 122.5
bauds and transmits at about 25 words per minute. Interference shows
up by corruptions within characters , but messages are often discernable
through corruptions. MUlti-path reception shows up as a ghost on the
received text, but even so it remains quite a useful system for visual use .
There are a number of modern , high-performance variants of
Hellschreiber, including multi-tone - known as MT Hell. In this mode
(which may use 9,10 or 12 concurrent tones) a messages can be read
direct in the waterfall display often provided with modern data modes
software packages. With MT Hell, characters do not need to be transmit-
ted twice, because they appear perfectly in line in the display. In the event
that the receiver is switched to the wrong sideband , the characters simply
appear upside down! FSK-Hell uses Frequency Shift Keying ratherthan
Amplitude Shift Keying and is quite good at reducing corruptions caused
by noise pulses during the 'off' periods inherent with Amplitude Shift
Keying. PSK-Hell uses Phase Shift Keying , similarto PSK31.

MT63

Developed by Pawel Jalocha, SP9VRC , in the late 1990s, this is an

excellent mode for sending text over propagation paths that suffer from
fading and interference from other signals . It works by encoding text
with a matrix of 64 tones over time and frequency. Although this is rather
complicated, it provides error correction at the receiving end.
In its most popular configuration , MT63 has a bandwidth of 1kHz
and a throughput of about 100 words per minute. There are also 500Hz
and 2000Hz versions ofthe mode, which are achieved by scaling the
times and frequencies.
On the air, MT63 sounds like a roaring or rushing noise .

Clover

A commercial system developed by HAL Communications Corporation

for amateur and commercial service, based on a special waveform
designed by Ray Petit, W7GHM , in the early 1990s. There are several
variations , the most widely used being Clover II, but all are only available
in equipment made by - or under licence from - HAL Communications.
Clover uses a four-carrier Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex

14
 Datamocles

(ODFM) technique, where different pulses are sent on each ofthe four
frequencies in turn. The tones are 125Hz apart. There is a pulse on each
frequency in every symbol period, thus it is possible to send many bits
of data per symbol, as the phase and amplitude of each of the pulses
can be varied. The symbol period is 32ms , so each pulse is centred 8ms
after the one before. The pulses are carefully shaped to minimise the
bandwidth, which is exactly 500Hz. Transmitter linearity is important for
this mode, which has a characteristic chirping sound when heard on the
air. Sophisticated error correction and QSO management is offered. It
uses a Reed-Solomon block FEC system in all modes. Errors are
detected on 8-bit groups of data (bytes). Most errors can be corrected ,
without the need to send a repeat request.
There are numerous modulation techniques used for clover.The
protocol allows these to be changed automatically, as radio conditions
permit. The data rate can also change to suit conditions and it operates
in a bi-directional synchronous connected mode, exchanging ASCII text.
Clover can be very effective under poor conditions and when multi-
path is present, but as a mode it is not as popular as it once was.

WOLF

WOLF was written by Stewart Nelson, KK7KA, the letters standing for
Weak-signal Operation on Low Frequency. It can be used for beacons
and two-way communication.
Unlike most existing datamodes, which are optimised for a particu-
lar signal/noise ratio (and corresponding speed), WOLF can operate
over a wide range of signal levels. For example , consider a WOLF
beacon transmitting a 15-character message repeatedly. Ifthe received
signal is adequate for conventional CW, copy will be displayed in 24
seconds. At a level barely enough for 0.4 words per minute QRSS, copy
will appear within two minutes. Even if the signal is another 10dB
weaker, the message can still be received, although it can take from 20
minutes to several hours , depending on the frequency stability of the
equ ipment.
The WOLF transmitted signal uses Binary Phase Shift Keying
(BPSK) with a specially constructed bit stream. After each data bit, a
reference bit is transmitted. In simple terms, the signal has a data
channel and a reference channel. The reference stream is a long pseudo-
random sequence that is known in advance by the receiver, its purpose
being to enable recovery of the carrier frequency and phase, bit timing ,
and message timing. A message to be transmitted is broken into
packets of up to fifteen characters each. The packet of data is then
'source coded ' into 80 bits. Forward Error Correction with a 1/6 rate is
then applied , resulting in a 480-bit data stream . After adding reference
bits, the final packet is 960 bits long and takes 96 seconds to send.

15
Computers in Amateur Radio

To get the best out of WOLF, extremely accurate tuning and excel-
lent frequency stability of both the transmitter and receiver are required.

Facsimile

FAX or HF-FAX is not widely used by radio amateurs, but it is still widely
used commercially for the transmission of weather maps. The quality of
a received image can be very good, but it can take 10-20 minutes to
transmit such an image.

ROS

This is a new, digital mode that criss -crosses symbols both within the
permitted bandwith and across time. ROS uses a convolutional code
with Forward Error Correction . There are two variants, each of which are
designed to work through the 202kHz passband of a standard SSB
transceiver:
ROSHF is designed for use on the HF bands. There are three
symbol rates ; 1 baud (aimed at weak signals down to -35dB SNR), 8
baud and 16 baud . In 1 baud mode there are reports of it being able to
copy signals that do not even show up on a waterfall display. It can
automatically detect the symbol rate being transmitted and adjust
dynamically, to take changing conditions into account.
ROSEME is designed for moonbounce communication at VHF.
Using 16-tone MFSK, it is very different to ROSHF. The tones are sepa-
rated by 4Hz, resulting in a bandwidth of 64Hz. The advantage ofthe
narrow bandwidth is that it can scan the audio spectrum and recover a
signal wherever it finds it, automatically adjusting for doppler shift.

Interfacing Tips

When using a datamode software package running on a personal

computer with a sound card, there are some basic do's and don'ts .

1. Remove, mute or bypass the microphone, or unwanted background

noise may be transmitted along with the data.

2. If injecting audio into a transmitter, switch off speech compression .

3. On receive , do not rely on a microphone built into a computer to

pick up data listened to through a loudspeaker, provide a wired link
instead.

16
 Logging Software

3.
Logging Software
by Mike Ruttenberg, G7TWC

In th is chapter it is assumed that you are either curious about or already

interested in using software with your radio and that yo u're looking
either for 'getting started' guidance or that you are already experienced
but want some sneaky tips. The intention here is to show you the ropes
and give you the tips , but let's start from the basics for the uninit iated .
Much of this chapter will relate to contesting software, as many
operators have cumulatively many centuries of experience and their
learnings and requirements are now pretty standard in operating soft-
ware, whether or not for contesting .
Whether you're looking to log your ragchew contacts, a data mode
enthus iast, you love chasing DXor are a contest-winning operator, there is
almost certainly something out there to cater for your needs. Finding a
software package that is right for you is a whole different story though.
Unfortunately the re is no answer to the age -old question "what
software should I use?" It depends on what you want to use it for. You
may also use a variety of packages for different purposes; e.g. casual
operation logging , award-chasing, contesting, data modes, meteor
scatter. This is not a finite list of needs or interests .
Incidentally, although this chapter mentions modes and much
functionality, it equally applies to SWLs. Consequently, some powerful
packages which don 't have transmit functionality in them appear in the
listing at the end.

I Want it All!

If you want it all and you want it del ivered, ready to go, out of the box ,
you 're in for a disappointment, because no single package does

17
Computers in Amateur Radio

everything. Radio amateurs are blessed with a wide variety of niche

interests - more than anyone software package can keep up with ,
given the time and effort to produce code for every interest or techno-
logical development.
The next factor is personal taste. Even for the same functionality,
people are used to different 'look and feel' (colours, screen layout, etc)
or just plain familiarity with a previous product.
Some logging packages allow you to rearrange the screen to your
personal taste. Each component can be moved around the screen, e.g.
the logging window, the packet window, the bandmap, the grayline map
can all be moved around in certain packages . This can be especially
useful if you want a lot of modules on screen and use two screens or
you want to save screen 'real estate' and only have a small screen . e.g.
on a 12" laptop . If the package writer's choice of screen pre-defined
layout suits you, that's fine too .

Picking Your Software

It all depends on what are you trying to do, so let's look at some basic
questions to help you pick a best-fit solution to your needs .
Assuming you want to log QSOs and you're moving away from
paper logging , basic questions need to be asked such as (but not
limited to) :

.Which mode(s) do you want to use?

• Do you want to (or mind) use packet radio or the Internet (or neither)?
• Do you have Internet access?
• Do you have a PC, a Mac or run Linux?
• Do you want to connect your rig to the PC for it to control the rig,
e.g. frequency and mode logged automatically?
• Do you operate on data modes?
• Do you want to see if and when you last made a QSO with the station
you're working?
• Do you want to see the other station's name on screen, whether
you've worked them before or not?
.Are you a disabled operator who prefers a particular mode, e.g.
visual display ofCW/data modes?
• Do you use or want to use a voice keyer that sends audio from your
computer's soundcard, instead of repeating yourselfon the mic over
a long period of time?
.Do you mind occasionally giving away points in a contest?
• Do you contest freq uently?
• Do you want to design antennas and inspect their radiation patterns?
• Do you want complete silence while operating , so you don 't wake the
XYL?
• Do you want to monitor beacons?

18
 Logging Software

Each of the above questions is catered for, but no package does

them all. Consequently it's a best-fit solution you need to look for.

Cyberphobia
For some, the time -honoured paper log is their preferred method. It
works, but see the list that follows for the advantages of using a compu-
ter instead. Many things can be done on paper, but when a computer is
there for you to use at little or no cost it's certainly worth a shot at trying
to use it. You don't need specialist knowledge for any of the packages
and there is a lot of assistance for 'newbies'.

Advantages of Using a Computer in Amateur Radio

When using software the computer has the following advantages, in no
particular order. Please note that not everything applies to every pack-
age .

• An ordinary PC can be used instead of specialist IT equipment,

e.g. external decoding modules are not usually required any
more. You no longer need teleprinters or external modules to do
RTTY, packet radio, etc . Soundcards can do this and PCs are
fast enough to cope . In the early days of PCs this wasn't the
case but nowadays soundcards can pick out signals below the
noise level by using DSP. In fact your rig may now be your
computer with the advent of SDR .
• Faster logging than on paper especially in a pileup (but note that if
you're not familiar with your software this may not be true, so you
need to be familiar with the software before you go on a DXpedition
where you expect a large volume of QSOs),
• Less chance of mislogging calls or exchanges because you don't
need to decipher handwriting later on, and there are files that can
help you with partial callsigns to suggest full callsigns if you only have
a few characters from the call.
.Realtime dupe checking and "worked before" details including when
you last worked the other station
• You can submit logs (contesting or general) for some awards to sites
such as Log of the World, eQSL and others .
• Computers open up a whole world of other modes and interests with
the added ability to work at night without waking the other half as
working data modes can be totally silent (data modes are workable
in complete silence, as they are visual) .
• Upload, validation and awards via LOTW or eQSL
• You can export and/or print QSL card details from some packages
.You can get packet without having a packet modem. The internet
contains the packet network online

19
Computers in Amateur Radio

• Decoding of CW for operators requiring help reading CW

• Recording of the band (s) for later playbackjverification/self-training
.Recording of your operation period for checking and correcting you r
log after a contest/pileup/adjudication
.Enables data modes to be used e.g. SSTV, PSK, RTTY and others
.Allows high speed data to be sent e.g. for MeteorScatter
.Customisable single-press macros to send standard info e.g. locator,
name, QSO number, distance calculation etc
.Logs can be sorted on callsign/band/time/whateverfield you want
. Back-up. A file can be backed up multiple times and the log installed
on multiple computers or even on a network, so it can be accessed
or retrieved/copied/moved/shared
.Showing grayline areas on a real-time map
• Data mode packages can be used for decoding utility station broad-
casts e.g . synoptic maps from the Met Office, e.g. for SWLs
.Contest functionality can include (but is not limited to):
o Networking PCs for multi-op and multi-multi stations/sharing of
your log with other stations in your team in real time
o Real time scoring, so you can see how you are doing at any time
and compare it to previous years
o Real-time uploading of scores , so you can see how competitor
stations are doing during contests relative to you
o See and jump to DX cluster spots as soon as they arrive, often with
a single click taking you to the frequency and mode
o Support for CW, e.g. sending CQ and handling the exchange at the
touch of a button
o Sending voice CQs or other messages (saves your voice over a
long period and in contests)
o Auto-repeat of CQ calls after a customisable period of time
o Simplified keystrokes to complete a QSO (Enter Sends Message
mode)
o Callsign validation. Some software may inform you if a contact is
suspected to be incorrect, based on the structure of the call (too
long / too short, prefix not valid for that band, etc)
o Validation of the contact against the rules, e.g. in contests where
you can only work another country/prefix/zone etc
o Automated calculation of distances in VHF contest using grid
squares
o Export of logs to standard formats, ready for uploading to online
logging systems, contest adjudicators and awards systems, QSL
card printing software
o Stats, if you are into that sort of thing, e.g. rate per hour, rate per
hour by continent, zones, IOTA references etc shown on screen
o If contesting, it may tell you which multipliers are worked or still
needed
o 'Time on' counters (how long the station has been on the air, e.g. if
you are only allowed to operate 36 out of 48 hours)

20
 Logging Software

o Band timer counter (how long the station has been on the band
before a band change is allowed e.g. the contests run by CQ have
10 minute band time rs in some categories)
o The ability to set the operator callsign . This enables one PC to be
shared by different operators during operating shifts on a multi-op
station. This in turn allows the log to be broken down by operato r,
for later analysis. It may also allow custom ised sound files for each
operator, so that single-press macros send the correct sound file
for the operator on the mic .

This is not an exhaustive list. There is much more besides. All this is
done seamlessly by the software and in less than the blink of an eye,
wh ile you're still trying to decipher the sc ribbles on a logging sheet.

I Hate Contesting!
If you don't like contests, don't let the word 'contesting' put you off.
General 'OX' modules for everyday logging are almost invariably in-
cluded and many other features come in useful too , such as checking
previous QSOs, the ability to print QSL card labels, submit logs for
awards, tell you operator names, tell you distances and bearings,
decode data modes and much more .
The software packages that support contesting are generally
fantastic general logging programs and many cater for additional
modes, whether or not you partake in contests, whether you use these
other mode offerings and features or not.
The fact that many software packages support contesting doesn't
mean yo u have to take part in them. Similarly, a basic logging program
can still cope with contest exchanges - they just go in the comments
field instead of a dedicated field.

Computing Power
Do you need a whizz-bang super computer to use software packages?
Not always. Some software only requires a modest PC by current
standards . Some software runs under DOS, so a PC from the early '90s
will do fine in many cases. For most purposes a Pentium 3 or faster will
do, though faster and more modern PCs do the same thing faster and
allow greater sophistication.
If you are going to use an old PC, it could be prudent to use a
dedicated machine with nothing other than the operating system in-
stalled on it and possibly DOS-based or DOS-compatible packages
such as SO (current) or TRLog (no longer supported). Some software
was written for Windows 95 with only a modest amount of RAM (e.g.
16Mb on a 486 processor).

21
Computers in Amateur Radio

If you have a Windows machine you may find software that runs
fine under Windows 95 orWindows 98, but some more recent packages
such as N1MM require a modest amount of speed. Where a computer
minimum recommendation of, say, a 500MHz processor is a minimum, if
you have a better PC available then the software will respond more
quickly after performing the functions you asked it to do.
In short, many PCs will do the job and you don't need a state-of-
the-art machine, but an old duffer won't do you any favours either.
You won't usually have to buy a state-of-the-art machine but you
would generally need a Windows machine (Windows 2000 or later
recommended, but not essential), See each package's minimum re-
quirements for details .
Most modern software is not compatible with Windows Vista.
Windows 8 is too new at the time of writing to comment on compatibil-
ity, but if it works under Vista there is a good chance that it will work
under Windows 7, but check your package 's user groups and/or
website for advice .
Windows XP and Windows 2000 seem to be the stable platforms
that are supported . Windows 98 at a push too, but here it depends on
the processor speed whether the software still performs to your speed
and response expectations . The support for Windows 7 is now better
than before, and consequently so is Windows Vista, but check your
chosen package's user groups and/or website for advice.

Tip: For Windows Vista/Windows 7 users, a common issue is that a

program needs to run with Adm inistrator privileges, so check
you're running the program as Administrator (usually right click
-> Run as Administrator should do the trick).

Windows XP was a stable (or even advanced) platform that was in

use when most of the programs were created, so you should have no
issues here. Windows 98 at a push too, but here it depends on the
processor speed whether the software still performs to your speed and
response expectations.
Windows 8 should work as per Windows 7, but it's too new to tell
at the time of writing .

64-bit Architecture

Wh ilst logging programs are quite advanced, it's not a requirement that
one uses 64-bit PCs and software, so a 32-bit machine and operating
system is supported, and 64-bit is backwardly compatible. There is no
(current) advantage to runn ing a 64 bit machine or operating system for
logging purposes , other than that they will not tax your machine's
processor as much, as these machines tend to be pretty powerful and
the logger should run with ample CPU power to spare .

22
 Logging Software

What about Macs?

Not well supported by developers, due to the prevalence ofthe Windows -
based PC. That is not to say there is no softwa re for it, there is, but it's not
supported well enough to include here. The advice and tips that follow
though apply equally to Mac packages as Windows/DOS ones.
Users have been known to run packages successfully under virtual
machine instances of Windows .

Linux
There are logging and contesting tools for Linux too . However, it's a
specialist area. Although it is loved by many, it isn't a large enough
subject area to warrant a large amount of column inches here. Only a
small percentage of radio users run Linux and many radio packages are
supported under Wine. The advice and tips below though apply equally
to Linux packages as Windows/DOS ones.
If you're getting started in radio and computing, you most likely
have a PC and run a Windows product.
Please note that experience tells me N1MM needs to run under
Windows and doesn't like Wine much, so needs to run natively under
Windows.

Logging Software
Does software ensure accurate logs?
No, you still can mis-type a call or exchange, or even if you get all the
details correctly there is no vouching for the other station copying
down all your details correctly.

Which is the best software for logging?

How long is a piece of string (or antenna wire?) This is the holy grail
question of logging and there is no unique answer. It depends on your
needs, with a rough and ready set of questions as follows :

• What mode are you operating with? Some software supports some
modes better than others, e.g. CW/SSB and data modes.
• What operating system are you using? PCs are overwhelming better
supported.
• What bands are you using? Some software if dedicated to HF and
others to VHF and above .
• What contest(s), if any, are you operating in?
.Are you a casual operator looking to add to your DXCC count with
no intention of submitting a log so don't need scoring or serial
number logging?

23
Computers in Amateur Radio

.Some software caters for some contests but not others, some cater
for many contests but not 'minor' ones (minor being dependent on
the region the coder writers live in, or the participation levels of the
contests)
.What country do you live in? The software is most often in English,
but some software exists in French, for example.
• Do you mind paying for the software?
• Do you want periodic updates to the software?
• Do you want to use Windows or do you not mind using DOS?
• Do you use a Mac or Linux rather than Windows?
• Do you have internet?
• Do you want to include packet spots via a TNC, the internet, or not
at all?
• Do you want to read and send the CW manually or via the computer?
.Do you want to operate on data modes?

As you can see, this is a significant list of variables, and it is sure

to grow with the advent offuture platforms, technologies and contend-
ers. Google may well throw some of this up in the air but only time will
tell as at the time of writing it's just an announcement ofthe new plat-
form being in development.

How does the software stay up to date?

You may have to check for updates periodically. If you subscribe to the
reflector/user group for the software you will see notifications that there
are newer versions available to download .
If you pay for your software you may get a period-limited right to
updates e.g. updates for one year or for life. Check the terms of the
software licence.

Note:
You may have to pay for major updates on some paid software packages .

How do I get new prefixes, countries and/or multipliers in to my

software?
When countries split apart, new countries are created/declared or
countries issue new prefixes, the software doesn 't know about this so it
refers to a file telling it wh ich prefixes belong to which country.
Over the years the software developers have settled on a handful
offormats for country files , which can be quickly and easily plugged
in to a software package. This also helps the scoring in contests if the
prefixes are important , as they need to be recognised to be scored
correctly.
To do th is you need to download the relevant country file (also
known as CTY. DAT, thoug h the actually filename may differ depending
on your package). You can get a copy from www.country-files.com/cty/
Many contesting and software reflectors announce when a new country

24
 Logging Software

file is ava ilab le for downloading.

Sometimes you need to activate th is file in the software, in order
for the latest version to be incorporated in to the software. For exam-
ple, in N1MM just having the file on your hard drive isn't enough, you
need to import it into the software. Read the instructions on how to
do this .

Does software support multipliers if I am in a contest?

Many contests and awards have different multipliers (mults) . Sometimes
it's the prefix ofthe callsign, sometimes it' s the DXCC country, WAE
country, CO Zone, ITU Zone, IOTA reference, locator square , province ,
state, region , county, postcode prefix, operator number or whatever.
Every contest or award has its own rules .
Mults are often stored in what are known as .DOM or .SEC files .
DOM and .SEC files translate callsigns into the relevant category for the
software to recognise the relevant call areas/counties etc for correct
scoring. You shouldn't need to edit these. Different software packages
treat these differently, and sometimes not at all.
Check which software you use and which contests are supported.
If a contest is supported, it probably handles the mults for you, and
usually the mult files (.DOM or .SEC files) are bundled with the installa -
tion package. Many packages support a wide range of contests, e.g .
N1MM, WinTest, SO and even DOS-based TRLog .
You may sometimes have to point the software to the relevant
.DOM or .SEC file (e.g. in MixW, when setting up the log) but ultimately
it should be supported. Read the manual abou t how to invoke the
relevant mults files in to your chosen package.
If you need additional mult files these can often be found on the
Internet or by asking other users on your software support mailing list.
Someone usually had the same question and can provide you some
guidance.

On-screen indication of mults still needed

Some software lets you view which mults you have worked and which
ones are still needed, and so me software will tell you on screen that the
station you are working is needed on other bands as a mult on, e.g.
you have worked GJ on 10m SSB but still need GJ as a mult on 10m
CW and 15m CW and SSB. Each piece of software displays worked
mults and needed mults differently (if at all). This is a trade-off between
best use ofcomputerscreen space , software power, software develop-
ment effort, software cost and, as always , operator skill.
This is not included in the software grid at the end of this chapter,
as it depends on the contest whether mults are supported, and in some
packages the on-screen mults window can be hidden/moved/made
more prominent based on the user's taste.

25
Computers in Amateur Radio

Tip: Knowing which bands you need a station on is useful, as it can

be used to req uest a QSY to the bands where you need them
for a mull. They may have a station on that band already, or
they may be prepared to change bands for you and meet you on
an agreed frequency. The point is that seeing what mults you
still need from a visual prompt, you can boost your score (or
country tally or whatever) , which you wouldn't otherwise have
known you needed .

My mult file isn't correct. The mult isn't recognised. What can I do?
The most common issue is to have a callsign that isn't recognised as the
correct DXCC entity. This is often the case for TO callsign prefixes , as all
French overseas territories ' special prefixes have the same prefix ofTO
instead of FM, FG, FJ etc . Consequently you may need to "'force' the
logger to accept the call at the time of working it (see your manual for
how to do this) . You can always go back and check the mult file and
rescore the contest later.
Most likely you didn't have the most recent DXCC file (CTY.DAT or
the equivalent, e.g, wLcty.dat in N1MM).lfyou go and get it from
www.country-files.comjctyj, load it in to your package (if this step is
required) run a rescore and then it should be fine .
How to edit a CTY.DATfile is not covered here as this is a last resort
and claimed scores don't have to be (and rarely are) 100% accurate. You
will get adjudicated anyway.

What is (and do I need) a partial callsign database file?

For the unfamiliar, if you type in part of a callsign into the logging soft-
ware and you missed the full call you can get help with identifying who
the stat ion is, by using a lookup file of known callsigns .
Basically, it's a list of known calls igns worked by major operators
(usually in contests) and put in to a list that is recognised by many soft-
ware packages. You don't have to use it if you don 't want to. For refer-
ence it's commonly known as 'master.dta' or 'SCP' (Super Check Partial).
Here 's how it works. Say you type in 'G7TW' . The software looks for
these characters and shows G7TWC and DG7TW on screen. You can
either pick one and type it in to the callsign box or ignore both sugges-
tions . It isn't a replacement for using your ears but it does help to guide
you to a callsign or jog your memory.
If your software supports partial callsign databases (see your pack-
age 's documentation) , then you can download it from
www.supercheckpartial.comj It's usually updated aboutfourtimes a year
by K5ZD, following major contests such as CQWW and CQWPX. Your
package may have a link directly to the site already built in.

Note: Check the version you download is compatible with your

package e.g. WinTest uses a slightly different file structure and
so has a dedicated version on the supercheckpartial.com site.

26
 Logging Software

Note: You cannot view the SCP with a text editor, as it's encoded.

Tip: You can edit the partial call file or build one yourself from your
previous logs. MEdit software is useful to do this .
(www.dxatlas.com/MEd itl).

General Software Tips

What are macros and why are they needed?
Macros are basically message shortcuts assigned to a key or combi-
nation of keys. They are useful for data modes, CW and SSB, and
save time and keystrokes when sending complex messages. Macros
are powerfu l tools that can be used to send a message and a custom
item e.g. your name/callsign/serial number/locator or whatever.
On any program that supports macros, the macros can be
personalised however you prefer.
There is a convention that most packages share a general set of
common keys, e.g. F1 = CO. This is good news for most of us, but
beware that not all macros and keypresses are the same in all pack-
ages. A common example of software packages not adopting the
same convention is when wanting to turn CW keying speed up/down.
It is not suggested you change the bas ic key assignment, which
is commonly (but not always) as follows:

Key Function
F1 CO - e.g. 'CO de {mycall} TEST'
F2 Send exchange - e.g . 'TU UR RST {RST report} BK'
F3 End of OSO - e.g. 'Thank You' or '73 or Thank you '
and go to CO)
F4 Send my call
F5 Send other station's call (taken from the log window)
F6 'OSO before' message
F8 Request resend of number
F11 Wipe the entry window clean, i.e. bail out
of a OSO and start over

Every package has a different way of setting up the commands

for the software to recognise it, so read the instructions and don 't be
afraid to ask for help .
It is suggested that you tackle the modes separately, to avoid
confusion as the commands may be different for, say, CW and RTTY,
especially if you are using data modes through MMVari or MMTIY.
Once you get one mode configured as you like it, then tackle the next
one and so on .
For SSB you will need the sound files already recorded to be
able to chain them up into usable sequences . More on that later.

27
Computers in Amateur Radio

The next step of this is to bundle macros together in to the

powerhouse that they can be, using 'ESM' .

What ESM is and why you might want it

ESM stands for 'Enter Sends Message'. It is mainly used in contesting.
Think of it as a shortcut for many key presses.
Being a shortcut, ESM means you don 't have to find and press
the key assigned to a macro when yo u're calling CO. It's much more
useful for 'run' (COing) stations , but still useful for search-and-pounce
(S&P) stations.
Here are examples of how ESM works in a CW station . This may
not be the best example of CW OSO etiquette , but let's keep it simple
for now.

Scenario 1 ESM off (default) ESMon

Youare running Press F1 (sends Press < ENTER> (sends

on a frequency 'CO GTrWC TEST') 'CO GTrWC TEST')

You hear G3ZVW Typ e 'G3ZVW' into Type 'G3ZVW' into

call you. log window. log window.
Press < space> to Press < ENTER>
move to exchange (sends 'G3ZVWTU
received box. 5NN 107 BK') and moves
Press F5 (sends his cursor to exchange
callsign: 'G3ZVW'). received box .
Press F2 (sends
exchange: 'TU 5NN
107 BK')

G3ZVWsends Type 005 into Type 005 into

exchange (e.g. exchange box. exchange box.
TU 5NN 005 BK). Press F3 (sends Press < ENTER> (sends
'TU GTrWC TEST') 'TU GTrWC TEST')

Number of F-keys & 5 a

space keys pressed.

Numberof <ENTER ::: a 3

key pressed.

ESM Visual Prompting

Software packages normally highlight which buttons are those that

would be sent next during ESM.
In the example shown in Fig 3.1, G3ZVW has replied to my CO

28
 Logging Software

and I have typed his calls ign in. As high lighted, ESM will next send the
conte nts of F5 (acknowledge G3ZWJ) and then F2 (my exchange) the
next time I press < ENTER>.

Sri SenNr
IG3ZVW
~~~~~~~
- It Ed! S"". S"", I
Fig 3.1: N1MM in
Fl co F2E>«h 'run' mode with
F5H;, Cal F6QSOB' ESM switched
F9I1R? Fl0S..-.:tNR....,
on.

Scenario 2 ESMoff ESMon

You are running Press F1 (sends Press ENTER (sends

on a frequency 'CQ GTTWC TEST') 'CQ GTTWCTEST')

You hear G3ZWJ Type 'G3ZWJ' into Type 'G3ZWJ ' into
call you. log window. log window.
Press < space> to Press < ENTER>
move to exchange (sends 'G3ZWJ TU
received box , 5NN 107 SK' and moves
Press F5 (sends his cursor to exchange
call: G3ZWJ) . received box.
Press F2 (sends
exchange TU 5NN
107 SK')

G3ZWJsends Find and press F8 You haven't logged

exchange but you (sends 'NR?') anything in the received
don't hear it , so need exchange box .
to ask for a resend. Press < ENTER > (sends
contents of F8 ('NR?')

G3ZWJ resends Type '005' into Type in 005 in to

exchange (e.g. '5NN exchange box exchange box .
005005 SK') Press F3 (sends Press < ENTER> (sends
TU GTTWC TEST') contents of F3 (TU
GTTWCTEST')

Number of F-keys + 6 0
space keys pressed

Numberof < ENTER> 0 4

key pressed

29
Computers in Amateur Radio

With ESM on, you are not expected to press the F-keys, although
they are still available for you to use as normal. You could press F5 or
interrupt your ESM flow to send a custom message from another F-key,
or you could use your Morse key at any point. Using ESM doesn't stop
you doing what you want, but it does simplify the basic sequence of
tasks and prompt you what is coming next .
ESM also works for SSB (see below about macros and voice files),
assuming you have a sound card or DVK.

ESM and Macros for CW

What goes in to your macros is a question of taste, but for the unin iti-
ated you may want a template to work off.
Whilst every package has a different 'dialect' of macro, the idea is
generally the same. Consult the software manual for the exact com -
mands for your package. The example below is from N1MM (included
on the CD that accompanies th is book) .
The key thing to do is to try it out. Note that N1MM doesn't
support side-tone keying without being plugged in to a rig (a frequently
asked question) so I thought I'd mention it.

Key Function Macro

F1 CO CO * TEST or CO {MYCALL} TEST

F2 Send contest exchange TU 5NN {exch} orTU 5NN #

F3 Thank You (for after the TU *TESTor

OSO, go to CO) TU {MYCALL} TEST

F4 Send my call * or {MYCALL}

F5 Send his call (taken from !

the log window)

F6 OSO before SRIOSOB4

F7 Can be personalised , e.g . '?' Can be personalised or leave a

single blankspace

Fa Request number resend NR?

F9 Resend serial number/exch 5NN {exch} {exch} BK

or5NN # # BK

F10 Can be personalised Can be personalised or leave

a single blank space

F11 Clear the current unlogged {WIPE}

callsign in the logging window

F12 Can be personalised Can be personalised or leave a

single blank space

30
 Logging Software

What DVK is and Why You Might Want It

DVK is short for Digital Voice Keyer. Basically, it's a module or spe-
cialised hardware that you record or upload your voice into. At a key
press - either on the module or via the computer - it plays back the
vo ice file through the rig . Consult your instructions on how to upload
or record the audio and set up the playback.
DVK does not use a computer's soundcard to play back a file .
It's basically a soundcard in a stand-alone box and it does what it's
meant to very well. Various manufacturers make these for ham pur-
poses .

Macros for SSB

Most operators use a soundcard instead of a Digital Voice Keyer
(DVK) for voice keying . In order to send audio files from your key-
board using macros, you need to (1) have or make the sound files
you will need, (2) set up the macros in the software, and (3) have a
lead from the PC's headphone or Line Out socket into the rig's Patch
port (if it has one) or microphone socket. When the radio goes to trans-
mit, any audio from the PC will be sent out on the air, including any PC
alerts , software startup sounds etc, so turn those off wherever possible.
This works whether you use ESM or not.
Why use macros for SSB? To reduce the workload on your voice .
It is highly recommended , unless you enjoy calling CQ for many hours
in a long contest. It 's also useful for operators with speech disabilities .

Voice Files Using Your Computer's Sound Card

If you're thinking of using your computer to play your SSB macros,
you will need a sound file for each part of the macro you are trying to
send. You need to have recorded these before the contest.
You don 't need to record all F-keys or every callsign under the
sun to do this. 'CQ ' and 'MYCALL' will do for a basic setup that saves
you loads of effort. For example, you will need a CQ file (saying
something like 'CQ Contest G7TWC Contest') and a MYCALL file
(saying something like 'Golf 7 Tango Whiskey Charlie') . These nor-
mally need to be uncompressed Wave (.wAV) type files .
I suggest using Audacity (free from http://
audacity.sourceforge.netj) or other sound recording and editing
package is adequate . Remove all leading and tra iling gaps from the
sound file, so there are no unnecessary silences.
Next, you need to name the file(s) in accordance with the soft-
ware . For example , N1MM expects all CQ calls to contain the word
CQ somewhere in the filename .
Next you need to assign the macro to the sound file. Consult the
manual for your package on where to find this and what the software
is looking for. In N1MM the path is usually C:\Program Files\N1 MM
Logger\WAV\

31
Computers in Amateur Radio

Next, test that the playback works as expected by pressing t he

macro key, e.g . F1. Do this without the lead plugged into the Head-
phones / Line Out socket. You shou ld hear your recorded sound file play
from the PC speaker.
The most common reason why the file doesn't play is because it
isn't in the right location. Also, check the volume setting on your
computer is at a comfortable vo lume and isn't muted.
Plug in your patch cable from the Headphones / Line Out socket to
the Patch or microphone socket of your radio . Turn down the power
output on your rad io to minimum and/or connect a dummy load to your
radio. Press F1 to send ca . If the Monitor function is enabled on your
radio you should hear your CO transmitted.

Common Sound Problems

If you rece ive reports of distorted aud io on playing a sound file from the
PC, you almost certainly need to adjust the play volume on the PC. It's
very easy to overdrive a transceiver's microphone input from a perfectly
clear -sounding audio file. The rig is pretty sensitive and will pick up what
it thinks is loud audio (and which we think is perfectly acceptable).
Sometimes a sound file is distorted or too loud when recorded.
Listen to it in a sound player (not through the monitor facility of the rig)
to determine if it is. Re-record it if necessary. You may be able to adjust
the audio level before saving files, within the recording software .

Complicated Voice Files

Some software packages can send audio letters and numbers for you,
e.g. the station you are working 's callsign and your sent exchange. This
is trickier, as you cannot pre-record all permutations of calls etc, so
here's the next-best option .
N1MM, for example, looks in separate folders called 'letters' and
'numbers' within in the WAY folder, to get the relevant letters and num-
bers. It can string them together to make an exchange. It usually sounds
like a robot, but it works . I know someone who gets "thanks , nice
robot" when using his voice files.
The advantage of using th is is that it works well if you have limited
voice capacity or have a frog in your th roat. The disadvantages are that
it is fiddly to set up, sounds unnatural and doesn't cover impromptu
replies . Consult your software to find if it supports this functionality.

Auto-sending an Operator's Name

There are some contests in which you need to send the operator's name
(or you may just feel like sending it). This can be done with a 'friends'
file. Usually it's named 'friend .ini'. Each software package, ifsupported,
will need to be set up separately, so please consult your manual.
A friend.ini file that is generally available and quite comprehensive
can be found at http://www.af4z.com/ham/. Personally, I found it quite
disturbing that someone I'd never worked knew my name, but I soon

32
 Logging Software

got used to it.

In effect, you can create or add your own friends file, by taking the
general one and copying the layout and editing the contents using a
text editor.
As with any piece of info you log with artificial aids, it isn't a
replacement for using your ears. If the friends file says the operator's
name is Robert but the station sends 'Bo b', then log 'Bob' contrary
to what's in the friends file. This is especially so in some contests
where operators like to have fun and choose obscure names that
aren't based on their real names. It happens!
An example would be a combination of macros that when strung
together make up 'G3ZVW de G7TWC GA STEVE UR RST 599 HW?'
where 'STEVE' is inserted from a {NAME} macro. The {NAME} macro
matched the callsign G3ZVW,which returned the name and this was
included . If the {NAME} macro finds no entry for a callsign , no name is
returned and the combination macro will be sent without a name.

Tracking Band and Frequency

Depending on your make and model of radio and which software you
are running, you can interface it to the software so that it knows what
frequency and mode you 're on. This information then goes in to the
log entries , so that the contacts are logged against the correct band
and mode.
This is usually done via Computer Adied Transceiver (CAT)
control. Basically, it's a serial port on the back of the rig (although
sometimes you require a module to do this, as on older transceivers
such as the FT-10000). You connect the CAT cable to the serial port
on the PC. If you only have USB ports, you will need an interface
module for this , either a Winkey or other comme rcially available unit
such as one from the Microham range.
Select the rig from the logging software (many packages sup-
port a wide range of rigs) and then the relevant information is sent to
the rig and back by the software, which has been written to interface
with the rig on many pieces of functionality e .g. PTT on/off, fre-
quency, sideband/mode, RIT shift, rotator info and quite a bit more.
What is supported depends on the software and the capabilities of
the rig. Check the software package, and indeed, check your rig, as
not all functionality is the same on all rigs.
CAT control is vital for clickable bandmaps populated by packet
spots , since if you click on a spot in the bandmap it can make the
rig change mode , frequency and even band to go to the spot.

Sending the Time

Some contests (e.g. the BARTG RTTY) requi re you to send the time
in UTC as part of the exchange. This is usually a macro, and may
differ from package to package, so please consult your manual for
the macros required.

33
Computers in Amateur Radio

Rotator Control
Some packages can control antenna rotators. You need to investigate
this based on your requirements and the model of rotator you have.

StepplR Control
Some logging software packages can communicate with a StepplR
controller. You need to investigate this based on your requirements. A
good starting point is whether the software supports CAT control. If
yes, then can it send this info to the controller unit? It also depends on
the model of rig you have. Although it is not the only package to
support this function, N1MM is known to support Yaesu FT1 OOOs with
StepplRs attached.

Operator Statistics
For multi-operator stations, some software packages support operator
statistics. If you can set the operator's call in the software (separately
from the callsign being used on the air) you can create statistics based
on an operator's on-time, to see the rate and how some operators
performed or how the band shaped-up during their turn at the helm.
Naturally enough, to do this the software needs to know which
operator is on the air. Check the instructions of your package on how
to change the operator callsign .

Peronal Audio Files

Some software packages can be configured to use specific audio files ,
depending on which operator is on the microphone. As long as you tell
the software which operator is on , the files that correspond to the
operator are played.

Data Modes
There are various software packages out there for data mode operation.
Many modes exist, new ones are being created from time to time and
there are variations on themes (e.g. BPSK63 and 125, MFSK 4 through
64, Olivia 500). As a starting point, let's assume you want to know how
to get these on your PC when hooked-up to your rig.
For modes such as RTTY and PSK31, the simplest way is to get
your PC to generate the audio tones and connect the audio to the rig
either via the 'Patch' port or via the microphone socket. The rig is set to
go into transmit a fraction of a second before the audio plays (using the
PTT command line keying over a serial or LPT port), and the rig trans-
mits the audio that is fed to it. This is known as Audio Frequency Shift
Keying (AFSK).
Alternatively, some modes can be generated by radios natively
(e.g. RTTY, packet), in which case you basically tell the radio when to
go into transmit and what (but not how) to transmit. This is called

34
 Logging Software

Frequency Shift Keying (FSK).

You will need macros to send the relevant messages and you will
need to read the instruction manual on your software package to set up
those macros .
See the tab le at the end of this chapter for a list of packages that
support data modes . Note that many packages do not support data
modes natively, but are able to interface w ith external modu les that
do. e .g. N1MM w ith MMTTY (for RTTY) and MMVar i (for PSK and
RnY). FLOigi and MixW are dedicated pieces of (paid) software that
handle a wide range of data modes very well. In add ition to the
packages liste d , others are ava ilab le.

Packet Radio
Packet Radio is still alive and well on VHF/UHF, but these days the OX
Clust er can also be accessed via the Internet. The Internet brings you
the c luster faster than ever, and in many cases it ca n popu late a
band map (a panel on-screen showing you what stat ions are on what
frequ ency, in frequ ency order, and can often colour code entries for new
countries/zones/p refixes etc).
If you wa nt, post ing OXsp ots can now be do ne en masse from
you r pack age, merely by enabling a sett ing that posts all QSOs from
Search & Pounce mode (QSOs made where yo u we ren't the station
ca lling CQ) to the cluster.
Many loggi ng packages now include packet OXCluster functional-
ity. Look in your manual for Pac ket access using Telnet, to see if acc ess-
ing th e OXCluster is su pported.

Warn ing :When it comes to the sett ing-up of filters , OX Cluster com-
mands can be very complicated .
Note : Not all software packages support networking, so this doesn't
always work .
Tip : See belowforsimplifying Packet use using AR User (aka
VE7CC) software .
Tip: If the list of Internet packet clusters on your package is small,
you can supplement it with the file of additional clusters from
http://www.dxcluster.info/tel netlindex.php (if this link doesn't
work, look on the Internet for "list of dxclusters").
Tip: Assuming you are contesting or even casually operating,
some contests have Assisted entry categories (i.e. the use of
Packet/OX Cluster use). By having access to the OXCluster
you can find out about additional contacts and/or multip liers
from the OXCluster during a contest, discover what frequency
they are on and jump to them, often by just clicking in the
bandmap (if available) .

35
Computers in Amateur Radio

Advantages
• You can find extra multipliers to work, boosting your points
.You can find extra stations to work, e.g. ifthe band seems dead , you
may want to listen on a spotted station's frequency and see if they
appear out of the noise for you to work them when you wouldn 't
otherwise have known they were there
.Some software packages populate a bandmap and may allow you to
click on the spot to take you to the frequency and pre-fill the callsign
box , ready for you to work them
.Spots can be posted in near-real time for you to see ('near-real
time', because the spots may take some time to transfer around the
Packet network)
.It is mirrored on the Internet, so even if you don't have access to a
VHF Packet cluster you can still access it (see the Tip below). The
Internet is usually faster than the Packet network and you can ask for
a backlog of spots quickly or set filters on the spots you receive
• Even if you can't hear a spotted station, it can indicate that propa-
gation is around, e.g. if Belgians are hearing Italians on 6m it may
be possible that the Sporadic-E cloud will reach the UK's Eastern
shores soon
.You can set filters on the spots, so you only receive the mode/band/
multipliers you want, e.g. you may only want 80m stations from G
who are working CWO This is fiddly to do, but possible. (see the Tip
Make using the cluster over the internet easier below)

Disadvantages
.Spots can be posted from anywhere, e.g. a US station spot might
spot a VK on 80m , but you're in England in the daytime you have no
chance of hearing or working the VK, so it is not helpful to see this
type of Spot.
• Being on the cluster is no guarantee of you being able to hear the OX.
• 1n remote locatio ns, you may have no access to the Internet or the
OXCluster.
• The lang uage used by the OX Cluster for you to set filters, send or
force an update of Spots can be fiddly (see Tip: Make using the
cluster over the internet easier below)
• OX Spots can be wrong - callsigns incorrect, as and as transposed,
letters typed in the incorrect order, etc . Watch out especially for
missing '/P' in Spots, which can affect your score as portable stations
are worth extra points in some contests . In short, rely on your ears,
not on the screen.

Mobile DXClustering
Now that many mobile phones have GPRS or 3G functionality, the
Internet is available wherever you go (subject to coverage), so you can
use your phone as a modem for you r computer. For more info on this ,
consult your phone provider or search on the Internet.

36
 Logging Software

Note: There may be costs associated with data usage , so consult

your provider and know your tariff. Be especially careful when
abroad, as data charges can be astronomic and are usually
not covered by your monthly tariff.

Bandmaps
If you are connected to a Packet cluster (whether over the air or via the
Internet) you receive the Packet Spots. Some logging packages popu-
late these spots on to a graphical representation of the band , known as
a bandmap. Depending on the software you use , this may be clickable,
so you can click on the Spot on the band map, the rig changes to the
required mode and frequency and maybe you get to work them. This is
a good way to pick up points if they are a new multiplier.
An example from N1MM is shown in
Fig 3.2. The colours of the callsigns x
represent different things: red = multiplier
needed, green=double multiplier 28500.00 I SH/DXI Wide'
needed, blue=station needed but not a 0.00 RII XII USB Fig 3.2: N1 MM
multiplier, grey=station already worked . bandmap.
If you have use a Telnet Packet 28440
Cluster, to set filters up is hard work and
28445
fiddly, and you need to know how to set
them in a lang uage that the cluster 28450 T77C 128'
understands.
28455
Instead of connecting the logging
software directly to the Cluster, we put a 28460
program in the middle to do all the
28465
customisable filtering. A powerful pro-
gram to do this is AR User software (aka 28470
VE7CC), available from www.ve7cc.net.
28475 IK4.t..DE 133'
Once installed, you connect AR User to DL9NEF 91 '
your chosen cluster, but now you can set 28480
the bands and modes you want and
28485
don 't want, or which continents or coun-
tries you want/don 't want to see spots 28490
from. This is done via a graphical inter-
28495
face, so it is much easier to use.
This information can then be sent
internally through your PC to the logging 28505
UA9AOZ 60'!:!
software, often using port 127.0.0.1:7300. 1B1AB 180'
In your logging software , e.g. N1MM , 28510 RM4HH/A 67'!:!
RASWNN 63' !:!
point the cluster address to IP address
28515
127.0.0.1 port 7300. In simple terms , all
network traffic is sent withi n the computer 28520
so that another piece of software (your
28525 G3KIP 146'
logging program) can see it.
You need to leave AR User software L..-=:28::.:5c.::.30~ ---,

37
Compute rs in Amateur Radio

P3 CW Skimmer running and logged on to a OX Cluster in the

bac kground while you use your logger. Any
v act ion you take on the logger software will run
@ the command for you on the AR User software,
r CQ LZ9W e.g. pressing 'SH/OX' on your logg ing software
0J8 0 gets you the most recent spots from the
&- K5NZ
8 cluste r, with AR User do ing the filter ing for you .
O-- CQ K 1TR ~ All th is depends on which logg ing soft -
ware package you are using .
o--CQ I R 2 C ~

036 Io-- CQ KOSR ~

8
CW Readers
8
g--- CQ KI RU
o-- NGAW

o
~ CQ IZ5A ~
r.-- CQ HC8N ~
<>---YU7KW
o
034
1
- 0-- CQ EA618~

8 - CQ WK2G
OJ3 } - CQ N2YO ~
- 0 - CQ CIlEN ~

O- CQ 5.IIW [>
~ CQ CU2A ~

Fig 3.3: CW
Skimmer can
decode
hundreds of
signals
simultaneously.
The usual
limiting factor is
the bandwidth
sent to it.

The Great CW Skimmer Debate

Whilst there are opponents who believe that this kind of technology is

38
 Logging Software

the death-knell of radio, in past generations there have been those who
said that about SSB when AM was commonplace, or when FM was
introduced, or even when electricity was invented! You don't have to
move with the times; you can log with pen and paper if you want. Sure
it presents more options , but it doesn't replace using your ears.
Incidentally, the CW Skimmer idea is not new. Write Log software
has had similar functionality for years, allowing users to decode CWon
or around their frequency in to plain text, albeit not a whole band
simultaneously.
CW Skimmer is available at jwww.dxatlas.comjCwSkimmerj (trial
version) and costs US$75 for a full licence.
Note that use of Skimmer in CQ Magazine contests (CQWW,
CQWPX etc) puts you in to the Assisted category.

Decoding CW
Althoug h not a contesting piece of software, there are pieces of software
that help operators with poor CW skills to be able to 'listen' to (or
realistically 'watch') and decode CW signals by transcribing what it
'heard' into text on screen. One such package is CWGet, available at
www.dxsoft.com/en/products/cwgetl ($35, -30, unlimited free trial).
Basically, you connect the audio from the rig's AF out or similar to
your PC's line in or mic socket and let the software decode what it hears.

Advantages

.Allows non-CW operators to operate CW by decoding CW signals

.Allows non-CW operators to work Search & Pounce effectively, by
being able to decode the station they are trying to work over a series
of QSOs with other stations, and then jump in to make the contact as
they know what serial number to expect next. This makes CW less
daunting and allows unskilled operators to take their time. This
method has been known to work well enough to win certificates in
contests such as WPX CW, which has enough categories to accom-
modate casual, inexperienced operators .
• Clear or strong signals can be decoded easily
• Works best, in the author's experience, when in QRS Corral, i.e. the
slow speed section of a contest band (if there is one), as stations
coming back send relatively slowly, giving it more time to adjust the
listening position ofthe software (see disadvantages, below).

Disadvantages

.If you have a contesting package open, you need to also have CWGet
open to view it. This may use valuable real-estate on your screen .
• When you click on CWGet it is the PC's focus, the loggingjcontest-

39
Computers in Amateur Radio

ing package is no longer the PC's focus . If you want to then send
something from the contesting package you first need to make it
active, which involves an extra mouse or key press, (e.g. ALT-TAB to
toggle the focus in Windows) or click the mouse somewhere on the
contesting software screen to make it active. This can lose you
valuable seconds.
e CWGet is not so good if you are COing, as stations don't always
reply to you on the frequency or at pitch you are listening for. To
cater for this there are AutoGTM or GoToMax buttons (used in con -
junction with AFC functionality), but it takes a moment for the AFC to
act, so you may lose the start of the callsign .
elf you don't use AutoGTM or GoToMax, or even AFC, then you need
to click on the signal, which isn't instant because you need to hear or
see the station before you can click on it. Once again you may miss
some characters ofthe callsign.

-JLJ •
• -'!.J '
'-!LJ'
I : :::tJ
--1.LJ '•
r~ ':,~ no~Q50:....~- ~l/=
Q
I
a-,--._,-
, ~

, Uni qu e

,_.1' I 1\
1 , I, 'AI
1,-tL~~ hliD-r.
CwGcl V1.!iO
(tJ' "" 200S Slllg l i P ld* ;ya Ua , LlA')OV
llH ttlO llHIOHl lct H \l"~ blln~a"d d' ll etol
th' MlIohl.

l;t, d .!.J

1fj:;.·.. lNd"'3~

=
;~ -'-

r -
.,..>
iee
::J

Tip: If you position windows ofthe contesting softwa re around the

CWGet screen (asshown in Fig 3.4), you may be able reduce
the distance you need to move the mouse. This can be a precari-
ous task, which I have used to good effect. It doesn't eliminate
the focus issue, but it does reduce it.

Tip: To avoid the focus issue, you may wish to have two PCs
active, one for the logging software and one for CWGet, so
the PC is always focused on one task, i.e. the logging soft-
ware on PC1 and CWGet on PC2. PC2 doesn't need to do
anything else but 'listen' to the audio from the radio.

40
 Logging Software

Satellite Tracking

For those interested in tracking the positions of satellites, various pieces

of software can plot the course of satellites in orbit. Various tools exist
such as the free too l Gpredict (http ://gpredict.oz9aec .net/) and Orbitron
(www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Miscellaneous/Orbitron.shtml).
Amsat have a range of products advertised in their magazine and
a section dedicated to software at: www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/
software.php Kepler values to track satellite passes can be
downloaded from various sources, including (but not limited to)
www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/keps.php

General Resources

A multitude of maps for CQ and ITU zones, gr id squares, prefixes and

other useful tools are freely available from: www.dxatlas .com A vast
array of tools and article is available from: www.ac6v.com/software.htm
and: www.dxzone .com/catalog/Software/

Learning Morse

I have found useful tools such as Koch which incrementally build up your
morse alphabet in pairs of letters (free from: www.g4fon.net/
CW%20Trainer.htm).
To practice CW in a contest environment there is the excellent
Morse Runner (free from: www.dxatlas.com/MorseRunner/) or you can
try G4FON's Contest Trainer (www.g4fon.net/Contest_Trainer.htm). They
have adjustable speeds , replicate common macros used in contests and
have customisable noise and numbers of stations calling, just like in a
real contest. You can start with a nice loud signal with no QRM or QSS
and build up your confidence by working 'real' stations without fear of
judgment or other stations nearby drowning you out. No radio is re-
quired, as it's all done through the sound card.
A variety of Morse training software may be found on the CD that
accompanies this book.

Which Logging Package is Best?

This is a question to which there is no definitive answer. There follows a

grid for reference, so you can weigh up the pros and cons. It's not a
complete list of functionality, but a subset of what core functiona lity you
may wish your logging software to support.

41
01::0
I\)

Logging software packages and facilities

Softwar e Plattorm Co ot Support Mo de s Network s uppo rt p ac ket Enter Send s Wln key HF VHF CAT Not es
pac kaq e for mulli-op/mulll- s u ppo rt Mes s3g e (ESM) s u pp o rt s u ppo rte d
machine use mod e support

N1MM W indows Free Yahoo group CW Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Data modes require

feedback and SSB external modules, e,g,
wwwn lmmcom support forum. Data Packet MMITY/MMVari /MM PSK
Freq uent and
software version Telnet RSGB co ntests supported
updates (approx but UK VHF scoring
3 per month). is unsupported

Supports rotator control and

StepplR

Basic log for non-contest

operation provided under
module 'OX' or 'VHF OX'

For unsupported contests ,

'OXSerial' module supports
basic serial numbe ring conte sts

Widespread support for RSGB

co ntests

Customisable screen layout.

Frequent software updates

Responsive and co-operative

development team
 Software Platfo rm Cosl Su ppo rt Mode s Network support Pac ket Enl er Sends Win key HF VHF CAT N otes
package fo r mulli-op /mu lli- support Mess3go (ESM) s up port su pp orted
machlno use modo support

SD Wi nd ows Share- Pe riodic CW N N Y Y Y Y Y Softwa re supports UK

(HF logge r) ware upd ates SSB contests as standard and a large
(fro m by its SD SDV number of add itional contests
· 10) creator.
Aimed at single-op unassisted
SDV Free co ntest entrants. Does not
(VHF logger) suppo rt multi-op networked
station opertat ion

WNWej5dj com SDV supports RSGB VHF

contest scoring and
postcode multipliers

WriteLog vt t .x W indows US$30 Co nt esti ng. com CW Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Includes inbui lt CW and

per12 Internet SSB RTTY decoder
wwwwrjtelog com mon ths teedback and RTIY
support forum Minimum Windows 2000
required (for Vll)
(V10.9 Pe riodic
US$18) updates Third party plug-i ns available
by its creator. from: http://writelog.com/
downloads/third -party

TRLog DOS $60 or Online e-m ail CW Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Requires dedicated DVK

$75 reflector. SSB sound card to send audio
www trlac com initialiy, No new Rigs
$15/year ve rsions newer Does not use the internal
c-st oo since 2006 than the sound ca rds of modern PCs
lifetime (t ho ug h software
long history may not Works on PCs down to
of supp ort be supported 80286 spec (late 1980s)
and stability).

+:0
W
"'"'""

Logging softwa re packages and facilities

Softw~ro Platform Co st Su pport Modes Network s uppo rt Pncket Enter S end s Wln key HF VHF CAT Note s
packnge for multi-op /multl- s up po rt Messngo (ESM ) s up po rt s u pported
machine use mod e support

MixW Windows V2,x User suppo rt Data: N Y N Y y y N Widely supports data modes,
new via Yaho o (BPSK
wwwmixw net user groups. [PSI<], see see O livia mode plugin ava ilable via
US$70 QPSK, notes notes free DLL download from website
+tax FSK31,
RTT~ Version updates released
Upgrade MFSK, sporad ically (etten with same
from Olivia, ve rsion numbering)
V2.xto Hellsc hr.,
V3,x SSTV Poor packet spot intertace
US$SO Fax,
+tax Throb, V2 not integrated with a bandmap
(free if Amtor,
regis- Pactor, QRZ,com lookup suppo rted
tered MT63), via externa l drivers
over 10 SSB,
years- CWo Powertul. but tiddly to get started
on line
callsign Has a tendencyto merge macros
to check from previous usage , unless told
status) explicitly not to (not always desirable)

Export to Cabrillo not intuitive,

but is possib le

Customisable screen layo ut

Winkey not supported. but

Microham provide ded icated
instructions for their
product support at:
www.microham.co m/
Downloadsj MK_MixW_Setup. pdt

Telnet packet spot integ ration (V3)

but no link to band map. Bandm ap
not supported
 Software Plattorm Cost Support Modes Network support Packet Enter S ends Winkey HF VH F CAT Notes
package for mulli-op/mulll- support Mes s3ge (ESM) support supported
machine use mode support

Wlnlesl Windows .gJ CW Y Y V4+ only Y Y Y Y Runs on old-spec Windows

SSB mach ines (166MHz+)
y.NIIN w j n~t e st co m Upgrade RTTY V3.x not
fromV3 (via supported Has useful grap h for continents
·20 MMTTY worked over time, which can help
intertace) an operator know how
propagation is changing

Customisable screen layo ut

Ro bust networking

DX4WIN W indows V8 E-mail CW N Y Y Y Y Y Y Periorms bas ic customisable

$89.95 reflector . SSB contesting
www dx4w jo co m (less for PSK31
upgrad- RTTY Customisable screen layout
es from
previou Comprehensive awa rds track ing
versions

Logger32 Windows Free User CW Y Y N Y Y Y Y Although not cont esting software,

(not Vista) support SSB ser ial number functionality is
www logger32 net via RTTY supported for casua l ope rating
Yahoo (via in contests
groups. MM TTY)
PSK
(via
MMVa ri)

MMTTY Windows Free User RTTY N N N N N/A N/A Y Althoug h this can be used as a
support standalone piece of softwa re,
bllpJL via See it can also be used as the data
mm hamsoft ca Yahoo note s engine for other packages. e.g.
groups. N1MM, which allow greater
networking and packet
funct iona lity.

~
U1
,f>o
OJ

Logging software pac kages and facilities

So ftw a re Platform Cosl S up po rt M odes Network support Packet Enter Sonds Wi nkey HF VHF CAT N otes
packaqe f o r muill-op/mulll- support Mess3ge (ESM) s upport su p ported
ma ch tne use mode support

MMV3ri Windows Free Use r RTIY N N N N N/A N/A Y Altho ugh th is can be used as a
support PSK standalone piece of softwa re.
http' //mmham via FSK See it can also be used as the data
soft a mateur- Yahoo MFSK notes eng ine for other packages. e.g.
radio ca/MMyari l g roups. N t MM. whic h allo w grea ter
network ing and packet
funct io nality

JV C omm 32 Windows £49.98 Bye-mail HF-FAX N N N N N N N Rece ptio n-o nly too l for mon itoring
but to its weather HF utilities I amateur radio data
www pervjse ll demo creator. images ,
com/download vers ion SOUS Tx available fo r ham users with
also RTIY ca llsig ns
Lroo1eJJlm
SYNOP
NAVTEX Su pports Windows 7 including
SSTV 64-bit . but not Vista

Min spec PC, 166MHz

H3m Had lo Wi ndows Free Via on line for um Alilhe N Y N Y Y Y Y Software is essent ially a graphical
Oe lu xo(HRO) XP or w ithout ht1p://forums modes front end for yo ur rig
an d 0 lgl131 better support .ham-rad io .ch/ ava ilab le but mu ltip le OXClus te r
M3sl er OM-780 or ind ivid ual on your sessions over the Includes sate llite tracking,
Mac unde Approx support with rig can run interne t rotator support data modes
WWw ham-rad io VMNareo US$80 subscription mult iple (OM-780 softwa re), log boo k,
-deluxe co m! Parallels w ith OM-780 instances awar ds tracking
support module of rigs
subs- supports Advanced con test logging not
cr ipt lon , a large supported. but ad ho c co ntest
plus free number contacts can be Jogged w ith
upgrad of data cont est information
toV6 modes
when
available
 Software Plaffo rm Cost Su ppo rt Modes Network support Packet Enter Sends Wlnkey HF VHF CAT Notes
packaqe for multl-op /multl- support Mess3ge (ESM) support supported
machine use mode support

FLd lgl Windows Free Bye-mail CW,SS B N N N N Y N Y Powertul progra m that wor ks
MacOSX tothe PSK across platforms
~ Linux development RTIY
FreeBSD team THROB Wide variety of modes supported
~
LEJ.djgj.b1ml Hell
Olivia Supports contes ting
MFSK
Thor Modu lar installation of rig oontrol
MT63 and oth er ad ded functionality,
Domi no based on user's needs.
Thro b
Domi no Plug ins available for DXCC, LoTW
WEFAX tracking , and eQSL tracking and
SITORB integration

M inos Windows Free Onli ne forum Log s N N N N N Y N Simple yet powertul offl ine
95/98/ME/ (o pe n SSB, VHF/UHF /SHF logger fro m
bttp"Umjnos XPNista source) CW& GOGJV (previo us DOS VHF
FM logger a uthor)
herlills.de
Lun ix QSOs
(under RSGB VHF contests supported,
Wine) inc luding pos tcode multipliers

Excellent callsign and locator

part-m atching from previous
QSOs in previous logs , to
suggest callsign and/or locator

Logs can be output as .kml files,

showing QSOs overlaid on
Goog le Earth

Supports CTY DAT

Multiple con tests can be run

simultaneously, allowing different
exchanges to be logg ed for each

~
~
Computers in Amateur Radio

4.
Antenna Modelling
by Ian Birkenshaw, G4UWK

Introduction

The average computer-literate radio amateur might initially ask why he

should bother with antenna modelling, not being an antenna designeror
guru. However, every amateur is faced with limitations imposed by real
estate, available supports, planning permission from the XYL, neigh-
bours or local council and will want to maximise the radiated signal from
his QTH within these restrictions.
Antenna modelling using a home computer can answer many
questions, particularly in comparing one possible antenna against
another. It can also answer questions about the real performance avail-
able from commercial antennas, often described in glowing terms by
manufacturers or suppliers.
All antenna modelling software likely to be of interest to the typical
amateur is based around a modelling system called 'Numerical Electro-
magnetic Code version 2' or NEC2. This was created in 1981 by the
Livingstone Livermore Laboratories in California, the original client being
the US Navy. Initially the system was classified , but over the years
became available for general use. Originally written in FORTRAN, the
code has been translated over the years for use by the Microsoft Win-
dows operating system.
An intermediate version written in BASIC for early PC's called
MININEC also exists , but has a number of problems due to it being a
cut-down version of NEC2.
NEC2 works by breaking the radiating elements of the antenna to
be modelled into small portions called 'seg ments' and summing the
overall electromagnetic radiation from the current and phase on these

48
 Antenna Modelling

segments to produce the actual radiation pattern in a mathematical

process called 'Method of Moments' .
Readers with a strong physics or maths background may like to
peruse the original design methodology. It is available on the Internet at:
www.nec2.org
A number of antenna modelling software packages are available
based on NEC2. Some ofthese are freeware and some have to be
purchased. It should be stated that the original NEC2 software is far from
user friendly. It was written for professional antenna designers using
mainframe computers and requires considerable additional add -ons to
make it more intuitive and easier to use .
All versions define models on a 3-axis grid, X and Y orthogonally in
the horizontal plane and along the Z axis vertically. Some knowledge of
basic geometry (sine, cosine and tangent) is essential to model with
NEC2.
All antenna elements are defined as wires made up as a number of
segments.
A more powerful version NEC4 is available, with additional features
beyond NEC2. This still has a restricted security status and requires the
user to obtain a licence before purchasing the actual software as part of
an antenna modelling package. Unfortunately this costs several hundred
pounds and would only be of interest to the serious antenna designer.
A list of available NEC2 based antenna modelling software is
detailed in Table 4.1.
Product Supplier Web Site Free
Name Demo
Version?
4nec2 Arie Voos http://home. ict.nl/-arivoors/ Freeware
Nec2Go Nova Plus http://www.nec2go.com/ Yes Table 4.1: NEC2-
Software based antenna
EZNEC V5.0 Roy Lewallen http://www.eznec .com/ Yes modelling
W7EL software.
NEC - Win Nittany http://www.n ittany-scientific .com No
Plus Scientific

It is left to the reader to select the appropriate package for them-

selves. They all do basically the same job and any of them will require
an investment in time to get familiar with the features. Obviously the
software available as freeware or as free demo will be more attractive.

Practical Example

We will now model a real life antenna, the popular G5RV multi-band
dipole, complete with transmission line feeder to show how it is done.
We will use the NEC2-based EZNEC program for this .

49
Computers in Amateur Radio

EZNEC is de-facto the amateur standard antenna modelling

package, and is relatively easy to use . EZNEC stands for Easy NEC! It
is available as a download or CD and runs on Windows version 98. ME,
2000, Xp, Vista and Windows 7.
The standard EZNEC V5.0 has a 500 segment capacity; the larger
EZNEC+ V5.0 has 1500 segment capacity, allowing more complex or
accurate models. These versions have to be purchased .
A free download demonstration version with a maximum of20
segments is available from the EZNEC website .This is also supplied with
the ARRL Antenna Handbook on its accompanying CD. The free demo
version can be used for the example about to be described, but the
number of segments will be restricted to 19 rather than the 51 used . This
results in inaccurate feed impedance and SWR values above 10 MHz.
However, if this limitation is accepted, the radiation plots are similar.
The capability to model with more segments allows more complex
models to be analysed but be aware that processing time increases
with the numberofsegments used.
It is impossible in this short chapter to show all the bells and
whistles available or all the caveats inherent in NEC2, but the hope is it
will wet the appetite of the reader. A full 185-page manual is available
from the EZNEC website.
Fig 4.1 shows the Desktop Icon for EZNEC. (Ver-
Fig 4.1: EZNEC sion EZNEC+ V5.0) Double clicking on this produces the
Desktop Logo. main EZNEC Control Centre screen - Fig 4.2 .
This has a top menu, a left hand toolbar with but-
tons and to the rig ht of th is another toolbar with buttons.
EZNEC does not allow you to start with a blank canvas, rather one
of the pre-loaded example models needs to be opened and modified
to suit the antenna to be modelled. After that, EZNEC always starts up
with last antenna modelled. This is automatically saved under filename
'LAST.EZ' when the program is closed. The pre-loaded models enable
the first time user
(i I .d.QI~
Fie Edt OptIons (MpW setups VIew Woties ~ to find what each
> Back ,"'d dipole menu item does.
.~ S.veA s, - FrFijeeq u ency
--2...
LAS T.EZ
14MHz Simple models of
AntNote. W.ve length 70255111
- 1 Wire.11 segments
the basic antenna
C"' enl. J-2.- Wire s
Sour ce s 1 Source types, dipo les,
SIC Dot ~
Load Dot l oad s
J-2.- Tran oLoad'
s Line ; o TJo/$osmi
s soo Lines yagis, and full
FFTob ~
J-2.- lTran dormers oT(&)sformers wave loops are
~ t.z, Net works OU lelWOlb
I. ~ Groun d Ty pe Re. lIMltliNE C included in the
V_Anti J-2.- Ground Oes c rip 1 MeclUm(0.0303.20)
.2- preloaded library.
Wif e Loss Zero
~
Fig 4.2: The ~ Units Feet Click 'File'
Pial Type Elevation
EZNEC Control tlEC·2 ~ Azimuth Ang le
~ ~ Step Size
o Deg and then 'Open'
Centre Window J-2.- Ref l ev el 1 Deg.
and look for
~ o dBi
with the sample
J-2.- All SWR 2 0 75 ohm' 'BYDipole' in the
model BYDipole > Dele Options
opened.
list of supplied

50
 Antenna Modelling

Fig 4.3: The

Wires Window

• '
No
x
b
''''' ...
,0
- -- for BYDipole.

example models. Left click on this, then click 'Open'. The Control
Centre window reveals we have opened the model file BYDipole .EZ
which is a 'Back yard Dipole' for 20 metres at a height of 30ft.
Click 'Wires', which opens the Wires definition window- Fig 4.3.
The single wire dipole is defined as a wire with End 1 and End 2 xyz
co-ordinates. The wire is 12 gauge bare copper and is 33.43 feet long
at a height of 30ft with 11 segments. The Wires window is where the
antenna to be modelled is defined as a series of wires . We will be
using only one wire, but more complex models will need many wires
and it can be a tedious process to correctly define all of them . Certain
tools are provided under the Create function to more easily define
structures like radials, loops and helixes.
Note the last two columns, dealing with insulation. This allows
antennas with plastic coated wires to be modelled. The effect of the
coating is to slightly shorten the required wire lengths compared to
bare copper.
We will now turn this 20m dipole into a 102ft G5RV dipole, made
of copper wire, 0.1-inch diameter, complete with a 20m A.j2 feed stub
made of 450-ohm open wire feeder. We will then examine the radiation
plots and feed -point impedances at the bottom of the feeder.
Fig 4.4 shows the Wires window, modified to create the model of
the G5RV.
Fig 4.4: The
I'7Stoor \ll".~ Wires Window

o
'''''Z OIl
--+"
e- x
o
I y

-t"
"'-
EI'd:!
Z I
I"
e- - edited for the
G5RV. If the Free
Demo version is
used, the number
We have changed the length to 102 ft, the number of segments of segments
to 51 (19 if using the free demo version)and the wire diameter to 0.1- should be 19.
inch. To change these parameters, simply highlight each value to be
changed and type in the new value. Close the window when finished.
The new values are automatically saved.
Note we have used an odd number of segments. This is neces-
sary with NEC2, to allow connection of feed points, or in this case
transmission lines to the exact centre of the dipole.
We will now add a 20m A.j2 450 -ohm ladder-line in the Transmis-
sion Lines Window. We need a half wave long line at 14.175MHz
made from 450-ohm ladder line with a Velocity Factor of 0.9 . This is
32.23 feet long. Real life transmission line losses are 0.082dB per
100ft at 10MHz.

51
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 4.5: Blank T_ _ I.IIM

Transmission zu
~
\Ih.. [l'IftS~Poa
2:(_£1
EndUd End2
,f~ £I..",..1
PIlI
: ". . [1
EndlAd
ll:f_ El I
L Vf A.",,,",- l..on

"'"
Unewindow.
Click on the Trans Lines button in the Control Centre window to
open the blank Transmission Line window - Fig 4.5.
We now enter the required transmission line parameters. End 1 of
the line is in the centre of Wire 1 at 50%. End 2 would normally be
another wire defined in the Wires window. However, to make life simpler,
we use an EZNEC specific shortcut and use a 'Virtual wire' (v1), which
does not require a physical location to be defined.
Fig 4.6 shows the completed Transmission Line Window. Close
the window.
Fig4.6: The
Transmission Na End l S Pal.

Line Window Wi d ' fKlllE 1

completed for ·w 1 - so 10

the G5RV.
Note that EZNEC V5.0 has a transmission line calculating engine
built in, which will calculate the transmission losses for any given fre-
quency and subtract these when calculating the antenna model gain .
Impedance transformations down the line are also calcula ted.
We now move the source from the centre of the wire to the virtual
wire at the far end of the transmission line.
Open the Sources win dow. Change the Specified pos from wire 1
to v1 - Fig 4.7.
Fig 4.7: The
Sources Window
completed for IV.AI

the G5RV.
Note we are using a 'Current' type source with amplitude of 1-amp .
Click on OK to close the window.
We will now change a number of other model parameters to bette r
reflect real life conditions.
Click on the Ground Type button . In Real Ground Types , click on
the High Accuracy button to change from MININEC ground - Fig 4.8.
The High Accuracy gound model is more accu rate than the MININEC
ground. Click OK to close the window.
The High Accuracy gound model takes into account losses
through the ground close to the
Ground Type .
I· ~i.
antenna, the MIMINEC ground does
II llk not. The downside is wires can not
be directly connected to ground with
r flee SplICe
the High Accuracy ground making
r fedoct
accurate modelling of vertical anten-
Fig 4.8: The r. Beo!
Ground Type Reo! G,ould T~. nas more difficult.
r. 1l9> Ac<uocy Click on the Ground Descrip
Window for the
r MININEC
G5RV. (Ground Description) button.

52
 Antenna Modelling

__ ,.. ...aJ2!I Fig 4.9: The

~
=;::===;;::~==;:==~~~~==:;;=;::==~=~;;===;::~
~No

~ ~:: :
The Cond (Ground Conductivity) and Diel Co nstant in the
:
Ground
Description
Window f or the
G5RV.

sample model are set to those for very good ground. To make the
model more realistic we will
change t hese parameters to II
those for average ground.
Change the Cond
Fig 4.10 : Ground
(Conductivity) value from Cond uct ivity Map
0.0303 to 0.005 Siemens per for the UK. The
metre. Change the Diel Const values are in
(Dielectric Constant) value milli-Siemens
from 20 to 13 - Fig 4.9 . Close per metre.
the window.
This changes these
values from those for good
gro und to average ground.
These may not be those
pertaining at any partic ular
amateur QTH, the only certain
way being to measure them.
However, an idea of the likely ground conductivity anywhere in the UK
can be obta ined from Fig 4.10. Also , http ://andycowley.net/ant!vmox/
gm.html has a useful colour map, showing ground conductivity in the
UK and a list of permittivity values for various soil types .
Commonly accepted values for conductivity and permittivity values

Ground Conductivity Conductivity Permittivity

Type (Siemens/m) (Milli-Siemens/m) Table 4.2:
Poor 0.001 1 5 Typical ground
paramet er s.
Averaqe 0.005 5 13
Good 0.0303 30.3 20

for good , average and poor ground are

shown in Table 4.2 .
r Zero
Click on the Wire Loss button , click on
r. ~ Fig 4.11: Wire
the copper button to change from zero loss r~[6ffiHSJ Loss windo w fo r
ll.k
- Fig 4.11 . Click OK to close the window. c: In the G5RV.
We are using copper wire and the resistive
loss needs to be taken into account in r UserOefned
calculating the actual antenna gain . Click OK R~ (ohm-ml 1174E~
to close the window. ReiPerme4bily r:-I
l - - -

Click on the Plot Type button and

change from elevation to 3D by clicking on the 3D butto n - Fig 4.12
(overleaf) . Click OK to close the window.

53
Computers in Amateur Rad io

The 3D Plot type allows 3D as

Fig 4.12: The
Plot Type window well as azimuth and elevation patterns
for the G5RV. to be displayed.
Finally, we rename the model
G5RV and save to filename G5RY.
In the Control Centre window,
click on the description title tile at the
Fig 4.13: The
Title window, top, (with 'Back yard dipole' in). In
changed for the the change window, type 'G5RV
G5RV. "to - Straight' - Fig 4.13, then click OK to
close the window.
On left hand toolbar, click 'Save As', change the filename from
'BYDipole' to 'G5RV', then click 'Save'.
We are now in a position to model the SWR and feed impedances
for each amateur band and plot the expected radiat ion patterns .
Click on 'View Ant' - Fig 4.1 4. This shows a simple representation

EZNEC+

- Fig 4.14: The

View Ant window,
showing the T- V1
1 I
G5RVmodel .
, -r-

I
@

ofthe physical antenna. Note the T, representing the transmission line

and v1, representing the so urce or feed-point at the end of the line . Note
the controls on the left hand side, which allow the image to be zoomed
, • • •• • ~~~=====I and spatially manipulated .This
III can be useful in a mult i-wire
E nteflr equency .,~H z. orO fOflm ~ Qk
Fig 4.15: The Set Check the 'Retcae' bo:x 10 I ~ ant~ 10 the new
frequency_
model, to see if all the wires
Frequency connect correctly. Close the
window, set to window.
14.175MHz. F'_IMH')~ rR _ Click on the Frequency
button . Change the freq uency
to 14.175M Hz, the exact centre freq uency for the 20m band - Fig 4.15 -
then click OK to close the window.
At this point those using the free demo version with a wire with only
19 segments instead of 51 will have
Fig 4.16: The
Segmentation ... E" ~ 1 got a Segmentation Check window,
Check warning ' Ztl' CO""" "" 50 contain ing a Segmentation Check
at 14MHz on the G5RV S I'~ 08102/2010 19 33 16 warning _ Fig 4.16. This indicates that
Demo version. ......·........ S'GM ElHATIOtlCH' CKWARtl"'GS········· the segment is too long for NEC2/
,---~~~~~..,...c.,~~~~"..,.......,I.. EZNEC to calculate the correct imped-

54
 Antenna Modelling

ance value. The

warning indicates EZHEC+ ver . 5 .0
that the seg ment G5RU St ,' ai gh t 08/02/ 201 0 1 9 :3 4 :57
length of 5.3684 --------------- SOURCE DRTR - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -
feet should be Fre quen cy " 14. 17 11Hz
3.34694 feet as a Sour ce 1 Uol t a g e .. 12 7 . 3 U at -2 1 .06 de q ,
Curr en t .. 1 A at 0 . 0 deg.
minimum. Close Inpedan c e .. 118. 8 - J 45 .7 5 ohn s Fig 4.17: The
Power " 118. 8 ua t t s
the window. SUR (S O ohn sys te n) .. 2 .7 91 ( 52 ohn sy st en) .. 2 .6 9 0 Source Data
EZNEC will simply Window, showing
do a best effort the feed
when calculating Impedance for
impedance and the G5RV model
SWR, but the at 14.175MHz.
values will differ from a correctly segmented model. The cure would
normally be to increase the number of segments but there only 20
segments available in the free demo version. Later in the chapter I will
produce a table showing the different values for impedance and SWR for
the 19 and 51 segment models as calculated by EZNEC.
Click on the 'Src Oat' (Source Data) button . This window shows the
feed -point impedance, SWR and other information for the G5RV at
14.175MHz. Fig 4.17.
Click on the 'SWR' button. Change the start frequency to 3.5MHz,
the stop frequency to 30MHz and the Frequency Step to 0.5MHz. Click
'Run'. EZNEC now calculates the SWR at the feed point (end of the
transmission line) from 3.5MHz to 30MHz in 0.5MHz steps and displays
the results in a useful graph - Fig 4.18 .
Note the dot pointer at 8MHz , which can be moved to each

, .. -
"
..JJ!.I.l! Fig 4.18: The
[0--,
'"
(;' !iOohrN

c 1d(52
"-"
INF : : : :
:
:
: : :
EZNEC+
:
SWR curve for
the G5RV Model,
orm,l J
from 3.5MHz to
1
=l
S(lUt(e ll
10 30MHz.

5
SWR

1.5

1.1
1
3.5 Freq MHz 30
r,..
'WR
I
."'"
1."
S-Uht:21Mdr?
·S09~ ·I:!023~=
SOu:c, I 1
zc
"'-
",,"Coe tl o1ge71117S 92 de')
-0 04185" 1° 1900
Rft lou 141 df1

55
Computers in Amateur Rad io

freq uency step .The impedance and SWR forthe se lected frequency are
detai led in the bottom left hand side.
As can be seen , the SWR around many ofthe amateur bands is in
fact quite high , not the 2.0 or less often expected. For the G5RV it is
normal pract ice to connect 50-ohm coax at the end of the open wire
feeder sect ion to connect to the transce iver (ideally via a choke ba lun).
Transm ission losses on the coax line, particularly at the higher
bands and with a longer length of coax , will be quite high . This can be
reduced by using open wire feeder or ladder line all the way to the
shack and a balanced antenna tuning unit, or placing a remote auto -
matic antenna tuner (AATU) at the base of the ladder line. Either solution
will resu lt in lower transmiss ion losses and is a better way of using the
G5RVthan the 'standard' method .
The SWR plot for any part icular amateur band can be looked at by
changing the start and end frequencies, and by adjusting the frequency
step to an appropriate value. Choosing a small step will take EZNEC
longerto produce results .
We will now plot the 30 radiation patterns for each of the main
amateur (non WARC) bands . Click the Frequency button and change
to 3.65MHz, the centre frequency ofthe 80m band . Click 'OK ' to close
the windows .
Click the 'FF Plot' button. EZNEC now calculates the 30 radiation
plot for 3.65MHz and displays it - Fig 4.19. Note that by click ing on the
'azimu th' or 'elevat ion' buttons then clicking the 'Show 20' plot button
we can change the view of the plot. Be careful with these 20 plots.
For the azimuth plot, the view depends on the elevation angle
Fig 4.19: The 3D
.
. .
Far Field Plot at
3.65MHz.
!r~t:"'~
!.J ""
rE~ Sk"*
EZNEC+

u -o
. :·L"-=-~"A. lUll

.:.1 '
I °Il
I .:.1 0
L' E

r S;1>ow20 Plol

defined by the 'Cursor Elev' slide r.

For the elevation plot, the view depends on the azimuth direction
defined by the 'Slice Azimuth' slider.
The 3.65MHz 30 plot shows most ofthe transmitted signal will
radiate at high elevation angle s , due to the relatively low antenna height.
This is fine for local QSOs, but not for OX. Close the window.
Repeat the procedure for other bands by changing the frequency.
Note that on 20M, 15M and 10M the radiation pattern is multi-lobe and

56
 Antenna Modelling

of lower elevation angle . In the model the antenna is lined up along the
y axis, assign ing a real life compass direct ion to the y axis and using a
Great Circle map will show the parts of the wor ld where the lobes will
maximise DX performance.
The 3D plots for 7.1Mhz , 14.175 Mhz, 21 .225 Mhz and 28 .5 Mhz
are shows in Fig 4.20 to Fig 4.23 . Note that at 28.5MHz a segmenta-

f1t [dl """'" ~r=--=:-=---------------------==-:::---1

EZNEC+
r ~!"~
r k' Ejrv Ske
Fig 4.20: The 3D
Far Field Plot for
o
. --~
..
7.1MHz.

Fit [dl ..... 0ptIcn

r-.::-
=-----------------------c=c-=~
EZNEC+
I ~~~-l Fig 4.21: The 3D

.~_L_.-~I
Far Field Plo t fo r
14.175MHz.
.;,J
I
I
.;,J

0pblnIr--=-
=-- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - ----c= = :----i
... t$:

I ~":
r ~ Sk e
....

r- E,... '.ik e
l z
EZNEC+
Fig 4.22 : The 3D
Far Field Plo t for
. ~~
21.225MHz.

r 5.how20 Pktt

57
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 4.23: The 3D

Far Field Plot for EZNEC+
28.5M Hz.
.1- .

r S-hcM2Df'bt

tion check on the 51 segment model will come up.

Table 4.3 shows the different impedance and SWR values derive d
fro the 19 segment and 51 segment models .

Freq 19 Segments 19 Segment 51 Segments 51 Segment

(MHz) Complex Feed SWR Co mplex Feed SWR
Table 4.3:
Impedance Impedance
Differences
between 19- 3.65 18/54 6.2 18/56 6.5
segment and 7.1 63/-158 9.9 63/-147 8.9
51-segment 14.175 120/-44 2.8 119/-44 2.8
modelling. 21.225 54/142 9.3 55/177 13.3
28.5 2501/1051 58.8 2733/-556 56.9

Finally in this example, we change the model from a straight dipole

to an Inverted-V and show that the performance of this type of G5RV is
vastly inferior to the stra ight version.

Fig 4.24: The

Wires window for
the Inverted V
G5RVModel. ' H OI
... ,.,
. ' _=t~<315l S
1
Y.,
,
,... ,,.,
30

.'o ----1:IJ
e-
j..... 1'
,.,
"'-
YOI

~~~=-1r
. ~11 1~ :
,... ,
z ., c.....
I~~
·~ O l
...
I~~
-- ,
1
Doole
as

''"" ""
...-
,....
.: ~~
,os

We start with the saved G5RV file.

The Wire Windows for the inverted-V format is shown in Fig 4.24.
Note that we have used three wires rather than two . There is a short wire
in the centre (1.2 inches). Th is gets around a well-known problem in
NEC-2, where wires meet at an angle. The ends ofthe Inverted-V are 3
feet above ground. In the Wires window, make the original wire 1 the
short wire , but change the number of segments from 51 to 1. Add the
two other wires , then close the window.
Change the description from 'G5RV Straight' to 'G5RV Inverted V'
and Save as 'G5RV Inv V' . That's it!

58
 Antenna Modelling

~ca ... 0ptInr=--::-=------- ------ ------~~.,___!

;J ;J EZNEC+
,...J
Fig 4.25: The
oiJ., .:J
View Ant Window
~ --.J
for the Inverted
~~=-jj 2
V Model of the
G5RV.

The 'Show Ant' window for the lnverted-V is shown in Fig 4.25.
Look at the 3D plot at 14.175MHz - Fig 4.26. We now have a
prominent lobe straight up, just right for picking up ionospheric noise
and possibly unwanted short skip signals. Note also that the six lobes in
the straight version have gone down to four. Use the Azimuth plot to
show that the gain in these lobes is well down on the gain in the lobes in
the straight model. Repeat for the 15m and 10m bands - it's the same.
The moral here is to not install a G5RV as an inverted-V! Unfortu-
nately, many amateurs will only have the one support, making the
inverted-V format the only one possible . Further modelling will show
better antenna solutions than the G5RV for these situations.

;i~ *"" OCltXftr-::'=--

- =-.=::--I
r. QIl EZNEC+
r~Sk.
r: Ejtv Sk .

Fig 4.26: The 3D

Far Field Plot at
;J 14.125 Mhz for
the Inverted V
.:J G5RV. The plot
has been slightly
rotated to better
show the
pattern. Note
the prominent
upwards bulge.
Conclusions
It has been shown how easy it is to model basic antennas using EZNEC.
In the process, some urban myths about the G5RV have been exposed.
From this it is hoped that readers will be encouraged into further
modelling . It can be quite addictive, if you get into it! There is also the
possibility of added interest, turning a model into reality and finding
agreement between the model and physical reality.

59
Computers in Amateur Radio

5.
Propagation Modelling
by Gwyn Williams , G4FKH

This chapter will discuss how computers can be used in the shack to better
the understanding of propagation .The topics will include information
gathering, pred iction production and beacon and ionospheric monitoring.
It would be frivolous to attempt a comprehensive list of places onl ine
where the various programs and information can be gathered. Instead, the
keywords should be inserted into a favourite Internet search engine and
this should be used as a basis for finding the required programs and
interesting sites . One example ofthis would be to insert 'Bartels Musical
Scales' into a search engine. One ofthe results will be ftp://ftp.gtz-
potsdam.de/pub/home/obs/kp-ap/music/This shows a list of files in which
the K, index is shown in a musical format. The files are in PostScript, but
free programs are available on the WWWto read and display them. This
is a little known gem in which the historic K, index can be viewed in orde r
to visualise or predict occurrences of ionospheric disturbances .
It is of co urse possible to replicate most of wha t will be shown in
this chapter without the use of a compute r,assu ming one has a scientific
calculator and all the necessary algorithms to do the work and of course
an awful lot of paper and even more time. I've been utilizing computers of
one sort or another for over two decades to produce propagation
predictions and nowfind the use ofthem indispensible. Let's continue
w ith a discussion on the type of information required so that we are
prepared forthe various data inputs our computer programs require.

Internet Information Gathering

It is possible and suggested that those interested reg ister with such
agencies as SEC NOAA SWPC and the Aus . IPS site. They will send

60
 Propagation Modelling

bulletins each day which include the basic propagation indices. For
prediction programs that utilise the VOACAP engine and its derivatives,
put 'predicUxt' into your search engine for the sunspot numbers. Ap and
K, indices can be obtained in the recommended fashion. The Solar
Terrestrial Dispatch site has a wealth of information and products aimed
at the understanding ofthe current activity on the Sun and its subse-
quent interaction with Earth's ionosphere. SIDC in Brussels also has an
interesting array of information and prog rams for users interested in
propagation studies. There are two other very important sites that are
commonly used in propagation research: the Rutherford Appleton
Laboratory (RAL), and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
RAL is designated as a World Data Centre, so all sorts of archives
and data can be found on the site. The section of most interest to those
of us interested in radio conditions now or in the near future is the
ionogram section. In this area ionogram pictures and ionogram data can
be found. lonogram explanations can also be found on the site. There
was also a detailed explanation in the May 2009 edition of RadCom. From
the ionogram data it is a relatively easy task to single-out a particular data
type and graph in order to better understand it. A simple line graph ofthe
F2 layer Critical Frequency (foF2) is shown in Fig 5.1 .
This graph shows the diurnal effect of the foF2 at the bottom of the
sunspot cycle and this time of year. The only real difference that will be
seen at the height ofthe sunspot cycle will be the frequency magnitude.
There are day-to-day and seasonal variations, for example during the
winter months the foF2 tends to peak around the midday period. The
Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) at 3,000km can also be found within
the sa me data set and will follow the foF2 graph because the two are
interlinked. The SOHO site on the other hand contains a large amount of
data sh?wn mainly as images ta ken from the various satellites that have

RAL - foF2 on 18/05/2009

F
7
6 Fig . 5.1: A graph
5 of RAL foF2 at
q
4
3 the bottom of the
~
2 sunspot cycle.
n 1
0
- rrr-n n 'TmT • crn~m

TIme

been put into orbit over the last several years . The site also contains a
realistic visualisation of the solar wind speed in the guise of a speedom-
eter. Utilizing this information as well as that from the ACE RTSW site , it
is possible to pinpoint the timings of such events as flaring and coronal
hole occurrences . Both ofthese later phenomenon adversely effect
Earth 's ionosphere and its ability to provide skywave communications.

61
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 5.2 shows one sunspot

group 11017 in the North Western
quadrant and a plage region in the
South Eastern quadrant. Plage
regions are areas ofthe sun that have
developed magnetically, but not
substantially enough to be consid-
ered sunspot groups. Sunspot group
11017 belongs to the new solar cycle
24, whilst the plage region belongs to
the old cycle 23. This is determined
by the polarity of the solar flux of the
leading and trailing areas. For this
solar cycle sunspot areas in the
northern hemisphere have negative
polarity leading with positive polarity
areas trailing, and the reverse for the
southern hemisphere. The polarity
flips for each successive sunspot
cycle. Occasionally during a solar cycle , a sunspot appears with a
Fig. 5.2: Soho
MDI image taken reverse polarity. This usually causes large-scale eruptions on the sun that
on 18 May 2009. can cause short-wave fadeouts, as well as widely dispersed aurora and
Ground Levels Events (GLE's).

Propagation Predictions Programs

There are many different propagation prediction programs. It would be

imprudent to include them all, so we will concentrate on just two;
REC533 and the W6EL Prop. packages . Both ofthese are gratis.

REC533
The October 1996 version follows the recommendation ITU-R. P.533 with
recommendation ITU-R P.842 incorporated .This version was compiled
by M I Dick and S M Harrison of RAL and H Sizun of France Telecom,
written forthe old DOS operating system. Soon after this date NTIAjITS
of the US Government took over the administration duties and con-
verted the user interface (Graphical User Interface (GUI)) over to Win-
dows. The output was also consolidated into a VOACAP type format,
which makes the program especially easy to manipulate programmati-
cally. This latter point, along with its inherent accuracy, has made it the
choice of propagation engine for the production of propagation predic-
tions for RadCom and other national society magazines.
When searching for this program, put 'HFWIN32 ' into your search
criteria and seek out the Greg Hand site. He is the person who con-
verted the original program and has since rectified any bugs. Greg is
now retired but still has an interest in REC533. From time to time he

62
 Propagation Modelling

• R£CSn Point-to-~t ~tI input • V~ 091)126W b~" Fig 5.3: The

E'. Bun 't',. ~to: tit1p I REC533 input
year 12009 Coe11l0ents ICOR (0 , 10) screen.
lIme 101 t0 24by 2 houos VT
Qro ups I "on th .. 5

o47E G4A"' H
3SU
I lanlmltl.er 517 SN SWtlPTx-flx I
Becewer 2000S 577 5E 388
Eelh Sho r t Dls tance:! : 9 7H km S Z1SNlIl 6 0 ) 6rn l.::l t1uth : 1 ~7 . 7deg I
Ereq(MHI) 1. 8 0 0 3 . 50 0 7 . 0 0 0 10 .100 14 . 0 0 0 18 .100 Z l.OOO 2 '1.900 2 8 .000 I
Sys tem UOl s e 'hn An g l e Req . Pel. Req SUR Ba ndv ldth
HS( -dBv) J .OOdee;, 50\ Z7dB 18 : I
I Mod uleM n I Plo d u i ll t a cn J.Dlpl1.tucte Rat to T l llle Vlndov f r e q ue n c y_ Vl nd o v
I
.l.nll loO' n1a- rJa n1a I
x ,A.nfenna • K1n x a x Des l qn Dl rectory\ r l 1ename .:s1:x !!odel !!alnBe aro Po ve r kV
1 2 3 0 0 .000 uaer \g1tkh.ant I a :c lP ' 2 3 1~7 . "7 0. 1000

~Anlenne. I uae r \QH k h.ant 32 8 . 6de g a .OOdS

Input Help I

posts a new version onto his web site. The new GUI can be se en in
Fig 5.3 and is the setup page .
The parameters are input by clicking on the labels on the left side
and answering the questions .The only information needed from the
Internet is the Smoothed Sunspot Number (SSN). All other questions can
be answered with regard to your situation. The aerial specified is one that
has been constructed fro m the HFant program that comes with the suite.
For the aerial, initially choose IONCAP #23 from the defaults directory.
After choosing the aerial, it should be remembered to point your aerial at
the receiver, 'at Rx' should be clicked on the received aerial dialogue and
'at Tx' should be clicked on the transmit aerial dialogue. To perform
predictions , click the 'Run' button at the top then click 'Circuit'. Close that
screen and click 'Run', followed by 'Graph'. Close that sc reen and the Fig 5.4: Part of
necessary output is now available by clicking on 'View' and either 'Circuit' the REC533
or 'Graph', as des ired. Fig 5.4 contains is a segment of the Circu it output. output file, used
fo r analysis.
There are instructions and manuals on the NTIAjlTS web site for

MAY 20 09 SSN = 1 2 . Pa t h
G4 FKH 3B8 AZIMUTHS <Short > N . MI . KM
51. 7 5 N 0.47 E 2 0 . 00 S 57 .75 E 1 27. 68 3 2 8. 5 7 5 24 6 . 2 9 71 5 .2
MIN ANG 3 . 0 DEG
XMTR 2 -30 ION CAP #23 [user \ g 4 fkh . a nt ] Az =1 27 . 7 OFFa z=3 6 0. 0 0 .100kW
RCVR 2 -30 I ONCAP # 23 [user \ g 4 f kh . a n t ] Az =328 .6 OFFa z=360.0
NOIS E - 1 45 dB W S ! N 50% of Da y s @ 27 d B in 1 Hz RX Ba n d wi d t h
Analog

17 19 . 6 1. 8 3.5 7 .0 10 .1 14 . 0 1 8 . 1 21. 0 24 . 9 28 .0 0 . 0 FREQ 10.9 18 .3 21.6

MODE
ANGL
-44 -1 6 7 - 59 -8 -13 5 - 35 - 3 4 - 2 0 - 3 9 -999 DBU
-87 -1 6 0 -61 -11 - 31 2 -72 - 64 - 2 5 - 5 3 -999 d BpW
- 41 - 1 5 0 -42 18 4 43 -2 7 -1 6 25 -2 - 9 9 9 S! N
0 .0 1 0 .0 1 0.0 1 0 . 12 0 . 01 0 .9 4 0 . 0 1 0 . 0 1 0 . 40 0 . 0 1 0.00 FS ! N
-4 1 - 15 0 - 4 2 18 4 43 -27 - 1 6 25 -2 - 9 9 9 SNxx

63
Computers in Amateur Rad io

~ ~
....
.. ~ !to..... u-.... t . . ~_ tto'f
1·...,loc.-ontor ..ed006
MAY 2009 SStl· 12 . Pat h
G4 FKli 388 AZIMUTHS <Sh o rt> rio HI. KM
5 1. 1 ~ IE 0 . 47 E 20 .00 S ,51 .15 E 127 . 68 328 . 51 5246 . 2 911 5.2
HIlI ANG 3 .0 OEG
~~ ~=5g ~g:1~~~ :n f ~~~ ~~ gH£g : ~ri~
1l0 I S E -145 dBW S/lI 50\ o f D.!I; Y~ @ 2 7 d B
I ~~: 5~~ I:~n g~~:;:5~g :g O. lOOk"
1 H: RX Ban dwidth
AA.!I; log

REC533
Signa l-to -uoi se
Hedla n Dec! 1e
IdB)
l L. )) L Ur - - HU r
- - r OT
- Mini mWD Maximum
Fig 5.5: SNR " - 9 01 . 0 0 45.00
Ii'" :0
output from the X
~ 18 -l-----1I-----7ft"'--+---+----+---I-'~-+__-_+ ccrx co.fhci9l'lt.a
REC533
program using
the same inputs
as previous.

10 1: 1<1
T , :ue (U T )
IiTIA/ITS

these programs , the manuals forVOACAP and IONCAP are valid forthe
understanding of REC533. The re is also a very good VOACAP Quick
Guide available from OH6BG, which explains the output ofVOACAP very
well and can be adopted for use with REC533 . The output segment
shown above is for 1700hrs in May 2009, for a circuit between Chelms-
ford , Essex and Mauritius; it is valid fo r 50% of the days in the mont h.
At t his time on 14MHz the Sig nal to Noise Rat io (SNR or SIN) tells us
tha t the received signal will be well above the noise an d the Medium
Field Strength at the Receiver (dBu) tells that we should be able to
hea rthe signal quite well. A figure of -14 and below for the dBu would
signify that the receive signal is predicted to be inaud ible . The SNR at
the receiver is dependent upon a num ber of factors, such as the aerial
and the q uality of the receive r, but as a general guideline CW signals
shou ld be audible at or above 27d B for experienced operators an d
pro bably nearer 35 to 40dB for inexperienced operators. A figure of
ove r 45 or 50dB is usually necessary for SSB reception . Wor king
th rough the output file in t his way will give a very good idea when the
circ uit will be ava ilable and at wh at signal level. The other output
method 'Graph' will provide most of the above information but graphi-
cally, as shown in Fig 5.5 .
This output shows that between about 1600hrs and 1900hrs,
14MHz should be open with an SNR of arou nd 40dB or so. However
you will need to verify the dBu by eithe r choos ing that parameter from
the 'Parameters' choice at the top of the screen or by going to the
'Circuit' output. The thick black line at the bottom which rises at about

64
 Propagation Modelling

0600hrs into a broken black line is the Lowest Usable Frequency (LUF)
and drops below 14MHz again at 1400hrs. When the MUF (the top most
th ick line) is below the LUF no signals are expected to be heard on the
circuit, therefo re, the island around 0500 to 1700hrs on 24.9MHz is really
not a reliable circuit before 1400 when the LUF is computed to be
above the MUF, 24.9MHz is also way above the predicted MUF. How-
ever, it is always best to check these possi bilities as these programs
produce predictions and in reality the pred icted MUF can be - and
occasionally is - exceeded.

W6EL Prop
Termln"IA Termina l B
Prenx or Locator l atitude PrefIXor Locator LatJtude
W6ELProp is quite a different ;DEFAULT- , 75 ] fJi- '- - - 42 21
- -
kettle offish, being not as compli- U"e Dellull I ~----.J
.
l ongl1.ude he DefaUlt
I r'LongJtude_

51 :(.1 fro Atlas I So. ct from ""as I

03 ~

cated or sophisticated as Name Name

En" 4anually I P-ilFKH _ _ =:J En'er Manually I ~on. ,~-ass-- I
REC533. Once the basic param -
eters have been input, it is a Date ,0 1/06109 Solar lndex ~ K Index rr-

simple matter to make predic- OK (F9) I Cancel I

tions . The package, written by

She ldon C Shallon, W6EL, is well
thought of by many radio amateurs . Whilst it does seem to have a Fig 5.6: The
tendency to overstate some of the predictions, its ease of use seems to W6EL Prop
prediction
mitigate these shortcomings . The main input screen is shown in Fig 5.6.
preparation input
The default information comes up automatically (once the defaults page.
have been input) and all that is necessary to input is the 'Prefix or
Locator', the 'Solar Index' and the 'K Index'. Clicking 'OK' brings up a
basic information screen containing distance and bearing etc . plus a
Fig 5.7: Part of
box to click to display the predictions. Part of the output is shown in the W6ELProp
Fig 5.7. It should be noted that the SNR display has been chosen, but it SNR output.

TERM I NAL A: 51.7 5 N 0 .47 E G4FKH Sunrise/Set: 0356/1957 UTC Bearing to B: 288.4 deg
TERMINAL B: 42.35 N 7 1.051'1 Boston, Ma ss . Sunrise/Set : 0918/0007 UTC Bear ing to A: 52 .6 deg
SSN : 13 .0 F l u x : 71.3 K: 1 Path Length: 5 295 km
SIGNA L-TO -NOISE RATIOS (dB)
UTC MUF 3 .5 MHz 7 .0 MHz 10.1 MH z 14 .0 MHz 18.9 MHz 21.0 MHz 28 .0 MHz
0000 17 .1 24 A 47 A 50 A 52 A 53 D 53 D
0030 17.0 37 A 49 A 51 A 52 A 53 D 53 D
0100 16.6 42 A 50 A 51 A 52 A 53 D
013016 .0 41 A 50 A 51 A 52 A 53 D
0200 15 .3 47 A 50 A 51 A 52 B 53 D
0230 14.7 47 A 50 A 51 A 52 B
0300 1 4 . 2 40 A 50 A 51 A 52 B
033013 .8 39 A 49 A 51 A 52 C
040013.7 34 A 48 A 50 A 52 C
043013.8 31 A 41 A 50 A 51 C
~~-------
2230 16. 3 -8 A 33 A 46 A 49 A 51 D
2300 16.2 9 A 36 A 47 A 50 A 52 D
2330 16.1 19 A 39 A 49 A 51 A 52 D

Av a il a b i l i t i e s A : 75 - 100 % B: 5 0 - 75 % C: 25 - 50 % D: 1 - 25 %
SiN s uppressed i f signal leve l below -10 dB relat ive to 0 . 5 u v or i f predicted availab ility is zero

65
Computers in Amateur Radio

C~II
DICISONDE
Stat ion WYY DAY DDD HlL'lM PI rT S S AXN PPS Ie" ps
Chilton 2009 JunOl 152 DDSO "1M 1 D15 200 10. Al
65 0 -r-'- - - - , -- - -- - - - - -- - - -- - - - -,
foF2 3. 900 .,
foF!
fOF lll
MI A
MI A 60 0
. n
:
"r ,-
foE MIA
fo E ~ .36
~x I 4. 70 55 0
"fOES 3.80
1.ln 2.25 500
" UF(D) 11 . 99
"(0) 3.08 450
0 3000.0
n' F 192 . ~
n 'F 2 MI A 400
n' E "/A
nr s 105 . 0 350
nor 2 3l9 .5
hoF! H/A
hoE 110 .0 300
Fig 5.8: RAL yf2 97. 2
yf 1 U/A 25 0 -
lonosonde y£ 20 .0
SO SO. 4
display for 1 81 5. 96 200
June 2009 at (- 1eve l 11
150
00:50hrs. Aut o :
Art i ~ t4 . 5 th.:i.J.:"4·"";Il'H,
~ .~os;:: ::.
100311 10 0

60 +----.-,-----. - ,-----.-,----r-,---r-,---r- ,--,--J

1 2 3 4 5 6 I 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
D 100 100 400 600 800 1000 1500 3000 [1<0)
HUF 4. 5 4.6 4. 1 5. 0 5.4 6.0 1.7 12 .0 [HHZJ
P10~..lOO9 1 secosooo NMN I 28fJ'fXIlBh I,Q ~'12: l;a C k. / ~- l RO\2 O~ I SI fa N 3\8 t f Ion...~ v I JO~

is also possible to show 'Signal Levels' .

As can be clearly seen, 21 MHz is predicted to be open between
0000 and 0030 for between 1 and 25% of the days in June . Unfortu-
nately it can be clearly demonstrated that this is not the case , as Fig 5.8
is an lonogram from RALshowing the MUF in the Chilton area.
The reported MUF at 0050 was 11.99MHz. Another program that is
available and will be discussed later, Proplab Pro III, corroborates this
analysis . That said, this program is more than adequate for showing

Fig 5.9: W6EL .......- . .·..-=.....iiiiUl=============:::::======::-:=====:=-

_.....
TERMINAL A.: 51. 7 5 N 0 .47 E G4FJCH Sunrue/Set: 035 6/1957 me
Advanced TERMINAL B: -12.35 N 71.05 W Boston, Mass . sunr.ue/Set: 0918/0007 UTe
SSN : 13.0 Flux : 71.3 K: 1
Output Page. UTe MtJF Freq S1.g dB SiN dB A......a1.1 Angle Hop Conhquratl.on
1 8 00 16 .3 10 .1 12 22 0.96 13 F-F- F
1 8 30 16 . 3 10. 1 14 24 0.99 13 F-F-F

I i~~~ ~~ :: i~ : ~ i; ~: ~ ::: ~~ ~=~=~

2 00 0 16.4 10 .1 19 29 0 .99 13 F-F-F
2030 16.4 10 .1 21 31 0.99 13 F- F- F
1 2100 16. 3 10. 1 23 33 0.99 13 F-F-F

I ~~~~ i::~ ~~ :~ ~; ~~ ~:~: ~~ ~=~=~

22 30 16.3 1 0. 1 36 46 1.00 6 F-F
2300 16 .2 10 .1 37 47 1.00 6 F-F
2330 16.1 1 0.1 38 49 1.00 6 F-F

0000 17.1 14 . 0 3' 52 0.89 F-F

\
I g~~~ ~~: ~ ~:: ~ ~: ;; g ::~ ~=~
~~~g ~~: ~ ~::~ ~: ;; g : ~~ 6 ~=~
0230 14.1 14 .0 38 52
0.63 6 F-F

I 03 00
0 3 30
14 2
13 .8
L.1ne not s hown
14. 0
14. 0
J,:t
38
38
52
0. 5 .1
52
0.44
sJ.gnal level below -1 0 dB
6
6
F -F
F-F
o r l.:t predicted. avaJ.labJ.lJ.ty 1.5 zero

Show Long Eath ! ~P by Time _ Close

Press F1 fo r Help

66
 Propagation Modelling

when and at what freq uenc ies to look for open ings to particular areas of
the world. Other output from this program includes graphical content
which unfortunately will not show very we ll in black and white and a
comp rehensive advanced feature showing the expected hop configura-
tions at the various frequenc ies, shown in Fig 5.9.
This screen depicts among other important parameters the number
of hops necessary to reach the dest ination and whether the y are via the
E or F layers. MUltiple E-Layer hops are common when Spo rad ic-E is
prevalent. It should be remembered that with multi -hop paths and when
Sporad ic-E is prevalent , it is possible to bounce a signal off the iono-
sph eric side ofthe E-Layer (on the sec ond or succ essive hop) , thus
avoid ing contact with the Earth and negating the losses involved there-
with. AII-in-all this is a program that it is well worth getting to know, it wil l
also assist in the basic understand ing of propagation predictions .

Beacon Monitoring Programs

This next set of programs use disparate methods to assist in the unde r-
standing of propagation .
So far LF and VHF/UHF have not been mentioned p er se . This is
because there is a distinct lack of propagat ion prediction programs
desig ned for these parts ofthe spectrum. In this section we will talk abou t
beacons and tools for monitoring them. These too ls, with the excep tion
perhaps of Spectrum Lab, also show a definite slant towards HF. Beacons
can assist us to ascerta in what part of the world is open for communica-
tion and of course more importantly, when. The NCDXF/IARU Beacon
Netwo rk is still perhaps the most important group of beacons for the HF
bands. Established by the North Carolina DX Foundation (NCDXF), in
cooperation with the IARU, it operates a worldwide network of high-
frequency radio beacons on 14.100,18.110,21 .150,2 4.930, and
28 .200MHz. Beacons are necessarily stable in two ways. Firstly they
should be stable in frequency and secondly they should transmit on a
timely basis . Mon itoring programs have differing ways of keeping an
accurate track oftime and this will be explained as the various programs
are examined . It would therefore be logical to start th is sect ion with a look
at what programs cater specifically for the NCDXF beacon network .

FAROS
This program was written by Alex Shovkoplyas , VE3NEA in 2006 , but
unfortunately it is not gratis. However, it is the best program that the
author has come across for monitoring the NCDXF beacon chain ,
whether free or not.
The NCDXF beacon network has eighteen beacons that utilize the
five freq uencies once every three minutes . For that reason timing is
paramount. Faros handles this by monitoring a number oftime servers
on the Internet. Consequently a broadband connection is necessary if

67
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 5.10: A ; DAT E= 2 0 0 9- 0 6 - 0 2

sample of Faros' ; UT C- - MHz - -Ca ll- -SNR ,dB-QSB ,%- Evidence-De lay ,ms
output text file. 13 : 15 : 00 14 4 U1UN -6.2 100 0 .20 50
1 3: 15: 1 0 14 VE8AT 7 .3 2 4 .25 34
1 3:1 5: 2 0 14 W6 WX -7.5 100 0 . 18 61
13:1 5 : 3 0 14 KH6 WO -7.4 100 0 . 10 1
13:1 5:40 14 ZL 6B -5. 6 100 0 .38 2 27
13:1 5 :5 0 14 VK 6 RB P - 6. 0 100 0 .24 33 5
1 3: 1 6 : 0 0 14 JA2 IG Y -6.4 100 0 .50 242
13:16:10 14 RR90 -7. 1 100 0. 10 - 18
13:16 :20 14 VR2B - 1 4. 2 100 0. 12 1 65
13 :16:30 14 4S7B - 6. 0 100 0.09 2 58
13 :16:40 14 ZS6DN -4.9 100 0.26 182
1 3:1 6: 5 0 14 5 Z4B -4 . 5 1 00 0 .48 43
1 3:17 : 0 0 14 4X6TU -1 7.5 100 0 . 15 189
1 3:1 7 :1 0 14 OH2B 11 .5 a 6 .77 25
1 3:1 7 : 2 0 14 CS3 B -5 . 5 100 0.28 41
1 3:17: 3 0 14 LU4 AA - 2 0. 0 1 00 0.0 5 -43
Fig 5.11 : The 13:17 :40 14 OA4B -7. 4 100 0 . 22 - 53
Faros Monitor 1 3:17 :50 14 YV5B -4. 9 100 0. 16 -51
screen showing
which beacons accurate results are required. The program will communicate with a
were heard on modern transceiver, changing frequency as required. There is very little
which bands in in the way of setup , just the normal questions to answer, such as home
the last 15 Latitude/Longitude , COM port and type of audio card. The prog ram
minutes. The then talks to the transceiver and logs the beacons when they are heard.
scrolling larger It has a very cleve r algorithm built in which very satisfactorily identifies
display on the the beacons from the background noise and interference and logs the
right highlights
information in text file . A file sample is shown here in Fig 5.10 .
the last 15
beacons heard.
All the beacons are recorded, whether or not they are audible. For

i ; f a ros 1.0 ~@
fie !'oW tjelp
I>
•
AlB..-.clo
)

14 18 21 24 28
4U1UN
• • •• •• •
VEBAT
•
YIfMX
•••••
KH6WO
••••• OH:
Zl68
•••••
VK6R8P
•••••
JA2lGY
RR!()
•• •• •• •• ••
VR28
4S7B
•• •• •• •• ••
ZS60 ~l
•••••
5Z4B
•• •• • • • CS3B
~l o
14 MHz
Siglol
4X6TU
•
OH28
• • •• • E -w.<. 0
CS3B
•... •• • • IR b_

LU 4AA
••• a8 100-
0A4B
••••• D 123 m
YV5ll
••••• F,_y 141 H:
h , , l 4. . .'

68
 Propagation Modelling

post reception decompos ition a method of analysis is required.

Wheth er it is wit h an Excel spreads heet or externa l program becomes
the user's choice. To ass ist in the visual isation of real-time reception a
disp lay is sho wn in Fig 5.11 .
Going back to the log file information it is on ly when the SNR,dB
is above 0 that signals are actually heard , also the QSB should be
much less than 100% and the evidence shou ld probably be around 3 or
more. During the per iod shown and on the freque ncy shown on ly two
beacons were heard; VE8AT and OH2B . The delay in milliseconds is
also of use . With this parameter it is possible to work out when the path
is via long -path (LP) as regards the more normal short-path (SP).I've
used this parameter for an extensive study ofthe ZL6B beacon which
comes in via LP during the early mornings from about November to
about March, the study can be found on the NCDXF web site. There are
other displays ava ilable as F.g 5.11 suggests but they do not render
down too we ll in black and white. It is poss ible to download the pro-
gram for a trial if required . An important application that the author has
written uses the output log from this program to prepare an Excel Table 5.1: Faros
spreadsheet ofthe output as shown in Table 5.1. computed output
The procedure to arrive at the spreadsheet output is quite in- in a spreadsheet
volved, but we are discussing the use of computers in the shack. The format. The
Faros output is firstly run through a PERL program that decides what figures
beacon reports are strong enough to be audible. The output from the represent
PERL program is in Excel format, so it is a simple procedure to then average S-point
numbers at the
add the file to an Access Database (the author has a 22569 record
various times.
database going back to Ap ril 2006) . It is then necessary to run an
Faros - NCDXF Beacon Ch ain Mon itoring - May 2009 by G4FKH

Tim e
QRG Beacon 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
14 4X6TU a a a 1 2 a a 1
14 5Z4B a a 1 a
14 CS3B 1
14 KH6WO a
14 OH2B 3 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2
14 RA90 1 1 1 1 a a 2
14 VE8AT 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 a a a a a a
14 YV5B a
14 ZS6DN a
ime
QRG Beacon 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 0 8 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
18 4X6TU a 1 a a a a 2
18 5Z4B a
18 OH2B 1 2 2 1 1 a
18 ZS8 DN a
ime
QRG Beacon 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
21 4X6TU a a a a
21 CS3B a
21 OH2B a a a a
ime
QRG Beacon 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 4X6TU a 2 1 2 1
24 OH2B 2 4 2 2
ime
QRG Beac on 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
23 4X8TU a 1 1
23 CS3B a
23 OH2B 2 2

69
Computers in Amateur Radio

Access 'Crosstab ' query that puts the output in rough ly the format
shown above . All that is then necessary is to smarten it up a little so
that it loo ks like the spreadsheet above . Now, what practical use has
this spreadsheet? Looking at it closely, it sort of resembles a RadCom
HF Propagation Predictions page, this output is used to ensure that
the HF Propagation Predictions for RadCom are in the correct ball
park. A lot of the beacons are in the same general vicinity as the
destinations listed in RadCom so they lend themselves very well to
this purpose.

Spectrum Lab
Spectrum Lab is a much more complicated and far more sophisti-
cated creature than Faros , but it can be utilized to monitor most
anything including beacons. The ma in consideration is therefore
whether the PC internal clock is correct, if using an older PC, that
is older than one using Windows Vista, then it is suggested that
this program as well as a lot of others requiring accurate timing be
used in conjunction with a GPS time receiver. These receivers can
be found occasionally, quite cheaply on ebay. Spectrum Lab is the
brainchild of Wolfgang Buescher, DL4YHF, and is basically a
Spectrum Laboratory that can be used for applications that are in
the audio part of the spectrum up to those in the GHz bands and
all frequencies in between. It also has an RDF capability. Built in
application files include radio equipment tests , slow Morse recep-
tion, and digimodes. However, the first time user will be required to
carefully read the instruction manual and make the necessary
changes to the setup. This program has a great deal of promise
but the re is a very steep learning curve involved. The rewards,
however, will be great for those able to comprehend the intricacies.

BeSpeak
BeSpeak5 is one ofthose programs that show when a particular
NCDXF beacon is transmitting . Others are available from the
NCDXFweb
: . ,-. site . There is a
Ei e f.d~ ~0Q0inQ :toke announce Rio;I control cbatt Mode Hell! decent manual
59
and automatic
Home: G4FKH Voice: OFF
58 logging feature
Counlry: Finland 1743 Km 14MHz
57 with this pro-
56 CaIsign: 0 H28 46 18MH z gram that quite
55 accurately
5t<>tu. : OK 21MHz
54 differentiates
53 ISlot No· 14 24MHz between QRM
Fig.5.12: 52
BeSpeak 5 main 51 • ITine: 10:32:16 28MHz and the re-
screen, showing quired beacon
all controls and I VoiceonIOnI I
MIlI'lUaIIog A~o log I Rigcooool I signal. It does
buttons. this by dis -

70
 Propagation Modelling

cr iminating between background

noise and Mo rse . Wr itten by Alan
Fig 5.13: Morse
Messenger, GOTLK, it has been
d iscrim inator
developed over the years and has
screen and its
20 and 30 graph ical output. Alan controls.
responded qu ick ly when an
update was requested to the
program, and it enab led a more
in-dept h d iscuss ion here . The logging
entire appl ication is controlled listening for seconds: 9
from the pr imary screen . This and
the two other screens used fo r
beacon monitoring are shown in
Fig 5.12, Fig 5.13 and Fig 5.14 .
The three screen shots are I I
"" "llI,,,,,,,,,,,,,J """"""llI""llI!!!'"''''''''''''''''''''''''''

used for monitoring purposes . Morsediscriminator 55 0

Once the setup is completed it is S meter
only necessary to select the
mon itoring band from the initial Setup T;;. ,

screen . With the program control- Wizard

ling the receiver, all the necessary STOP
comm ands are sent to it, making
changing bands a one-button
click ing action. There is a compre hensive help facili ty with this
program and it is necessary to ensure that it has been read, under-
stood and all the appropriate actions car ried o ut prior to proceed-
ing with monitoring operations . The graph ical output is quite good ,
but does not Fig. 5.14:
render dow n ; I .

Logging sc reen.
ZUll VIl2ll lXS!U OMS
with sufficient Vl'£RBP me OH2Il YV5B NB: OH2Bwas
JAllGY zsson CSJB
accuracy to AA90 5Z48 LU.... logged with an
be displayed S-meter reading
here. There is no facility with this program to allow post logg ing of 1.
analysis, so it is suggested that those interested download it and
try the built-in analysis, after all the program is gratis.

GB3RAL
This is the name that the program originato r, Peter Martinez,
G3PLX, has selected for this application . It p rov ides a graphical
and text ua l output when logging the three 5MHz beacons;
GB3RAL, GB3WES and GB30RK on 5290MHz. These beacons
were put in place by the RSGB's 5MHz working group to ass ist
with the understanding of propagat ion on that frequency and
especially to ascerta in the extent of NVIS propagation for inter-G
work ing . There is a help system and again it is necessary to read
all of the ava ilable information and to set the program up as de-
scribed. Once this has been completed, logging can proceed w ith

71
Computers in Amateur Radio

/' 5MHz beacons 21:04:37 l!IeEi

rv Track Time ~ sees

:~
40
r
P
Track Aale
Ir eck Freq
ro:o-
11022.62
secolday ~
Hz ~
20 UTe offset ~ hours P04kAucio Level
o ·20 ·10 o 10 20 Hz 00 10 20 30 40 50 sec r. Nom,," Time Siglol Noise Sees Frequency
r T....
19.46 91.98 4653 -0.3 1020 6
<fl 19:47 91.66 465 3 -0 3 1022 9
90 2000 87.92 45 87 -0 2 1023 8
80 2(}01 9173 4587 ·0 2 1020 4
2(}02 88 58 45.87 ·02 1022 3
70 20 159169 4656 ·0 3 10237
60 20:169160 46.56 ·0.3 10207
20:17 891 2 46.56 -03 1023 3
50 20.30 92 02 47.67 ·0 2 10237
4 0~-..-J~-· 20.31 91.17 47.67 -02 1020 8
20.32 8429 47.67 -02 1023.1
30 20 4589 6948.00 ·0 1 1023 6
20 46 90 7648 00 ·0 1 10212
20 2047 8568 48.00 ·01 1023 6
10 21:00 90 80 47.43 ·0.3 1023 9
21.01 91.70 47.43 ·03 1020 9
o 12 14 16 18 20 21:02 89 50 47.43 ·0.3 1023 8

LOOQinQ to lie: C:\r.ao\GPS\GB:lRAl\Beacons.txt Chart/ie: C:\r.ao\GPS\GB3RAl.\IlChart.prl9

Fig 5.15: the minimum of user input. The main screen is depicted in Fig 5.15.
GB3RAL's main The screen shot looks a little busy at first glance, but when you
and monitoring become accustomed to it all the information becomes meaningful.
screen.
Starting at the top left is the FFT display. When transmitting , beacons
shou ld show a peak around the '0' point. The next on the right is the
dB output against t ime of the last three beacons. To the rig ht of these
are setup and information displays. The help section should be
consulted if clarification is required. The bottom right is a running
record of textual output for the recorded beacons . The bottom left is
a graphical representation ofthe three beacons received over time .
Fig 12 shows 10 hours of recording. The very top line at the left hand
side in the graph is the GB3RAL beacon . The next is the GB3WES
beacon and the third is the GB30RK beacon . The lowest line repre-
sents the noise level in the receiver. All this information and more are
recorded on disk in a text file . The 5MHz working group would like to
receive these files via the WWw. All information can be found on their
web site. It is a simple matter to read this text file into a small compu-
ter program and do some analysis for oneself, but even without further
manipulation Fig 12 shows some interesting trends. For example, the
GB3RAL signal started to fall off about 1200. This is because the foF2
dropped . When it recovered around 1800 the sig nal for that beacon
was strong again. This can be directly attributed to nearly NVIS
working , while the other two beacons at the receive location are
received via the E-Iayer. In the very early days of the GB3RAL beacon ,
when analysis was first being perfo rmed, it was discovered tha t
GB3RAL was being hea rd late at night when the foF2 was far below
the transmission frequency. To assist with analysis , ionogram pictures

72
 Propagation Modelling

were downloaded from the RAL web site and it was discovered that
the extra-ordinary wave was responsible for the reception. This was
the first time that the author realised that the extra -ordinary wave was
as useful for NVIS, as it is at HF frequencies (as will be shown later) .
Another peculiarity noticed was that the GB3RAL program was show-
ing the reception ofsignals when they were inaudible, thus they were
very weak . It may be possible to exploit this peculiarity by utilizing
the more exotic modes using computers.

Ionospheric Monitoring Programs

This category of programs include those that can be used for moni-
toring the ionosphere and those that can be used to understand the
nature of the ionosphere . Also included are applications and
datasets that provide basic concepts and measured figures .

ChirpView & Stepper

These are two separate applications from d ifferent sources, but used
together they provide an excellent way in which the io nos phere can
be monitored . ChirpView was written by Andrew Senior, GOTJZ,
whilst Stepper was produced by Arend Harteveld, PA1ARE. These
are sophisticated packages that come with a pre-requisite of a GPS
rece iver for accurate timing . A good knowledge of using computers
with amateur rad io is really another pre-requisite for th is pair, as the
setup is not at all simple.
ChirpView is a program for receiving signals from ionospheric
chirp sounders -transmitters that radiate an unmodulated carrier
which is swept at a constant rate across the HF spectrum in order to
study io nospheric propagation conditions . These sounders are
perhaps unfamil iar to many radio amateurs, but can be thought of as
all-band beacons . To receive these signals properly requires a
special receiver that tracks the transmitter along its sweep. Such
hardware is impractical for most amateurs who are more likely to
have an HF receiver with SSB capability. Using such a receiver, a
passing chirp sounder signal produces a short chirp in the receiver
of around 30 milliseconds duration. ChirpView can detect these
chirps and measure their timing precisely to enable propagation to
be monitored on the frequency to which the receiver is tuned.
With the above system, Stepper can be used to make the
receiver follow the sounder in 100Hz steps to reconstruct ionograms
from the detect log. PA1 ARE has documentation available to assist
those who would like to pursue this idea.

Field Strength
This is an ITU database of medium skywave field strength in dB above
1uVjm, normalized for 1kW EIRP for a total of 181 longpath and shortpath

73
Computers in Amateur Radio

c ircu its . Th is database can be used to ascertain when a circuit

should be ava ilable w ithout the need to consult a propagation
pred iction program . The database covers two full sunspot cycles. It
is nec essary to apply to the ITU for free downloads, which are
lim ited to three per annum, otherwise a payment of around 20 Swiss
Francs is necessary.

Noise
There is a set of programs available under the above scheme for
download from the ITU site. It provides characteristics and applica-
tions of atmospheric radio noise data and man -made radio noise .
There are three programs in the suite: NOIS1 and NOIS2 and
NOISSW. The first two give values of atmospheric noise , man-made
noise and galactic noise from Recommendation ITU-R P1.372.The
only difference between these two programs is the style ofthe
output. The latter program provides all the parameters relating to
atmospheric noise.

GeoMag
Fig.5.16: The Inserting 'NGDC GeoMag ' into a WWWsearch engine gives the URL's for
world's various programs associated with the earth 's Geomagetic state .An
horizontal interesting world map of the horizontal component is shown in Fig 5.16.
magnetic field.

US/UK World Magn etic Model -- Epoch 2005.0

Main Field Horizontal Intensity (H)
soc- O' reo-

.'~'
I
L
:--"""
,
1'---_
,.,1

see-

__0-
--
......e -
<=-_,o;.t_'_
...
:<01 3

74
 Propagation Modelling

Th is clearly shows, among other things, that the magnetic

equator does not coincide with the geograph ic equator; it is to the
North by roughly 10 to 15 degrees . Fig 5.17 is of the East compo-
nent and ass ists in the visua lisation of why North/South paths are
generally much supe rior to East/West paths . Rad io s igna ls contain
a magnetic property whic h , to put it ve ry s imp ly, resists crossing
these contours.

US/UK World Magnetic Model -- Epoch 2005.0

Main Field East Component (Y)

\ L
\ \
ac-

\ sc-

_-
_e-_.
210 '

...=...-:::: =::=:.:---- -
Fig. 5.17: Earth's
Proplab Pro main f ield East
The last piece of software in t his section and indeed for the chapter component.
is a propagation laboratory. Produced by the Solar Terrestrial Dis-
patch; they claim that it is the most advanced radio propagation ray
tracing system in the world . It is ce rtainly the most advanced that
the author has seen for radio ama teurs. It is a state-of -the -art soft-
ware package not for t he feint hearted . It is also a little expensive.
The current vers ion is a lot s impler than previous offerings. The
reasons for this are primarily because the majority of the bac k-
ground input is now gathered by the program off the Internet at the
click of the mouse , plus it's a lot more complex 'under the hood '.
Ray trac ing can be performed in either 2-D or 3-D , the two illustra-
tions - Fig 5.18 and Fig 5 .19 (overleaf)- detail a ray trace from the
author's location to 388 (Mauritius) .

75
Computers in Amateur Radio

f ~~R.oio~l..-bot.tofy·~ll)J4,.]6

...."""" .... ~_ ",,_""""_ Ie-.._·I....._ ·..I_ l c_ 1

100"'_ 1"'_ 1_ 1
, -0_ f ~l'OOOOO AlIII'lUIh: 1277ro1
rs"""'Of n.v Tf....._ E.....oIlIcrINv;j;n
r. S"'""POH lVFIf<lI,*'IQM
r S"""P O tllY "'-"' ~
rSO'l'HPN..1.dllhlo...... ~ 2 0 lon DSph ftrlc Ray.Tra ci n g for 1009)0611014:12:15 UTe
Fig 5.18: 2-D ray .. 41" $t .1"," 10 n.fHIf H..NMS

tracing output of
Proplab-Pro. The
start point is on
the extreme left
and the desti-
nation is the little
triangle at the
right.

1!. ProfHb- ProP.-dooPropege~ l.tbomcty . 2C09.<lII2~ lO.t5.,U

~ ... ~ R..._SqoIk E ~ ~ ~ I ~ WUF1 I r.actM111~"'... I ArtIrnIItI ~1
lO0..._ "'_1_1
~ 1 S.~ S-' P......... l R...tce I
'-""""
r S~OlllY l l

r. S IllMCl OHlYF r~
.., EIev*'"AngIt$ .J
r S~ OHlY ~ ~ 3 D Ion osph e ric Ray-Trac ing for 200~M)611 0 U :17:3'3 UTe
r SO'l'HP AlldfllotboYetI'rfJt..-udr .. 41MES1.1i111lto n.1Hlt~

[ ~ olIlIan /tu;lft
Fig 5.19 : 3-D ray SI'*"O/J.n:iIe r
!;1L.tbd T '~/!l
""'O"*,,,
tracing output for '-SweR-r
- r r S_GnclReSlA;,

the same circuit. r--

'-
Sl-""'ll r..,q [i"S MHz r s_ ~

[ ndrogf ltq [i5 r--

""'O" p lr-siiit Rtr TI-.;1
.......
""""'" _~

.J
c_ - r:-- ...."'"' 1
"",o" r-- Cool""" I
=:~:n;~:~ soon:~~
E ~1liIcIn OOCOO
Q
Loe« ~8 0
F,equenc,. l Gro:lO t-4Hz R .B ~

A.......... .,21 t81~ 0 129 4OO'J 0

lIfOffITF--.l&et1 -.J
~ OOCOOdB R., l",R"" Lon ~
f'tIt4.Ptlh 112282 I . -JOi232 295&471
~ 110104'3 R.,AM.dt m2 .J

Another output from this package that I particularly like is the

world MUF display, shown in Fig 5.20.
The contours show the varying MUFs over the globe , but there
are a multitude of other pa rameters available to disp lay. The circuit
described is plotted by a great circle line between the two loca-
tions along with the day/night terminator line. Hop lengths are
known, so it is quite easy to see the frequency in the middle of

76
 Propagation Modelling

Glob allonnphric Chart for 2OO9I08J10 14:31:32 UTe

Fig. 5.20: World

II .....a. cI ~r ~ r ~f'~d"' fll.l1)'tf r .cDXl fo/lCtolJ r £ 1edIlcn ~ P. H:I . :m~ .. Q UI.Cob ",-, MUFs at
r Hf!tIdilol_ ot""" f 2t.o¥f wloo(\Jf_xmlMchtMlCft r Sp'Ndf ~ ",:l;J P~~ .. (1Ide
CtoIs.:.hq.6tgI~
r C1k.f~d" E L..,.,. r Mqwklnc:Wllon @l.Xl ~. r R"-klld lo4lJr"... llrflt! W!t'd.drw... CIdt 3000km.
M fClT I ~ ~ r ~V., Tt'P He9i r S olll Ztl'llltl ~ l r f~ot lm:RtillIctIOn P~ ltlQlrld
r Utulf~rI"' Du.- r ~Y" Ttdl'ltt. r T ot" M qlIk rlllld SWtrqtl ~ XlOl lfl
r ~),l_cflhe Dl.tt« r J,jod'tdOlP~CI:J'Xl IJll r )l)" ~ kIl l @rso MH: r;;;;M~ Pwt OWl'l

each separate one. The lowest frequency from these hops should
be about the best for the circuit.
This quick analysis is not always accurate and it is for this reason
and others that ray tracing has been included in the package.

Learning more about Ionospheric Propagation

To fully understand propagation it is necessary to have a firm back-
ground in mathematics and basic ionospheric propagation theory. The
programs mentioned previously will then become clearer and more
useful as a consequence.
How does one educate one's self in propagation? Well there are
several ways. One is to trawl the Internet, looking for sites that explain all
about propagation. For example, my own site (http://g4fkh.co.uk/) has a
section on articles that I've previously written for RadCom, some ofthem
for the beginner. Another good example is the wealth of information found
on the NOAA sites, all about different aspects of propagation. Putting a
few queries into Internet search engines produces good results.
The Australian Government's Bureau of Meteorology web site
(www.ips .gov.au/) is another excellent place to start. It contains a wealth
of information. At one time they offered a course on the subject of HF
Ionospheric Propagation, but I could not find it whilst writing this.
Another site that offers a lot of useful information is Solar Terrestrial
Despatch, (http://solar.spacew.com/). They also have a comprehensive
course (very expensive) that will teach those with some previous knowl -
edge a lot more about the subject.

77
Computers in Amateur Radio

The last but not least way I would suggest those wishing to gain
more knowledge is to visit the local library, especially if it is within a
large town or city. My own has a number of good reference type books.

Summary

This chapter has attempted to show the usefulness of computers in

the shack as far as propagation is concerned . The authors of the
various computer programmes are to be congratulated for their hard
work and for bringing such tools to a wider audience . Most of the
programs mentioned can be enhanced upon , even if it is just organ-
ising the output into something more individually meaningful such as
averaging or producing medians. There is plenty of scope for the
individual amateur to put their mark upon the whole.

Programs available to assist in the understanding of

geomagnetism

Name Function/use

GMCORD Utility Programs for Geomagnetic Field Studies 1940-

2005

GEOMAG provides field values computed from the International

Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) model

SQ1MODEL Quiet-Day Field Variation , Sq

DSTDEMO Geomagnetic Disturbance Index, Dst

SUN-MOON Location of the Sun and Moon

Day Number Determines the number ofthe day in the year

POLYFIT Creates a polynomial equation portrayal of data points

FOURSQ1 Computes the Fourier harmonic spectral components of

quiet field records

SORTVAL Median of Sorted Values

ANALVZ Mean, Standard Deviation, and Correlation

SPH Graphical demonstration of Spherical Harmonics

78
 Terrain Modelling for HF

6.
Terrain Modelling for HF
by Alan Hydes, G3XSV

When talking about how good a site is for OX on the HF bands we

sometimes hear statements like 'I have a good take-off to the wes t' ,
or 'I get good reports from the West Coast of the US' . But is there a Fig 6.1: TheARRL
Antenna Book.
way of comparing si tes or finding out how much gain or loss you are
The
getting from the ground surrounding your antenna? The simple accompanying
answer is yes ... and the results can be quite astounding. This section CD contains HF
will describe a practical method and data sources that can be used terrain modelling
to analyse a site or compare sites and their OX potential. We will try software.
to answer these questions :

1. What angle of elevation is needed fo r a

spec ific area of the world?
2. How is the local terra in affecting the signal?
3. Wha t is the best height for the antenna , and
can it ever be too high?
4. How will moving the antenna change things?

The methods described here are based on

software written by N6BV that has been pub-
lished by the ARRL in their Antenna Book (21st
edition) . If you want the software, called HFTA
(HF Terrain Assessment) , it is contained on a CO
that accompanies the book (Fig 6.1) . In that
publication there are also details of how it
works . Here I will just give an overview of how to
use it, how to get terrain data for a particular
QTH, and show some example results .

79
Computers in Amateur Radio

o Free Spoce Ee-Plc ne The Basics

Most of us are familiar with antenna gain being
shown as E-plane (or horizontal) radiation
patterns and H-plane (or vertical) rad iation
patterns. The horizontal plane is often shown
as if the antenna is in free space. For example,
the radiation pattern of a dipole is shown in
Fig 6.2.
In the H-plane (vertical), several radiation
patterns are usually shown , because antenna
height has great effect on radiation pattern.
o dB - 2.14 dBi 180 This is shown in Fig 6.3.

Fig 6.2: E-plane 90 90

free-space
radiation pattern
of a dipole.

Ant enna 1/8 A high Antenna 1 A high

90 90

Fig 6.3: H-plane

radiation pattern
of a dipole at
various heights
above ground.
Antenna 1/2 A high Antenna 1-3/4 A high

Modelling Terrain Effects

The HFTA software was developed to model how reflections and
refractions from the local terrain (see Fig 6.4) add up to affect the
resultant signal at a remote location.

'"
]"' ~\' . ]
: : f::. :: :.: ::ji.~I~~~"· t:
~U() 0. _.. _/.f"/~.
/=.-'">
..=....---------io
. . .. . · 1
_-~::':'
!:: \ \ . ~ ::.:::: 010~;,:d
;'uo .
l !
:£.&'0
~

Fig 6.4:
f~:o ... . .' . ~·k~· {~:ltd J
... .......................,...""-"===-------;
Diffracted and .00
"' I---~-~-~-~-~~
reflected rays. o '00 1000 1';>0 2000 :'00
J30 I---_ -+-_ ...-- -+-_+_-+-_+_--I
U«ilOlll.ill Did llX. Ji"OOlTo" u , Fu t o '00 1000 1' 00 2000 Z,jQO 3000
Uorlzoru l Di ~ anc e from 'rewer. Ftd

80
 Terrain Modelling for HF

Unfortunately the way that vertical antennas interact with the

surrounding terrain is much more complicated and the HFTAsoftware
does not attempt to deal with them.
Consequently the main function of HFTA is to calculate and plot
the gain ofyagi and dipo le antennas for different take -off angles over a
real ground profile. To do this you just need to provide it with the
antenna height and the ground height for a particular direction over a
distance of a few kilometres from the antenna.

Gett ing Terrain Data

The terrain data needed is simply the ground height above sea level
along a line starting at the centre of the antenna and extending out
several kilometres . HFTA needs a text file that contains two values on
each line: distance and height. These can be in metres or feet.
There are several sources of such data.

Printed Maps
Probably the most readily accessible are Ordnance Survey maps.
However, it is qu ite a tedious job to measure along a line and to interpo-
late the height from the cont ours . Fo r eac h data po int yo u need to enter
the dista nce and the height into a line of a text file and g ive the file an
exte nsion of' .pro'. If you use metres as your unit of measure, you will
need to put 'meters' (American spe lling) as the first line ofthe file.

Online Maps
An alternative is the use of an Internet accessible map wh ich has built-in
terrain data . An example is Google Earth . Unfortunately there does not
seem to be a way of accessing the data programmatically, so the
process for extracting the height is still qu ite lengthy.
In Google Earth you can define the line along which you want to
collect distance and height data by clicking the 'Add Path' function
button. Then click the start point at your antenna locat ion and an end
point a few kilometres away in the direction you want to model.
A white line appears on the map and you can now select 'Show
Elevation Profile ' from the Edit menu. This will show a profile similar to
Fig 6.5 . You can now move the cursor along the elevation profile and
record the distance and elevation data po int in a profile text file as for
printed maps abo ve. About 20 data points was found to be adequate,
though 100 is better. Points can be closer spaced near to the antenna,
to get better detail close in.

Digital Elevation Models (OEMs)

A far better approach is to use digital elevat ion data that is available
online . The challenge here is to find data that is free or at least very low
cost. DEMs covering the UK are mostly provided by commercial

81
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig6.S: How
Google Earth can
be used to
measure height
at various
distances from a
given location.

enterprises and the data can be quite costly.

Luckily there is one DEM source that is public domain, as it was
created by NASA . In February 2000 NASA ran the Shuttle Radar
Topography Mission (SRTM) aboard STS-99 . Although raw data is
available at http://dds.cr.usgs.gov/srtm/ it is in binary form and
therefore needs some processing to produce the .pro files we need
for HFTA. Hopefully someone will write a program to do the neces-
sary transformation directly. Meanwhile, there is a temporary method
of using this data described later in this section .

What Take-off Angle?

Government communication agencies and major shortwave broadcast

stations have been studying take-off angle for many years , in an effort to
enhance the strength oftheir signal into specific parts ofthe world.
Software called IONCAP was developed to simulate the action ofthe
ionosphere at HF frequencies. But as IONCAP is too complex to use
directly, calculations were done for all times and stages of the sunspot
cycle . The results were aggregated into a small set of data files that are
representative of paths between various countries and continents and it is
these files that are used by the HFTAsoftware as a reference.

82
 Terrain Modelling for HF

HFTA (HFTerrain Assessment)

HITA, HF Terrain Assessment

Version 1.04. Copyright 2003-2004. ARRL. by N6BV. Mar. 02. 2004

Frequency: Oiffraction:ON
I 14 MHz Qplions

Terrain Files: Ant. Type He ights

1: 1 G3XSV-FLI<T.PRO ~I 50 feet P Terrain 1
Fig 6.6: Main
2: 1 G3XSV 50.PRO ~I 50 feet P Terrain 2 P Show Ants . HFTA window.
3: 1 G3XSV 150.PRO ~I 50 feet P Terrain 3
4: I G3XSV 300.PRO ~I 50 feet P Terrain4

Elevation File: r I.tax. Elev. AnQle

Elevation file: G-AF.PRN r
r
20 deQ.
25 deQ.
~ompule! I~
r. 34 deQ.

Using the HFTA software Fig 6.7: Antenna

height and type
Fig 6.6 shows a screen shot of the main HFTA window, which allows you dialog box.
to enter the names of up to four files
containing terrain data, plus the type e Enter Heights/An' enna TYP" ::T' ~ ; .i J~'
leet
and height ofthe antenna .
Terrain I A n tenna Heigh., He igh. 2 Height 3 Height"
In this example a terrain data file G3><SV-FLATPRO 1m 50 0 0 0
~ ¥

that represents flat ground has been G3><SV 60 PRO

::J
G3><SV 150 PRO
iJ EIe 50 0 0 0
~
used, in order to do comparisons with
~
13·EIe 50 0 0 0 ¥

G3><SV JOO.PRO
typical gain data seen in antenna ~ 50 0 0 0

textbooks . The other three terrain files g.i l" :2-EI•• ;: r~ OI:
c 8 1. J..E le -7 0 dE l . 4-El e -8
cSi. 5-Ele ...9 s OBI, e-EI.·,1 0 c8 l. I .e •• -t 2 0 =81
~ ! ~

contain data for difference paths, U1e • for oU.· of ·pN~e aw e; eo . 90"
~ I ~
representing directions 60°, 150° and
300°.
'Ant. Type' or 'Heights' can be changed by clicking on the field.
This brings up a dialogue box shown in Fig 6.7 to make your selection .

Terrain Profile G3XSV.f LAT.PRO

'"
~.~ '•• • • ~• 8•• +P"t-'..i•• •
GJX SVIC. PRO
50.

50.

fEi.:..:~. ::i:::: ::::::::± ::::: ::::::t::: :::::::::t:::::::::::: ~::::::: .. :~::::: ... _:'-~'J:"'..
100 ~
.. . .... J
50'
Fig 6.8: Plotted
terrains at bear-
~ ~ ~... . + ~ -.-
iC"=-zt)
~ -.!-_.. _ ~ .
ings of 60°,150°
2.000 4.000 • .000 1000 10,000 12.000
Drstance fromTower Base, Feet and 300°, plus
flat ground.

83
Computers in Amateur Radio

Freq . - 14.0 MH

Fig 6.9: Plotted

..
Uzx GaIn 163
G3XSV.flAT.PRO

3-£1.
Flg oUln .3

terrains at bear- Vf.;E,~~-+L---- ~~~60, PRO

ings of 60°,150°
...
Flg ofl.l"-8 )

and 300°, plus 3-£1.

flat ground. Ftg ofNr i U

Note that more than one antenna height can be entered in a row.
This models stacked beams. We've entered a single three element yagi
with the antenna at 50ft .

Terrain plots
If you select the tick boxes and click the 'Plot Terrain' button you will get
a window showing a representation ofthe terrains shown in Fig 6.8.
In this example you can see that the antenna is above land that is
approx 100ft and the elevation rises steeply along a path of 150° to a hill
that peaks at over 600ft. This is in contrast with the path towards the
USA at 300°, where the land stead ily drops over the first mile.

Elevation Responses
On the main window you can select a particular part of the world, to
see what take-off angles are likely to be useful for that path. In the
example we have chosen a path from the UK to Africa which would
be appropriate for the 150° path. Click on 'Compute'! The analysis
Fig 6.10: Terrain results are shown in Fig 6.9.
profile towards
the USA from the In this example the most useful elevation angles for Africa are
Bristol eG's site
shown as a bar graph. You can probably spot how poor the QTH
(descending line)
and flat ground
chosen is for propagation to Africa! Compared to flat ground, the gain is
(straight line). negative all the way up to 14° of elevation, which accounts for most of
the propagation to that part of the
Terrain Profi le
world.
This is in contrast to the gain
for the path of 300°, towards the
USA, which shows enhanced gain
compared to flat ground . This is
between 6dS and 1OdS at lower
HOO: lQOCl .000
angles .
DIstancefrom Tower Base, Feet

Example and Interpreting Results

Here is an example to show what kind of gain is achievable from the
best locations. This site in question is used for Field Day contests by the

84
 Terra in Modelling for HF

3-e le Vagi at 90ft 3-ele Vagi at 50ft

above flat ground above flat ground

11 r:-:"l~,.,..,.,.,,.,..r.:T."":"":=,,":-:-r:-:-r==""""+=:7=,,,,",~=:77::"":'d7r:-:-r:-:-r:-:-=-=-::=c=r
is
15

"
13
12 · .
11 ·
10 :

~
.~ 7
:": Fig 6.11: Gain of
'"
CJ • a 3-element Vagi
5
at the Bristol
•
3· eG's group's
2
1 site, compared
o to an identical
-1
-2 antenna at 50ft
~.J!.,-..lI....I/-\I.-¥--!!-J.!.-.JI-II,...I/-\I.-¥--J,I-\l.JU/-.\l..J,l4lI...J,l...I/-lII.~.IJI.,...J/-+,""""''';-;'''';'''';-'''+
0 1 2 34 5 6 and 90ft above
flat ground.

Bristol Contest Group. It is located on the edge of an escarpment that

slopes away to the west. Fig 6.10 shows the terrain profile towards mid-
west USA, showing the antenna at 90ft .
In Fig 6.11 is the HFTAelevation response for this path, using a 3-
element yagi at 90ft . Moving from left to right, the next line is for the
same antenna at 90ft above flat ground and the th ird line is the same
antenna at 50ft, to represent a typical home installation .
The bar graph shows the elevation statistics for take-off ang les that
are useful for the USA. It can be seen that for very low take -off angles of
1° or 2°, the gain relative to the same antenna at hom e is 20dB or more.
At angles under 6°, which are typical for west coast USA, the antenna
over the slope significantly outperforms an identical one over flat
ground. However, over 8° the performance drops off. This shows that the
anten na may be too high for general cove rage ofthe USA and a lower
one would be an improvement for some ofthe highe r angle propaga-
tio n. If it is practical, a better solution is to stack antennas and switch (or
spli t) the power between them .

Conclusions
The comb inat ion of the analysis capability and the elevation statistics
der ived from IONCAP make the HFTA software and excellent tool. It
can prov ide valuable evidence when comparing sites and when try ing
to determine what height and location would be ideal for antennas . As
already mentioned, it can't deal with vertica ls, but it is nevertheless a
valuable too l for any amateur who is serious about picking a site or
optimising their antenna system.

85
Computers in Amateur Radio

Generating .pro files from SRTM data

HFTA has an extensive Help file , which explains howto generate the
terrain data from different sources. However, many ofthese sources are
only available for the USA. As mentioned earlier, there is a way to use
data from the SRTM. It involves use of web-based software at: http://
www.gpsvisualizer.com/elevation
The site consumes input files containing longitude and latitude
points and generates height/elevation data for those points. The method
we use in our application is to generate a .csv file using an Excel
spreadsheet. The same spreadsheet is then used to transform the output
data into the format needed for HFTA. Fig 6.12 shows a screen shot of
the start ofthis spreadsheet with data entry cells shaded .
The Excel spreadsheet is available at: http://g6yb.org/hfta/lat-long-
calculator-v2.xls Incidentally, thanks to Matt Jeffery, MOMAT, for help in
developing this spreadsheet.
The longitude and latitude of the start point can be found from
Google Earth, or from some GPS receivers, to the required accuracy of
seconds to two decimal places. Angle is the direction of propagation
you want to simulate and can be found from any great circle map of the
world. Range and Number of Coordinates can be left as is. Bear in mind
that the SRTM data has a resolution of 30 metres , so there is not much
to be gained by having points closer than that.
After entering the start point and angle in Excel, save sheet 2 as a
.csv file. Go to http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/elevation , click [Choose
File] and browse to your .csv file. Select Output type of 'Plain text' and
Units 'U.S .' then click [Convert & add elevation] . Cut the height values
out of the text box produced from this site and paste into cell A1 in
sheet3 ofthe spreedsheet. Then save sheet 4 as a .PRN file. Change the
file extension to .PRO and you are ready to use it in HFTA.

• 1-
Fig 6.12: Lat 0 .., .... w t.Ir.lJu Sttorv.ll
J
La,....". DtcIl'l'\II

Long Calculator
Excel s.,
,
1 ,Ant. nn. l oc' llon

~ M1 " ' 1
~ . 13927778

6 R....~ \m) ~m 'lft '

spreadsheet. 1 D, ~ur'l( ' B,l wt tn PO!fllS

,.,
8 Numt ll ol Coorlklatn

11
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o. 'Ul'lCt Btt...u n PO<I"1
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J
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.
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145141343'375
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16 5 ' .. UQ)S')1 '] 41SJ«,75 W 2 er.llp11hlllgllllol llllclnc!1Oftt'O!.lWMIIOInOl»l
17514U Xll99 ·' 41581974 663 3 CktonShMt2-L.aI1..onIloIuploId.Md C

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18 51 4US81<l7 ·2 ·416:'92 '31 Blll
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86
 Software Defined Radio

7.
Software Defined Radio
by Mike Richards, G4WNC

Microprocessors have had a massive impact on just about all modern

electronics and radio is no exception. Whilst this began with the digital
control of local oscillators and noise reduction units, the technology has
now spread into the main core of the transceiver and is progressively
creeping ever closer to the antenna. In this chapter we will take a look at
SDR to see how it works and how we can make best use of it.

What is SDR?

SDR is very broad term that describes any system where software
performs one or more of the core functions of a receiver. The first
examples to make a widespread impact on amateur radio were the
excellent SoftRock receivers and transceivers that were designed and
produced by Tony Parks KB9YIG. These comprised a relatively simple
hardware direct conversion receiver/exc iter with an analogue IQ output
(more on this later) . The IQ signals were fed to a standard PC
soundcard, where tuning and demodulation took place. Dealing with
filtering, demodulation and final tuning in software brought about great
flexibility as the performance and features could be completely trans-
formed with new software . It is this ability to introduce changes and
upgrades with ease that makes SDR technology so attractive. In
addition to the great flexibility offered by SDR, the use of Digital Signal
Processing (DSP) techniques facilitates the inclusion of filters and
advanced demodulation systems that would be virtually impossible with
conventional hardware circuitry.
There are three key technologies that are at the heart of SDR and

87
Computers in Amate ur Radio

we ought to take a look at these before moving-on to real-world sys-

tems . They are:
Analog ue to Digital Conversion (ADC),
In-phase/Quadrature Data (lQ data), and
Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT).

Analogue to Digital Conversion

As you are no doubt aware , all computer systems talk in numbers , so

before a microprocessor can do anything useful in rad io the analogue
signals need to be digitised. The method of ach ieving th is has remained
stable for some time and involves measuring and storing the instantane-
ous level ofthe analogue signal at a very high speed. You can visualise
th is as taking regular measurements with a digital voltmeter (see Fig
7.1). So how frequen tly do you think we need to take measurements
(samples) in order to create a realistic
Sample
digital equivalent ofthe or iginal signal?
rate The fundamental work to determine this
clock
was first published in 1928 as the Nyquist-
RF Input Shannon sampl ing theorem .The theorem
states that you must sample at a rate that

IWWJ~~ -. '---;--'
Analogue
to Digital is at least twice as fast as the highest
Converter frequency component you want to digi-
tise. Therefore , to digitise an audio signal
.. Digital output
that con tains frequencies from 20Hz to
~ 1.991 ij 01010101010101010 ~
20k Hz you need to take measu rements at
40,000 times per second, i.e. twice 20kHz.
Fig7,1: The other vital point to consider is the accuracy or resolution of each
Illustrati on of the sample . You can think of this in terms of how many digits you have
analogue to available on your digital voltmeter. If you were to use an 8-bit measu re-
digital
ment you wou ld have just 256 possible values for each measurement
conversion
process.
whic h may be a bit too coarse for many purposes . As a result, it is
common practice to use 16-bits or g reater for radio applications - a 16-
bit sample contains 65,536 possibilities for each measurement. Whe n
the ADC process is complete , the result is a data stream of 16-bit
numbers that are generated atthe sampling frequency. Returning to our
simple audio signal , that would produce a data stream running at 16
(bits) x 40,000 (sample rate) which is 640 ,000 bits per second. As you
can see , one of the problems with the ADC process is the relatively high-
spee d data streams that have to be processed.
So where in the receiver chain do you put the ADC? In many
systems the ADC in the computer's soundcard is employed and whilst
this works very well there is so much more you can do if you can
move the dig itisation closer to the antenna. At the time of writ ing
there have been a number of systems introduced that digitise the

88
 Software Defined Radio

entire spectrum from VLF through to 30MHz or mo re! Most of these

employ some dig itally switched band-pass filtering close to the
antenna followed by some modest amplification before sending the
entire spectrum to the ADC .
From my earlier expla nation you will know that the sample rate
would need to be twice the highest frequency, i.e. at least 60MHz with
66.666MHz being a popular choice. When combined with 16-bit sam -
ples, that gives a data rate from the ADC of 16 {bits} x 66,666 ,000 {sam-
ple rate} = 1.067Gb/s. Now that's a lot of data to process and is way too
fast for most home computers to handle . To tame this data rate a proc-
ess known as decimation is employed. This is the digital equivalent of a
mixer and local oscilla tor in a conventional receiver. The decimator
reduces the bit rate and extracts a seg ment ofthe sampled 30MHz
spectrum that can then be passed to the PC for process ing {Fig.7. 2}. In
most practical designs the size ofthe extracte d seg ment can be co ntrol-
led by the
software running Band Analog ue
pass Amplifier to Dow n-convert er
on the PC and filter digital (decimato r)
ranges from a
few tens of kHz Fig 7.2: Block
to 10MHz or [> IQ data to PC diagram of a
digital HF
more. Rather
than passing a receiver.
single data Contro l data
to/fr om
stream to the PC PC
for processing,
two data streams are presented, one that's in-phase and the other that's
delayed by 90 degrees and is known as quadrature. These two streams
are the In-phase {I} and Quadrature {Q} data I mentioned earlier.The
hardware used for this decimation or down convers ion has to be ex-
tremely fast and many ofthe current designs use a Field Programmable
Gate Array {FPGA}. This is a large array of high-speed gates and logic
devices on a single chip that can be programmed and interconnected by
software to create highly customised functions .

IQ Data

So , if sampling a signal at the Nyquist sample rate produces a good

representation ofthe signal, why do we need to bother with In-phase{l}
and Quadrature {Q} signals? Put very crudely, you can imagine IQ-data
as stereo for digital signals! In the same way as stereo audio allows your
ear/brain combination to determine the location of instruments and
provides a sense of space and increased detail, so IQ data facilitates the
extraction of more information from our digitised radio signal. Let's just
look at IQ data in a little more detail to see how that works .

89
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 7.3: I've shown an IQ polar diagram

Q axis
(a) IQ data for an in Fig 7.3a-c. Here the I axis repre-
90'
amplitude sents a change in amplitude ofthe
modulated
carrier wave, whilst the Q axis shows
signal,
(b) IQ data for a any change in the carrier's phase. If
AM
phase 180 ' O' we start with amplitude modulation,
modulated I axis the only part of the vector that
signal, changes is the magnitude along the
(c) IQ data for a I axis and this changes in response
frequency to the modulating signal. Let's now
modulated 270' move on to look at what happens
signal. with simple phase modulation ,
Q axis where a 180 degree shift is used to
90 ' convey a digital signal. In this case
the vector ampl itude remains
constant but the vector will flip
between 0 to 180 deg rees in re-
180' O'
sponse to the modulating signal.
I axis
Frequency modulation can also be
demonstrated and the vector will
remain the same length but will
270' rotate clockwise to show an LF shift
and anti -clockwise for an HF shift.
Q axis If we take control of the I and
90' Q values we can adjust the values to
generate amplitude, frequency or
phase modulation with comparative
ease (see Fig 7.4). In addition to
180' O' these relatively simple modulation
I axis
systems , by manipulating the IQ
data we can generate a range of
complex modulation systems that
270' employ both amplitude and phase
modulation that would be very
difficult to implement with traditional
90 ' hardware. Using IQ data the genera-
Fig 7.4: Using IQ tion of simple or complex modula-
values to control tion schemes can be completed
vector position. entirely in software which brings
180 ' O' tremendous flexibility. The resultant
I I axis baseband IQ signal can then ap-
I value
plied to an IQ up-converter to
produce the final operating fre-
quency. The up-converter is a
270'
relatively simple device that mixes
the IQ data with a pair of local

90
 Software Defined Radio

oscillator carriers at 0 and -90 degrees and then combines the result-
see Fig 7.5. This makes for a very elegant modulation system that can
handle a huge range of operating
Mixer
modes at any carrier freq uency.
When it comes to reception
with SDR systems, 10 data is the
vital ingredient, as monitoring the
change in 10 values over time will
.~
Baseband Carrier ~_ ~ Modu lated
reveal the modulating message IQ inpu t oscillato r ~o utPut
regardless of whether it's a form of

d6~
AM, FM, PM or a combination of all
three, thus providing a simple multi-
mode demodulator. Q------..
.
Mixer

Fast Fourier Transforms Fig 7.5: Transmit

up-converter for
baseband IQ
Another important process in the development of SDR and digital signal
data.
processing in general has been the use of Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT)
to analyse sampled data streams from the ADC. One ofthe great
operational benefits of practical SDRs is the presentation of band
segments in spectrum analyser style. This enables the operator to
quickly locate active stations within a band and to use the click of the
mouse to tune to that station. Converting the sampled data stream into
a spectrum analyser format is handled by the FFT, so let's take a quick,
non-mathematical, look at how this works.
The FFT is an ingenious mathematical algorithm that can examine
a stream of sampled data from an ADC and separate the stream into its
component frequencies. It does this by dividing a section of the sam-
pled data into a number of bins (containers), each of which contains a
narrow band offrequencies -see Fig 7.6. It then measures the energy in
each bin and it is this data that's used to feed the spectrum display or
drive other facilities. The size of each bin is dependent on the sample
rate of the digital signal and the number of bins used by the FFT. When
using FFT to analyse an audio signal we might typically have a sample
rate of say 44kHz so that it can accurately captu re frequencies as high
Fig 7.6:
Dig ital sample Illustration of
01011101 1010101110110110101 101011011010110101 10101 using FFTs to

Ole Ole Ole Ole Ole Ole Ole convert data

samples to FFT
frequency bins.

10Hz 20Hz 30Hz 40Hz 50Hz 60Hz 70Hz

FFTBin s

91
Computers in Amateur Radio

as 22kHz. If we then analyse thi s signal with an FFT using 8,192 bins,
each bin would be 22,OOOHz (hig hest aud io frequency) /8 ,192 (number
of bins) = 2.69Hz w ide wh ich wou ld produce a very fine reso lution
spectrum display. One other point to note - the Nyquist-Shannon
theorem applies to FFTs and to provide the 8192 FFT bins the FFT
needs twice as many samples or points, i.e. 16,384.
One of the problems associated w ith the FFT algorithm is the
assumption that each analysed sample is co ntinuously repeating . Not
too much of a problem you might th ink but if the beg inning or end of
the sample chops through a signa l that's rap idly chang ing, the abrupt
cut wi ll theoretica lly have lots of harmonics and the FFT will attempt to
show that by spreading the energy over many bins . This would spoil our
otherwise clean spectrum display. The solution is to apply some more
digital wizardry to gently reduce all samples to zero at the beginning
and end of the measurement per iod. The filter that ach ieves this is ca lled
an FFT Window and you may find that you have a cho ice of windows
ava ilable - especially in FFT measurement systems. If in doubt, the
most usefu l general purpose window is the Hamm ing -see Fig 7.7 .
In addition to using FFTs to display the frequency spectrum, they
can also be used to create superb filters . As the FFT can be used to
separate the incoming sampled data into narrow FFT bins, filtering the
signal can be just a case of dec iding which of the bins should be kept
and wh ich should be discarded . Using the aud io example from earlier
,....- ..., that would mean
Fig 7.7: FFT
we could create
Hamming I I

window.
I
----1-- -
I
-- - - - - - l -- -- - - -T-
I
band -pass, low-
I
I
I I
I
pass or high-pass
_ _ __1_ __ __.1 J __! ! _ filters with adjust-
I I
I
I
I
I
ments in 2 .69Hz
J __ 1 .!. _
Amplitud e
_ _ _ _ 1_
I
_ _ _ _ ~

I I
steps! This is a
I
I
1 I
I
I
very simplistic
.J J 1 _
_ ___I
t
_ _ -'
I I I
j
I
__
t
viewofFFT
I
I
I I
I I
I
I
I
I
based filters but
_, J J 1_
1 I I
~

I
J __
,
should give you
I I I I I an idea of how
o Samples
41 96 they can work .

FFT Parameters

When you start using SDR systems and other FFT based systems you
will find that the software often provides user adjustments, so you can
fine tune the performance . In this section I'll give you some guidance
on what the various settings mean and how you can make best use of
them. Probably the first to look at is the FFT points or sample size.
This is simply the number of samples that the FFT will use to calculate

92
 Software Defined Radio

the spectrum display and determines the resolution of the display.

Setting this is always a compromise, as higher FFT point (sample)
sizes provide increased detail in the display but also increase the
processing and display time. The trick is to find a setting that works
best with your combination of computing power and the type of
signals you are monitoring.
The next adjustment to consider is the smoothing or averaging.
Without any smoothing the spectrum display will often look very jerky,
erratic and difficult to interpret. However, a small amount of smoothing
will quickly even-out the display and make it much easier to read. The
amount of smoothing or averaging to apply is really down to personal
choice but this rarely needs to go above 4 unless you are looking for a
very specific signal type. If you set the smoothing too high you will miss
some short duration transmissions altogether.

Practical Systems

By way of an introduction to practical SDR systems, let's start with a

look at one of Tony Parks' SoftRock receiver kits. These are wonderfully
simple receivers and transceivers with remarkably good performance.
Fig7.8 shows a block diagram of the popuiarSoftRock40 receiver,
which is is asingle-band receiver for the 40m amateur band that employs
SDR techniques forthe final tuning and demodulation. The RF section
includes a band-pass filter to help reduce the level of out-of-band
signals. The output of this is applied to a very effective Quadrature
Sampling Detector. You will note that the output from this stage com-
prises the vitali & Q signals that carry the 48kHz wide baseband
signal. Although the baseband signals are true IQ components they are
still analogue at this point in the process. These baseband signals are
then amplified and sent to the left and right inputs of a computer Fig 7.8:
soundcard. For the SDR to work correctly the soundcard does need to SoftRock block
be able to sample at 96kHz or greate r and be able to digitise the full diagram.
48kHz ofthe baseband signal.
Crystal oscillator
Once in the PC, the digitised
28.224M Hz
IQ signals are processed to
create a spectrum display of
Dividers
the band, provide variable
filters and demodulate the 14.112MHz 7.056MHz
chosen signals .
Band-pass
In the transceiver version filte r PC
of the SoftRock 40, the soundcard
Quadrature Sampling Detector ----rt Quadratue
I
- Left
(QSD) is supplemented with a - rv sampling Q Amplifie rs
Quadrature Sampling Exciter .» decoder - Right

(QSE).ln many respects this is

93
Computers in Amateur Radio

similarto the 10 up-converter (see Fig 7.5) as it takes baseband 10

information from the computer's soundcard and combines this with phase
shifted local carriers to produce the modulated RF signal. However, the
OSE has many performance advantages over a simple up-converter.
The software that handles the SDR element ofthe transceiver is freely
available for download from the Internet as PowerSDR Console. As you
can see from Fig 7.9, PowerSDR includes a huge range of advanced
features that would normally only be available on the most expensive
conventional transceivers. The basic operating principles ofthe SoftRock
series have been commercialised and form the foundation ofthe excellent
FlexRadio series of SDR receivers and transceivers.

Wup """-f w_ E. . . . MAl twx ~1h.o9

CD VfO).. "'0'

Fig 7.9:
PowerSDR main
screen. "n
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e-r~ F.'/N .lo B
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CP\J".. ltl

Full Spectrum Digitisation

An example of an alternative SDR approach can be seen in the

RFSPACE SDR-IO module which is available as a ready assembled unit
with just two connections - USB lead and antenna! Inside, the SDR-IO
uses hardware from Analogue Devices to digitise the full 500Hz to
30MHz spectrum and down-sample this back to 190kHz segments that
can be displayed and decoded using SDR software on the PC (Fig 7.2).
This is very much a black-bo x approach and the hardware can be
tucked away , as you don't need to touch it during operation. In addition
to providing a full coverage SDR HF receiver complete with filters, etc.
the SDR-IO can also be configured to operate as a Panadaptor with
many popular rigs so that you can view entire bands and click-tune to
select the desired frequency. To achieve this functionality the RFSPACE-
10 includes a serial port connection on the rear panel that links to the
CAT port on the transceiver. Similar full-spectrum SDR approaches can

94
 Software Defined Radio

be seen in a number of other high-end receivers such as the Winradio

Excalibur and the SSB LAN-SDR.

Open Source Project

Amateur radio has always prided itself as being at the forefront of

innovation and for creating an environment where enthusiasts and
experts can experiment with new technology. Those principles are alive
and flourishing in the world of SDR thanks to the High Performance
SDR community. This group can be found on -line at http://
openhpsdr.org/ and comprise a group of experts that are developing
open-source hardware and software that will combine to create a state-
of-the-art software defined transceiver system. The project has been
divided into modules to maintain flexibility and to enable sections to
be easily upgraded. One part of the project that falls outside this
principle is the Hermes module which is a complete , single-board
160m to 6m SDR transceiver. Hermes has been developed by combin-
ing modules from the main SDR project and is set to be very popular
now it has been released.

FUNcube Dongle

The FUNcube Dongle project, like

so many good initiatives, came
from a desire to bring radio and
electronics to young people in an
exciting way, using low cost iii
hardware and software. As is often
the case with this type of project,
the resulting receiver has attracted
great interest from enthusiasts and
hobbyist all over the world. There are two flavours of FUNcube Dongle, Fig 7.10: A look
inside the
the orig inal v1.0 provided coverage from 64MHz through to about
FUNcube dongle.
1700MHz w ith a gap between 11OOMHzand 1270MHz. This is an excel-
lent receiver that originally sold for about £1 00 . Unfortunately the
manufacturer of the tuner chip went into liqu idation, so this model is no
longer manufactured. As a result the team had to re-design the dongle
hardware to provide the promised hardware support for the FUNcube
educational satellite project. The design team excelled themselves and
produced a design with more than double the number of components in
the same case , but with improved all-round performance (see Fig 7.10).
Improvements were wide ranging and included extended frequency
coverage from 150kHz to 1.9GHz (but with a gap between 280M Hz and
420MHz) . The v2 .0 also added a temperature controlled crystal oscilla-

95
Computers in Amateur Radio

to r (TCXO) for improved tuning accuracy and stability. Performa nce on

the critical 2m and 70cm bands was further improved through the use of
SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) filters forthese bands.
Both version ofthe FUNcube Dong le use the direct convers ion
techn ique, with the analogue IQ signa ls from the tuner chip bei ng
digitised by an internal codec (CODer/DECoder) . The or ig inal v1.0
employed a 96kHz sample rate, providing a max imum bandwidth of
just under 96kHz forthe SDR software. The v2.0 version doubles the
sample rate to 192kHz, g iving a shade under 192kHz of bandwidth to
the SDR software .

Using SDR Software

Software is the essential ingredient to any SDR system and there are an
ever growing number of software packages around, all of which are
undergoing frequent upgrades as this new technology blossoms .The
main players at the time of writing are PowerSDR that works with the
FlexRadio SDR hardware, HDSDR wh ich is an updated version on
WinRad, SDRsharp and Simon Brown 's (HB9DRV) excelientSDR-
Console. This latter program has recently been completely re-designed
and Version 2.0 includes su pport for a wide range of hardware systems
Fig 7.11: SDR- and can run with up to six receiver panels simultaneously! There will
Radio main doubtless be more developments as time progresses .
screen.
Let's just spend some time running through how to use a typical

96
 Software Defined Radio

SDR software rig and for this example I'll use Simon Brown 's SDR-Radio.
One ofthe first things to remember with just about all SDR systems is
that you have to start the radio and choose your input source. As SDR
software operates on an 10 data stream this can come from a number of
sources including data files that have been stored to disk. The facility to
store radio spectrums as 10 data is used extensively by security services
for surveillance work. Getting started in SDR-Radio is done by pressing
the Start (or Play) button from the Input Source menu . Once started, the
display should burst into life with a spectrum display of the currently
selected band. You will usually find an assortment of display options in
most programs but the most useful for amateur radio is the combined
spectrum and waterfall display as shown in Fig 7.11. This display shows
a spectrum analyser display in the top section with frequency plotted
horizontally and signal strength vertically. Below this is a scroll ing
waterfall display that plots frequency horizontally but the signal level is
shown by the intensity and colour of the plot. As the waterfall scrolls
relatively slowly, the display builds a pattern of the signal overtime
which is extremely useful for signal recognition. When you first encounter
this type of display it may seem a bit daunting but you will soon find
that this combined display reveals a huge amount of information about
the signals on the band. In Fig 7.12 I've shown a segment of the 20m
amateur band and highlighted a number of signal types that are in-
stantly recognisable from the waterfall pattern they create.
Tuning SDR rigs also involves newskills, as there's no tuning knob
to spin! With SDR, tuning is normally carried-out with the mouse and
simply clicking the desired frequency on the display immediately sets

Fig 7.12: Signal

recognition using
a waterfall
display.

97
Computers in Amateur Radio

the demodulator to that frequency with fine tuning completed using the
mouse wheel. This makes tuning around the bands extremely quick and
easy. For more precise frequency setting there is normally the option to
type-in the frequency or to use up and down arrows to get to the
desired setting. You can also change the scale of the frequency axis
and zoom-in on a particular band segment. This can be very useful
when the bands are busy to help spot a clear frequency.
One of the areas where SDR really excels is filtering and the
software always includes some mouth-watering options. In the SDR-
Radio software there is a separate audio spectrum display available
that shows a spectrum analyser display ofthe audio frequencies wh ich
is overlaid with the shape of the current filter (Fig 7.13). To change the
shape or width of the filter you simply grab one edge with the mouse
and drag it to the desired setting! This is very powerful, especially as
you can see the signals as you change the filter so if you have an
interfering signal you can drag the filter edge to cut it out whilst
having minimal effect on the wanted signal. The filter sides are ex-
tremely steep , so you can create some incredible filtering with the
click of a mouse! As with all the SDR parameters any changes you
make within the software can be saved as pre-sets so that you can
recall them for use later.
Another often overlooked feature that is unique to SDR is the
facility to record IQ data direct to your computer's hard disk. By
record ing the IQ signals of a particular band segment you capture all
the activity in that seg ment and can therefore replay and decode it at a
later date. IQ reco rdings are so much more powerful than conventional
audio recordings be-
cause, you are effectively
replaying the RF signals
so you have the full
range offiltering and
demodulation options at
Fig 7.13: SDR
audio frequency your disposal. With many
spectrum and systems you can also set
filters. the playback to loop;
very helpful if you're
trying to resolve a
difficult signal. Record-
ings can also be linked
to a timer so that you
can capture transmis-
sions when you're not at home. Receiving weather pictures from the
NOAA low orbit satellites is a good example where scheduled record-
ings can be very helpful.
The SDR receiver also has full access to all the other parameters
that you would expect from a high quality rig such as AGC, CW filter,
noise Blanker, noise reduction, speech processing, etc. You 9an also

98
 Software Defined Radio

expect to see encoders and decoders for many of the more popular
data modes being incorporated into the main SDR software.

SDR - The Future

Nowthe revolution has started and advanced hardware is becoming

available at very competitive prices, we will doubtless see evermore
advanced black-box transceivers with all the functions controlled by
computer. This opens-up the option to mount the hardware much closer
to or even on the antenna system, thus eliminating all the problems
associated with getting RF to and from the shack. In the comme rcial
world, SDR is very attractive, as it facilitates the production of universal
radio hardware modules that can be software configured for a wide
variety of different roles . This flexibility has particular appeal in the
military arena, where the interworking of air, land and sea forces from
different nations is becoming increasingly important.

99
Computers in Amateur Radio

8.
Data Modes Software
by Mike Richards, G4WNC

In this chapter I shall be running through a selection ofthe most popular

data modes software programs . I've included a comparison chart that
showyou the range offeatures available from each multi-mode pack-
age , to help you choose the best one for your operating interests. I will
show you how to install and configure each of them, plus some opera-
tional tips to help you get on the air as quickly as possible. For the
purpose of these examples, all programs were downloaded from the
Internet using the listed sources and installed on a clean build of Win-
dows 7 running on a basic (1.7GHz) dual core Pentium processor. I also
took the opportunity to test them on a Windows 8 Pro system with a
similar specification processor. One easily solved problem with Windows
8 is caused by the Smart Screen filter that's built into Windows 8. This
checks the software publisher and a few other things against a centrally
stored list in an attempt to protect you from malicious software. How-
ever, most amateur software developers will never get on Microsoft's list,
so the software gets blocked. If you want to run the software, you
should click on the "More info" text link and then choose "Run anyway ".
I've noted any other specific program compatibility problems in the
software descriptions.

Data modes software types

When it comes to data modes software , t here are two groups of

software. The first group are general purpose , multi-mode sys tems that
attempt to cover as many modes as possible within a single applica-
tion. These are a popular place to start, as you only have to familia rise
yourself with one set of controls and you can operate many different

100
 Data Modes Software

modes. The second group are specialist programs that only cover a
single mode or a very small group of similar modes. These are often
the only way to go for some modes (such as ROS) , but do generally
offer better results for their specific modes . You will often find that
these packages have been written by the inventor/developer ofthe
data mode in question, and for that fact alone they are likely to be
particularly effective.

Is downloading safe?

Whilst there is always an element of risk when downloading software,

there are a few simple steps you can take to minimise them. The first is to
make sure you are using a good quality Internet Security Suite. Whilst
some of the free ones are very good, you always get more comprehen-
sive cover with the paid versions . Personally I use Sophos Antivirus, as I
have found it to be very effective over many years of use and it has
protected both mine and my family's PCs admirably. NB: I don't get any
kick-backs from Sophos for saying that. I pay like everyone else!
Besides having a solid antivirus system, it's worth making sure you
download from a safe site . In most cases that means downloading from
the software author's site rather than a mirror or other site that is promot-
ing the software. The links I have provided in this chapter are either the
author's orig inal or an approved distributor. I have personally checked all
the links at the time of writing and I've scanned the download files to
make sure that they are virus free . That's about as far as I can go to
ensure that the links published here are safe for you to use.

Virtual computing

If you install and uninstalilots of software on a Windows PC, the registry

and other settings will gradually get clogged and your system will eventu-
ally slow and become less reliable. However, if you want to try lots of
software without compromising your main PC, virtual computing is the
way to go. A virtual PC is a specialist software package that emulates a
computer within your PC. When you run this application you are able to
load Windows, Linux or any other operating system without affecting your
main PC. Once the new operating system in installed you can connect to
the Internet and download/install all the software you like without affecting
your main PC. The software is actually installed onto a file that's owned by
the virtual PC. Connections to the outside world for Internet, sound ,
printing , USB ports , etc. are all handled automatically by the virtual PC
software , as it creates a bridge between the virtual PC and your hardware.
The two most popular Virtual PC packages are the Oracle VirtualBox and
VMware 's VMware Player. Both are free downloads and wor k extremely

101
Computers in Amateur Radio

well . I've shown web links to them in Table 8.1. You will need a reasonably
powerful PC with at least a dual -core Pentium or equiva lent to run this
software successfully. A lesser machine will be too slow and probably
grind to a halt.

Table 8.1. Software Link

Virtualisation VMware Player bttp:lJw.tN.J.vmware.com/products/playerl
software links. VirtualBox https:/lwww.virtualbox.orgi

Macros

The use of macros are common place across most data mo des but
newcomers are often unsure where to start, plus the use of macros can be
intimidating for a new user as the distant station bombards you with
stacks of stored text ! Let's start with a brief introduction to mac ros. They
are not at all complicated and are little more than a collection of stored
text messages that can be recalled with a sing le key press. They are used
to sto re all the routine informa tion that is exchanged in most QSOs. A
good example is the basic handover between overs. The sending station
would typically end an over with something like 'G4ABC de G4DEF PSE
K'. If you had the text 'de G4DEF PSE K' stored in a macro you would
only need to type his call and then press a single button to add the
stored text and make the complete handover message . The same can be
done with details such as name , QTH and your equipment. By mak ing
use of these simple stored texts you can carry out a basic QSO with
minimal typing .
Modern data modes software take macros a step furthe r and provide
special character combinations that can be used to control the flow of
informa tion. A good example is transmit/receive switch ing in FLDIGI,
where adding the characters ' <TX>' automatically switches the program
to transmit and' < RX> ' switches it back to receive . Many also have
methods of capturing the other station's call, so it can be automatically
inserted into a macro . The actual macros you need will depend on the
mode in use , as ope rating practice varies between modes. You will also
find that most software is supplied with some generic macros already
setup, so you will just have to modify them to suit your operating style.

Transmitter drive level

All the softwa re discussed here uses the audio output from the PC's
soundcard to drive the transmitter. Beca use of that it's important to be
able to adjust the out put level, so as not to overdrive the transmitter.
Whilst some data modes do not require the transmitter to operate in
linear mode , othe rs do, so for beg inners I always suggest running the

102
 Data Modes Software

transmitter in linear mode. A simple way to ensure this is to switch your

data modes program to transmit and adjust the audio output level so that
the ALC just starts to kick in on the transmitter, then just back off the drive
slightly. You will find that the required drive level varies between mode and
band, so it is helpful to have an easily accessible gain control
potentiometer in the transmit audio path. This can be a home -made
arrangement (well screened), or built into your interface unit. Whilst most
data modes software includes a facility to adjust the transmit audio level a
manual control is faster and much more convenient.

Waterfall displays

These have become the standard tuning indicator for the vast majority of
data modes software. The waterfall is simply a spectrum display that
shows the signal level as different brightness orcolour dots. Each sample
produces a single line of dots and subsequent lines follow behind , to
create a scrolling display. The reason this display makes such a good
tuning indicator and signal detector is that it shows an historical record of
what's been received over recent minutes . Even if a station has stopped
transmitting, you can click on the historical trace to set the correct tuning
point. For modes like the ever-popular PSK31, a spectrum display will
show the entire band 's activity in one sweep, so it becomes very easy to
spot new signals and to move around the band segment.

Soundcard troubleshooting

Most of the problems encountered by newcomers to data modes are

associated with getting the audio from the rig to the software. The solu-
tion is usually very simple, but you need to adopt a logical fault finding
process or you will soon get in a muddle. The first step is to make sure
your rig is switched-on and tuned to a band with some activity. A good
place to start is the PSK section of the 20m band on 14.070MHz. Make
sure the mode is set to USB . Next you need to check that an audio signal
is emerging from your rig. One way to do this is to plug a very sensitive
pair of headphones (high impedance) into the audio output connection
on the rig - you should be able to hear something. If all is well at that
point, plug the lead back into the computer (the line-in jack is best). In
most Windows systems you should see a speaker icon in the bar at the
bottom right of the screen. Right-click and choose Recording Devices.
That will open-up the Sound panel with the Recording tab activated . If all
is well , you should see some activity in the bar graph display to the right
of the device name . If the bar graph is dead, double-click on the device
to open-up its Properties panel and choose Levels. In this section make
sure the slider is well advanced and check that the speaker icon is not on
mute . Close that panel and return to the Sound -Recording tab and you

103
Computers in Amateur Radio

should see activity in the bar graph. Ifthe tests so far have worked and
you have s igns of life in the Sound - Recording tab but not on the
waterfa ll, then you need to loo k at the software setup. The precise steps
will depend on the software you're using, but you need to access the
configuration and make sure you have se lected the correct sound card
and input. If th is fails I suggest you visit the support forum for your soft-
ware to see ifthe users have any suggestions . In my experience, audio
path problems are usually very s imp le to solve, providing you adopt a
logical approach .

Multi-Mode Software

FLDIGI

Web link: bttp:/!www.w1 hk~

Yahoo Group: bttRJLgroups.yahoo.com~

Created by W1HKJ , FLDIGI (Fig 8.1 )is one ofthe most comprehensive
and versatile systems currently available. Operat ing system support is
excellent with versions for Windows, Linux and OS X. You can even get
th is to run on the Raspberry Pi!

Installation
For Windows , download the Windows Setup package from the
Downloads page of the site and save it to a convenient location - Win-
dows Downloads is fine. The download should be quick, as the file is only
4MB . When the download is complete , double click the .exe file to start
the installation . If you accept the default options during installation , the
software will install in the Program Files directory with desktop and
toolbar links to launch the software. That completes the installation.

Configuration
Running FLDIGI for the first time will take you to the configuration wizard
that will guide you through the important settings that will allow you to get
on the air qu ickly. The first step is to enter your call sign, name and station
details. It's worth thinking about this, because the data stored here will be
used in the transmit macros that you'll be using to save typing whilst on the
air. The next step is to select the audio input and output settings and for a
Windows system you should tick PortAudio and choose the record ing and
playback sound cards that you intend to use. The Settings and Right
Chan nel tabs can be left at the ir default settings. The final step ofthe
configuration wizard is to set up the Rig Cont rol settings. If you don 't use a
rig control system you can ignore this panel. Users of rig control syste ms
will need to refer to the ir rig control instructions to establish the cor rect

104
 Data Modes Software
- ~
-
-I~

---,... ,.OJ '"

- ~,

"..1612 11<>- OIf l SJS Joo ....

. CO
~r-l
USI

u<1_", . f ~1 .'-""'."'".,
· I~'
"'". . ,~ "
R ~

. n ... ..,,, _ ..., ...... C. .,

·
Save log
button Received text

I ··
Fig 8.1: FLDIGI
Type ahead buffer screen layout.

t Macro buttons t
·
~,'~
-
settings for this panel. That completes the basic configuration, but if you
want to make any changes at a later time all of FLDIGI's configuration
settings are accessible via Configure on the main menu bar.

Operation
As you can see from the software table, FLDIGI supports a very wide
range of data modes and th is versati lity is one of the reasons it is so
popular. Considering the versat ility of FLDIGI, the interface has been kept
remarkably simple, but I'll run through the important sections here. At the
very top, mode selection is done via the OpMode menu item. The section
immediately below the menu bar is a logbook entry panel, where you can
keep a record of your QSOs. You will see that there are entry fields
available for all the vital information, such as call sign , operator name,
QTH, signal reports in and out, etc. When you've finished your QSO you
need to press the save button to store the information in the electronic
logbook. This store button is the lower of the stack of three buttons to the
left of the log.
Immediately below the log is the received text panel. This is where
all the decoded text messages are displayed. You will also find your
transmitted text shown in this section after it has been sent, but it will be
coloured red so it's easy to identify. This panel effectively keeps a full
running log of all your QSOs in the current operating session .
The pale blue panel below is what's known as the type-ahead
buffer. It is where text messages can be created and stored prior to
transmission. The contents of this section will be transmitted as soon as
you switch to transmit.
Immediately below the type-ahead buffer is a line of macro buttons.

105
Computers in Amateur Radio

These are pre-configured w ith sample macros that you can edit to suit
your operating style . Editing macros is very simple in FLDIGI- just right-
click on a button and the macro ed itor will open up . FLDIGI has a very
powerful set of macro commands and it's worth tak ing some time to read
the excellent user gu ide to make the most of this feature. However, to get
on the air quickly it is very simple to custom ise the default macros . When
you've updated the macros , go to File - Macros - Save to store the
updated macros to disk. When you re-start the program at a later date
you will need to re-load those saved macros.
The next section is the all-important spectrum display, where you
can view all the available signa ls and use a simple left-click ofthe mouse
to tune-in to a specific signal and start decod ing. Finally there is a set of
controls forthe waterfall display, transm it/receive sw itching, etc .

Tips:
Here a few operational tips for FLDIGI that might make life a bit easier.

Escape key- This is an emergency stop button, wh ich instantly stops

transmiss ion and puts you back into receive mode . It's great when you
do something daft like transmit in the wrong mode and just want to abort.

Type-ahead - If you click to place the cursor in the type-ahead buffer the
output will stop at that point. This is very handy, as you can prepare a
message and only let it go out when you 're ready.

Right-click browse tune - if you're in a OSO and an interesting station

pops-up in the waterfall you can right-click/hold on and FLDIGI decode it
and flip back to your OSO when you release.

Signal Browser- Providing you have a reasonably powerful PC, you can
use the Signal Browser to simultaneously decode all the signals in the
audio band . To activate this you select View - Signal Browser from the
menu.

<LOG> - Don 't forget to add <LOG> to your OSOfinal over macro to
automatically save a log entry at the end of the OSO .

Ham Radio Deluxe - DM780

Web Link: bttp;l/www,hrdsoftwareJl~Q1I]L

Support Forum: bt1p:/lforums.hrdsofiwarellc.....QQJ]]L

Originally created by Simon Brown, G4ELI/HB9DRV,the software (screen

layout shown in Fig 8.2) is now looked after by HRD Software LLC. HRD
is a very comprehensive rig control program that includes the powerful
DM780 data modes software that I'm covering here .

106
 Data Modes Software

Installation
Follow the link and menu to get to the Download section, where you can
access the current or earlier versions. The download is 95MB, so it may
take some time, depending on your Internet speed. Once downloaded,
double click on the .exe file to run the installer. For a standard installation
you can accept all the default options. You may see a message about
installing the Microsoft C+ + 2010 redistributable. This is a set of software
libraries that are required to run the program, so you should agree to the
installation. Ifthis fails (as it did for me) this is often because you have a
later version ofthe re-distributable files already installed. In this case you
will need to download the files separately from Microsoft. After the HRD
installation has completed, open your browser and Google 'Microsoft
C+ + 2010 redistributable', then choose the Microsoft link to download
the library. Double-click on the .exe to complete the installation.

Configuration
When installation is complete and you run HRD, you will be presented
with a small connection configuration screen where you can enter details
of your rig. If you have a rig control interface you should enter the appro-
priate details here . If you don't have rig control and just want to use the
DM780, choose Dem-o-Matic as the company and any rig you fancy from
the list. Before leaving this screen tick the box marked Start DM780 and
then press the connect button at the bottom left. When the full HRD
opens you will be presented with a 'Getting Started' screen where you
enter your station details for inclusion in macros and also select your
soundcard and radio interface details .The Getting Started page covers
this extremely well, so I won't repeat it here. Once you've completed the
configuration you can close the Getting Started tab. If you need to return

~""'llIIO""~""""""-""""'O'IiI'
~ ...f- .!. ...:....~ .! ~ .....!....

Received
text Fig 8.2: Screen
.-
1_ ..
• 1olOI """1
Il~_q..
layout for DM780
• software.
o 0 · ·- ":I

C': e; .. ;~.c Gt..:

.. ,,-=
~ ~
f i r II: t ...... ~
a t":

Type ahead
Mode selection buffer
~ _ . _ . "" ,, <iJ' _~

. . . ., . . . ~ ...... "" " " ' .' ., . ,

~erf~'~~
, ~

107
Computers in Amateur Radio

to this section , it can be found via the menu system - Tools - Program
Options where you'll find the Getting Started button at the bottom left.
Before you finish configuration , I find it useful to have the modes showing
in the Waterfall toolbar. This is activated by clicking the Modes icon and
ticking the box at the top labelled "Show modes in waterfall toolbar". You
can then choose to display all your favourite modes using the tick boxes
adjacent to each mode.

Operation
In addition to using the menu immediately above the waterfall display,
you can also select the operating mode using the drop-down menu at the
top of the TX/RX text box. Once the desired mode and frequency has
been selected, any activity will be shown on the main waterfall display.
Tuning to a station is simply a question of clicking the mouse in the centre
ofthe signal. The bandwidth ofthe signal is shown by the highlighted bar
that follows the mouse click. Received text appears in the top text box, as
does the transmitted text (after it has been sent). The lower text box is the
transmit type ahead buffer, where you can prepare messages ready for
transmission. The combination of DM780 with HRD and its logging and
control functions make for a very powerful and sophisticated setup that is
beyond the scope ofthis simple introduction.

MixW

Web Link: http ://www.mixw.net

Support Site: bttp.JLgroups,yahoo.com{group/RealmixW/

Shown in Fig 8.3, MixW is a commercial data modes program written by

Nick Fedoseev, UT2UZ and Denis Nechitailov, UU9JDR ,Two versions are
available; MixW v2.2 and v3. The main difference between the two ver-
sions is the addition of more comprehensive networking facilities, so you
can automatically link with DXclusters and store logs on remote servers.
Although both versions are paid-for software they are available on a fully
functional 15-day trial, so you can check that the software is right for you
before you buy,

Installation
Navigate to the Download page and choose the latest MixW full version.
The download is under 8MB , so should be fairly quick. At the time of
writing the download comprised a zip file with a single .exe file inside.
When the download is complete, extract and run the .exe file to start the
installation. Follow the default settings in the installer for a normal
installation.

Configuration
When you run MixW for the first time you will be presented with the

108
 Data Modes Software

Personal Data panel , where you should enter your call sign and station
details for automatic inclusion in macros and logs. The next step is to
make sure the correct sound card or interface has been selected. To do
this, choose Configure - Sound Device Sett ings from the Menu bar and
use the drop-down selection to choose the correct sound card . If you
are using a proprietary interface it's worth using the separate Interface
wizard to help complete the configuration . The wizard can be found via
the menu at Configure -Interface Setup Wizard. Immediately below the
menu bar you will find a set of Macro buttons that can be configured
using a right-click.

Operation
MixW is very easy to use and, like most of the programs here, uses a
waterfall display to show activity and aid tuning. To receive a new
station you simply click the mouse on the waterfall trace and decoding
will start immediately. MixW also makes use of your Internet connec-
tion to automatically look-up received call signs, report their location
and even tell you whether or not you've worked them before . Double
clicking on a call sign in the received text box will automatically
transfer that call to the electronic log and the stored call will also be
used in the macros. If you get in a muddle , the Escape key causes an
immediate switch back to receive .

Macro buttons

• El
lAJT RA! t n t 0
Tuning
nnd
indicator
QSO log Received text Fig 8.3: Screen
layout for MixW.

Type ahead buffer

109
Computers in Amateur Radio

WinWarbler

WebLink : bttp :/lwtNJ.dxlabsutte.comfwinwarbler/

Support Site: bttpJLgroups.yahQQ.cQm/grQup/dxlab

WinWarb ler (Fig 8.4) is a free proqrarn that SUPPQrts CW, PSK and RTTY
communications at a variety of speeds and has proven to be very PQPU-
lar, due to its ease of use.

Installation
WinWarbler is part of the DXLab Suite of proq rarns, SQ the first stage in
the installatlon is tQinsta ll the DXLab Launch er app lication , Full instruc-
tions for this are well docu mented Qnthe DXLab Suite web site. Once the
launcher is installed and running YQU can start the WinWarbler installation
by clicking the ww button in the launcher. If YQU accept all the default
settings during the installatio n, WinWarblerwili be installed in c:\DXLab .

Con figuration
As with most of the software described here , WinWarbler SU PPQrts the
use of trans mit macros and a certain amount ot automation of the IQg
keeping process . One of the first requirements is to populate the soft-
ware with you r call sign and YQU may find that YQU are prompted tor this
when the proqrarn starts for the first time. TQ update that information ,
Fig 8.4: Screen click the Conflq button in the tQP right -hand section of the main screen.
layout for When the Confiquration screen opens YQU will find the call sign entry on
WinWarbler. the General tab . YQU should use the Soundcard tab to select the appro-

Log

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110
 Data Modes Software

priate sound card. The Configuration screen also provides access to a

wide range of custom isation controls , including logging and contest
operation . A selection of example transmit macros are provided in the
macro section, which is located just below the text screens . The stored
macro is disp layed when you hover the mouse over the button and a
right -click provides access to the macro ed iting screen , where all the
macros can be customised .

Operation
Many operators find the WinWarbler channel monitor particularly helpful ,
as the software can decode more than 40 channels of PSK simultane-
ously. This is a very effective way to assess band activity. Each decoded
signal is supplemented by a signal strength and quality measurement.
Activating the Broad Band Decoder (BBD) is simply a case of ticking
the BBD box at the bottom left of the main screen. In add ition to show-
ing the decoded output in the Channel Monitor screen, you will not ice a
number of small white triang les in the spectrum display. These are
channel indicators for the stations that are currently being processed by
the Channel Monitor.

HamScope

WebLink: bttp :/lwww.qsl.net/hamscoReL

Support Site: b1tpJLgrQyps .yahoo .com!group/hamscoReL

HamScope is another free decoding programs that supports PSK31

modes , along with RTTY, ASCII, MFSK16, Packet and CWO However,
support for RlTY requ ires the download ofthe MMlTY Engine and Packet
requires the AGWPE engine .

Installation
Start by downloading the latest HamScope zip file from the Internet site
(v1 .56 at the time of writing). The resultant zip file can then be extracted to
a locatio n of your choice. A separate directory on the C drive is probably
best. The next step is to download and install the help file using the same
process. Make sure you put the help file in the same directory as the
HamScope extracted file. If you want to be able to use HamScope for
RlTYjASCIl you need to download the MMlTY engine using the links on
the HamScope site and then copy the mmtty.exe file to the HamScope
directory. For Packet you need to download the AGWPE engine from:
btt p://www.elcom.gr/sY2agwLand copy the installed files to the
HamScope directory. For a more detailed description of using Packet
with HamScope, take a look at the tutorial on : btt:R;LL
www~Q.und~acket.info/
Windows 8 compatibility: I encountered a compatibility problem
when running Hamscope under Windows 8 that caused my ATI graphics

111
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 8.5: Layout of

the HamScope
screen.

card driver to consume approximately 90% of the processor capacity.

This resulted in a very sluggish respo nse on the Hamscope spectrum
display. None ofthe usual compatib ility settings resolved the issue.

Configuration
The first step is to open the Settings menu - General Setup and make
sure the appropriate sound card has been selected for send and receive.
If you have a transceiver interface lead you can also enter the details on
the screen , to allow HamScope to control you r rig. The next step is to
custom ise the macros. These are to be found in the centre ofthe screen,
immediately below the menu bar. A few ofthe macros are predefined, but
you will need to custom ise them for your QSO preferences. To edit a
macro you simply right-click on the button to open-up the macro edit
screen . Here you can change the macro and use keywords to create
more complex macros with automatic TxjRxswitching .

Operation
One important po int to note is that the screen of HamScope (see Fig
8.5) doesn 't automatically re-size in quite the same way as many mod-
ern Windows prog rams , so you need to expand the window to make
sure you are seeing all the con trols. The next step is to select the
required ope rating mode. This is done via the Mode selection box that 's
located in the cen tral panel between the upper text boxes and the lower
spectrum displays . This section also carries all the other adjus tments
that are appropriate for the mode, i.e. speed, shift, etc . As with most of

112
 Data Modes Software

the prog rams here, HamScope uses a type-ahead buffer so that text can
be prepared prior to transmission. As an indicator oftransmission
progress the type-ahead text is displayed in red prior to transm ission
but turns green when sent. The bottom window ofthe display provides a
very useful spectrum display, so you can easily find stations and then
tune with a single mouse cl ick. To abort transmission at any time , press
the Escape key on your keyboard .

MultiPSK

WebLink: http :Uf6cte.free.fr/index anglais.htm

Support Site: bttp.JLgroups.yahoo.com/group/multipsk/

MultiPSK (see Fig 8.6 ) is free software written by French amateur Patrick
Lindecker, F6CTE . It features an extremely wide range of modes that
include BPSKjQPSK, CW, Packet , PACTOR 1, AMTOR , ASCII, MFSK8,
MFSK16, Olivia, Contestia, Throb, Domino, PAX, ALE , JT65, FELD-HELL,
HF-FAX and SSTV In addition, MultiPSK includes receive only capability
for a number of commercial modes. The inclusion of so many modes and
options has made the interface extremely crowded , which can be confus-
ing for the inexperienced operator. However, the software perfo rmance is
very good , hence its inclusion here.

Installation
The software is supplied in a zip file that can be extracted to a directory of
your choice. Once extracted , the software can be run from that directory
by dou ble-clicking on the MULTIPSK.exe file .

Configuration
The initial sc reen s hown at start-up is the configuration panel and the first

Mode
selection
Fig 8.6: Layout of
the MiitiPSK
screen.

Type ahead buffer

Transmitted text

Received text

11 3
Computers in Amateur Radio

task is to run through the top menu and set the Sound Card (Input) and
Sound Card (Output). To get to the main operational screen of MultiPSK,
press the large RXfTX Screen button towards the bottom left of the
configuration screen. Macros are located just below the waterfall display
and are edited via a right -click ofthe mouse.

Operation
In addition to a busy interface, general operation ofthis software is
slightly quirky. To tune to a RTTY or similar signal you must click on the
right-hand peak rather than the centre. The text screen layout is also
different, with the received text occupying the lower section while the
type-ahead buffer uses the upper text box. The central text box is used to
show text after it has been transmitted. MultiPSK retains the use ofthe
Escape key to abort transmission.

Specialist Modes Software

WSJT

WebLink: http://physics.princeton.eduLpulsar/K1JI/
Support Site: http.JLgroups.yahoo.com/grouplwsjtg.J:QU.pl'

The WSJTsuite of programs (see Fig 8.7) by Joe Taylor, K1JT have been
developed for use with difficult signal paths such as Earth-Moon-Earth
(moon-bounce), ionospheric scatter, etc. As such they are mainly con-
cerned with the task of establishing whetheror not basic communications
have been established , ratherthan the conversational style of other
amateu r data modes . Joe Taylor has provided excellent PDF manuals for
all the software in the WSJT suite, so I would strongly recommend using
those to help you get going. The following text is intended to provide a
brief run through the installation and setup. Most of the WSJI modes rely
on accurate timing between the transmit and receive sites, so it is vital
that the accuracy of your PC clock is maintained. For most applications
the Windows InternetTime service is adequate, but if you want improved
accuracy you can install specialist time synchronisation software such as
Dimension 4, Socket Watch or NetTime.

WSJT: This program specialises in the reception of extremely short

duration signals such as those from a meteor scatter or an ion ised meteor
trail. The software can also deal with more conventional , steady state
signals that are 1OdS below the audible threshold.

MAP65: This software provides a 90kHz wide band receiver for WSJT65
signals and displays a band map showing all the decodable signals within
the band.

114
 Data Modes Software

WSPR: (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) is designed as a propaga-

tion reporting tool for the MF and HF bands. Live propagation results can
be seen on wsprnet.org .

Installation - WSJT
WSJT installation is very simple and starts by downloading the latest
WSJTWindows executable which is about 11MS. Double-click the .exe
file to install it. I suggest installing somewhere other than the Program
Files directory, because some users have experienced runtime errors
when installing in the normal Program Files. This may be due to permis -
sion problems, which can be avoided ifthe software is installed outside
the Program Files directory.

Configuration - WSJT
To run the software successfully for the first time you may need to run it
with Administrator authority. To do this right-click, choose Run as Adminis-
trator and click 'yes' to the prompt that follows. The next step is to
choose Options from the Setup menu item, so you can enter your call
sign, grid locator and select the appropriate soundcard and interface
connection . Soundcard selection is a little unusual, as you need to enter
the device numbers and these are shown on the Console Window that
should have opened when the program started. The next step is to adjust
the input and output audio levels, which can be done via the soundcard
mixer or interface level controls. The input level should be adjusted so to
show around OdS on the bar graph at the bottom rights ofthe Spectrum
screen . Once the configuration is complete you can use the Mode menu
item to select the appropriate mode for the band you 're using.

"I
r- '"
r ...
r ..
r ..
r ..

Fig 8.7: Screen

layout for WSJT
in JT65 mode.

115
Computers in Amateur Radio

Operation - WSJT
Operating these weak sig nals modes is very different to most other data
modes, as there is no real conversational mode. Instead, exchanges
follow a formal protocol that's designed to confirm little more than the fact
a two-way contact has taken place. Rather than describe the process
here I suggest you refer to the excellent tutorials on Joe Taylor's web site .

Installation - MAP65
The software can be downloaded via the WSJT site and installed by
do ub le-click ing on the downloaded .exe file. Following the installation the
software will optimise the FFT (Fast Fourier Transforms) for your PC. Th is
can take a litt le while, so you need to be patient whilst th is stage com-
pletes .

Configuration - MAP65
Th is software provides a wideband receive function, so it can on ly operate
with certain wideband SDR receivers . The most popular choices are the
FUNcube Dongle (original v1 .0) orthe SoftRock series of receivers .
MAP65 includes frequency control tools forthe FUNcube Dong le (c1.0)
and the SoftRock that can be accessed via the Setup menu item.

Operation - MAP65
If you 're using a SoftRock receiver with a Si570 series local oscillator you
can adjust the centre freq uency ofthe MAP65 receiver by typing the
frequency in SetRxFrequency box in the lower right ofthe waterfall dis-
play. For FUNcube Dongle users, frequency adjustment is performed via
the Setup menu under FUNcube Dongle Settings . In addition to being
able to change the Dongle frequency, this panel gives you access to all
the dongle settings.

Installation - WSPR
Its very simple to install this tool- download the Windows exe file and
double-click to install. Follow the default prompts and you will find the
software in the Program Files directory.

Configuration - WSPR
As with the other software in this series you need to enter your call sign
and soundcard details . This is done via the Setup menu, then choosing
Station Parameters. The soundcard selection is somewhat easier with this
software, as the devices are all listed by name rather than just the device
number. As a final part of the configuration make sure you tick the upload
spots box just below the waterfall display, as th is will enable your spots to
be added to the central database.

Operation
As WSPR is a propagation reporting tool your station is really being used
as part of the overall network of WSPR stations and contributing to the

116
 Data Modes Software

pool of propagation information. Once everything is setup and your

transmit and receive levels adjusted, you can leave the software running.
To see how well your signal is propagating, log on to the wsprnet.org site,
select Database from the menu and if you choose Specify query param -
eters and enter your call sign you will see a list of reports from all the
stations that heard your last call. The system operates in real-time, so it
provides a very useful indicator of propagation from your station.

ROS

WebLink: bttp:/lrosmodem.wordpress.comL
Support Site: bttp---.:LLgroups.yahoo.com/group/BosMode/

Controversial when first introduced, but now gaining wider acceptance,

BaS uses Multiple Frequency Shift Keying (MFSK) along with sophisti-
cated encoding techniques to provide a very robust data mode that's
ideally suited for use under poor conditions.

Installation
Download and extract the zip file to a location of your choice. Once the
file has been extracted, double-click on the Install.exe file to complete the
installat ion process. Unlike conventional Windows programs the installa-
tion routine does not put an entry in the Programs list, but the program
can be run by double-clicking the BaS v...exe file in the extracted direc-
tory. You can create a desktop item by right-clicking on the .exe file and
choosing Send to Desktop.

Configuring
The first step is to open the Configure menu item and choose Operator to
enter your station information. This is followed by the rig setup, where you
can choose the type of rig control you want to use and select your rig.
BaS makes this process very easy as it automatically scans the COM
ports to locate your rig and automatically configures the data rate, etc.
The final step is to select the appropriate soundcard for input and output.
In the central area, just above the type-ahead buffer, you will find the
macro buttons that are pre-configured with a selection of useful texts.
These can be edited by right -clicking over any ofthese buttons .

Operation
The author has made BaS extremely easy to operate, especially if you
are able to link BaS with your rig. As Fig 8.8 shows , at the top right of
the screen you will see the band and channel information. You can use
these controls to select your operating frequency. To the left ofthat panel
you will find the activity reporter that uses your Internet link to flag-up
other BaS activity across the bands . The central area also contains a

117
Computers in Amateur Radio

AUdtOO3RH (f R oIG mMty' a.KonROS*'*Y5"., .. ~W. 1559 IX]

All6tJZ2XGI v) COCOROS1S.CATIIlCorno 1559 {tC1 -----. L~~~~~

16 1SS90 -18Hz CO drl lZ2XGl 1l2XGI1

Received text
Fig 8.8: Screen
layout for ROS
modem.

dashboard of indicators that may at first look a little daunting. These are
simply gauges that show the quality ofthe received signal- the more
greens you get the better the signal. You will also note that ROS provides
a measured signal-to-noise ratio. It s customary to use this as the signal
report, rather than the subjective RST system. It is also important to note
that ROS is a very robust system with built-in error correction, so you
don't need to repeat key information such as name, QTH etc.

V4Chat

WebLink: bnp.:LLwww.winlink.org/node/501
Support Site: bttp--JLgIQ!J.P~yahoo.comLgmypN4Protocol

This new mode was developed by Rick Muething, KN6KB and provides a
fully error corrected keyboard QSO mode. V4Chat is an extension to the
WINMOR protocol that was originally developed as an alternative to
PACTORfor amateur HF e-mail systems. WINMOR operates using a new
soundcard based Terminal Node Controller ([NC) . Both the WINMOR TNC
and V4Chat are free of charge.

Installation
The program installation file can be found in the Files section ofthe
Yahoo! support site . Download and unzip the file, then start the installa-
tion by double-clicking on the V4ChatSetup.exe file. On completion ofthe
installation you will find a desktop icon available to run the program.

118
 Data Modes Software

Configuration
When you run the prog ram for the first time you will be presented with a
registration reminder. You can either choose 'remind me later' or clic k on
the web link to register. The registration process takes you to a site where
you can make a voluntary registration donation of $25 to support the
Amateur Radio Safety Foundation. When the program starts you will see
two windows , one of which shows the V4 Sound ca rd TNC and the other
is the V4Chat program. In V4Chat choose File - Setup and enter your call
sign , locator and select the appropriate V4 Capture and Playback devices
(sound cards). In the lower right ofthe setup screen choose Radio Setup
to configure your rig control. When th is is completed don 't forget to hit
Save Settings and then Update on the following screen to ensure all your
settings are saved. The final stage in the configuration is to adjust the
audio drive so that the transceiver is operating in its linear region. To help
with th is V4Chat includes a two-tone test signal that can be sent via the
Test menu on the TNC panel. One final point to note is that this mode
requires rapid switching from transmit to receive and rarely works with
systems using VOX for TX/RX switching. You will need to use CAT or PIT
line switching .

Operation
V4Chat (Fig 8.9) has two operational modes wh ich are ARQ (Automatic
V4 Chat LOA.o i _~ . , .
, File ' Mode:ARQ • Abort
Cell Freq
Contact Name
Sign (kHz)
I I I

Log area
Received text

Type
ahead
Tx/Rx switching ime
buffer
. i "'

4 SOUnolc.d

Help
5lolus Hide Test Send CWID _ Filter In 08 ~o

Rev lrtel·
_._Clf.. · OHl

V4 Mode: ARQ (D~ed)

S
. - Sq.«h,

.7lllJiz
E,: by, ro;;r:ra::;:J

CF:14074.500 +'7OOHl Constellation

Fig 8 .9: V4Chal
screen layo ut.

119
Computers in Amateur Radio

Repeat reQuest) or FEC (Forward Error Correction) . The most common

operational mode is ARQ, which provides a fully error-corrected link
between two stations. Common calling frequencies are 3.635, 7.073,
14.073 and 21.073MHz. V4Chat includes an automated CQ call for the
main ARQ mode, which is activated via the ARQ call item on the main
menu. This same button also prov ides the faci lity to answer a CQ call
from another station by entering the call in the Target call sign box.
V4Chat operates by breaking the message into smaller groups of charac-
ters that are sent and then checked for error-free reception, before moving
on to the next groups of characters. The result is a very robust link, but it
is important to avoid adding repeats in your message as the system
automatically repeats any damaged parts ofthe message.
The V4Chat screen is split into three sections, with a QSO log on the
left, status messages and received text at the top rig ht, and a type-ahead
buffer at the bottom right. Once a link has been established between two
stations text is usually sent from the transmit buffer every time a CR is
encountered . However, this can be changed to force transmit on the
following conditions: Ctrl + CR, CR, CR/double space, end of each wor d.
At the tim e of writing V4Chat does not include con ventional macros,
but it does have the facility to insert pre-compiled text messages that
have been created using Win dows Notepad or similar. Once a QSO has
been estab lished, the two statio ns are effectively locked toget her and will
continue until an op erator forces a close using the Abort button.

MMVARI

WebLink :bttp:/Ihamsoft.caLpages/mmvari.php
Support Group: b.tt.p.JLgroups.yahoo .com/group/MMVARII

Shown in Fig 8.10, MMVARI is a multi -mode package written by Makoto

Mori, JE3HHT, who also developed the well-known MMTTY RTTY soft-
ware, so it has a good pedigree .

Installation
The software downloads as an EXE file so can be run immediately to start
the setup. Installation is menu driven and if you accept the default
optionsthe software will be installed in C:\Ham\M MVARI.

Configuration
The first time the program is started you will be prompted to enter your
callsign, which will then be used in MMVARl's macros. The next step is
to select the appropriate soundcard . This is done via the Options -
Setup MMVARI menu item. Select the Misc tab of the setup panel and
you will find the Sound card section at the top left. You can then use
the drop-down selection box to choose the appropriate card . If you

120
 Data Modes Software

TX abandon

Received text
Fig 8.10: MMVARI
..:J screen layout.
I== = = = = = = = .........=~========= ~II
Thtnk.tr..nfotIntQSO

Ho,x 10 -.c aplI goodkd:

Type ahead buffer
Indbelt lJ·~.OO'Od_ktnd

RA1TCJ.. GtWHCSK
Macro buttons
I

N I

want to use rig con tro l MMVARI can s upply bas ic rig control com-
mands , but you need to select the rig in the Options - Radio Com-
mand menu item . Here you can select the COM port, radio and other
parameters. One po int to note is that Baud rate is limited to a top
speed of 19200, so you may need to change your rig settings to match
this . MMVARI has lots of macro buttons and each can be programmed
by right-clicking on the appropriate button , which w ill open the macro
editor window. Th is gives access to a very wide range of macro com-
mands that include a s imple programming language " so you can make
interactive macros . .
One other task that is not essential but can lead to improved
decoding is to calibrate your sound card using the Opt ions - Calibrat-
ing the SoundCard menu item . When opened, you will see a screen
with instructions that are very slowly scrolling down the screen. The first
step is to tune your receiver to a standard frequency transmission;
RWM on 9.996Mhz be ing a good choice in the UK. When you are
tuned-in, note the audio frequency of the beeps as shown in the display
at the top of t he screen and enter that into the Tone bo x at the bottom
of the screen. The display will then change to show a new pattern of
colour blocks. Let this run for about 10 or 15 min utes and you sho uld
have a sc reen full ofthis pattern , wh ich will probably be slanting slightly
to one side or the other. The slan t is caused by inaccuracy in your
sound card 's sampling clock and the next step measures and corrects
that. Now click on the bottom left of one th e colo ur blocks and move
the cursor to the top of that block so t hat the line produced by t he

121
Computers in Amateur Radio

cursor matches the slant of the signal and click again. That completes
the measurement and calibration. Pressing the OK button to store the
correction completes the process.

Operation
MMVARI is very simple to operate, but has some sophisticated features
hidden under the bonnet. The main tuning display can be seen at the top
right of the display and this can be set to display a waterfall, spectrum or
a synchronisation display. The bandwidth of the display can be altered by
the adjacent buttons. MMVARI also includes variable Band Pass Filters
(BPF) that can be very helpful when the band is very busy or noisy. One
particularly useful feature of MMVARI is its sub-channels decoders that can
be set to monitor different freq uencies and modes within the audio
passband. The Sub Channels are activated via the View-Sub Channels
menu item and appear as small, separate decoding windows. The win-
dows respond to tuning by mouse click and the mode can be changed
by clicking on the mode window for that channel.
MMVARI is one of the few programs that don't use the Escape key
to abandon a transmission, so you have to remember press the TXOFF
button on the main panel for this . If you double-click on a callsign in the
received screen it will automatically pop into Call box on the log and be
ready for use in macros. You can also gather other station details quickly
by clicking on the received text, whereby you will be presented with a
menu where you can choose how to use the information.

FLDIGI DM780 MixW Win Ham- Multi MMVARI

Warbler scope PSK

PSK Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Table 8.2: Multi- QPSK y y y y y y
mode software RTTY Y Y Y Y Y Y y
CW Y Y Y Y Y Y
comparison
Packet Y Y Y
table. Pactor 1 Y Y
Contestia Y Y Y
Olivia Y Y Y
Domino Y Y Y
Hell Y Y Y y
MFSK Y Y Y Y Y y
MT63 Y Y Y y
Olivia Y Y Y
Thor Y Y
Throb Y Y Y y
WEFAX Y Y y
NAVTEX Y Y y
WWV Y

122
 Slow Scan Television

9.
Slow Scan Television
by Paul Young, GOHWC

Analogue SSTV

Analogue SSTV was invented by Copthorne Macdonald in 1957 and the

first SSTV image was sent across the Atlantic Ocean from WA2BCW to
G3AST on 20 December 1959. It has come a long way from the early
days of using vidicon tubes to display images
such as Fig 9.1 shows. In 1970 the first commercial Fig 9.1: The first
system arrived on the scene from Robot, with the ever SSlV
Robot 70 monitor and Robot 80 camera, then picture
onto the better-known Robot 1200 in 1984. At this transmitted
time the first computer based systems arrived and across the
these have got better as years passed up to Atlantic.
present-day software like MMSSTV and DM780.

Software
MMSSTV is by Makoto Mori, JE3HHT. The latest version is 1.11 G, final
release. The software is a standalone package and includes all the
regular modes plus many obscure modes.
DM780 by Simon Brown , HB9DRV, is part of Ham Radio Deluxe
and within DM780 is an SSTV module. DM780 is an ongoing develop-
ment, but as it is now it covers most of the regular used modes . More
will be added over the course of its development. The advantage of
DM780 is that it also caters for other modes such as PSK and CWO

Software Set-ups
Don't skip the setting-up step in any analogue SSTV program, because
all analogue software requ ires slant adjustment to be undertaken .The
reason for this is that programs use the clock on the soundcard for

123
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 9.2: A slightly timing and this is not 100% accurate. To overcome the offset, all SSTV
slanted SSlV programs have an option to calibrate the soundcard, effectively com -
image. pensating for it. Every SSTV program has its own setup for th is and if
r - - - - - - = " ' " - - - - - - - - - ------,, you skip it your transm itted images will be slanted. See

examples of a slight slant in Fig 9.2 and bad slant in Fig

9.3 . Transm it badly slanted images and you will not get
any replies. All software has a facility called 'auto slant',
but th is only works in receive mode and is there to correct
slight slant errors .
In the early days of SSTV there was no auto slant
and everyone did their best to keep the ir transmitted
images stra ight, but since the introduction of auto slant
many are getting lazy, thinking that it will fix badly trans-
mitted images . Unfortunately, if your slant is too far off, it
won't. Get it adjusted as per your software instructions or
do an Internet search for 'SSTV slant' and re-check it from
time to time.
MMSSTV and OM780 have built-in template makers
for your CO, reply and information texts, ready for send-
ing. Some ofthe templates that may be used in a OSO
are shown in Figs 9.4 -9.6 .
Most SSTV programs use macros that automatically
fill in from a receive log or user filled -in screen. Things like
the callsign of the station you are working and their signal
Fig 9.3: A badly report would all use macros, so you will not need to make a new
slanted SSlV template for every OSO. Remember to keep the text size large if you are
image. sending on HF, as ORM can make small text difficult to read . On VHF
you will often get away with smaller text, if needed.

Analogue Modes
There are many SSTV modes, from the early Robot-8
(8 second black & white + grey scale) up to things
like Scottie-OX (268
seconds RGB). There
are some obscure

Figs 9.4 to 9.6:

Examples of
templates used
in SSlV QSOs.

124
 Slow Scan Television

modes that can take even longer to

Mode Type lime (sec) Scan Lines VIS
send . A breakdown of some of the more Martin 1 RGB 114 240 44
commonly used modes is shown in Martin 2 RGB 58 240 40
Table9.1. Scottie 1 RGB 110 240 60
Scottie2 RGB 71 240 56
Robot 8 BW 8 120 2
Digital SSTV Robot 12 BW 12 120 6
Robot 24 BW 24 24 0 10
Robot 36 BW 36 240 14
Digital image programs are a relatively Robot 36 YC 36 240 8
new thing and there is one program that Robot 72 YC 72 24 0 12
has taken the lead called EasyPal.
Incidentally, the 'Pal' in the name does not
Table 9.1: SSTV
imply the use of the Phase Alternate Line 1V standard .
analogue
modes. The
Dig ital File Transfer History Vert ical Interval
In about 2001 Barry Sanderson, KB9VAK, created the RDFT (Redundant Signalling (VIS)
File Transfer) programs for DOS. code is detailed
In mid 2002 the first GUI for RDFT - DIGSS1V - came from later in the
VK4AES . The latest version is from May 2005, but it is still an ongoing chapter.
development.
In December 2002 the first version of DIGTRX from PY4ZBZ was
used , initially only by a few Brazilian operators . It was totally in Portu -
guese. Then he received many requests to translate it into English .
He created DIGTRX mainly to offer all radio amateurs a friendly
interface for the fantastic RDFT programs from KB9VAK, but also to
learn to program in Delphi, to study Fast Fourier Transform and new
digital modes.
In February 2005 he also included the new HamDRM mode in
DIGTRX, an adaptation of the Digital Radio Mondiale (in English , Digital
World Radio) mode for digital broadcasting below 30MHz , done by
Cesco, HB9TLK, based on another fantastic program from Volker Fisher
and Alexander Kurp iers ofthe Darmstadt University ofTechnology in
Germany. Several months later, VK4AES included the HamDRM mode in
EasyPal, using the same hamdrm .dll originally made by HB9TLK for
DIGTRX.

DRM Digital SSTV

This is not SS1V as in slowscan television, but file transfer with erro r
correction.
EasyPal by Erik Sundstrup, VK4AES , is an ongoing development,
with regular updates of enhancements and fixes. Incidentally, most radio
ama teurs start with analogue and move onto digital , but you can use
the same interface fo r both.
Easy Pal is a complex program , with many configurations required
before you start to transmit an image. You can be up and running in
recei ve mode very qu ickly though ; just install the program , setup the

125
Computers in Amateur Radio

audio path in the software, what sound card your radio is connected
to and adjust the audio level. The best places to listen are either
14.233MHz or 3.733MHz and wait until you start to receive DRM. You
will know when the signal is DRM, as you will see the vertical Sync bar
change from all red to green . Not until all green is lit up to the top will
the program be decoding the signal. In Fig 9.7 you can see the
EasyPal screen.
In the box at the top left is the callsign of the station being
received. Just under the callsign, 'RX -13Hz' indicates that his transmis-
sion is 13Hz low. This could be adjusted from the radio, but the soft-
ware is doing this for us . Under this, 'SNR 8dS' indicates how good
the signal to noise ratio is. In this case it's not very good, at only 8dS.

Fig 9.7: EasyPal

screen layout.

The next item down is 'Total 245' . This is the total number of data
segments needed to fully display the image. 'OK Segs 60' indicates
how many seg ments have been received OK. 'Position 139' is the last
segment received and '185 missed segments' is the numberofseg-
ments needed to finish the image. The first vertical box to the right of
the callsign box shows your settings for transmit and the settings that
the received station is sending, in this case mode S, as the sending
station is on 20m , width 2.4 (this is used 99% of the time), ErrFix is set
to high and should always be set to this . Regarding QAM, this is 16
(which is used most of the time on 20m) but QAM 4 could be used if
the signal is not 'making the trip '. Finally, 'Leadln' . 24/lng is the default
and should always be used.
Under the control buttons is a spectrum display window that
displays the receive audio. Under this is a waterfall display. In it you
can see that three vertical lines stand out. These are in line with three

126
 Slow Scan Television

small markers at the top of the waterfall. They stand out because they
have higher gain , transmitted at twice the power and are used to
calculate the initial coarse frequency offset of the received DRM signal.
At the bottom left of the screen is the receive progression line. The size
of this is set by the size of the file being received , the red part being
missing data and the green being received data. The right of the
window shows the last received image. The program has been
configured to append some data about each received image to the
top corner of it - the callsign of the sending station , date and time
received , and the mode it was received in. This is handy to append to
the image if you decide to FTP your received images to your website .
Some time needs to be spent in fully understand ing Easypal and
setting it up. A good place, with all the help files you should ever
need, can be found at: www.g4rob.co.uk/easypalhelp/
The DRM mode is a modern digital transmission mode for HF,
based on DRM. In some aspects it is similar to RDFT, but in others
very different. Both use many carriers: RDFT (W11 to W14) uses 8, and
EasyPal uses from 45 to 51 carriers. Both also use the Reed Solomon
code for Forward Error Correction . The RDFT carriers are modulated in
phase with 9 different phases, and they are fully separated in the
frequency domain.
The HamDRM/EasyPal carriers use Orthogonal Frequency Divi-
sion MUltiplex (OFDM). The modulated carriers are overlapping in the
frequency domain and are modulated in QAM (quadrature amplitude
and phase). The transmission of a file requires three separate opera-
tions; coding , recording (ofthe transmission) and decoding, which
increases the total time of transmitting/receiving.
In HamDRM/EasyPal a file is codified and transmitted simultane-
ously. Also, it is decoded at the same time that it is received. There is
only a small delay between the end of the transmission and the recep -
tion (some seconds). Mode A is faster than Mode B, but Mode A
doesn't tolerate the negative effects caused by multi-path propagation,
so Mode B is more robust. Mode E is the slowest, which helps in bad
conditions .
The QAM modulation can be in 4,16 or 64 vectors or symbols .
64 QAM is much faster, but needs a very good Signal-to-Noise Ratio
(SNR) or a high quality channel. 4 QAM is the slowest, but supports
more noise or a smaller SNR. On the VHF/UHF bands you will often be
able to use 64 QAM, but on HF you will struggle with this , so 4 or 16
QAM is usually called for.
Interleaving consists of changing the natural symbols sequence. If
long (2 seconds), it allows better error correction with slow fading , but
it causes a little larger delay in the reception. Short interleaving is
400ms .
In Easypal the occupied bandwidth for the DRM signal can be set
to 2.2 or 204kHz. The smaller is a little slower and should be used if the
SSB TX/RX equipment's filters are too narrow or do not have a flat

127
Computers in Amateur Radio

transfer function .
The DC frequency simply refers to the inferior limit of BW, and
also should be chosen to agree with the equipment's filters .

Interfacing

Setting-up your computerto run analogue or digital SSTV is very easy.

You could be up and runn ing, rece iving images from around the wo rld
within half an hour. If you want to transmit as well, you will need to
ether build a simple interface or buy one. If you want to buil d one, the
parts should cost you arou nd £15 . Ready built ones start from around
£25 (see http ://www.mOaqc.co .uk), up to about £ 100 for an interface
with built-in sound card .
Loo king at wh at a simple interface will do, you could just connect
you r RX and TX audio to your computer sound card, but this is not a
good approach as you cou ld have a potential difference between the
co mputer and the transceiver, so it is good practice to use isolat ing
t ransformers. A 'get yo u going on the air system' could just use two
isolating transformers and turn your VOX on. Most basic interfaces also
have tra nsm it switching, controlled by the software.

Care for your radio

SSTV is a 100% duty cyc le mode, so it can da mage you r rad io .

Always watc h your ALe and note t hat it's not a go od idea to run at full
output of most rad ios . Most modern rad ios are not rated at full power
for long period s , so you wou ld be advised to run at a max imum of
50% of max imum power. Please check the user manual that cam e with
your rad io. Inc ide nta lly, you shou ld never use speech comp ression/
processing when transm itting SSTV.

Finding activity

When you have set up some bas ic templates you can start monitoring .
The main place to find SSTV is on 20m . The main frequency is
14.230MHz, and sometimes 14.227MHz. Note the 3kHz spacing ; any
less would result in QRM. When you start hear ing sounds, look at the
panoramic display. If you are rece iving SSTV you shou ld see some-
th ing like the image shown in Fig 9 .8. Note the sp ike on the left . This
shows the line synchronization pulses that tell the software to go to the
next line of the image. This should always be centred on 1200Hz . If it is
not, you need to make fine tuning adj ustments on your radio . The
wide peak on the right between 1500Hz and 2300Hz is the image

128
 Slow Scan Television

information. When receiving a monochrome image, 1500Hz is black

and 2300Hz is white, with the part in between being the grey scale.
When receiving a colour image it is more complex. The sync
1900 Fig 9.8: The
spectrum of a
typical SSlV
signal.

pulse still works in the same way, but depending on the mode in use
the part between 1500Hz and 2300Hz works in different ways. Pictures
are either sent as RGB (Red , Green and Blue , separately) or YC
(Luminance and Chrominance). All software will send a Vertical Interval
Signalling (VIS) code at the beginning of
an image. See Fig 9.9. It consists of bits
of 30 milliseconds in length. The code
starts with a start bit at 1200Hz, followed
by 7 data bits. An even parity bit fol- Fig 9.9: Makeup
lows, then a stop bit at 1200Hz. The VIS code is decoded by the of the VIS code.
receiving software and sets it into the same mode as the transmitting
station. Then the image is sent. At the end, most software will then
send a Frequency Shift Keying Indent (FSKID) code at 1900Hz and
2100Hz at 45.45 Baud. This contains the callsign ofthe sending
station and when decoded will display the callsign within the software .
More comprehensive programs like DM780 will add this into the log
and even send an eOSL card if wanted.
When starting out it is good to watch for a while , to see how
OSOs work and also to get some ideas on templates that others use
in their CO calls etc . Before you transmit you need to pick a mode . If
sending a reply to someone , you would be best to reply in the same
mode as you received the image from the other station. If you make a
CO call, try either Scottie2 or Martin2. With luck you will get a reply
and have your first analogue OSO. Over time you will hopefully make
new templates and obtain new
images to send. It is good to con-
Fig 9.10: An
tinuo us ly get new images to send, analogue SSlV
using either your digital camera, a image received
webcam, or even the Internet, be- on 20m.
cause there is nothing worse than
seeing the same images from a
station over and over again. If you
become a reg ular SSTV user you will
soon know what is meant.
Many SSTV users have websites
where the images they have received are uploaded and can be viewed.
Some sites have pages that display the latest received images from sites
all round the world. Take a look at http://www.gOhwc.com as an exam-
ple . Figs 9.10-9.13 showsome images received on 20m.

129
Computers in Amateur Radio

Figs 9.1 1 to 9.13:

Analogue SSlV SSTV and the Interne t
images received
on 20m.
A lot of radio amateurs now have websites that incl ude pages to
display station details etc. Many of those who are SSTV enthusiasts are
now add ing a page to display their received images, because many
SSTV programs have File Transfer Protocol (FTP) for uploading images
built in. For programs that don't, John Bened ict, KE5RS, has a free
program called FTP Widget. Whether you use a built -in FTP or the
external program, once the programs are setup , the process is fully
automated. If you want a free website, just go to www.qsl.netand sign
up for a free one . You will get www.qsl.net/yourcall The service is free to
all amateur rad io operators , but you are asked to donate towards the
upkeep . It's your choice, but remember that if no one donates the
service is either likely to close or end up having a fixed charge . You
could just put on one page to display your analogue or digi tal images
and at a later date bui ld on it.
For those that do not understand how to make a web page, some
'get you started' templates can be found at: www.gOhwc.comjsstv.html
These can be used for any SSTV images .
To make your own web pages you will need a program like
Microsoft Front Page and as you get to understand HyperText Markup
Language (HTML) you can add to them .
Once you have your basic page on the Internet you will want to get
your images onto the page . To that end there follows the sett ing-up of
Fig 9.14: DM780 DM780, MMSSTV and EasyPal.
FTPsetup.

T r,1lWnll:l«1 I~U~t

Hotlf'>ll'n<e q e I net Hotl !'>&ll'<t qe line t

Ut er ID your c e Ll s rq n

P,u twOfd PaltwOl'd

Fie pld llt SSTYRx

IM)t)e C<lU"ll 12 tlllnbef rJ ~ l OFl tN p.JgI Irnage«lU'll 3 tl ~ oI ~ l Ol'l lhe ~

J~ qwltJ' ~ LO¥feI'~y · WIIIoefI.f J~CJ.iaky ~ L_ ~ . t~filef

iI.J ~ upIoad IK~ lI'I\.t')Ct

iI,~~.·!~L~_tr~ .~
1- -I
I "_(11_ II "_11,..-"" I
o~ · B¥ld ,L 1040d0 ~ T metl¥lll

130
 Slow Scan Television

will need to turn FTP on. You need to decide if you want to send just
your received images to your site or both transmitted and received. It's
your choice and the templates that you will have downloaded and put
on your site will eithe r be able to display just your received images or
both . If you want to turn on the FTP for received images only , just click
on the FTP button just under the left side of your RX window. If you want
both , click on the SSTV pull-down from the top menu bar, then 'FTP'
and highlight both TX and RX icons . You can test the FTPfrom the FTP
set-up page or from the main screen above your saved images by
clicking 'FTP all' . This will upload your latest images to your site and fill
your page.

MMSSTV
You will need the external program FTP Widget installed . This is a small ,
very stable program that will do all the wo rk for you.
Before you set up FTP widget you need to configure MMSSTV to
send the received images to a specific fo lder on your PC. You can make
this any place you want. Personally , I use a folder called 'mmsstvfiles' off
the root of C:. When you have made the folder, go to MMSSTV and
click on the 'History' tab above the RX window. Now right click on the
image and from the menu click on 'Assig n another folder name '. In here
you need to put the full path to the folder you have made . On mine it
looks like this : c:\mmsstvfiles You must use the full path and drive letter.
When you have done that , right click again on the history image and
click on 'Auto copy to another folder name '. This will turn on the service
and from this point onwards any images
r FTP S«Vef Sdti'lg J l ocal Drive a'ld OredOl)'Pa!h-
r- ~

you receive will also be sent to your new FTPAdcien I.; nel tj C\

folder for FTP Widget to use . As a final I_ cal""

U;efMl'l'le
I C:JAI~;

check, right click in your history image

Pan WOfd I
Remote Path
again and check that you have a tick next II Remote Pori
IA
121
I
-- --'l is. 3~

If"--..,-,..
to 'Auto copy to the another folder' and '-----
r ImageName Propetbt;
'Copy as JPEG format' . Now you need to MOfe Optil:lm
I
1
run FTP Widget. Click on 'File' and then Hi:t1XY 1l'Rbge; r;s::] j ~-~ ~ ~ I
'Properties'. This will open the set-up D ~e OllgNl lmagtt r
U•• t) ELET E ' C~ P'
~I
window shown in Fig 9.15 . Just fill it in as
shown, but add your ca llsign and password . The most common mistake Fig 9.15:
is incorrect sett ing-up of the 'Local Drive and Directory Path' . To confirm, MMSS1VFTP
double click on the dr ive at the top . This will show the folders unde r the setup.
drive. Double click on 'mmsstvfiles', so it changes to blue and then click
the 'Save' button . The fina l th ing you need to do is click the 'file' button
and then click 'Scanning'. The program is now waiting for an image to
arrive in the 'mmsstvfiles' folder to do its work . To check that it is work -
ing you will need to wait until you receive an image. Each image you
receive will move all the images down by one , until your page is full.
Until your screen is full , when the program finds an image and sends it
to your site you will see errors on the details window of FTP Widget, as
it tries to renumber image files on your site. Do not worry about this .

131
Computers in Amateur Radio

Errors will stop when you have a full set of images (set at 15 within the
set-up screen).

FTP_
= EasyPal
i<:<l·'"'' rw..,....... This has FTP bu ilt in. Click the 'FTP'
1- cab<>1 .1Js<mImo button from the menu bar then click
Il YW: ~ P4SSWOfd ,-...-- 'Allow FTP Auto -Up load of your received

._..
III
_ 1 ·~~
I..."''''""", "" fie pict ures' . This will bring up the window
sho wn in Fig 9.16 .
Fig 9.16: EasyPal ~'"1tnaoel"and~1·
Fill in the deta ils as shown, but with
FTPsetup. ~ exactly as "'magel.n?0

~ell6dly trllthOfi9nllilHeNme you r callsign and password . Click the

~ IIJ'Actlve ~ (not f~ 'Upload as image1' and press 'FTP on'
I FTPCN 1 I FTPOff I and that 's your set-up done . While here
you can do a few things . Click the FTP
button again from the menu bar and make su re the second item on the
list 'Tag FTP rece ived pies uploads with ca llsign, date, SNR, mode,
band ' has a tick next to it and further down the list 'Do not allow my TX
pictures to be uploaded by other stations' is not ticked. You can ether
wait until you rece ive an image to get images to your site or you can
force a bunch up from stored images. Click the 'View' tab and you will
see your recent RX images along the top ofthe screen . Hold down the
Ctrl key on your keyboard and wh ile holding the key, click on some of
your RX images . This will highl ight them with a red box . Now release the
Ctrl key and click 'To Web' on the bottom right of the sc reen. This will
FTP the selected images to you r site .

Useful links
MMSSTV* : http ://mmhamsoft.amateur-radio.ca/pages/mmsstv.php
Ham Radio Deluxe (DM780)* : http ://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com
EasyPal: http://vk4aes .com/
EasyPal help files: http ://www.g4rob .co.uk/easypalhelp/
DigTRX311: http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/hdsstv/HamDRM .htm#downl
FTPWidget: http ://ke5 rs.com/john/software/widget/
GOHWCpages, showing received analogue and digital images plus
pages showing latest images from hundreds of other ham sites round
the world with links : http ://www.gOhwc.com
2DODRM was the first to bu ild a page showing live feeds from EasyPal
sites all round the world : www.2dOdrm.co.ukjcams.html
Cheap, well-built interfaces, ready -wired for your radio:
www.mOaqc.co.uk
* Included on the CD that accompanes this book

132
 Internet Remote Operation

10.
Internet Remote
Operation
by Wojtek (Berni) Bernasinski, GOlDA,SP5GU, and Steve White, G3ZVW

The technological advances in computing and microcontrollers that

have taken place in the last few years have resulted in it being easier
than it has ever been to set up and operate a remote station. This
practice would appeal mainly to those who have limited real estate at
home to put up a good antenna, or indeed for those who live in a flat
where a garden is not available.
For people without the ability to erect antennas, a remote station
can literally transform their enjoyment of amateur radio. It can be in-
stalled far away in the countryside, or at a friend's property where ample
antenna space is available.

Basic Overview

The first part of this chapter is based around the RRC-1258 Mkll from
Microbit. It comes in two parts; one for the remote end and one for the
home end. The remote unit controls Voice Over IP and serial data to the
rig and is connected to a router via a Local Area Network hub, which in
turn is connected to the Internet and a Web Switch for switching relays
(which will switch the power supply on and off as well as the remote
controller and the rig). The home end comprises a PC with Windows XP
running Ham Radio Deluxe, a Virtual Comm Port Emulator (for the
Microham unit) and the RRC-1258 Mkll controller, which is connected
directly to the router at home via an Ethernet cable. Headphones,
iambic key, foot switch and microphone all connect to the control box.
When complete, the Internet will carry signals between home and
the remote station, and here lies the essence of using a remote station
which could be located anywhere in the world .

133
Computers in Amateur Radio

Advantages

A clear advantage of operating remotely is that the station can be

connected to a large antenna, perhaps a full sized dipole on 160m , a
beverage or a towe r with a beam on it. Other advantages may include a
reduced level of noise , a problem which most of us who live in a town or
city would undoubtedly suffer from .
For those who like to experiment, gain knowledge, enjoy 'fiddling
and tweaking' and having the satisfaction of a remote station work ing
reasonably well (and I'll get bac k to why it doesn't work well all the time)
then it is all worth the time and expense .

Disadvantages

Cost
For a start the Remote Control units I will be describing are not cheap
and are priced at around £400. The Web Switch, described later, costs
around £160. Assuming you already have a transce iver, a power supply,
antenna system and a free place with free Internet and ma ins, then your
basic cost at the time of wr iting has already mounted up to £560, the
price of a small but adequate HF rig !

Latency
Delays in the Internet may cause problems and there will certain ly be a
de lay between ta lking at the home end and what is actua lly transm itted.
I measured mine using 'traceroute' command and found 15 hops (rout-
ers) between my home and the remote site and a latency of60-90ms.
This changes a bit every time I connect to the remote stat ion, as differ-
ent routes are used through different routers on the Internet.

Legality
A remote station needs to conform to current radio licensing regula-
tions, the most important one being for the radio to go back to receive
should the transm itter get stuck. Some modern radios include in their
menu a setup for timeout. I have set mine to five minutes , in the hope
that none of my transm issions will be any longer than that.
Our licence states that our messages 'must be adequately secure'
from one end to the other, but do not mention what is meant by the word
'secure'. I am happy with the idea that my signal go ing into the Internet
and out into my radio is secure, as 'Joe Public' is unable to intecept the
data easily. There isn't much we can do about data between the time that
it leaves our router and arrives at the remote end anyway.

Security
Security of equipment can be of concern if it is hosted on a remote site,
for example in a shed in the middle of a field. These are just the basic

134
 Internet Remote Operation

-
.:..,~
._
.t' ~- ,ltl r~ I'".1'11111
----
.. _ it' L..;;;;;..I I~
"" ---1-
G) "
un A~ m. . -.te:
.
CClII1
-
disadvantages but they could be enough to put you off such a project.
Fig 10.1: Front
I have been very lucky at the remote end, as I have free Internet view of the RRC-
access, free mains and good security forthe equipment, hence this 1258 Mkll.
project has been worthwhile.

Hardware Requirements

The project revolves around the remote control units RRC-1258 MKII,
as seen in Fig 10.1, produced by MicrobitofSweden .
On the left hand side you can see the controller which connects
to the rad io at the remote end, while the controller on the right con -
nects to the PC and router at the home end. They look almost identi-
cal, except for a CW speed control on the right hand unit.
The small USB format sockets on the far left are used to program
the initiallP address ofthe units via a utility program which can be
downloaded from the SM20 website www.remoterig.com Alterna-
tively, a serial connection can be used on Com 1 for the same pur-
pose. The next socket, AUX/MIC, is where the microphone and PIT
are connected via a network type plug. Here I just made patch leads
to plug into my head set and PIT footswitch . My speaker plugs
directly onto the socket marked 'SP' . At the remote end, microphone
and PIT leads are
connected from this
socket to the trans-
ceiver. A lead (grey) is
connected from the
speaker socket of the
transceiver to the back
of the controller, into the Fig 10.2: RRC-
microphone input 1258 MKII back
socket, as seen in Fig view.
10.2, as well as a serial
cable which controls the
rig, the 12V DC cable
and the network cable .
The lowest band-

135
Computers in Amateur Radio

width which the audio channel uses is approximately 85kbps using

mode '0' and the codec G711 at a sampling rate of 8KHz. Other rates
are available and used to suit your needs.
The control channel uses far less bandwidth and is not specified
at the time of writing.

Setting up the Controllers

Setting up the controllers is relatively straightforward. Detailed infor-

mation can be found on the manufacturers web site.
First of all there are five jumper leads inside to configure in each
controller. Four positions will depend on the make of your radio and
the fifth is to provide power to your microphone. After this you need
to set up the IP addresses for each unit. I used 192.168 .2.200 and 201
for each controller.
The controllers each have a built-in web server, so having as-
signed them their own IP addresses and using port 80, log into them
and configure a few basic options like the FQDN (Fully Qualified
Domain Name) and the audio quality. There are more advanced
options, but they do not need to be set to get you going. Configuring
the controller at the remote end to have port 8091 for web operation
is ideal as the Web Switch will be configured for port 8090. As you will
see later, it too has a web server running for remote set up . The Web
Servers in both units have username and password control, so the
units are relatively safe from an outside attack.
Having set up the basics (by referring to the web site), the router
at the remote end needs to have its ports opened to enable the two
units to communicate and for you to be able to administer the con-
troller and the Web Switch.
The ports which need to be opened and the protocol used are:

8090 - Web administration of the Web Switch (TCP)

8091 - Web administration of the remote controller (TCP)
5060 - SIP in/out port (UDP)
11000 - Audio in/out port (UDP)
12000 - Command in/out port (UDP)

There is no need to open any ports on your router at home, as

all traffic is initiated by the controller in the shack, which then opens
outbound ports automatically in your router; it's just inbound ports
which need to be opened at the remote end . You can now type an
FQDN like http://remote.dyndyns-net.org:8091 in your web browser
and be presented with the controller's administration page.

136
 Internet Remote Operation

Web Switch

The clever little Web Switch 1216H from the same

manufacturer can be seen in Fig 10.3. I say 'clever' ,
as it can not only switch five relays at 240VAC 5A , it
can also read temperature (rig or ambient) on two of
its inputs if Dallas DS18B20 sensors are attached.
The Web Switch is an item of equipment that
needs to be powered on all the time , as it provides the
FQDN to the Internet where you can log in and switch
relays on and off or read the current temperature.
On the left side of Fig 9.3 is the network cable
which is connected to the hub , and then to the
router. On the bottom right side is a 9V DC supply
and the twisted wire is connected to Relay 2, the
cable which when shorted switches the K3 on . Relay
Fig 10.3: The
1 is used to switch the mains side of the PSU, but is not shown in the
Microbit 1216H
photo. In Fig 10.4 you can see that the PSU and the radio are on.
Web Switch.

Setting up the Web Switch

The Web Switch is set up in the same way as the controllers , via the
mini USB port at the side of the unit. All that is required is an IP
address to get you started . I used 192.168.2.202.
Once connected , using your web browser on port 80 through your
Local Area Network, you then need to change the port number to 8090
for remote administration. At the same time a username and password
should be added. The menus are found on the left hand side.
The home end needs to know the IP address of the remote end,
so a FQDN needs to be inserted into one of the setup fields. You can
make one up from the web site www.dyndns .comlt will look some-
thing like 'remote.dyndyns-net.org' where, when you ty pe this into
you r browser, this address will find the remote station on the Internet.
The Web Switch will
WEB Switch 12168 • 12168 Web Switch
then send every 30
minutes (this is
configurable) to the web microbit n
I
site www.dyndns.com a WI!B S,,11cll 1210 H I
Rela y I :
~ !2!d PSUoo
request , and the web Sy stem Info
Set r elays
Relay 2: ON ~ Radio on
site will then do a Inputs
T emperature
Relay 3:
~ ...!?!!J
reverse lookup on the i
Relay 4:
~ OFP
IP setllngs
remote end IP address Reloy settings
I Relay 5:
~ ....2!U Fig 10.4: Web
Serllll settin gs
and resolve the FQDN AdvMCed setllngs II Switch relay
DynDNS setllngs
sta tus page.
'remote.dyndyns- ~catiCll upgrad e
- II

net.org ' to numbers Bool1oadll" upgr ad e

Restart d evice

137
Computers in Amateur Radio

which the Internet and route rs understand. You can nowtype your own
FQDN with port 8090 in your web browser and you should be pre-
sented with the Web Switch adm inistration page.

Radio Equipment

You need to do a bit of investigating before you decide on wh ich

rad io you wish to use. You may not want to put you r pride and joy in
a field in the middle of nowhere but one issue I came across was how
to turn a modern radio on and off. In the shack we just push the ONI
OFF switch, but how do we do that remotely?
Not all rad ios have a method for switching on and off remotely,
but luckily the K3 has, whereby pulling pin 8 of the Accessory connec-
tor low switches the radio on . To turn the radio off, pin 8 must be high
and the command 'PSO' issued from the K3 Utility Software . Only then
can the power supply be turned off . Older equipment may work by
just turn ing on the mains using a relay in the Web Switch.
Make sure also that all the functions you wish to use via yo ur
favourite radio interface like Ham Radio Deluxe are avai lable.

Software Requirements

There are three software packages required forthe operation , all of

which I have running on my Linux machine in a virtual environment
hos ting a Windows XP Operating System guest. The OS needs to be
able to work with the following software:

1) A software package of your cho ice, which will control your radio
remotely. I am currently using Ham Radio Delux, as it fulfils my
requirements .
2) Software wh ich specifically controls hidden functions, updates etc .
For the K3 I use 'K3_EX', as Ham Radio Deluxe does not have these
functions built in.
3) Software from Microbit to configure the controllers and Web Server
via mini USB.

I also have microHam Virtua l Comm Software runn ing , as I have

no serial ports on my modern PC and a microHam unit which converts
USB to serial. Th is is then plugged into the back of the shack control-
ler, as seen in Fig 10.2.
Configuring Ham Radio Deluxe is very easy, with just the selection of
the type of radio you are interfacing with and the Com port required for
control. Tuning up and down the band is done by using the slider, and
frequency change appears to be instant. Fig 10.5 shows my setup .

138
 Internet Remote Operation

Using the utility K3_EZ I have access to various menus and func- Fig 10.5: Ham
tions which Ham Radio Delux does not offer. Your rad io of choice may Radio Deluxe.
need such software . One smart function this offers is to see the SWR
over a range on a band . Fig 10.6 shows a graph ofthe SWR on 40m .
I also use K3 utility software for uploading any firmware changes
and many other functions . The last most useful function is the one to
turn the radio off. Using the CMD Utility I issue the command 'PSO ;' and
the rig sw itches off.

-I ~
s-t.l "'-I [..... 1Q .... I ......."""'" ~c.fIgl D(CrigI «5-.1 OC)IMW """k".oIQ.l2~1

The Remote Station ~ F03 ~:~ ~ Ir- - - - - - ~

~ I '- I --.J
The remote station with
...,
I-+-._--~"""'-

4~.
u.m_
.--+ . .. .
l~'
all its connect ing cables ".
is shown in Fig 10.7 ,
I
H .
n,.
(over leaf). From top to ,
lO .

,
:1.
bottom and left to right ".
I
H.
we have the rig control- I
12 .
I

ler and next to it a ,

re-
".
,
u.
Netgear Hub. The hub is 11.I
not usually necessary, 12. "
I
10 • •
•

but with only one port rJt;"oO' .•-0-4,;0 0

-
0
• '1;. ' - 0 - ' • • ,JO
Fig 10.6:
available on my friend 's Measured SWR
router I employed a hub on 40m.

139
Computers in Amateur Radio

~,.
- _'
- - --~~U'~
- ~"--.~
-~

Fig 10.7 (top left):

Remote station,
front view. ~---. Internet
Fig 10.8 (top right):
Remote station,
rear view.
Fig 10.9 (right): Morse Mic PH Spkr/
key phones
Home end block
diagram.
Fig 10.10 (below): which connects the Web Switch and the controller to the Router. On the
Remote end block middle shelf is an Alinco 30-amp Switched Mode power supply and next
diagram. to it the Web Switch. On the bottom shelf is the Elecraft K3 transceiver.
Fig 10.8 shows the back of the
setup . As you can see , I made no
effort to tidy the wiring up. The
mains cab le was connected to the
+ 12V
Transceiver Web Switch at the remote site.
kc.I+-- -, The shelf un it was home made ,
with material bought from a DIY
Mic PTI store where they kindly cut it into
pieces of the required lengths . All
that was left for me to do was to
measure out at home where the
RRC-1215 Mkll shelves should be positioned and fit
them , which made a sturdy cab inet.
100m of Westfl ex coax con -
nects the transceiver to a trapped
LAN
dipole on a 30ft mast in a very large
and open field , with no QRM! A
diagram of the layout of the home
1+--"" Internet end is shown in Fig 10.9 and the
remote end in Fig 10.10.

140
 Internet Remote Operation

On Air Results

On air results on HF have been remarkable, where reports of good

quality audio have been reported and operators have said that they
would have never known that I was using remote equipment. A latency
of 60-80ms is not noticeable. Even on CW there is no issue, as you
hear the sidetone generated by the controller at the home end. The
usual band noise of 80m and 40m covers up the slight hiss that is heard
in the headphones when no signal is present, but overall very impres-
sive audio can be heard.
For home users the Internet is not perfect and I think for what I'm
trying to do a lot of improvement is possible, because from time to time
I get dropouts, that is to say that the audio stops and I am unable to
control the rig. I have noticed this more in peak usage times of the
Internet. I am still trying discover the root cause of this problem, be-
cause these dropouts last anything from 5-30 seconds and can be very
frustrating ifone occurs in mid OSO.

Conclusion

Like for like, the price of the project wouldremain roughly the same if
one were to use a dedicated computer atthe remote end. However, the
the simplicity of setting up the RRC-1258 MKII is of great benefit. Also,
it is certainly smaller than any laptop to date. Being a dedicated unit
for remote control it has numerous features built in, one of which will
automatically reconnect the controllers if the link drops.
Internet bandwidth can be controlled quite well and power con-
sumption is certainly lower than a PC.

Icom

Introduced in 2012, the Icom RS-BA1 offers the owners of selected Icom
transceivers the ability to operate remotely. The package comprises the
RS-BA1 remote control software and the RC-28 USB encoder.The soft-
ware will work with modern Icom HF radios, but not older models.

There are two major selling points of the package:

1. Low voice latency.

This results in the same operating experience of having the radio in the
same room as the operator.

2. Familiar user 'feel'.

The remote control USB encoder utilises the same tuning knob and

141
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 10.11 : The

RC-28 uses the
same encoder
as Icom radios.

shaft encoder (Fig 10.11) used on many Icom HF radios , providing the
same 'feel' to the user.

Configuration

The majority of the Instruction Manual is devoted to configuring the

system . The process is beyond the scope of th is book, as it depends
on the Operating System (s), whether access to the transceiver is via a
Local Area Network or the Internet and the setting of audio levels. It also
involves chang ing Firewall settings. These sett ings will be user specific ,
but it is certainly worth taking an overview of the system as a whole.
Two personal computers are required , one at the transceiver (local)
end ofthe proceedings and one at the ope rator (remote) end . Fig 10.12
shows that there are tthree connections between the transceiver and the
local computer; one for transmit audio, one for receive audio and one
for transceiver control. Depending on the model oftransceiver in use ,
the control cable will beither be USB, RS232 plus an SIP DIF cables or
an RS232 cable plus a CT-17 CI-V level converter.
The local computer links to the remote computer via routers and
Fig 10.12 : Icom the Internet.
remote system At the remote end a microphone, headphones and the RC-28
layout. remote controller are connected to the computer.

Headphones
Local
computer
Remote
computer

142
 Internet Remote Operation

The RS-BA1 software itself

consists of two component applica-
tions; system configuration software
and remote control software. The
system configuration software sets up
IP address, audio sampling rate and
other settings. The remote control
software provides a user interface that
is similar to the radio's front panel (Fig
10.13), and allows control of the radio
from a remote location .
The RC-28 includes a PTT button
and two user-programmable function
keys. Most functions and modes of
the transceiver, including interference
rejection functions and IF filter set-
tings, can be controlled remotely. Also, the S-meter and SWR can be Fig 10.13: The
RS-BA1
observed. A voice recording function is also included .
graphical user
interface.

143
Computers in Amateur Radio

11 .
D-Star
by Dave Thomas, MWORUH

Contrary to widespread belief, Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur

Radio (D-Star) is a communications standard, not a brand name .
Moreover, it is not limited to one manufacturer. It was released in
2001, having been developed and funded by the Japanese Ministry of
Post and Telecommunications, who were tasked to investigate digital
technologies for amateur radio. The committee included representa-
tives of the Japanese amateur radio manufacturers, including Icom,
plus other observers.
The standard is published by JARL, but it is an open system,
which means that any equipment complying with the standard can
use it. It is a two part communications system, the first being formed
by radio-to-radio transmissions - either direct or via a standalone
repeater - and the second deemed to be the 'spine' (or backbone) of
the system is by integrating with the Internet via 'gateways ' to the
wider amateur community. The D-Star standard also controls the way
in which the signal is relayed, by converting voice to and from digital
format. This digital exchange takes place by the use of the AMBE
(Advanced Multiple Band Encoding) codec ('codec' being short for
coding/decoding) .

The early days

Initially you were only able to operate on D-Star (simplex range ex-
cepted) by purchasing Icom factory-built repeaters , but since then
many new ways of entering and using the system have surfaced .
To encourage people to adopt D-Star, Icom offered discounted

144
 D Star

deals on the purchase of a repeater if a number of radios were bought,

which allowed clubs and individuals to enter into negotiation with those
in a locality to take up the offer. Today, however, there are many more
ways of joining the network. These will be discussed further on in the
chapter, but now include the DV Node Adaptor, DV Dongle and DV
Access Point to name but a few.

D-Star modes

D-Star carries digitized voice and digital data, but it does the job in two
different ways, there being a combined voice and data mode (DV) and
a high speed data only stream (DD).
Although data and voice are carried at different rates and are
managed in different ways, they are transmitted as packets. The D-
Star protocol is therefore similar in some ways to the Packet Radio
(AX.25) protocol that allows the exchange of data between Terminal
Node Controllers (TNCs) orthe Ethernet protocol used by home and
business computers.
The AMBE codec was mentioned earlier. It can digitise voice at
several different rates. D-Star uses 2.4kbps (bits per second). In
addition, AMBE adds information to the voice data that allows the
codec at the receiving end to correct errors in the transmitted stream.
The result of the overhead is that the digitized voice stream carries
data at a rate of 3.6kbps.
Simultaneously to the digitised voice, DV Mode (low speed data
mode) can also carry 8-bit digital data at 1200bps. This data is un-
modified when transmitted, so it is up to the operator's software to
manage the flow of data whilst it is being exchanged.
When operating in DD Mode (high speed data mode), the voice
signal is unused and all packets are dedicated to the use of digital
data. Transmitted data is sent as raw data at a rate of 128kbps. Like DV
mode, this is transmitted with no modification, the flow control being
undertaken by the software package chosen by the user. In DD mode
the net data rate is comparable to or better than a high -speed dial-up
Internet connection .

How D-Star works

Being a pac ket based protocol, D-Star data is processed and

packaged using the requ ired data and additional information.
Packets are sent in their entirety and are processed as a group by
the receiving station.
An important difference between AX.25 Packet Radio and D-Star
is that AX.25 requires an acknowledgement and the TNC at the

145
Computers in Amateur Radio

(a)

Header Data

Sync Control 10 Check- Voice Digital Voice Digital .... ... . Voice Digital Check-
flag s data sum frame frame frame sum

(b)

Header Data

Sync Control 10 Check- Ethernet p acket

fl ags data sum

Fig 11.1: (a)

rece ive end can request retransm ission if a packet is received with
Structure of DV
mode, and (b)
errors, whereas D-Star is a one -way protocol , so no response is re-
structure of DD quired from the receiver to ac knowledge that a packet has been
mode. rece ived . The reason D-Star does not require acknowledgements is
because, as previously stated, it has error detection and correction
bu ilt into the datastream .
The structure of the DV and DD modes are illustrated in Fig 11.1.
Each consists of a header and data segment.
D-Star utilises a com mon method of using one protocol to send
data formatted according to another protocol. In the DV packet, voice
data is contained in short segments (frames) wh ich are formatted
according to the AMB E protocol. In the DD packet, the data is format-
ted using the Ethernet protocol. This process of putting data from one
protocol 'inside' another is called encapsulation .
The illustratio n of the packet structure is broken down in Fig 11.2
as follo ws :

Sync frame
Bit Sync is a standard pattern for GMSK 1010 modulation used by D-Star.

Frame Sync is '111011001010000' - a unique bit pattern in D-Star packets .

Control f lags
Control flags are used to direct the processing of the packet.

Flag 1 Indicates whether the data is control data or user data,

whether communication is simplex, repeater, set priority, etc.

Flag 2 Reserved for futu re use as identification data

Flag 3 Used to ident ify the version of D-Star protocol being used, so
that as new functions are added the receiver can apply them

146
 DStar

Sync Control Identific atio n Error

Received Sent
Bit Fra m e Flag Flag Flag Repeater Repeater Co Lrlterpart Own Own P-FCS
sync sync 1 2 3 Callsign Callsign Callsign Callsign 1 Callsign 2

Fig 11.2: D-Star

Identification Data
packet structure.
Received Repeater Callsign Callsign of the repeater that is to receive
the packet

Send Repeater Callsign Callsign ofthe repeater sending the packet

Counterpart Callsign Callsign of station that is to receive the data

Own Callsign 1 Callsign of the station that created the data

Own Callsign 2 Callsign suffix information

P-FCS Checksum
A checksum is used to detect errors. The P-FCS checksum 10 is com-
puted from the flag and 10 data.

How D-Star corrects errors in digital voices

D-Star uses two methods of combating transmission errors :

1. Error Detection codes are used to detect errors. These codes

only tell t he receiver that the data is damaged or corrupted , not
how corrupt ion came about. D-Star checksums follow the CRC-
CCITT Standard .

2 . Error correcting codes contain information about the data. Be-

cause the codes are sent with the data (to enable correction at the
receive end), they are called Forward Error Correcting or FEC
codes . FEC codes contain enough information forthe receiver to
repair most damage.

Both the DV and DO data packets in Fig 11 .1 use the P-FCS

checksum in the header, but the DO packet also contains the Ethernet
data packet checksum at the very end .
With the DV packet data segment, each AMBE digitised voice
frame contains its own FEC code to allow the receiver to repair errors.
DV Digital data frames are not protected, relying on the applications to
detect and correct errors .

147
Computers in Amateur Radio

D-Star system
layout
Fig 11.3: leom I 23cm voice port
I \/ We will begin with
D-Star Repeater.
I 70cm voice port
I the D-Star repeate r.
Unlike an analog ue
repeat er wh ich
I 2 m vo ice port
I ope rates on a
part icular band
I 23cm DO port
I with an individual
I I I I callsign such as
I Controller
I GB3QQ, aD-Star
repeater can be
bu ilt according to
the keeper's
requ irements and
be active on

Gateway PC
...
~
Internet
several bands with
the same callsign .
GB7CDwili be
used as an exam-
ple. At present it
only has the 70cm (B port), but Fig 11.3 illustrates a full repeate r
stack setup .
As you can see from the illustration, a fully loaded D-Star re-
peater can be constructed with four ports . It can also be built with any
combination of the four ports . Funding, the frequencies available to
the builder and any licencing restrictions in his or her particular area
will determine how complete a D-Star repeater is.
Assuming a
complete setup ,
a user would be
free to access the
system on any of
the bands avail-
ab le within the
repeater. Across
the wor ld it has
been decided
that wherever
Fig 11.4: Satoshi possible the 'A'
node adaptor port will carry
board. 23cm (1.2GHz)
voice traffic, the
'B' port 70cm
(430-440MHz)

148
 o Star
voice and slow data, the 'C' port 2m (144-146MHz)
voice and slow data, and the 0 port 23cm (1.2GHz)
high speed data.
For the system to be able to take advantage
ofthe capabilities of D-Star, the repeater requires
a broadband connection to the Internet to
'Gateway' the completed project. It should also
be mentioned that a gateway connection requires
specific Linux software to allow full operation on
an Icom factory built system. A server-based PC
would give the system the best results, although a
good spec PC will work well.
Several homebrew options are now currently
available in simplex (licenced in the UK as MB6xx
callsigns) and in full repeater mode (GB7xx callsigns). These use either Fig 11.5: The DV
Satoshi Yasuda's DV Node Adaptors (see Fig 11.4). Satoshi, 7M3TJZ/ Dongle.
AD6GZ , was a member of the original committee that designed D-Star.
Alternatively, by the use of other node adaptor boards listed as mini
hotspots (or not so mini hotspots) and manufactured in the US and
Netherlands by other enthusiastic hams looking to develop the hobby.
Anyone of these boards can be connected to an analogue radio
with a 9600 packet data port to create a passage for the packet to be
passed via the adaptor to the system . You will, however, still require a
D-star radio to access these nodes, as they do not provide a
platform for an analogue radio to enter the system (which
some believe they do). There are also severa l software applica-
tions around to operate these nodes , either via Windows or
Linux platforms. Some amateurs have coupled these
hotspot adaptors to dummy loads , to provide an
access point solely for their use at home.
This enables access with aD-Star
handheld on very low power. Fig 11.6: DV
For those with property or Access Poin t
(DVAP).
anten na restrictions, or if trave lling
regularly, a DV Dongle - Fig 11.5 -
is the best choice for operation .
This is a device with the AMBE
codec installed and works in a similar way to Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP).
Any PC running t he DV too l so ftware along with the DV Dongle
and a suitable headset can access D-Star from anywhere they can get
the ir PC / Laptop / Netbook to operate using WiFi or fixed broadband
connections. They have even been heard mobile via a laptop and a
mobile phone in a vehicle . This DV Dongle method is the preferred
option for those who have no local D-Star equipment.
The latest piece of equipment to hit the market - shown in Fig 11.6
- is the DV Access Point (DVAP). It transmits 1OmW of RF on the 2m

149
Computers in Amateur Rad io

Sync Control Identification Error

Received Sent
Bit Frame Flag Flag Flag Repealer Repealer Counterpert Own Own P-FCS
sync sync 1 2 3 Callsign Callsign Callsign Callsign 1 Callsign2

Fig 11.7 : D-Star band (freq uenc y of your cho ice) and is co nnected (similarly to the DV
header. Dong le) to a PC and ded icated software, which then permits the use of
a D-Star radio to access th e network anywhere with in range of the
DVAp, via the PC's Internet connection . These have been in used in
hotel rooms by amateurs on business or on holiday, and have been
reported as invaluable around the home . External antennas have been
known to increase the distance from the DVAP and people have been
heard in the locality using these .

Operating D-Star

So far the emphasis has been on the theory behind D-Star, how it is put
together and methods of access ing the network, but for someone who
has never operated on D-Star before, how do you get up and running?
Most of the problems for new users seem to be assocated with
correctly configuring their radio to operate the mode. This because,
unlike analogue where you switch on your radio and tune to a specific
freq uency and begin to operate, D-Star is menu driven and its main
requirement is to ensure that certain information is included in the
header (Fig 11.7) to guarantee that your conversation is heard and
routed to where you want it to go.
D-Star has a more complicated configuration priorto making that
all important first contact. The operator is req uired to input information
into their radio to correspond with
the identification section of the
UR Sets who you send to
header. It's this information that
Fig 11.8: These determines success orfailure . This
RPT1 Sets the local repeater
fou r fields are part ofthe radio configuration , shown
call and band
sometimes in Fig 11.8, is sometimes described
known as the as the 'Ohm's Law' of D-Star. It
'Ohms Law' of
RPT2 Sets call routing -
contains four fields of information
D-Star. Local or Distant
corresponding to the identification
MY Who you are contained within the header. All D-
Star radios require this information
set in an exact manner to make it
wor k (simplex excluded, where only CQCQCQ fURl and you r callsign
[MY] is required) .
To get to grips with these four fields of information we are going to
set some information into the menus, with an explanation of some likely
information that must be contained in it to make that all-important QSO.

150
 DStar

Note:
As with an analogue repeater, your radio would need to be pro-
grammed with the freq uency of GB7xx . The output frequency would
have to be set and the 'shift' set to the des ignated split, so that it
transmits and receives on the appropriate frequencies . There is no
CTCSS used in D-star. In the setup shown in Fig 11.9;

UR=CQCQCQ allows the general call to be placed. It is also the most

used field in the identification process and can be varied according to
where and who you want to speak to.

RPT1 setting selects GB7xx and port B (could be A,C or D, if available)

as the part of the repeater you wish to commun icate through .
Fig 11.9: Typical
information set
RPT2 = NOT USE tells the controller not to route the call to the Internet,
in radio menu
but to remain in the local vicinity. fields.

MY: Is your own callsign and identifies you as

UR=CQCQCQ
the user.
Tells the gateway not to route your call
to any particular repeater or station.
A note about the setup in Fig 11.9. When
A general CQ to all stations .
RPT2 = is set to 'NOT USE' or is blank, if the
repeater is 'Gateway' connected to the network
RPT1=GB7xx-B
(linked) any user on the wider system will not
Indicates that you wish to communi-
hear the station who has RPT2= set this way.
cate using the repeater GB7xx and on
For those who appear to listen to one sided
port B (generally 70cm)
conversations on D-Star, it is the RPT2= setting
that is responsible for this.
RPT2=NOT USE
There is one more rule that needs to be
Prevents your call from being routed
applied which has not been mentioned so far
to the internet.
and that is D-Star commands .
(What goes on here stays here)
For the network to recognise that a
stream wishes to pass, it must receive a com -
MY=
mand to execute what is required by the user.
Your callsign
We have seen that GB7xx is required and
we have selected port B, but for the system to accept this command of
using port B the 'B' itself must be in the 8th character position when
programming RPT1 .
This 8th position is going to come up throughout the rest of this
chapter, as it is the basis for all Linking and Unlinking (see Fig 11.10) .

Charact e 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 51h 61h 7th 8th Fig 11.10: Menu
pos itio n set with the
important 8th
C allsign G B 7 X X Bl ank Blank B character
set up space space
(RPT1).

151
Computers in Amateur Radio

So to 'Gateway' to the Internet, the on ly change required is to

change RPT2 from 'NO T USE' to the callsig n ofthe repeater in use ,
add ing a 'G ' (Gateway) to the ca lls ign . As shown in Fig 11.11 . With
th is, plus the UR, RPT1, RPT2 and MY ca llsign data in p lace, you
should successfully be in position to undertake that all-important first
QSO on D-Star.

Fig 11.11 : Menu

set with the Characte 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
important 8th position
c haracter
(RPT2). C allslgn G B 7 X X Blank Blank G
setup space space

Wider System Operation

Fig 11.12:
Reflector 5 The wi de r operation of the D-Star network relies on use of the Internet
Dashboard. and the network connections w ithin it. Any D-Star user must register
th eir ca llsign on the system to link or
DPLUSDashboard I Reflector Statusand Control unlink to the avai lable connections
w ithin D-Star. Registration is nor-
mally done w ith the user's local D-
DREFD version 1.21
Star repeater. This enables the local
repeater keeper/group to verify the
identity of a user (who they may
already know).
Linked Gateways

I M odlll . A I
Mod ul. B ~d-;C­ Reflectors
I MB6ENC f VE2RVRB
I GB7JF B [ONOCPS B'-+.. - ---! A reflector is a 'hub' or conference
i GB7M!l B roNOOSC
i GB7NMB ·I HB""'9'-IA''C'"c'"- j - - - I room where users congregate .There
I GB7NLB I are many of these ac ross the world .
i GB7FK B I
r VK5RE<B I The most up-to-date list can be found
I GB7AU B I on the Internet at www.dstarinfo.com
I GB7YDC I
fGB7WT B I As has already been explained,
I GB7CD B I D-Star repeaters may have A, B, C
I GB7ADB I
I GB7DX B
,;-;-
I- - - ;-- - -; and D ports . Reflectors normally have
DV Dongle Users
three possible connections (mod -
ules). There is no st rict rule as to
which of the th ree modules (A, B or
C) is used for any specific use, it is
the decision of the reflector owner.
Fig 11.12 shows the Dashboar d
of Reflector 5, the London-based
ma in UK reflector and the connec-
tions made on some of the modules.
Su m, as of 2010108104 17.55:51
DV Dong les and some simplex

152
 DSta r

gateways/hotspot users and non-Ico m repeaters will also be shown within

the DV Dongle section on the dashboard page. As can be seen at the
time of capture, Reflector 5A appears to be the busiest module. Reflector
58 is generally in use by European repeaters , although this screenshot
also shows a Canadian repeater connected. It carries multiple lang uage
transmissions, whereas Reflector 5A is English speaking.
Having established that the wider network involves the use of
reflectors , it is now useful to expla in further how to do this co nnec ting
and disconnecting of repeaters to reflectors - something that an ana-
logue system does using a DTMF code to connect or disconnect to
IRLP or Echolink nodes. D-Star uses the identification portion of the
header to do th is and it is done by changing the UR: from 'cacaca '
to 'R EF005AL' . The command 'L' (Link) is again in the 8th position, as
shown in Fig 11.13 . All other menus remain as previously set, RPT1:

Characte 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th Fig 11.13:
posit io n Chang e UR
menu to conne ct
Callsig n R E F 0 0 5 A L to Reflect or SA.
setup

with yo ur loca l repeater and po rt setting , your RPT2: wit h you r loca l
repeater an d 'G' Gateway setting and the MY: your ow n callsign set.
Once co nnected , the UR: men u needs to be switc hed back to
'CQCQCQ', to undertake you r QSO whi lst con nected to your now
chosen reflector.
Once your conversation is completed you may wish to disconnect
your local repeater. To do th is you use the unlink command, simply a
'U' for unlink. See Fig 11.14.
This will bring your local repeater into Standalone mode for local
use (remember again to switch the UR: menu back to 'CQCQCQ').
Some repeater keepers auto link their gateways in a semi -perma-
nent way. This is to encourage users to use the network by keeping
traffic on their gateway. Many users feel obliged to leave them in their
semi-permanent location , but I am not aware of any keeper who re-
stricts the movement from this semi permanent setting, so feel free to
disconnect and move to wherever you Wish.
Those repeaters with semi permanent connections have default
scripts installed which automatically disconnect after a period of
inactivity. This brings them 'home' to their semi-permanent location .

Characte 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Fig 11.14:
position Change UR
menu to unlink
Callsign Bl ank Blan k Bl ank Blank Blank B lank Bla nk U from the system.
set up space spac e space space spa ce space sp ace

153
Computers in Amateur Radio

It is good practice to drop the link to the system when you wish to
speak locally with a station on the same repeate r, because it frees the
reflector for other users.
There are other ways of using the D-Star network (repeater to
repeater, direct callsign routing). The UR: menu is key to these opera-
tions. Once the RPT1: and RPT2: fields are set to your local gateway
and stored in a memory in your radio (along with your own callsign), it
is just the UR: field that will determine the success of your routing and
use of the network. Once you become accustomed to the methods
described here of connecting to the network, the rest should come
easily at a later stage .

Other uses of D-Star

So far we have concentrated on the use of D-Star for voice and the
principles of connecting and disconnecting using the menu settings, as
this is the starting point to effectively use the mode , but D-Star can do
other things.
D-Star can simultaneously send data whilst streaming voice, so
you can talk to other users whilst typ ing messages to them via the
keyboard of your PC. The only additional requirement to carry out this
activity is the use of an interface lead to/from the radio.
Radio amateurs across the globe have become involved with the
provision of software applications to exploit this data capability and it
is widely used by radio emergency teams (especially in the USA) for
weather nets and so forth.
Some software packages allow low speed file transfer, picture
exchange and e-mail capability. Examples ofthese are D-Rats, D-Chat ,
D-Star TV and D-Star Comms , to name but a few of the many packages
out there on the World Wide Web. Conduct a D-Star search and you
may be amazed at how much there is.
D-Star can transfer your GPS position to servers such as APRS.ti, it
can help you locate another user on GPS, tell you which direction you
need to travel and how far away that station is, then effectively home
you into them by following the direction arrow on your radio's front
panel to their beaconing signal. Imagine this in an emergency situation,
where medical care maybe urgently required! Even their latitude and
longitude is displayed on your radio. The 23cm DD mode in particular
has endless possibilities.

Computer connection

D-Star radios are quite complex and it is well worth investing the extra
money to purchase the necessary interface lead and software dedi-

154
 o Star
cated to the transceiver of your cho ice .
Programming can be qu ite ted ious and a long process to learn,
but many local D-Star groups have ready-made files that can be
dropped into the radio via the soft ware, sav ing many hours of hard
work . Look ing through these files on your PC will also give you a better
understanding of how the mode really works .

Future Development

As D-Star is an emerg ing technolog y it is continuously developing .

Since the first edition of this book D-Star has moved forward cons ider-
ably in the homebrew development aspect of the mode .
Although when the first ed ition was wr itten a secondary network
existed, there was little known about. The users and developers were
seen as rebels and were frowned upon by the main D-star network,
which was created by Icom and is operated by the US Trust.
The US Trust developed and utilises a network known as 'G2',
which was a follo w-on from the original 'G1' network developed by the
JARL in its early stages and which to th is day rema ins in use in Japan .
The G2 network is primari ly run using Icom equipment, with only a
handful of homebrewed equipment (which was rigorously tested), but it
has proved difficult for this equ ipment to remain on its network.
This US Trust system is a production network which discourages
any experimentation . D-Plus was added to the G2 system by Robin
Cutshaw, AA4RC, as a transport mechanism for an operator's callsign
information to be distributed across all of the connections to the
system and allowed for direct routing to users by replacing the normal
'CQCQCQ' in the UR: menu to the callsign of the person you wished to
make contact with. The problem with this was that if the station was
mobile and travelling across several nodes , the information was slow in
being spread across the network by D-Plus. This often led to failed
attempts to hold a successful QSO, because by the time the routing
information had been propagated the user had sw itched to another
connection so the call was being routed to the wrong node . Improve-
ments have now been made to improve the speed in which the informa-
tion is relayed across D-Plus .
The secondary network began to experiment and improve the way
in which D-star was being utilised. This was being led by the amateurs
in Germany, but the biggest changes to the way things were being
influenced came about from Jonathan Naylor, G4KLX, who started in
2009 with repeater software development (soundcard based for D-Star
and FM) purely because there was no home-brewing going on. His
work began to revolutionise how the network could be accessed . He
approached the US Trust and Robin Cutshawto assist in developing
their network, but was rejected .

155
Computers in Amateur Radio

The German amateurs made use of Internet Relay Chat (IRC),

wh ich is used by millions of peop le and thousands of organisations to
commun icate , share , play and wo rk with each other on IRC networks
around the world. IRC was ut ilised to manage the database that
pushes operators ' ca llsigns in a s imilar way to which D-Plus was, the
difference being that it was almost instantaneous so it cut down on
the time it took to move the data across the nodes around the world.
This tra nsport mechanism was named as ircDDB (Internet Relay Chat
Database) .
Jonathan worked by the request of the German team on this
method of transportation and deve loped a program ca lled ircDDB
Gateway, wh ich was open source software . The first release of th is was
in September 201 0 and it very quickly became adopted for a number
of repeaters . GB31N was the first to use th is repeater software and also
the first one introduced to ircDDB. Th is allowed access to th is new
network and it started a rap id trend for homebrew and experimental
equ ipment to be used on this separate network from the US Trust
production network. Although the US Trust had an experimental server
on its network , the restrictions on experimentation discouraged many
from util ising th is and many felt that they were not welcome, hence
the breakaway to the secondary network.
IrcDDB has always encouraged open ness, whilst most other
groups do not. It is this openness that has made th is network the
success it is today, because - after all - this is what ou r hobby was
intended to be about, self-learning and experimentation .
In the spirit of amateur rad io, those frequenting the developing
secondary network (which was named the X-reflector network) began
to share ideas and with the developers. Buoyed by enthusiasm and
spurred on by the flood of req uests for improvements, this network
began to move forward . Not only was Jonathan develop ing the
ircDDB Gateway software , but also Digital Voice and PC repeater
software. As this is being written it is still developing and is now
open ing-up to include other protocols like DMR, P25, etc . Some of
this software is compatible for use on analogue as well as digital
repeaters and networks . Aga in, Jonathan's other projects are also
open source. The name has recently changed to OpenDV (Open
Dig ital Voice) and the project is available at http ://opendv.berlios.de
In relat ion to D-Star, due to this open source approach, some
variations of the orig inal software began appearing in other parts of
the world . In Canada Ramesh Dham i, VA3UV,formed the FREE STAR*
system , which appears to utilise this software . There was another
developer also act ive in the early days that developed software ;
Scott, KI4LKF. I have no knowledge of his invo lvement and cannot
add his account, but I mention him so as not to exclude his input as I
am aware he was also involved in some development outs ide of the
US Trust.

156
 DStar

So the X-reflector system began to flourish , w ith all the individua l

. experimenters doing their th ing. 'Dextra' reflectors were added to this
secondary network, although for what purpose I cannot say. It ap-
peared to just spread the network and g ive more cho ice , but made it
slightly more d ifficult to get people together as the users spread
across the network . The same could be said wit h the US Trust system,
which was also growing to some extent.
In the meantime more hardware was becom ing avai lab le, with
PCBs and manufactured boards from the US, Holland and Poland
entering the fray ; but with Jonathan's software rapid ly progressing the
need for a board was becoming redundant as his software required
little more than a soundcard and a PIT circuit to add to a compatible
analogue rad io to access the network as a simp le node, either as a
personal hotspot or as a licensed s implex gateway. As I wr ite this, this
soundcard and a rather 'over the top for the purpose' Veilman board
is my hardware set up on MB6BA.
Meanwhile the German amateurs decided to progress with a 'DV-
RPTR' board and their own gateway software, wh ich is getting rave
reviews as a solid and reliable piece of hardware for D-Star. This DV-
RPTR board offers future add-ons for more funct ional ity and is still
developing.
In early 2012 there was a further breakthrough, with a re-writing of
the protocol coding. As mentioned in an earlier part of the chapter, D-
Star was prone to dropouts, termed 'the D-Star black hole', and the
robotic break-up of audio, termed 'R2 D2 '. This was prevalent on the
G2 network and was off-putting to most. Some even sold their equip-
ment, as it was too annoying, but the rest of us tolerated it as it was
the best we could get. However the re-coding changed the way in
which the header information and packet data was read . This changed
D-Star for the better and as a result a DCS reflector was introduced
and branded the second generation of D-Star repeaters . Now users
could experience far less in the way of dropouts and a reduction in
R2D2. Any person who did drop out due to fringe coverage on a
node miraculously came back mid over, which was never possib le
prior to DCS .
DCS reflectors became the 'in' thing and users migrated in their
droves to jo in in this new breed of usable system . In the UK many
repeater keepers added IRCddb to their repeaters, although some still
resist.

What's the difference to those who utilise IRCddb

nodes over Non IRCddb systems?

The users on the G2 network have just that - G2 connected Nodes .

Users ofthe ircDDB network have access to the second generation

157
Computers in Amateur Radio

DCS reflectors, X-Reflectors and Dextra reflectors (although these may

soon be phased out due to the success of DCS), plus they also have
the ability to link to all the connections on the G2 network. This is
something it's users cannot do without ircDDB , so with this develop-
ment in early 2012, DCS is expanding at breakneck speed. Where G2
has up to five connections per reflector, DCS has 26 per reflector, so
there is plenty of room for expansion.
The introduction of DCS reflectors also did what D-Plus said
couldn 't be done , which is the ability to utilise DTMF (Dual Tone Multi
Frequency) tones. The introduction of this has simplified the way in
which D-Star can be accessed and makes it easier for the user. Please
remember though that (at the time of writing) if the Gateway you are
accessing doesn't have ircDDB, DTMF is not possible.
So how does DTMF make this simpler? Using the system as
described earlier in the chapter, D-Star makes use of the 'UR: menu' in
your radio . I mentioned the use of the 8th command position to carry
out your instruction to link / unlink etc, and that the easiest way to do
this was to program each ofthese commands for each repeater you
want to use into the radio's memory channels and banks. IrcDDB-
configured gateways have this information stored at the gateway, so
by using the pre-determined DTMF codes fo r your wanted connection
it puts you where you want to be. Consequently your radio only
needs the repeater callsign and module letter in RPT1 and RPT2 set
to your local gateway, plus your callsign (as previously mentioned) in
the MY: menu , and the UR: menu set to CQCQCQ. By simply pressing
the PTT on your radio and utilising a DTMF microphone you key in
the module number and you will be automatically disconnected from
the repeater's current connection and reconnected to your chosen
link. This includes connecting to G2 based systems too. It's pretty
clever and more user friendly, so no more programming files to fill
your radio to the brim, just one for each ircDDB-configured repeater.
Once again, non-ircDDB repeaters will still need individual memories
to access each connection on the G2 network and you will not be
able to access DCS / X-Reflector or Dextra from a G2-only system.
The great thing about DCS is that there are up to 26 available
connections per reflector. This gives reflector owners more scope to
provide you , the user, with more choice. Take the UK reflector DCS005
for example. The main module of choice (determined by it's owner) for
UK wide contacts is DCS005 'B' module.
A protocol seems to have been agreed fo r each DCS reflector to
allocate the 'A' module for worldwide contacts , therefore all DCS
reflector 'A' modules are linked together. Regardless of whether you
go to DCS001 'A', 002 'A' or 013 'A' , you will be linked to the same
connection. Another neat thing with DCS is that (in mos t cases)
module owners have allocated dedicated chat channels ; so if you
make contact , say , on the UK national module of DCS005'B ' and you

158
 DStar

Last Update (UTC): Registered: Activated: Online: On1lR.~: % lotal: Fig 11.15:
ircDDB: 2012108/23 12:33 95 1 946 598 6~ .9", 69.1' , Gateway
utilisations
US-TJ1lst: 2012108/23 12:02 847 842 531 6~. 7·, 61.4'.
statistics.

Common: 2012/08/23 12:02 4 12 410 _

ircDDB only: 2012108/23 12:33 539 536 334
no ircDDB : 2012108/23 12:02 435 432 _
Total : 2012108/23 12:02 1386 1378 865

would like a long ragchew with your mates , you can QSY to modules
DCS005'O', 'P' , 'Q' or 'R' . You can also visit the London area on
DCS005'L' or the Midlands on the 'M' modu le, or maybe in the eve-
nings Wales and the West on DCS005 'W', or switch to other areas of
t he world such as USA (DCS006) or Australia (DCS014) . Many Euro-
pean countries also have their own reflectors, so if you are proficient
at a foreign lang uage you can communicate or practice your skills in
these areas of the network.
At the time of writing, ircDDB had overtaken the US Trust in terms
of network provision , so from being a secondary network it has now
become the primary one . Statistics from August 2012 are shown in
Fig 11.15.
With this new network comes new ways of following the data and
Fig 11.16 shows the live feature page which can be accessed at
www.ircddb .net Here systems that utilise ircDDB have data that
corresponds with each PTT on the network and offers the users a
location to see where activity is.
All active connections to each of the available DCS reflecto rs can
be found on dedicated Internet pages, which identify whe re and how
long each connection has been linked. It also shows the last user of

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159
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that connection (see Fig 11.17).

A further Internet dashboard shows the different parts ofthat
country that can be accessed on each of the modules, including it's
DTMF and radio programming code for the UR menu. It also shows how
many repeaters / connections are made on the module (Fig 11.18).

StarNet Digital Services

Further to the introduction of DCS and ircDDB, StarNet Digital (devel-

oped by John Hays, K7VE, and implemented by Jonathan Naylor,
G4KLX) has been introduced to the network. Although frowned upon by
some (primarily from the G2 network side), Starnet Digital has the ability
for user groups to be formed under a dedicated Starnet user Callsign,
normally listed as 'STN ' followed by the group number. This STN group
can be joined by changing your UR:menu from CQCQCQ to the STN
group callsign. A quick PIT logs you into the group and this then
follows you across the network, like callsign routing . It just requi res a
quick PIT on each repeater you move to . This could become a valuable
tool for emergency responders such as RAYNET/ ARES etc, as all
logged-in users will be alerted if contacted by their respective net
controllers, plus the net controller can also see who is logged into the
group . All that is needed to update their status to the net controller is a
quick PIT.
StarNet Digital can be used by all amateurs to set up specific
interest groups, such as HF contests, satellite users , SOTA groups etc.
Further developments from around June 2012 saw the arrival ofthe

160
 o Star
. . a Xldl cd or,ndneull \t · c ~ "flo1ofOt'l'l'~~"C"'lteJmI".Td P oft'

_ -.....
. I ;\ ...... . . I .J'!RWIibMIr .rsJtOwt II J'SR1"to:IDoat • » +
1 DCSOOJ
,·~I:T DCSOO~ Da,h1>oard "' " , - , . , . , " , • • , "'"
ilUi
".lIt•• t ll l • • .,O 111 DCS h. " •• ,, ' Jetllll••• ,

Fig 11.18: Area

Allocations
dashboard and
codes for use.

Raspberry Pi computer, which has further whetted the appetite of

experimenters. These have successfully been introduced as the gateway
repeater for some systems. The beauty of this little gem is that it's
cheap, consumes little power and is extremely small, so coupled with
the other bits and pieces it doesn't take up too much space.

Ability to add third party software

One of the other beauties of D-Star is that software developers can

create third party software. Jon, G4TSN currently has some neat soft-
ware that integrates with Jonathan Naylor's ircDDB Gateway software to
add additional flexibility in connecting and managing the gateway, such
as timed switching from/to various connections and the ability to pro-
gram your favourite links for easy access via the software.

Where do we go from here?

There is no doubt that D-Star will continue to push the boundaries as a

mode. As this is being written (late 2012) Icom are promoting two new
radios - a new dual-band handheld and an all-newall-mode multi-band
mobile which covers from 160m to 70cm including 4m. It has the ability
to operate D-star across the HF bands as well as VHF-UHF and is the
first amateur transceiver to feature touch-screen technology.
D-Star is definitely here to stay and exciting times are ahead as we
continue to experiment and push the frontiers.

161
Computers in Amateur Radio

12.
Automatic
Packet/Position
Reporting System
by Chris Dunn, G4KVI

Automatic Packet/Position Report ing System (APRS), developed by

Bob Bruninga, WB4APR (www.aprs.org), is a lightweight system that
allows users to transmit location and other data in single data packets.
Normally, stations being tracked use GPS receivers to provide real
time tracking data .
APRS uses existing packetTerminal Node Controllers (TNCs),
which are small, low-cost micro -controller driven units containing
modems to transmit standard AX.25 packets on a frequency of
144.800MHz at 1200 baud, but APRS can also be used over HF and
satellite links .
APRS is intended as a short-range tactical system, but it can also
be viewed over broad areas using Internet gateways. Such gateways
can be run on low-cost computers and can relay the transmission of
packets to and from the international Automatic Packet/Position Re-
porting System - Internet Server (APRS-IS).
As a multi-user data network, it is different from conventional
packet radio in four main ways.

1. By the integration of maps and other data displays to organize and

display data.
2. By using a one -to-many protocol, updating everyone in real time .
3 . By using generic digipeating, so that prior knowledge of the net-
work is not requ ired .
4. Since 1997, a wor ldwide transparent Internet backbone, linking
everyone worldwide .

Consequently, APRS turns packet radio into a real-time tactical

commun icat ions and display system . Normal packet rad io is useful in

162
 Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System

passing bulk message traffic (e-mail) from po int-to -point, but it does
not do well at real-time events where information has a very short
lifespan and needs to get to everyone qu ickly.
Although APRS is mainly intended to be used locally, the Internet
monitors APRS worldwide , but this is not the primary objective. How-
ever, like our other radios , how we use APRS in an emergency or
special event is what drives the des ign of the APRS protocol. Although
APRS is used the vast majority of the time over great distances and
benign conditions , the protocol is designed to be optimized for short
distance real-time crisis operations using RF.
APRS provides universal connectivity to all stat ions by avo iding
the complexity and limitations of a connected network . It permits any
number of stations to exchange data, just like voice users would on a
voice net. Any station that has information to contribute simply sends
it, and all stations rece ive it and log it.

How APRS works

As Fig 12.1 shows, an APRS stat ion broadcasts (beacons) a sing le

packet of information to all stations in range, wh ich in this case is one
other car and Digpeater B. This packet usually conta ins GPS co-
ordinates and other information . The packet may be received and
decoded by any station that can hear it and has suitable software or
hardware . Digipeater (Digital Repeater) stat ions can also hearthe
packet and rebroadcast it based on rules in the digipeater software and
commands that are integral to the packet. Packets that need to travel
long distances can also be routed across the internet.

Fig 12.1: APRS

station (in car)
A B c
sends a beacon,
which is heard by
every other
APRS station in
direct range.

e1::1
What happens next is that the packet is re-transmitted by every
digi than can hear it, including any Internet Gateway (iGate) . This is

163
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 12.2: The

A
packet is then
re-transmitted by
every digi that
can hear it,
including any
Internet Gateway
(iGate).
e
1:;1

illustrated in Fig 12.2.

Fig 12.3 shows how the packet is then re-transmitted by every
digi that heard the first digi. The packet is heard by every APRS station
in direct range of this second set of digis , including the first one .
The final step ofthe process, shown in Fig 12.4, is that the packet
is again rebroadcast by every dig ipeater in direct range ofthe second
set of digis, including the original digipeater. Correct setting of the
Unproto command is essential to control this and prevent channel
overloading .
The fundamental principles of APRS, as described by Bob
Bruninga, are:

• The system should provide reliable, real time, tactical digital

communications .
• Use a 1200 baud network system operating as an Aloha random
access channel (see below) .
• You should hear everything nearby or within one digipeater within
ten minutes .
Fig 12.3: The
packet is then
re-transmitted by
every digi that
heard the first
digi, including the
original.

164
 Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System

Fig 12.4: The

A B packet is
rebroadcast
again by every
digipeater in
direct range of
the second set of

~
digis, including
the original
1::1 digipeater.

• You should hear everything within your Aloha circle within 30

minutes.

An ALOHA channel provides access to a common communica-

tion channel from multiple independent packet transmitters by the
s implest of all mechanisms. When each transmitter is ready to
transmit its packet , it simply transmits the packet burst without any
coordination with other t ransmitt ers using the shared channel. If each
user of the ALOHA channel is required to have a low duty cycle , the
probability of a packet from one user overlapping and thus interfer-
ing with a packet from another user is small as long as the total
number of users on the shared ALOHA channel is not too large . As
the number of users on the shared ALOHA channel increases, the
number of packet overlaps increase and the probability that a
packet will be lost due to an overlap with another packet on the
same channel also increases.

Practical uses

It is possible to configure and use APRS in a number of ways, but before

we discuss them there are a number ofthings that is is useful to know.

Hardware

Terminal Node Controller

A Terminal Node Controller (TNC) is a basically a packet modem. One
end connects to a radio , the other to a computer or GPS receiver. A
Windows software package called AGWPE can replicate the functions
of a TNC , reducing the cost of a such a system.
There are also some dedicated low cost devices that can take the

165
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 12.5: The place ofTNCs. These include the

linkTrak4 from TinyTrak (shown in Fig 12.5) and the
Byonics OpenTracker.These devices are at-
interfaces tached to a GPS receiver and are only
between a GPS capable of transmitting location data .
and transceiver. The Kantronics KPC-3+ (Fig 12.6)
and the older, obsolete KPC-3 have
built in APRS functions. However, the
3+ unit can connect to a computer
and a GPS receiver at the same time.

GPS Receiver
Fig 12.6: The There are many GPS receivers
Kantronics KPC3 to choose from. They come in
can interface many shapes and sizes, some
between a GPS, being more practical than
computer and
others fo r specific appl icat ions.
transceiver.
Any GPS receiver used fo r APRS must have a data connection and
must output NMEA format data . Consider whether you want to have
your GPS rece iver powered via external power or internal batteries .

Radio
Whether you use a mobile or handheld depends on how mobile you
wil l want to be . In most urban areas handhelds/low powered trackers
are sufficient for general use .
Kenwood have the THD-7E (Fig 12.7), which can be used as a
standalone APRS transce iver. For a more permanent mobile solution,
the Kenwood TM-D700 and TM-D710 are ideal transceivers . D-Star
radios are also capable of transmitting positioning data to the APRS
network . Whichever solution is used, care must be taken with the
cabling, as most radios have totally different connection methods .

Computer
You only need a computer if you want to see other
stations or you want to run an Internet gateway or
smart digipeater. Older laptops are ideal to use with
APRS, as it is a small program . Also, newer laptops
may not have RS-232 ports, which you will need to
Fig 12.7: The connect to a TNC. If your laptop has USB ports
Kenwood only, you can buy a USB to serial adapter which
THO·7E handheld should do the job .
transceiver can
If you want to run really portable, consider
be used as a
using a palm device or a pocket PC. These are really
standalone APRS
radio. good if you want to be pedestrian portable. It is now
even possible to run an APRS tracker on the latest
Andro id smartphones, indeed the author successfully
runs an APRS tracker using exactly this method .

166
 Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System

Connecting a TNC to a radio

TNC-to-radio connections are custom, depending on the TNC and
radio in use, so care must be taken when making connections.

Connecting a GPS to a TNC

Most GPS receivers that are useable for APRS use an RS-232 connec-
tion. You will need to connect at least three wires between your GPS
equipment and your APRS station; TX, RX and Ground . See your GPS
manual (or maybe download one from the Internet).
The connector at the GPS receiver is often proprietary, forcing you
to buy one from the manufacturer or a specialist supplier. The connec-
tor at the computer or TNC end is usually a DE-9 9-pin or a D8 -25 25-
pin, althoug h other connectors are possible (e.g. a miniature stereo
plug is used by the Kenwood TM-D700) .
You can test your GPS by plugging it into your computer's RS-232
port and configuring a terminal program (such as Hyperterminal) to
look directly at the comm port, rather than a modem .
The common data configuration for GPS is 4800 baud, 8 bits, 1
stop bit, no parity. The most common data standard that your GPS
should be configured for is NMEA (maybe NMEA OUT /NMEA IN).
NMEAstands for National Marine Electronics Association , and is a
standard that defines all sorts of connection standards for shipboard
navigation equipment.
The most common datum that your receiver should be configured
for is WGS-84.

APRS Software
If you want to see APRS stations , you 'll need some software . There are
software packages for most operating systems. Once you have de-
cided on your hardware there are also some basic software settings
you will need to know.

Secondary Station IDentification (SSID)

In the early days of APRS, the SSID was used to identify the 'type' of
the station for display purposes (its symbol). Nowadays, as almost all
APRS devices are capable of having a symbol configured and included
as part of the beacon, this is no longer required, though this conven-
tion is still supported and mostly followed (i.e. -4 signifies a bicycle, -9
a car, -10 a motorcycle, -12 a jeep). A list of currently used symbols
can be found at: http://wa8Imf.net/miscinfo/APRS_SymboLChart. pdf

Latitude and Longitude

This will need to be inputted in a format required by the selected
software.

Unproto Address
There was a huge debate as to what address should be used , with a

167
Computers in Amateur Radio

consensus be ing reached as to what the paths should be and how

dig ipeaters shou ld be configured.
A fixed stat ion should use WIDE2-2. This should get your packet
one hop through the nearest digipeater and onto the nearest Internet
gateway.
Mob ile station WIDE1-1, WIDE2-2. This will ensure your packet
gets to any dig i, including 'fill-ins' and then in to a wider network.
Some examples of raw packets are shown in Fig 12.8.
Packet of a f ixed internet station w ith weather data
2011-01-04 13:20 :18 UTC :
g 4kvi> APRS,TCPIP ' ,qAC,CWOP-3 :@0 413 21 z511 6 .9 9N/00 229 .66W_135 /
Fig 12.8: Some 002g005t041 r001P005h 87b1 0031 eCu m ulus EW
examples of
Packet of a f ixed RF station w ith weather data showing it' s route to the Internet
what raw APRS 2011-01-04 18:4 9:28 UTC : G4 KVI>APU25N ,MB7UC' ,WIDE2,q AR,G3PWJ -
looks like. 3:@041850 z5117.00 N/00 229.40W_270 /
00 2g004to 42 rOOO p .. .P005h96b09996 running 1 w { UIV32N}

Packet of Smartphone running APRSDroid

2011 -01-03 15 :27 :43 UTC: G4KVI-7 >APAND1 ,TCP IP',qAU,jFindU-JS :!5122 .89N/
002 23 .74W >042/011 /A=000241 Chris, runn ing Ap rsd roid

Beacon Comment
This can be any text , such as a freq uency that you mon itor.

Status Text
This can be transm itted alongside the beacon and can include the
status of your station, e .g. On Duty, On Stat ion, En Route, Comm itted,
Emergency.

APRS in practice

I hope you now have a broad understand ing of the bas ic hardware and
software equ ipments for an APRS station . That being the case, we are
now ready to see what APRS can do. You will first need a suitable
program . These are availab le for most platforms. One of the most
popular in use is UIView (htt p://www.ui-view.org/). You will also need a
su itable TNC . If you have an old packet radio setup , th is is ideal for
APRS. All APRS traffic in the UK uses a sing le frequency of
144.800MHz . Once you have the station set up, you should see a
screen like the one shown Fig 12.9. In it you will see that there are
different symbols on the map. These ind icate what information each
station is transm itting . It is udeful to go through the most common
ones and explain howthey are generated .

Base stations
The illustration in Fig 12.10 shows a typical station's information. The
Beacon and Status text can be changed to suit individual circum-

168
 Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System

GW4BVE·l >APAX1L,TCPIP' ,q6.C,T2UK: 51.40.53N

!5241 .72NROO306.B7W&Rx·onIy iGale 1.58.68W

Home G4KVI -l • stances. The 'Effective digi Fig 12.9: A

ILaI. 151 .16 .04N 1 long. 1 2.30.38W Illi ~ path' field shows the path that Typical UIView
screen shot from
te packet has taken . A blank
Timt e.~con c:o mmtnt
a station
21:15 IChli. jUIV32111l 1: field shows the packet has
t.llu s tt xt connected to an
been received directly. The
Internet server.
'Frame' field shows the raw
packet. Please note the
Fig 12.10: A
'WIDE2 -2'. You may also
G4KVI·1)APU25N.VDE2·2 <U1 c» typical base
. 5IlO.04N100230.3Sv ·Chri. jlAV32111l notice that some station labels station's
are different colours. Yellow information.
Car M3SXA-8 • shows the station is using
I l aI. 151.32.54N long. I I 0.16 .46\>1 1 ~ ~ UIView, whereas the ones in
white are using another form of
Time Couroe Heighl APRS. They do, however, all
121:0 7 1 mIJ [illJ.J
deg reeo feel conform to at least the basic
- - - Speed - - - APRS principles.
CIT] OIJ OIJ
knol o mph kmh 5
Mobile stations
l'A. OOO1341s<..,.1m As you can see from Fig
St~ust.1t
12.11, we can now use APRS
as a tracker, as course, speed
I II Fig 12.11: A
Frim t and height are displayed. Note typical mobile
M3SXA·S,A P T31',IIIDE' ·l,YIOE2·2,qAS,M3SXA·1O·
121013Sh5132.54NIOOOI6 46Y, 12110041A. 0001341S<eve ' m the 'WIDE1-1 ', 'WIDE2-2' station's
setting. This will ensure the information.

169
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 12.12: WX Stalion G4KVI -1 • packet will be received by any

Display Digi, including 'fill in'. Mobile
f l al. l5, .17.03 Nl l ong. IU9.39W- I ~ ~
of a weather setups vary, but some com-
station. D ee d G ust -W'chill Time r umiditJ mon setups are shown below.
0.0 J []I] [[I] 113:33 1 98 %
I mJsec N mJ, ec C Pressure
Weather Station

8
n :.__.: 1993.7 IhPal 29.34 1in
~o n
[11[=:J Temperature
W .... E degree , I [ l i ] C C3IJ F Most APRS programs are able
Dew-point to take data from commer-
Speed S Gust W'chill I []TI c [1[] F cially available weather sta-
[]I] []I] OD Rain Today
mph mph F JC:[[J mm []ID in tions and output it as shown in
Fig 12.12.

Digis (Digital Repeaters)

These stations, usually identi-
fied by an MB7 callsign prefix,
Fram. are set up in a favourable
I GlKVI·"APU25N.TCPlP·,
@04 13 33,5 117 .03NI0022~ . 3~""_2701000g000t 0 43100 4 p _P0 12h~ ebO~ 9 3 - location . They receive APRS
signals , relay them on to other
Fig 12.13: Digi M87UB • Digis and also on to an Internet
Display
of a Digital l al. !51.22.74N llong. 1 2.19.54W 1 f1Il ~ gateway. You may also find
individual stations setting up as
Repeater. I TirM Bn t on eommtnt
20:59 IPHG23304lUsin9compromisese"in9 S.!UIY231 !: a 'fill in' Digi , but these will
I tatus tt l t normally be as a result of local
I 1:
requirements. See Fig 12.13 .
Efft ctivt digipat h
11MORXQ.IJKJE5·1 I:
Framt Igate (Internet Gateway)
M87U8 'APUI&N.MORXQ·.....Ill E5·1.qAR.Gv 4JOE,
=5122.74N/00219.54'w'IPHG2330.t'Using compromit. stonings. fUIV23t .. These stations will take any
packet they receive on RF and
Fig 12.14: TcpJip MB7UFO liGATE) • relay it onto one of the many
Display of an APRS Internet Servers, ena-
Interget
l al. !50.59.70N llong. 1 4.28.84W I~ ~
bling a low power APRS
Gateway. Tam. Bu t eo commfnt
station to have worldwide
~\iQ l."9I'nd.prs2.n ...145eOIUV321 1:
IGATE ormltion.lndstltUstnt coverage. Fig 12.14 shows the
typical display from an Igate.
1 IITCPIP
Fearn. Info Kiosk
M87UFO, APU25N.TCPIP·.qAC.T2ENGLANO,
1 =5059.70NtOO428.84\il fn glln d.aprs2.nf t:14580 lUIV32t
This feature in UIView, shown in
Fig 12.15, is a very easy and
Fig 12.15: Antenna APRS2S0TA • simple way to display local
Display of an Info ~ 151.52.9BN1 long. I 2.0G.02W' I IT] information on items such as a
Kiosk. rally or road information . They
Timt> Sf-aeon CommM t
I 23:25 Iisu http:U\ftWw.sotupots.c o.u~.Iaprs2sot.ll php I: can also be used to display
Status ttll t
.....JI ; the status of a local repeater.
II
L-

Owntf
-Efft ctiv. digip¥.h

170
 Automatic Packet/Position Reporting System

Mobile Phones

In recent years the use and availability of sma rtphones has exploded ,
the most popular being the iPhone and those running the Android
software . There are several applications available which enable these
devices to run APRS. These use the signal from the 3G / WiFi network
and the inbuilt GPS to send location information to an APRS Internet
server, such as APRSJi The most popular are APRSDroid (https://
github .com/ geOrg/aprsdroid/wikij) and U2APRS (http ://aobajoke.no-
ip.org/-ja7ude/ japanese/U2APRS1 O/indexe.html) for Android phones
and iBCNU for the iPhone . These applications enable the device to be
used as a full feature APRS tracker. Although this may be seen by some
as not amateur rad io th is is an excit ing development enabling realtime
tracking without the use of an expensive rad io or computer. One again it
shows how amateur radio can evolve and emb race newtechnologies .

Practical applications

To what practical application can APRS be put? The most obvious is

realtime tracking . This can simply be an amateur using an APRS ena-
bled transceiver or mobile phone to show the ir position on UIView
maps. It is also widely used by RAYNETgroups duri ng events , to keep
track of veh icles. An example would be to place APRS trackers in St
John Ambulance or Red Cross vehicles . The ab ility to 'see' where
vehicles are is a valuable tool when respond ing to an incident. It can
also be helpful to 'see' in realtime where the 'lead' and 'tail' vehicles are,
for example on a marathon event. The messaging facility is also very
useful. The ability to send a message to a number of statio ns in realtime
has endless possibilities.
Another exc iting use for APRS is as a propagation indicator. Over
the course of time you will come to know which stations you normally
receive directly. As conditions change due to a 'lift', you will notice more
stations appear on the map in the direction of the enhanced propaga-
tion .This featu re can also be useful when install ing a new aerial system .
Mention has been made of Internet servers. The information from
these is collected and displayed on APRSJi. This website shows a large
amount of data from APRS statio ns , including tracks of mobile stations.
APRS can be a valuable and interesting addition to any radio
amateur's inventory. I hope this has wetted your appetite and that you
will give the mode a try. There is a vast amount of information available
and I encourage you to seek it out.

171
Computers in Amateur Radio

13.
Electromagnetic
Compatibility
by John Pink , G8MM , and Steve White , G3ZVW

Whilst the use of a computer in the shack has been shown as necessary
for the implementation of many amateur radio facilities , such as logging
or PSK operating modes , great care is required to avoid interference
with the main purpose of radio communication. In a nutshell, the com-
puter and all of its associated peripherals and interfaces must be
electro-magnetically compatible. That is, the computer must not inter-
fere with radio communication, and it must be immune to interfe rence
from the transmitters in the shack. This requires considerable care and
consideration by the operator.

Equipment Issues

All items of electrical equipment are manufactured and tested to comply

with international standards, which gives some degree of protection to
the radio spectrum , and an assurance that devices/apparatus will be
reasonably immune to interference from other apparatus.
The Standard CISPR 22 (55022) requires that any equipment shall
not emit signals above limits that give general protection to radio
services. In practical terms this means that emissions shall not mask
broadcast radio services.
Many situations are catered for in the standards, but the following
tables most closely typify the issues which are to be found in the aver-
age home and therefore radio shack.
Firstly, below 30M Hz, all limits are specified by reference to 'con-
ducted disturbances '. This is because ofthe difficulty of making radiated
measurements in this frequency range. It can be seen in Table 13.1 that

172
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

Limits dB(uV) Table 13.1:

Frequency range Quasi-peak Average Limits for
0.15 to 0.50MHz 66 to 56 56 to 46 conducted
disturbance at
0.50 to 5MHz 56 46
the mains ports
5 to 30MHz 60 50
of class BITE.
Note 1: The lower limit shall apply at the transition frequencies.
Note 2: The limit decreases linearly with the logarithm of the frequency
in the range 0.15 to 0.5MHz .

quite a large signal in terms of dB{lJV) is permissible. Note that 60dB

above 1/lV = 1 Volt. These signals do of course radiate!
Table 13.2 covers all connections to/from equipment, such as
peripherals, interfaces and any type of data connection - all generally
referred to as telecommunication ports.
This specifies the limits on 'common mode' signals on these ports.
The use of the expression 'common mode' may not be generally under-
stood, but it is an important concept in the context of interference. (See
explanation box below). Once again it can be seen that the interference
signal can be very large.

Voltage limits dB(uV) Current limits dB(uA) Table 13.2:

Limits of
Frequency range Quasi-peak Average Quasi-peak Average
conducted
0.15 to 0.5MHz 84-74 74-64 40-30 30-20
common mode
0.5 to 30M Hz 74 64 30 20 (asymmetric
Note 1: The limits decrease linearly with the logarithm of the frequency mode)
in the range 0.15MHz to 0.5MHz. disturbance at
Note 2: The current and voltage disturbance lim its are derived for use with telecommunication
an impedance stabili zation network (ISN) which presents a common mode ports in the
(asymmetric mode) impedance of 1500 to the telecommunication port frequency range
under test (conversion factor is 20 log10 150 / 1= 44dB) . O.15MHzto
30MHz for class
B equipment.
Finally we get to the situation above 30MHz, where radiated
measurements are used, and the distance between the interfering
source, and the 'victim' is set at 10m. In Table 13.3 the signal strength is
given in dB{lJV)/metre.

Frequency range Quasi-peak limits dB(uV/m) Table 13.3:

30 to 230M Hz 30 Limits for
radiated
230 to 1,000MHz 37
disturbance of
Note 1: The lower lim it shall apply at the transition frequency.
class B ITE at a
Note 2: Additional provisions may be required for cases where interference occurs .
measuring
distance of 10m.
Having established what is in the 'Standards', consider the practical
situation that radio amateurs face when operating on the bands. Even
the average HF communication receiver is able to discern signals down
to a few microvolts, and at VHF/UHF signals down to o.tuv are several
dB above the noise and therefore quite readable .

173
Computers in Amateur Radio

Choosing the Right Hardware

Powe r Su p plies/Mothe rboards/Ca bles
Possibly t he best advice on choosing a computer for the shack is to
spen d as much as you can possibly afford . There is no doubt that the
EMC effectiveness is clearly reflected by the quality ofthe product,
There is no need for the latest and fastest , with super graphics perform-
ance. Moderate performance will be satisfactory , unless of co urse you
intend to use the machine for other purposes - but do th ink about what
you will do with the machine and purchase accordingly.

Tower vs. Laptop Computers

Tower PSUs
Probab ly the biggest contributor to RFI is the power supply. These
days all computer po wer supp lies are Switched Mode un its . These
are notorious for rad iating unwanted emiss ions. Even when they use
'best practice' they can be detected somewhere in the HF spectrum .
The biggest single offence that manufacturers commit is to omit
the mains input filter components. Fig 13 .1 shows an example of a
power supply where the filter has been omitted at the manufacturing
stage. Without opening the case it is d ifficult to determine whether
these components have been fitted. However, it is possible with an
optic-scope to take a peep inside through the rear fan opening . In
any event , the absence of the filter parts w ill be obvious on an HF
receiver when the computer is turned on . See the recommendat ions
that follow!
Fig 13.2 gives typical plots of a second power supply (see Fig
13.3), showing the emissions when in 'stand-by ' mode , and when
Fig 13.1:
Purchased from
a High Street
vendor - showing
how the power
line filter
components
were omitted in
manufacture to
save cost. This
unit failed to
meet the limits
by more than
20dB.

Area of
omitted
components

174
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

loaded with a nominal operating current. In this case the load was a
pass ive resistance , avoid ing any possibility of other emiss ions. The
limit lines indicate the Class B standard limits.

1"44'25 28 JUL 2888

4V 11'81 '5' 88 rEB t~"

LOB
18
d81
REr LEYEL
188 .8 dB~Y

11TH
REr 188 .8

~ ~
dB~Y

. lI'n 'cm T Z-' '..~.: .: .

- Fig 13.2: Plots of
the emissions
from an
unscreened
power supply
(a) in standby,
(b) operating wit h
l t dB : ~ ~.. '("1 :••~ ..
IIUTORII~
a 60 watt load on
OP---- ~ 011 ll.U. +12V.
A v g . ---- ~
LIII CliCK
.. . . . .
011 m
. . ..
...... ~ :"';1';";';";' ,..~ ..•. ..~. · . · ·~· •. f··:.'!·:-': HO ....
1 0' 8

-
IIYB BII se kH%

17'8"32 23 JUL 288B

~ 11 "1 '5' 83 rEB 1'"
REr LEYEL IIC TY DEl' PEIlK
188.8 d8~ Y HEllS DET. PEIIK GP IIYB
HKR 22 .45 HII%
45 .&7 d8~Y
IITTEII
ft.Ul.Q. HIIH

"IILE
JJl.i L111
....... ....! .

IIUTORIINt
OP - - - - '0 ••• • •• • •• 011 ll.U.
Av g. -- - - .. ::~~·.,:;:;.l::.~:~~·.~:!. ::.:::.::::.: !::::.::i".:::.~:: .r.'._iki::i.~
. .. ··7::··4 ·-'~:.··:~.:.:~::~:·~:~: .:::.:::.:.:::.:.~::::::~~::.:~:.:·· r~-t·h· LIM CHCK
........... ':' : .. ..:.; .: _ -: - -.; :...:.::::
~
OH ll.U.
.. .. ~ ~ ':' ~ .. ~ .. ~. ,:, .~ . . , f r ~ "';" '? ':';';' to • • • • • •
Ho....

CEHTER 16 .8& HH% SPIIII 2' .85 HH%

1 0' S
81r 8M ' .8 kH% IIY& 811 38 kH% SMP 1.48 no

Fig 13.3: Another

power supply in
which the power
line filter
components
were omitted in
manufacture.

175
Computers in Amateur Radio

Cases and Cabinets

Build it yourself vs. a branded model
There are as many cases available on the market as there are power
supplies and the quality issues are exactly the same. These cases are
turned out in the thousands by 'job-shop sheet metal workers' who
have little or no knowledge of the issues of EMC. In all probability
they have copied a case design and missed the important aspects of
ensuring that all gaps close and all parts make good electrical con-
tact when screwed together.
Many cases use fingering along closing edges to make con -
tact with an opposing part, but frequently the fingering is found to
be flattened, in which case it does not contribute to electrical
connection.
Purchasing a cheap case with a power supply already installed
almost certainly means that the power supply is cheap. Such a
purchase is best avoided .
There is certainly no guarantee that a branded model will have
good EMC characteristics, but it does reduce the risk of EMC prob-
lems. Major manufacturers have a great deal of reputation to lose,
even with just a few complaints. What can be more certa in is that the
case and power supply will have been built up to a quality, all of
which will have been through a rigorous EMC assessment routine.
As with any product, maintenance is important if the best per-
Fig 13.4: The
formance is critical, and this goes with computers and peripherals .
bonding Ensure all screws are kept tight on covers, especially if they have
resistance of previously been removed. Make sure that the finger-stock which
supply line ensures RF shielding is clean and in good contact. Finger tightening
filters. may not have the desired effect, as shown in Fig 13.4.
Make sure that screws on D-
z, (mn) BONDING RESISTANCE 21/6/91 MARCONI A dB type connectors are tight. It is
14.0 Allen OdB 500 TG -l OdBm 2382 -65.0 surprising how often these screws are

84..4 01 -70.0

-75.0
not properly tightened by interface
board manufacturers, and they only
hold in place by friction or because

10..84 _
2.5 -80.0

-85.0

-90.0
somebody has applied a dab of
Loctite. They often unscrew when a
cable is removed.
All screws should be tight and if
0.44 -95 .0 they help to perform an earth con-
nection you should ensure that there
- is no paint or other insulator under
Tight screws the parts.
-110.0 Don 't entrust the tightening of
screws, closing of gaps and installa-
-115.0
100 lk l OOk 1M tion of clip-on ferrites - check them
Start lreq 100Hz Slop lreq 1MHz yourself!

176
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

Laptop/Portable
There are some advantages for the use of laptop computers in the
radio shack, and especially on the field portable site . Size is some-
times an important consideration, where the shac k is in a very
confined space.
From the point of view of EMC, laptops perfo rm quite well. Be-
cause ofthe compact nature , radiation from the compute r unit is quite
well controlled, and this speaks well for the direct ingress of RF.
However, all modern laptops have an external, in-cable, powe r
supply, and these are a potent ial sou rce of RFI. Even the more
expensive laptops use PSU's 'Made in Ch ina', and whilst some of
these are built to a very tightly controlled specification, the re is
evidence that others are not.
Unfortunately, this is one of the areas where reading the specifi-
cation is not a good indicator of EMC performance that will be good
eno ug h in the radio shack . Fig 13.5 : A power
Poss ibly the biggest disadvantage of using a lap top is that line filter
the I/O po rts may be quite c o nstricti ve . Many now have on ly USB recovered fr o m a
large-screen
an d/or Firewire ports, which means that all level conversion for
plasma TV.
RS232 or TTL m ust be achieved outs ide of the unit. Unfortunately The f ilter
t hes e p rod ucts are not well screene d, oft e n being housed in components are
p lastic ca ses. It is importan t to examine the q ua lity of ite ms like ac ross th e top
US B/serial convertors, an d US B port exten de rs. Look fo r products half of the PCB .
in metal c ase s!

Mitigation Measures
However good the filtering, it
should be remembered that it was
provided at a pr ice and the
manufacturer will have been cost-
conscious. Some additional
mains filte ring could prove valu-
able, both by provid ing a reduc-
tion in the leakage signals, but
also by breaking the common
mode impedance between the
computer and its associated
hardware, and the elements ofthe
radio station itself.
A typical common mode filter looks like a low-pass filter,
usually w ith two inductive elements, which are common mode
chokes, and three stages of capacitive decoupling, perhaps us ing Y-
capacitors. A very good source of these materials is o ld computer
po wer supplies, or if you find somebody dismantling a defunct large
screen plasma TV they have excellent fi ltering on the mai ns . Fig 13 .5
shows a unit recovered from an old Sony plasma, which also con-
tains low vo ltage cont ro lled po wer o n/o ff switching, and as can be

177
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 13.6: Circuit seen a good measure of

of a typical Live e_--.--....,
additional screening .
common-mode The circuit diagram of
supply-line filter. a typical common-mode
The common-
supply-line filter can be
mode choke (L1) Neutral ",-_...1.--'
is wound with the
seen in Fig 13.6, with its
live and neutral
Earth ••- - - - , performance depicted in
in counter phase Fig 13.7 .
on the same
toroid, so that
the currents Whole Station Filtering
cancel but the
winding still
provides
effective in-line
(common)
impedance.

65.0 650

60 .0 60.0

55.0 55.0

50.0 50.0

45.0 45.0

40.0 40.0

35 .0 35 .0

30 .0 30 .0

25 .0 25.0

20.0 ReI 150kHz

Max hid Inc 100kHz

Fig 13.7: Perfor-

mance of a
typical common-
mode supply-line
filter. The plot
shows the effect
of saturation
caused by not
having the
windings in
counter-phase
(in grey).

178
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

Motherboards/Processors
Higher clock frequencies present less of a problem on HF, but are
potentially more noticeable on VHF. However, most motherboards
and I/O boards, have clock dividers/multipliers which result in a
myriad offrequencies that could result in 'birdies' within the usable
radio spectrum.
Most motherboards are very well manufactured from the point of
view of RFI. They are built on multi-layer PCBs, with the outer planes
often being ground or power supply rails. All ofthe active tracks are
buried well away, inside the board. This is done, not only to control RFI,
but more particularly so that the impedance of the tracks can be closely
controlled. Many of the signal paths will be carrying bit rates well up
into the 1GB/s region, so impedance control becomes critical.
All motherboards will have an array of clock oscillators and
multipliers/dividers. It is therefore inevitable that some 'birdies ' will be
heard somewhere within the radio spectrum. The choice of a
motherboard will come down to preference of a particular chip-set
(Intel/AMD) and the user interfaces available, although these are becom-
ing more standardised.

Cables and Interfaces

The interconnection of a motherboard and its many peripherals is
important from the point of view of RFI. The quality of these cables
has a significant bearing on the leakage of radiation. Better quality
cables and the associated connectors will be less likely to cause a
problem . Look particularly at the grounding of a plug into a socket,
especially if it uses screws. Make sure that these fit well and are of
course properly tightened/locked. Not only will this reduce the possi-
bility of egress of interfering signal, it may also have an impact on
ingress of RF into the computer.
In recent times there has been a tendency to migrate to serial
interfaces for disk drives (SATA), which provides some advantage. SATA
cables are run in a small screened bundle of uniform twisted pairs (UTP),
which reduces/controls radiation.
Wherever a cable leaves a computer it is important to stop any
common-mode signals from leaving the unit. This is usually achieved by
clip-on ferrite chokes. Whilst these look ugly, the bigger they are the
better they are at stopping the egress of RFI. In choosing a computer,
make sure that all cables leaving the main computer unit, and at the
input/output of all peripherals are fitted with ferrite chokes. If you are
building your own machine , be liberal with 'common-mode' stoppers.
The tendency towards USB for all I/O devices connected to
modern computers has led to the need for convertors, for example for
serial or parallel dev ices . There are still very many of these around ,
especially in the Radio Shack . Many transceivers and TNC modems
use RS232, and a number of antenna rotator controllers use parallel
port connection.

179
Computers in Amateur Radio

If poss ible, these convertors are best housed within the tower
cab inet. The USB port connections can be found on the motherboard
and routed to the convertor, and its ser ial/parallel output routed to the
rear pane l. A good idea is to find the finger-p lates from old unused
interfa ce cards - these will have standard RS-232 connecto r or para llel
connector cut-outs and can be adapted to carry the connections to the
outs ide world . Often these will have fully screen connectors with built in
capac itors , so do not throwaway the or iginal connectors. It is a truism
that some of yesterday's products were better built than todays!
A big advantage of putting all the hardware inside the computer
case is that it is all connected to a common earth, thereby reducing the
possibility of ground loops .
Of course it is still possible to purchase motherboards with at least
two serial ports and there are su itable PCI - I/O cards which can add
more serial and/or parallel ports . These, however, are not the norm .

Monitors
There is no doubt that the monitor of choice for the radio shack are
flat -screen solid -state LCD models. Perhaps this will change in the
future, with the rapid introduction ontp the market of Organic LED
(OLEO) monitors.
Very few RFI problems have been identified with LED monitors,
but once again you should look to the interface cable as a potential
source . Make sure that the screws are properly tig htened and keep
the cable away from live RF circu its.
Many monitors are independently supplied by small , Switched
Mode power units . These are notoriously bad sources of RFI. The
manufacturer may have fitted clip -on or moulded-on ferrites, but these
are often insufficient to stop radiation at higher frequencies. It is
advisable to fit additional ferrites on the power cord, and on the
output cable of the supply. Trying another PSU, of suitable voltage
and current rating may also help - quite often t he switching frequency
will be diffe rent, and a spurious sign al may be moved away/outside of
frequenc ies of interest. You may even find an old linear power supply
of sui table size and ratings .
There is also the issue of various clock osc illators within the
Monitor. The wise and add itional precaution here is to fit clip -on
ferrites to both the signal cable com ing from the computer, place this
as close as possible to t he connector on the mon itor, and once again
on the cable lead ing to the PSU. Finally, do not leave cables
sprawled around behind the monitor/computer. It is best to coil them
up , not only to make them look neat and tidy, but more particularly
to minimise radiation and pick-up of RF in the shack .

External Hardware
Already mentioned is the issue of common-mode signals andhowthey
can be prevented, but it is worth emphasising the need to connect all

180
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

parts of the system to one common earth po int and ensure that any
cab les do not carry common mode signals by the generous use of clip-
on common-mode ferrite chokes .
Connections to/from transceiver(s) require special attent ion . Most
CAT interfaces use the RS232 interface standard , althoug h some
(notab ly Icom) have adopted a TIL interface.
Whichever is used , it is good practice to use an optically isolated
interface on data and contro l lines . Th is may either be built within a
purchased interface adapter or with a home -brew adapter bu ilt to one
ofthe many publ ished des igns .
TNCs and issues connected with these are somewhat sim ilar to the
CAT interface, except that the modulation signals need to be consid-
ered . In practice, by far the best way of dealing with low frequency
aud io circu its is by the use of 1:1 isolation transformers. Although these
are getting a litt le harder to source, they can be found in older surplus
modem interface cards . See the chapter on Interfac ing and Interfaces .
The more expensive solution for those who do not have an apt i-
tude for construction is one of the ready-made multi -mode interface
units, which hand le keying , data-mode modulation schemes as well as
the essent ials ofthe CAT interface.
For the homebrew constructor wishing to deal with sound card
input/outputs , there are a number of published circuit configurations,
the simplest involv ing small audio transformers to achieve physical
isolation, and thereby ground loop problems which may result in RFI/
EMC problems .
When tracking-down RFI it is important not to fo rget direct radia-
tion from interface devices. TNCs, mult imode adapters, bridges/routers
and the like that will contain microprocessors clocked at frequencies
up to or even greater than 24M Hz. Once aga in these may be divided or
multiplied, thus providing a spectrum full of birdies .
When investigating these problems, start with everything tu rned off
except for the station receiver. Turn things on one at a time, investigat-
ing at each stage what unwanted signals have ap peared . You should
certa inly find some sig nals and you will have to assess whether they
warrant tracking down.
Most computer clocks can be identified . Being crystal oscillators
thay are reasonably stable, if not a little raucous in tone . However, in
recent years there has been a tendency towards the use of 'dithered'
clock oscillators. These are quite diff icult to identify and sound more
like a noise source . The only way of being certain that they are a
source of interference is to turn them off.
The techniq ue of dithering a clock oscillator sp reads the spectrum
created, thus reducing the Power Spectral Density. Since EMC meas -
urements are made with defined bandwidth filters, spreading the sig nals
across the spectrum reduces the peak level, making it easie r for a
manufactu rer to meet the limits in the standard.

181
Computers in Amateur Radio

Positioning of Equipment and Cables

The concept of a single earth , both to avoid ground loops and also RFI/
EMC problems , is difficult within the entirety of a radio shack. However,
every effort must be made to achieve the very minimum number of earth
connections between the computer and associate peripherals , and the
radio equipment proper. If connections have to be made it is advisable
to break -up the common impedance with the ubiquitous CM choking -
a clip-on ferrite or several turns through a ferrite ring .
Separating data cables from RF signal circuits is an important
objective, which might mean positioning the computer and all peripher-
als at one end of the shack bench and taking all live RF circuits to the
other end. This requires some careful planning, butseparation may pay
dividends in the long run. Most importantly it reduces the possibility of
magnetic field coupling between the computer system and the radio.
Whilst it may be easier to deal with near field magnetic coupling by
moving things further apart, the real issue which will confront radio
amateurs, most of the time, will be the far-field electric field, which does
not decay quickly with separation distance.
Many radio amateurs will wish to be connected to the Internet
when operating, forthe many reasons given elsewhere. Best practice
suggests that a wireless system is safest in the shack.
It avoids the issues of coupling of RF along networking cables,
although many prefer this type of system because of the security it
affords. When RF is coupled into UTP wiring it inevitably gets into the
home hub or router and seriously reduces data rates or disconnect
from the remote server.
It almost goes without saying, but must be said - whatever you use,
avoid PLTor any similar power line communications products at all cost.
Finally, when you think you have paid attention to all of the
potential problems, there will be others! However, most problems have
a solution. It may take a little experimenting , but that is what rmateur
radio is all about.

Telephones

In the days of landline telephones with mechanical dials, they con-

tained little in the way of electronics and were not particularly suscep-
tible to interference from nearby transmitters . These days its a different
story, because practically all land line telephones on the market
con ta in electronics. Cordless domestic telephones invariably conta in
a lot of electronics.
It is the active , amplifying elements of modern telephones -
corded or cordless - that lead to interference being caused so readily
to them, but fortunately there are a number of steps that can be taken
to reduce or eliminate it.
Today, probably the easiest and simplest thing to try and remedy

182
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

a land line telephone that is suffarinq

breakthrough is a line filter used for
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber
Line) . ADSL filters are readily avail-
able and plug directly into telephone
sockets . A Speedtouch ADSL filter is
shown in Fig 13.8. Other makes and
models are also available.
An ADSL filter will have two
sockets on it - one for a telephone
and the second for an ADSL modem.
As Fig 13.9 shows, the circuitry
inside an ADSL line filter consists of
a low pass filter to remove the higher
frequencies used by the ADSLsignal
from the telephone socket. The
signal from the incoming line passes
Fig 13.8: An
straight through to the ADSL output socket, with no filtering. ADSL line filter,
which can be
used to filter the
ADSL line for a
telephone which
At the present time , the most popular way of accessing the Internet is suffering RF
from home is by ADSL, which uses frequencies up to about 1MHz, breakthrough.
these signals being passed along a standard 2-wire telephone line.
Amateur radio transmissions of 1.8MHz and up in frequency should
not affect it, but unfortunately it is not uncommon to hear of ADSL
lockups occurring when transmissions are made on the 1.8 or 3.5MHz
bands. Naturally it depends on how close the transmitting antenna is
to the telephone wiring and how good the telephone wiring is, but
sometimes it only requires a few watts of RF to cause a problem.
Plug-in ADSL line filters are good at what they do, but as already
stated they do not filter the ADSL signal. Enter a second problem. A lot
of domestic telephone wiring is based on a wiring plan which inherently
unbalances what should be a balanced circuit - the telephone line itself.
This is because a lot of master sockets contain circuitry to extract the
ringing signal from the incoming line and send it along a third wire
within the home. Although the telephone line is now unlananced, it
does not usually affect ADSL performace adversely... until RF is radi-
ated nearby. It is also worth noting that ADSL line filters do not pass the
'ringer' signal through, because modern telephones don't need it.
As standard , the incoming telephone line will be connected
th rough to pins 2 and 5 of
the telephone socket, with Fig 13.9: Internal
" • • • • ,•• ~ , eleph c ne arrangements of
the circuitry in the master
an ADSLline
socket extracting the ringer A DSL m odem
filter.
signal and passing it

183
Computers in Amateur Radio

through to pin 3. If you can

extract the ADSL sig nal before
Fig 13.10: Old
style telephone
the master socket, any unbal-
socket. Master anced part of the system will
and extension be 'downstream' and should
sockets look the no longer cause a problem.
same externally, If your master socket
but there are looks like the one shown in
three extra Fig 13.10 it is the old style and
components your best option is to plug an
inside a master
ADSL line filter into it and
socket.
position your ADSL modem
close to it. If you can gain
access to the telephone line
where it enters the house, it
could be worthwhile adding a
clip -on ferrite ahead of the
master socket.
If your master socket
looks like the one shown in
Fig 13.11: Fig 13.11 overleaf (note the fact
Standard BTtype
that the screws are near the
NTE5 master
bottom and there is a dividing
socket.
line just over half way up) it is a
new style master socket (NTE5)
and more possibilities for
interference reduction exist.
Whilst you are still not
entitled to make any modifica-
tions to the line or the master
socket itself, the master socket
is in fact hidden inside and it is
possible to replace the
Fig 13.12: NTE5
faceplate with one that has an
master socket ADSL line filter built into it. This
with replacement results in a master socket that
faceplate that looks like the one shown in
has a built-in . Fig 13.12.
ADSL line filter.
- This type of arrangement
has two distinct advantages:

1. The filter for all the tel-

ephones is built into the
master socket, so there is
no need to use an ADSL line
filter for any of the individual
telephones.

184
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

2. As Fig 13.13shows, Fig 13.13:

the ADSLsignal also Inside a faceplate
appears on the con - that has a built-in
nections inside the ADSL line filter.
Extension
faceplate, so if you do
telephones and a
not wish to locate your remote ADSL
ADSLmodem nearthe modem are
master socket you can connected via the
add a twsired pair to cable.
conduct the signal
away to where you
want it.

Ifrequired, further
filtering can be added to
the separated ADSL Plugs into
signal, by fitting a suit- master socket
able low pass filter. The
design shown in Fig
Connections to
13.14 is attributed to phone extensions
OZ7C . Standard value and ADSL modem Clip-on ferrite
components can be
placed in series and/or parallel, to
Ll L2
acheive the required values. It is 6.51uH 6.51uH
Fig 13.14: ADSL

~ADSL
filter attributed to
stated as having a 1dB ripple up
OZlC.
to its cutoff freq uency of 1MHz Uno 14.;31nF 16.~nF 14.;33nF modem
and offering 40dB of attenuation
at 1.8MHz (see Fig 13.15). L3
~ L4
6.5 1 uH 6.51 uH

"_+tL\
-~~ --- - f---
'

-- --l -~ -
1
I

- --
ADSL2

Depending on the
distance ofthe access
multiplexer from the
subscriber's premises,
1\- ADSL2+ cantheoreti-
cally acheive download
\ - -
!
__L__ speeds of 24M bit/sec
and upload speeds of
I \ I I
r--
I 3.5Mbitjsec. Using the
\ trading name BT Infinity,
BT is actively rolling it

=1
0.00.20.4 0.6 0.8
I
1.0
1\

1.2
1--
1.4 1.6 1.82.0
I
out across the UK. Early
experience is good,
although there have
Fig 13.15:
Performance of
OZlC'sADSL
MHz been reports of interfer- filter.

185
Computers in Amateur Radio

ence with 160m (Top Band), causing broadband to drop out. The
simple cure is to get the modem to train-up in the presence of the
amateur transmission. Be aware that if the modem retrains at another
time (for example after it has been power cycled), it will need to be
trained again in the presence of the amateur signal.
Instances of interference have been rare, which is as a result of
the very good balance of the network cables and wiring, right up to
the modem. BT do not use stub connections within their network,
which might otherwise cause imbalance and radiation. An important
point to remember here is that the 'good practice' BT adheres to
should be maintained right throughout the wiring. By choice, the
modem will be as close as practical to the master socket. All in-house
wiring beyond the modem should at the very least comply with the
CAT5 or - even better - CAT6 standard . Maplin and other suppliers
stock suitable cable with 5 Uniform Twisted Pairs (UTP), and connec-
tor boxes .
The filter shown in Fig 12.14 is not suitable for homes served with
ADSL2, since it cuts -off at too Iowa frequency. For ADSL2 frequencies
up to 2 .2MHz are employed .
If you have issues the best you can do for yourself is fit a Service
Specific Faceplate (SSFP) fitted to eliminate the internal wiring, since
(a) internal wiring acts as a significant antenna system to pick up
interfering signals, and (b) the SSPF will eliminate the additional
unbalance that this 3-wire network can create . If a SSFP is not suitable
because you require the flexibility provided by plug-in micro-filters,
the BT Broadband Accelerator plate (www.bt.com/accelerator) may
help improve things, although this is only suitable for ADSL and
ADSL2 +. This however does not matter since BT Infinity is currently
installed with a SSFP only. BT also has a common mode filter, the
BT80A-RF3 (an example can be seen on www.kitz .co.uk/adsl/
btsockets.htm), that engineers will fit if they suspect noise issues (for
example from SMPSUs), but I don't know how you would go about
requesting this item from BT.
Sites like Kitz (www.kitz .co .uk) provide a lot of very useful infor-
mation on broadband and how it works, issues etc, with the section at
www.kitz.co .uk/adsl/rein.htm dealing with interference from faulty
power supplies (what BT call REIN).
If you suspect your broadband service is being interfered with by
REIN (it could be a regular pattern every evening or at a particular
time of day and fine at all other times), try listening on a battery
powered Medium Wave rad io tuned off station when you are experi -
enc ing broadband problems. You may hear a horrible buzzing noise,
especially if the radio is placed near the telecom network cable. If you
do hear this, turn off your mains power. If the no ise disappears the
source is almost certainly within your own home and you should trace
it by turning circuit breakers off one at a time and iso lating ind ividual
items of equipment. (Note that faulty power supplies can also be

186
 Electromagnetic Compatibility

incredibly hot to the touch!). If you turn all the power off and the
buzzing does not disappear the problem is likely to be within another
property in the neighbourhood, in which case you could talk to your
neighbours to see if they have similar issues at the same times and
perhaps get them to do the same power down of their property.
Finally, ifthere is excessive RF around the shack (or household),
the use of clip-on fer rites may eliminate RFI on the phone connec-
tions, especially if the in-house network is old and runs alongs ide
mains cabling.

187
Computers in Amateur Radio

14.
Internet Linking
by Steve White, G3ZVW (with information from other sources)

These days there are several ways in which radio amateurs can commu-
nicate without the straightforward use of a transceiver. Some Internet-
linked systems don't involve radio at all, but of those that do, not all
methods offer the same facilities.

IRLP

The Internet Repeater Linking Project (IRLP) began in 1997, initially just as
an attempt to use the Internet to link radio systems across Canada. Early
trials were fraught with difficulties, butthe developers found that by using
computers running Linux instead of Windows, not only was the system
more stable, but it was easier to program for this as.
IRLP uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) with custom software
and hardware to link amateur radio systems without the use of an RF
link. The software used by
IRLP has a name - Speak
Freely - and a purpose
built hardware board (see
Fig 14.1).
Fig 14.1: The Referring to Fig
IRLP control
14.2 , IRLPworks like this:
board.
At the local host,
audio is sampled by the
AID converter in a stand-
ard PC sound card . A 16-
bit stream of monaural

188
 Internet Linking

PIT in
cos out
Transceiver Aud io out

Mia in
Three no rma lly
ope n MOSF ET Fig 14.2: How the
switches for
external co ntrol IRLP board
Line O ut
connects w ith a
Line In
PC and a
transceiver.
Cable or DSL
connection

audio at 120 kb/sec is comp ressed down to 32kb/sec, split into packets
and transm itted via the Internet to the remote host. At the remote host
the aud io is decompressed back to a 16-bit stream and played through
the sound card. The software controls the stream using Carrier Operated
Squelch (COS) or Cont inuous Tone Coded Subaudible Squelch (CTCSS)
to start and stop the stream . When COS is present, the computer
detects it through the IRLP interface board. The PIT line to the radio is
controlled by the buffer that joins the audio packets back together.
While there are packets in the buffer the IRLP interface board receives a
'transmit' signal from the computer, and an 'unkey' command when the
buffer is empty.
Radio amateurs communicate over the IRLP network by interfacing
to the IRLP computer at a local node, using Dual Tone Multi Frequency
(DTMF) signals sent overtheir radio. DTMF sequences are programma-
ble and can used to accomplish almost any function. The DTMF signals
are detected on the IRLP interface board and sent directly to the com -
puter in binary, where they are converted into numbers . The commands
associated with these numbers are what start and stop Speak Freely,
basically establishing and breaking the link .
IRLP does not support access direct from the Internet; all QSOs are
via RF at each end . See: http://status.irlp .netjfora list of nodes.

Echolink (from QST, February 2003)

EchoLink was developed by Jonathan Taylor, K1 RFD, in early 2002. In

an astonishingly short period oftime, it became one of the dominant
amateur radio YolP systems, with more than 30,000 users worldwide .
The free EchoLink software for Windows can be downloaded at
www.echolink.org

189
Computers in Amateur Radio

When you start t he EchoLink softwa re, you r comp uter ta ps the
Interne t to connect to an EchoLink serve r. Before you can make you r
first connection to the network , you r callsign must be verified with the
information in the FCC database. This can take minutes or hours ,
depending on the state of the system , but it helps reduce the chances
of ,non hams ' entering the EchoLink network.
Once you 're validated (you only do this once) , the rest is easy.
The EchoLi nk server acts like a telephone switchboard in cyberspace. It
maintains a directory of everyone who is connected at any moment.
Afte r browsing the directory, you can request a connection between
your computer and that of another amateur.
Here's where it becomes interesting. The amateur on the EchoLink
receiving end may be sitting in front of his computer with a headset and
microphone. Alternatively he may have his compute r connected to a
radio at his station that is acting as an RF relay to a handheld trans -
ceiver or mobile rig. Or the destination station may be part of a re-
peater system . In any case, once the connection is established, any-
thing you say will wind up being heard in the other amateur's headset
or transmitted over the air.
At your end of the EchoLink connection, you may be the one
wearing the headset, or using a simplex connection to your base radio,
or using a repeate r. When you connect to an individual station , the
custom is to call in the same fashion as you would during a traditional
on-air conversation. If you are connecting to a distant repea ter system ,
you need to hesitate for about two seconds before speaking , to com -
pensate for the delay.
The EchoLink servers also support confe rencing , where several
amateurs can converse in a roundtable fashion. There are even
EchoLink nets that meet within these conference areas on a sched-
uled basis.

Command Description DTMF Code

Connect Connects to a station on the internet, based on its node
number. The node numbers can be 4, 5 or 6 d igits. nnnnnn
Random Node Selects an available node (of any type) at random,
tries to connect to it. 00
Table 14.1: Random Link Selects an ava ilab le link or repeater (-L or -R) at
Echolink random and tries to connect to it. 01
commnads. Random Conf Selects a conferen ce server at random and tried to
con nect to it. 02
Random User Selects an availab le sing le-user station at random and
tries to connect to it. . 03
Status Announces the ca llsign of each station currently connected . 08
Reconnect Reconnects to the station that was most recently
d iscon nected. 09
Disconnect Disconnects the station that is cur rently connected . If
more than one station is connected , disconnects only
the most-recently-connected station. #
Play Information Plays a brief ID message. *

190
 Internet Linking

If you plan to connect a radio to your computer so that you can

use EchoLink over an RF link , you will need an interface. The strong
enthusiasm for EchoLink is driven by the fact that it does not require a
specialized hardware interface for connectio ns to transceivers . All
tim ing functions and DTMF decoding take place within the EchoLink
software. This means that you can enjoy EchoLink with the radio of
your choice by using common sound ca rd interfaces such as those
sold by West Mountain Radio (the RIGblasterfolks) , MFJ, TigerTronics
and others. If you are already operating PSK31, RnY, SSTV or similar
modes with a sound card interface , you can become an EchoLink
operator by simply downloading and installing the software , but there
are also hardware interfaces specifically designed with VolP in mind.
Echolink commands can be seen in Table 14.1.

eQSO (from QST, February 2003)

eQSO, created by Paul Davies, MOZPD, was designed to operate like a

worldwide amateur rad io net. It is based around dedicated servers and
can be used from a personal computer or through a radio link (known
on eQSO as an 'RF gateway').
The eQSO software for Windows is available for free downloading
on the Internet at www.eqso.net, with on-line support available at
www.eqso .org A linking version of the software offers courtesy tones
and a CW ID, and uses the computer's COM port for keying the
transmitter and reading the
receiver's squelch status . If a
squelch line is not available ,
eQSO has an internal VOX func-
tion that can be selected.
Fig 14.3: The
eQSO works with all the
SignaLink SL-1 +
usual PC-to-radio interface interface.
boards, such as the SignaLink
SL-1 (see Fig 14.3).
Because there is no callsign validat ion, eQSO has security features
that can be activated by administrators , who can mute or even block
people who don't ope rate according to licence conditions .
Short Wave Listeners are also encouraged to use eQSO , and they
are trusted not to talk in 'rooms' conta ining rad io links. Those who do
are muted or banned . However, SWLs can ta lk with hams in 'off-air'
rooms and many cons ider th is as an encouragement to gain a licence .
Ope rators of RF gateways should avoid connecting their stations to
these 'off-air' rooms.

191
Computers in Amateur Radio

WIRES-II (from QST, February 2003)

WIRES-II - Wide-coverage Internet Repeater Enhancement System -

is a YolP network created by Yaesu that is similar in function to IRLp,
except that the WIRES-II node software runs under Windows . Like
IRLp,WIRES-II is entirely radio based; you cannot access a WIRES-II
node directly from the
.
~ ~--~ - -- * -
--~
- ~~---
"...
Internet. A WIRES-II host
' ,,", ..,.,...-~ rawl. ';" serve r mainta ins a
Fig 14.4: The -, H R I- 1 0 0 ~
Yaesu HRI-100
continuously updated
-_ r
interface. ~ W;de.Cov~,ag~ Interne t RDp~6ter Enhanc~m~n t System
1& ' list of all active nodes.
The hardware
portion of WIRES-II is the HRI-100 interface (see Fig 14.4). It connects to
a PC, wh ich in turn is connected to the Internet. Fig 14.5 shows the
layout. The HRI-100 also acts as the interface between the node radio
and the computer. Even though the HRI-100 is manufactured by Yaesu,
it is designed to work with any transceiver.
There are two WIRES-II operating modes :
The SRG (Sister Repeater Group) mode allows users to connect
to any other WIRES-II node (up to ten repeaters or base stations)
within a group specified by the node operator. As with IRLp, DTMF
tones are used to control access . Depending on how the node opera-
tor has configured his system , you may need to send a single DTMF
tone before each transmission, or just at the beginning and end of
your contact.
The FRG (Friends' Repeater Group) operating mode allows you to
connect to any other WIRES-II node in the world. The FRG mode also
allows group calling of up to ten nodes, a kind of conferencing func-
tion . To make a regular FRG call, you press #, then five more DTMF
digits depending on the 10 number of the WIRES- II node you are
attempting to access.

Fig 14.5:
Connections of
the Yaesu HRI-
100 interface.

Cable or DSL
connection

192
 Internet Linking

CQ100 (from RadCom May 2008)

If you believe in the trad itional definition of rad io as communication

using electromagnetic waves, this new wonder-rig - the internet-based
CQ100 - is not a rad io all. But if your pleasure comes from rag-chews
with fellow amateurs all over the world on technical matters of mutual
interest, th is radio may we ll be the one for you.
The virtual ionosphere and CQ100 are the brainch ild of Canadian
radio amateu r Doug McCormack, VE3EFC, whose vision is a virtual
ionosphere 'QSONET' . CQ100 is the first of what might be a fami ly of
transceivers using th is virtual ionosphere .
Gett ing started with CQ100 cou ldn't be easier. You simply register
your name, callsign and a password
of your choice on the parent website
(qsonet.comjprograms .html), after
which you'll be required to provide
evidence that you are indeed a
licensed radio amateur. The simplest
procedure here is to scan your
Ofcom licence and e-mail it as an
attachment. The whole procedure can
take up to 24 hours , but it's usually
much faster.
Once the licence has been verified , you 'll be able to install the Fig 14.6: The
software for a 90-day free trial (US$32 per year thereafter) , a painless CQ100 virtual
procedure as CQ100 is reported to work happily with any Windows transc eiver
operating system from 95 to Vista. A reliable Internet connection is that works
required with a speed of at least 33.6k dialup. There is no Mac version with a virtual
ionosphere.
ofthe program, though there have been reports of successful operation
using Windows emulators on Mac computers.
The 'transceiver', as it appears on the computer screen (Fig 14.6),
will be familiar to anyone who has used a modern rig. It covers six
simulated amateur bands: 3.500-3.800; 7.000-7.299; 14.000-14.350;
21.000-21.450; 28.000-28.999 and 29.000-29.700MHz. Apart from the
last, all have designated CW portions as in conventional amateur radio.
The large central spectrum display shows transmitting stations as small
vertical blips on their chosen 'frequency'. To tune into that station, there
are various options: manually click and drag the tuning knob to rotate
it; click on the blip; or press Ctrl + left or right arrow. When a station is
tuned in, its calls ign is automatically displayed, together with the user's
name and location. A click on the callsign automatically links to the
station's deta ils on www.qrz.com
As with a normal radio, there are various (simulated) transmission
modes . Speech can be by push-to talk or VOX, the latter being control-
led via traditional 'Level' and Dwell' controls . For CW, the simplest
option is to use a code practice oscillator connected to your compu-

193
Computers in Amateur Radio

ter's line input socket. Alternatively, the rig's built -in keyer automatically
converts typed messages into CW at user-chosen speeds ranging from
10 to 35WPM and at adjustable pitch from 400 to 650Hz. A novel feature
is opt ional background noise, which disappears when a stat ion is tuned
in and wh ich can be removed between stat ions by means of a Squelch
button . It's a useful fac ility that provides reassurance that the receiver is
actua lly wo rking ! An authentic-looking S-meter shows modu lation depth
on both transm it and rece ive.
The relative newness of CQ100 means that activity level is still
building but it is rare to make contact with anyone who is less than
J

enthusiastic about its potential. Unlike the real ionosphere , it's poss ible
to mo nito r activ ity via an automatic server activity g rap h helpfully
provided on the QSONET home pag e. Activity peaks seem usually to
occur mid-afternoon and in the early hours ofthe morning UTC. The
number of nets and skeds is increasing. A particularly interest ing exam-
ple is WA5QPZ's Sunday afternoon Flex Radio net (14.239MHz,
19.00UTC) wh ich runs bot h on HF and as a simulcast on CQ1 00. Any-
one struggling with 'real' ionospheric reception problems can turn
seamlessly to the virtual ionosphere bac kup; a good example of the two
technologies working toge ther, rather than in opposition.
The software appears to be remarkably bug-free and it is certainly
user-friendly and instinctive. Any perceived deficiencies - and there are a
few - are largely down to facto rs outside the control of the system's
desig ners. Speech quality is variable, simply because the quality of
computer sound cards is variable. Computer-type microphones also
often leave a lot to be desired . Another occasional problem is sound
break-Up because of Internet congestion.
When working well, CQ100 is very impressive indeed; and at a
time of indifferent band conditions the idea of having noise-free and
QSS-free contacts with stations all over the world will be attractive to
many radio amateurs , particularly those who live in a flat or similar
accommodation where antennas are a non-starter, or travel the world
with the ir laptops and can be 'on the air' in seconds wherever there is a
broadband facility. Another more incidental attraction is that CQ100
can also reach stations that cannot be contacted by conventional
radio, like Iraq during part of 2007 where radio transmissions were
banned but where computer links survived.
The most recent add-on is 'Dahdidah', which enables the CQ100
to be used for CW via a key connected to the computer's serial port.
Some work has been done on a logging program and a picture
sharing add-on.
As for future developments, the CQ100 Forum has produced a
number offanciful ideas includ inq the possibility of introducing simu-
lated 'bad band conditions ' and QRM.

194
 Interfacing and Interfaces

15.
Interfacing and
Interfaces
by Steve Wh ite, G3ZVW

There are nume rous commercially-made items of equ ipment that will
interface between a computer and a radio . Some are complex and
some are so simple that those with basic knowledge of electronics
should be ab le to build them . In th is chapter you will find information on
commercial and make-at-home interfaces .

Build Yourself

Non-isolated
The simplest c ircuit that can be used to connect a computer with an
RS232 serial port (or a Centronics parallel port) to a transmitter requires
just one resistor and one general-purpose
NPN transistor. It is suitable for key ing CW Output

4
and PIT. For use in keying the PIT, make
k
sure that your transm itter has diodes across I 2N2222 or
nput equiva lent
the changeover relays to suppress the back Fig 15.1: Simple
EMF that inevitably arises when they release, CW keying and
or the transistor may be destroyed the first PTT interface.
time the PIT
signal goes off !
The circuit is K.e¥in9 9-pin RS232 25-pin RS232 Centronics
Input 4 20 17
shown in Fig
Ground 5 7 1
15.1. Typical Table 15.1:
connections are SimpleCW
EII 9-pin RS232 25-pin RS232
shown in Table keying and PTT
Input 7 4
15.1.Such interface
Ground 5 7
circuits are often connections.

195
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 15.2: built into the body of aD-type

Superior non- connector.
isolated 4k7 A superior circuit is shown in
interface. Input .....,Ch.-.-H.
Fig 15.2. This is more likely to be
1N4146
built into a small project box be-
tween the computer and transmitter.

Isolated
Fig 15.3: Keying 1k A better method still of keying
interface using which removes the possibility
an opto-isolator.
of hum loops and reduces the
Input Tl~~~~~~25 possibility of RF pickup is to
use an opto isolator. The
circuit for this is shown in Fig
15.3. The type of opto isolator
is not critical. Darlington and non-Darlington types should work equally
well. The pinout of many opto isolators is as shown in Fig 15.4. If you
use a different type to the ones mentioned in the circuit, check before
you build the interface that the pinout is the same.
Once again, if you are going to use a curcuit such as this to key
Fig 15.4: The
pinout of typical the PTT, make sure the relays in the transmitter have diodes across them.
opto-lsolators.
Audio
For datamode operation via a sound card , screened cables are called
for. The simplest connection will be two screened cables, one to carry
audio from the sound card of the computer to the radio and a second
to carry audio from the radio to the sound card. If your transmitter has a
'phone patch' (external , high level audio) input, it is recommended that
you use it in favour of the microphone input. This is because most
transmitter microphone inputs are very sensitive and it is all too easy to
Fig 15.5: Cabling
overload the input stage,
and audio
attenuator,
1
Radi o
audi o out
(Iine/p atch/
spea ker)
;};C Sound ca rd
Line In
which will result in distorted
audio when you transmit. If
suitable for you connect to a high level
connecting a Radio
10k Sound card audio socket, remember to
>f-:li---T-e=:J----+7(
computer to a Micin Line Out unplug your microphone
radio that does 100R
during datamode operation
not have a high or it is possible that it will
level audio input.
pick up and transmit the
sound of whatever is going on in your shack while you are transmitting.
If your radio does not have a phone patch input you should build
the circuit shown in Fig 15.5, which includes a 100:1 attenuator. If your
radio does have a phone patch input, it is likely that you will be able to
omit the two resistors and connect the sound card output direct to the
radio input. Either way, adjust the microphone gain to a level that does
not cause the audio stages of the transmitter to be over driven.

196
 Interfacing and Interfaces

If you experince prob-

lems withRF pickup when
Fig 15.6: A clip-
transmitting, the first remedy
on ferrite
to try is clip-on ferrites on the
correctly
cables . It is good practice to installed on an
wind an audio cable through a audio cable.
ferr ite several times, but make
sure the two halves close firmly together when you clip it shut or it will
have no effect. Fig 15.6 shows a cl ip-on ferrite correctly insta lled.
Alternatively, use ferrite rings of an appropriate material for the fre-
quency that is causing problems . Unless you are starting with a cab le
on which connectors are not alread y fitted , select a core size through
which the smallest ofthe connectors can easy pass, and wind several
turns onto the core. The cable should not be wound randomly, rather it
should be wound from a start point and and around no more than 3/4
of the ring . Secure each end with a cable tie . Alternatively, the cable
should be wound around about 3/8 of the ring, then crossed over and
wound around another 3/8 of the ring. This is more effective, as it
reduces capacitive coupling between the po ints where the cable enters
and exits the ring .
There are big differences between the materials used in differing
varieties of ferrite ring , so not all types of material are suitable for all

Frequency Amidon type Number Colour

LF FT24O-31 Dull black
LF-HF FT24O-43 Shiny black
HF FT24O-61 Dull black
----Diameter
"F" for
I <,Material Table 15.2:
Ferrite rings/
ferrite (240means type cores suitable
2.4 inches) for winding on
audio cables.

frequencies. Suitab le types to use are shown in Table 15.2. Do not use

00
iron dust cores (eg T200-6), which can often be identified by the fact
that they are co lour coded .
If you experince hum on Radio

your data tran sm ission, caused audio out

(line/patch! Sound
Line card
In Fig 15.7: How
by a hum loo p , you may need speaker) I aud io
to use audio transformers to
elec trically iso late the computer
from the transmitter. The circuit
for a suitable system is shown in
Fig 15.7.
Audio transformers can be
00
Radio
Mic in

I
Sound card
Line Out
transformers
can be used to
electrically
isolate a radio
from a
computer.

recovered from ancient trans is-

197
Computers in Amateur Radio

tor radios, PC
modem cards, or
purchased from
various retailers .
Fig 15.8 shows an
old modem card
Fig 15.8: An old from a PC, with the
modem card audio transformer
from a computer, circled.
with the audio
transformer
circled.
Kits

There are numerous

CW keyers available
as kits, but perhaps
the most popular
computer-linked
model is the
WinKeyer2 from
K1 EL (see Fig 15.9).
It conforms to the
Fig 15.9: The WinKey standard
WinKeyer USB and integrates well
from K1EL. with many popular
logging programs.
The kit is available
in RS232 and USB versions and can take an experienced constructor
less than two hours to build.

Commercial

A range of products for various purposes are available from a number of

manufacturers.
MicroHAM produce several products. All their models that support
data modes include transformer isolation of audio signals between
computer and transceiver. Some models contain sound card hardware,
eliminating the need to use the sound card in a computer. Their 'Station
Master' is a controller for antenna switching, bandpass filter switching
and StepplR control, while the 'MK2R' is an advanced controller for
S02R operation that features a host offacilities .
The EZMaster from Ham Radio Solutions is a USB device that
interfaces your PC with several devices in your shack; radios, antennas
and filterswitching, microphone and headphones.ltsupports phone
and data modes, and incorporates CW and digital voice keyers . S02R
is also supported.

198
 Interfacing and Interfaces

K1 EL produces a variety of CW-related products. Apart from the

WinKe yer, already mentioned, a standalone CW keyerwh ich operates
from a computer keyboard is offered . Versions of the WinKeyer are also
available with high voltage outputs, suitable for keying virtually any
transmitter, not just modern ones wh ich run on low voltage and/or
requ ire little current to flowthrough the keying contacts .
Some antenna rotators are capab le of being connected directly to
a computer, giving software that supports rotator control the abi lity to
point an antenna auto matically, accord ing to the direction of the sta-
tions being worked. For rotators that do not include direct support for
interfa cing to a compute r, Idiom Press offer a number of products that
will add th is function.

Instrumentation

If you own high-en d test equipment it is quite likely to contain a General

Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) socket. The GPIB perm its the userto
connect the equipment to a computer to automate measurements, but
historically this was an expensive process.
These days, with interfaces such as those produced by Prologix
(see Fig 15.10), it is rather less expensive. Versions for connection to a
USB or network socket on a computer
are available .
To use in conjunction with such a
controller, the KE5FX GPIB Toolkit is a Fig 15.10: The
collection of free Windows utilities that Prologix General
will help you make and record re- Purpose
search-quality measurements with Interface Bus to
GPIB-based electronic test equipment. USB converter.
The latest release is always
available for downloading from
www.thegleam .com/ke5fx/gpib/
readme.htm For troubleshooting help and additional application notes,
check the FAQ.
The Toolkit is provided with full C+ + source code for public- and
private-sector, educational and amateur radio / hobbyist use. Comments
and feedback are always welcome .

199
Computers in Amateur Radio

16.
Live Internet
Applications
by Steve White, G3ZVW

Chat Rooms

The most popular amateur radio chat rooms for arranging QSOs are run
by ON4KST (see Fig 16 .1). They are available at www .on4kst.com/chat/
These text only chat rooms are used mainly by VHF/UHF OXenthusi-
asts (there are separate rooms for 50/70MHz, 144/432MHz, JT6M/EME/
CW and microwave), but there is also a chat room for 160m/80m. The
chat rooms are used prima rily to arrange QSOs and as an instant
messaging type talkback facility . A log in is required, but this is free and
it takes only moments to fill in the application, receive an e-mail re-
sponse and activate an account.

Fig 16.1 : One of ::J '"1 A c-------~

"I p.

theON4KST
chat pages.
. ...
NEIlD 1

Left panel - chat.

Centre panel -
OX Cluster.

Right panel -
current users.

lJ.JQl t~
1) 19 4S , ,U C\li·:QRI.r .w.:.
t) IUI DICW "",,

UP :lO , .uCWiQRLr ...n

200
 Live Internet Applications

The ON4KST chat rooms also include cut-down OX Cluster infor-

mation (receive only). Additional windows can be opened, containing
such things as ionospheric data and beacon lists .

Online Receivers

For a number of years there have been receivers available for use
online. The problem with conventional receivers is that only one person
can use them at a time, so usage by any given individual tends to be
very time limited. These days a whole new world has been opened up
because there are Software Defined Receivers (SDRs) available online.
As Fig 16.2 shows, at this time the SDR at the University ofTwente
in the Netherlands (see htlp://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/) is perhaps
Fig 16.2:
Composite of the
seven bands on
which the
University of
Twente DSP
receiver listens
on.

m-LOOl><»J:w !'''OT"aU~ fJ
c.a« rtJ:l ~ lNt ywht lli' r----
CM'Il'I'>tUJaboutwhJi YWMIr"'I- - - -
<MAo "f'&": W LOObod 1& r.'OT oJ aus::nccJ;1
L.- ---.II ~Y trtet ~l eat )'W l" llI \~l dd f71:rm

201
Computers in Amateur Radio

Fig 16.3: A map

of the 7MH z
band , showing
who is listening
to which
frequency.

the most usefu l for HF enthus iasts . It can be tuned across any amateu r
band up to 14MHz, with the aud io being heard via yo ur computer's
sound card. The receive mode , frequency, sideband and bandwidth are
highly adjustab le, and the receiver has an S-mete r and simultaneous
waterfall disp lays for all ba nds .
Fig 16 .3 shows details ofthe usage of one band (7MHz). At th e
time of ca ptu ring the image, 26 peop le were using the receiver simulta-
neously on this band alone. If you give your callsi gn , it shows up
against the frequency you are listening on, otherwise it shows your IP
address.
See www.websdr.org for a list of online SDRs.

Reverse Beacons

The Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) is a revolut ionary idea, which has
only become possible because ofthe Software Defined Receiver (SDR)
and Skimmer software . Instead of relying on beacon stations act ively
transmitting signals , the RBN is a worldwide network of SDRs that listen
continuously to the amateur bands and report what stations they hear,
when and at what signal strength .
Fig 16.4: The ::::J ., x ------'~~
.....
'
I -

Reverse Beacon ".... . ."a.:t..,. ......... .

";;;:':=:::::::'_ _.,.J
' ••, ...... ~ .~ . 0 .... ·11\· ~.

Network web 6_...··-.. __

page, showing
recently heard
~'~-' _._--'.'­
stations.
. . . _.. <_...... _bl'_._".-.-...
_ l'''''
~oJ_"''''_"*·,,,-,,",,(

M t _ ... _~ ...r-_ I=:--

.... . ..
....
-..,"' .--
•
.
_ . -- ~

"" "... ocr<IlI

' (II XI ) (Q

18Gl'l ' ( 0
ltol1O. (0

Wl ll l O,",
~'tI"V ... .

0" ..~

,,~ ,,~

-r

202
 Live Internet Applications

Logging in to www.reversebeacon.net (see Fig 16.4) gives access

to the site . There are numerous possible ways to use it:
• After transmitting and being received by one or more of the
SDRs, you can compare how well you are being received at the
various locations.
• You can compare the performance of different antennas, by
switching to a new one and wa iting to be spotted a second
time.
• You can compare how strongly you are being rece ived , com-
pared to other people in, say, a contest or your own country.
• You can search spots ta ilored to individual (or groups of)
amateur bands, by individual callsign, etc .
• You can see which amateur bands are open and carrying traffic .

The number of online SDRs is not constant. At the time of writing it

was typically 20 .

PSK Reporter

PSK Reporter (http://pskreporter.info) is a similar system for datamodes ,

particularly PSK31. Users of the site (see map of where monitor stations
are located in Fig 16.5) can search by band, calls ign, country, Locator
square, mode and time, to receive reports on whether a station is being
received (and if so how strong). Typically there are over 100 monitors
active, mainly in Europe and North America .

p .

• Pq . SltItY- tooll - o· ..
31 uSI"9la1modf s 3 owrt M lnt l 12h ours :::J ~ ~

. '-I . 19Ol'l unMown 1.UD.Dm, UJmJlm , ll..ll1lJOm .1..P.n.l2.QQm. !..fIlllm .~

Fig 16.5: The

PSK Reporter
page, showing
where SDRs are
located and
darkness moving
across Europe.

203
Computers in Amateur Radio

OX Clustering

The OX Cluster came into being as a near real-time alert system in the
mid 1980s , soon after the widespread adoption of Packet Radio around
the start of that decade. A large network of stations (mostly on VHF/
UHF, but some on HF) would pass 'OX Spots' around; information on
OXstations that had been spotted on the air. When you view OX Spots
it enables you to identify new or rare countries that you may wish to
contact, and when you input OX Spots it helps others to do the same.
The OX Cluster also has live online keyboard-to-keyboard chat, mail and
conference facilities .
In the early days it could take several minutes for a OXSpot to
propagate around the world. Even before the Internet became popular,
the radio network was linked to it. These days a high percentage of OX
Spots are input and viewed via the Internet, so much so that in many
countries the number of radio-based nodes has diminished. Even so, the
command structure of online cluster nodes that you can Telnet into is
still the same as it was in the 1980s.
There are a number of web sites and applications devoted to OX
clustering.
There are numerous web-based OXClusters in existence, the 'OX
Summit' by Radio Arcala, OH8X (www.dxsummitfi)beingoneofthem.lt
gives users the opportunity to view OXSpots and Announcements.
Spots can be filtered by band, if required. OX Spots can also be input
(no login or user validation required) , for onward passing around the
network. OXSummit also has a search facility, whereby - for example -
all OX Spots relating to a given callsign or country prefix can be looked
up. Filters for mode or year can be applied , and lists of differing length
can be selected. To provide an easy link for additional information, when
OX Spots are displayed, the callsign of the spotter and the spotted
-.._w
-- ,.

tt 11~:P l'l1.,AUtJo · I -K.lr - l l1

I -c__ Mae:l'a1'fM>. 1
11211 till ~. rl_II·lI l19C""'''~1 17·IUI2'tl' ·J1· '_ :12" " "
-I
.
·S ' d ll- U· /IIlh- HIo.... d~1 nk - • • t · · ... M
:;:~" o.~
...LIUlJ

.:J
Fig 16.6: VE7CC ~~::::::;::::~:i~!.;.~;;~:!:;:;;!~;':: :::.;::!:=-,;~::::::::~~:;:::~::~:~::,;.;:'!'~;~::~;:':::::;; ..........,,,.,....
CC1,"1 111 1.5""0Il1 Jl«- ' - H.lr -ll1 '· " Ul " t kc U I K.I"·II "",,·nJ· 1U ·IlU.. · n · 1 ~ - U- U · • " Czn h - lIt pllt l l c- OIl" hl , - HlI... d h rU- Ujl,· ·HQ M
offers DX t l ,"ll ll l.I"U "",,", . -l4.tr -:el'· ' 11n · c~ tx cq U "ItUllH"I""'U"X1TTT- l""U"1\ "U""- • ·( lt oll1 .. ·f S· AI I .- ..... n t ~ l r'k- U., · ·HQU
Fell-l'lll.•-zn.- ,-K,W-111,",.s.rp, U' ".U D' K"US"'''"ItMPtls,"u"n" ,.-" · I n · S..,t ~ - IIf r1 c . - lS " U ill1 -(,,r -lhl n i . - U Jl- ·

Cluster users a
graphical user
...... .. . ...
CC11·'1 IU. 1"On J" ' -Kw -" 11" 11\61" Tl'tX"nUW"1U"U\"SUC LX"1I " 1.": 1"1\" " " f.ru - h -O¥"Sl IOlPllh - H " ·
llW _P U'"X1O - 1 1 -"""' ·1111 U 1U ,. ~ ,.\ 1I". ptll pr)

..... "M ,.
C_ _ U ..... ""
......, _.. .. ...... ... ::J

.
Sp_ tt. r Fr . q

,"
interface. 'w
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,"
, ,
,
,
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..
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.
t

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.!!oJ !!!!I .!!!l ~ =1 ~ ""' ''''' ' ~ ~ ~

I

204
 Live Internet Applications

station can be clicked on. Doing so will open www.qrz.comin a new

window, with the callsign that was clicked on already entered. Some
other web-based clusters are less sophisticated, while some ofthe
newer ones are optimised for use with the iPhone.
DX Spider is one of many software packages that DX Cluster nodes
use to run , others being CC Cluster, CLX, Clusse, and DxNet. DX Spider
is a clone of the earlier packet cluster software , developed by Dick
Newell, AK1A. The user commands are the same as those used by
stations accessing the DX Cluster via Packet Radio. Most commands
can be abbreviated. A comprehensive list is available online at:
www.drhnet.com/cluster.htm
VE7CC is a software package for cluster users. As Fig 15.6 shows,
it offers a Graphical User Interface (GUI), so it is not necessary to key
commands in.
Registration is usually required to use a DX Cluster fully. This is
normally free of charge and was introduced to prevent false information
being sent. Without registration it is generally possible to log in and see
DX Spots and Announcements, but only registered users can send
Spots and Announcements.

Live VHF OX Maps

Taking information from the DX Cluster network and placing it onto

maps , the DX maps on www.dxmaps.com/spots/map.php give VHF/
UHF users the facility to see the points between which QSOs have
recently taken place. A snapshot of the European map for 50MHz
isshown in Fig 16.7. Maps are available for different parts of the world

Fig 16.7: OX
maps. When a
OXQSOis
spotted, the
callsigns at each
end of the QSO
are added to the
map in the
appropriate
place and a line
is drawn
between them .

205
Computers in Amateur Radio

and for individual bands from 28MHz to 432MHz. The maps are con-
stantly updated, providing a near real-time picture of what is going on
OX-wise on the VHF bands. They should not be relied upon 100%
though , because the informstion used to create them is what has been
input by users of the OX Cluster, and mistakes are sometimes made.
There is a perfect example of this in Fig 16.7, because it shows TA7Q in
KM91 when he is actually in KN91.
Path lines are shown in different colours , according to the propa-
gation mode via which a QSO took place and users soon get accus-
tomed to looking at where red path lines cross , because that is where
the Sporadic-E clouds are. There is also a page that gives estimates of
Sporadic-E MUFs.
An alternative to the OX Sherlock facility is the Live MUF program
by Dave Edwards, G7RAU. It is available as a free download from http:/
/g7rau .demon .co.uk/default.aspx?menu=5000
Live MUF is a OX Cluster Telnet client that attempts to resolve
propagation modes from spots and also attempts to calculate Spo -
radic -E possibilities, based purely on incoming data from the OX
Cluster. It has great circle mapping built in to the application for the live
mapping of spots. Live MUF can also be used as a worldwide converse
Telnet client, ON4KST Telnet client and OX Cluster at the same time.

Near Real-time Magnetometer

" T SA'''' kle of t.tull Scotla nd ( 6 003W, 56.22" . 1066 xj Il at e51: da la from 01 B.t.2010 122:00 UTe
200 :. ... :., /: ;.. . . .~ 1; :K) :v ,& : :": C '" s :
)0 ; :K O: :K 2: :K 2: :K 2 :K 3 ' '10' KO:
150
: :
Fig 16.8:
100
GM4PMK's live
magnetometer.

.
~

•100
.. ~ .

.. 1 T.
1 ,· ·,..· 1· >.,r. I""".,.fI..,A r.. -;;a~

Near Real-Time MUF Map

The image displayed at www.spacew.com/www/realtime.php (shown in

Fig 16.9) is a recent high-resolution map of Maximum Usable Frequen-
cies (MUFs) for 3,000km radio signal paths. It also shows the current

206
 Live Internet Applications

Fig 16.9: The

near real-time
MUFmap .

location of the auroral ovals , the sunrise/sunset terminator and the

regions of the world where the su n is 12° below the horizon (which
estimates the greyline corridor where HF propagation is usually en-
hanced) and the sun. The map is updated every five minutes.

207
The Raspberry Pi

17.
The Raspberry Pi
by Peter Goodhall , 2EOSQL

The Raspberry Pi (Fig 17.1) is a credit card sized computer (85.6mm x

56mm x 21mm) developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation
(www.raspberrypi.org).This small , bare-bones, low cost computer,
which is supplied without a keyboard , monitor and power supply, is
designed to change the way children interact with and understand
computers. The current curriculum at schools is heavily biased towards
using Word , Excel and writing basic html web pages, but the Founda-
tion wanted to change this .
After the demise of the Amiga , SSC Micro, Sinclair ZX Spec trum
and Commodore 64, which previous generations used to learn to
program on, a suitable replacement was needed. This is because they
were replaced by the home PC and games consoles , which aren' t really
designed for children to learn to program or tinker with, especially if it is
the family's computer. In 2008 the Foundation decided to use proces-
sors which were designed for mobile devices to make a low cost com-
puter. Three years later these units were licensed to Element 14, Farnell
and RS Electronics and entered production.
Even though the Raspberry Pi is designed to teach children how to
code, this doesn't limit its usage. This chapter will explore how it can be
used in the amateur radio shack.

Technical Specification

The Raspberry Pi is available in two 'flavours' . The Model A (not yet

released) and Model S (£30) vary slightly in specification which migh t
sway your purchasing decision. The Model A has 256Mb of RAM, one

208
 The Raspberry Pi

USB port and no Ethernet (network connection), whereas the Model B Fig 17.1: Life size
has 512Mb RAM, 2 USB ports and a 100Mbps Ethernet port . top and bottom
Both models use a Broadcom BCM2835 that contains an views of the
Raspberry Pi.
ARM1176JZFS with floating point, running at 700MHz , plus a Video core
4 GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) which has more than enough power
Fig 17.2:
to play Blu-ray quality video using H.264 at 40Mbitsjs.
Raspberry Pi
Overall the real-world performance ofthe Raspberry Pi is similar to
Model B layout.
a 300M Hz Pentium 2 and the CPU is on
par with the Microsoft Xbox 1.
RCA VIDEO AUDIO

Connections

The Raspberry Pi's PCB edges are filled

with connectors that you can use to
interact in different ways with the hardware.
Fig 17.2 shows the Model B layout.
The power requirements are via a 5V
micro USB connector, which you 'd use
normally on mobile phones, tablets or POWER
even the Amazon Kindle. The Model B,
"*
209
The Raspberry Pi

using network ing and high current USB peripherals (keyboard , mouse),
will require aro und lOOmA. The Model A will likely require around
300mA. If you want a more 'green' option or to use it portable , it's
possible to run it using 4 x AA cells . It is however recommended you use
a voltage regula tor.
You have two options for connecting the Raspberry Pi to a visual
display; you can use the composite connector and an old style ana-
logue television or the HOMI connector which provides a 1080p high-
quality output. If you don 't have an HOMI input on your monitor or
television , you can get adapters to convert HOMI into OVI or VGA.
Audio output via a 3.5mm plug . It is also poss ible to get aud io out
via the HOMI connector. What isn't available is an audio input, so if
you're looking at feeding audio in from your radio you will need a USB
soundcard.
Next are the USB connectors . Oepending on which model you
choose you will either have one or two USB2.0 ports. Both ports use the
same bus, so if you want to connect lots of USB devices it is highly
recommended you purchase a powered hub to go along with your
Raspberry Pi.
Netwo rking is prov ided on the Model B via a 100M bps Ethernet
port. If you buy a Model A and require networking capabilities, you will
need to purchase USB Wireless (http://elinux.org/
RPi_VerifiedPeripherals#USB_WiFi_Adap ters) or Ethernet devices (http://
elinux.org/RPi_VerifiedPeripherals#USB_Ethernet_adapters) that are
suitable for Linux.
Storage for the Linux-based operating system is provided by the
SO card slot on the underside of the board. You can use any class of SO
card , but most users seem to use between Class 4 and Class 10 with
reasonable successes. However, it is worth noting that not all SO cards
will work well with the Raspberry Pi. The eLinux Wik i (http://elinux.org/
RPi_VerifiedPeripherals#SO_cards) has a comprehensive list of what
others have tried and tested , to find what works or doesn't.

Operating System and Basic Setup

Unlike most desktop computers that you can buy on the high street
running Microsoft Windows or Apple OSX, the Raspberry Pi uses the
Linux operating system . This is nothing to worry about. You'll quickly
get used to using it.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation recommends that you use the
Raspbian Linux distribution (http ://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads) ,
which is based on the Oebian (http ://www.debian.org).This is one ofthe
most popular Linux distributions in the world. Of course , if you 're a more
technical user, there are a couple of other flavou rs of Linux available
including Arch and RiscOS , and many more being ported to the ARM
architecture.

210
 The Raspberry Pi

Fig 17.3: Win32

Disk Imager.

Fig 17.4: The

Raspi-Config
Tool.

uu"""uuuuu.,u,uu'''''''''''Uu.u",,,,,,uuu.u.uuuu,,uuuuu.
! Ra:spi-cont'l q
Username: pi ••
Password: raspberry • ~xpand_:roo~ f '
oyer s can
l xp a nd roo t 'Pa r<tlt l o n to t111 so card
Chanqe c'Yer.tle..n
ccn!lqur~ ll:t~'bo.r d Set. 1I:
,, }"boa r d l.yout
chanqc pa, s Chanqt J:as .llIOr d r e f ' '1'1' us er
ehanqe.- loeal e Se t re e ere
change-t~ rone Set ttae::one
If the tool didn 't load after this you can aaII:Jzy-spll t Ch&r..; e - . c ry s p U .t
Oyerc:l oc:1I: ConUIr,u:e o., ercloell:1nq
do a 'sudo rasp i-config ' within this area. You .,h
boot tleh...ioll.z
En.a.ble o r cSi.able S:Jh :le t T e r
.start <H lI ln:cp en bool;?
updai"" Tr y to \;pqra d e r,upi -cQnfi q
can res ize the SO card , set a new password
(highly recommended) and also enable
over-clocking . I'd recommend doing th is. It
doesn 't void the warranty (http://
www.raspberrypi.org/archives/2008). In the Overclock section enable the
Turbo mode. This allows the CPU to boos t up to 1GHz, rather than the
default 700MHz.
In the config tool you may also want to enable SSH if you plan on
connecting to the Raspbe rry Pi remotely. If you selected the
Expand_rootts the Pi will need to reboot. Once it has and you 've logged
in with your newly created password you can start the graphical inter-
face by typing:
•
start x

You will then be !

presented with a desktop
screen (Fig 17.5) that
you mig ht find similar to
Windows . You'll notice
the familiar taskbar with
the clock and CPU usage :::_
graphs on the right and Fig 17.5:
the icon on the far left is Desktop.
the start button . Once
clicked you'll notice it pops up with application types wh ich break down

211
The Raspberry Pi

to further programs wh ich have bee n installed . You'll not ice as you
install more applications they won't all show and you'll have to run them
from the term inal screen .
To install other applications you can normally find them via the
Advanced Packaging Tool. From the Terminal screen, type:

sudo apt-get install <application>

Shack Usage

The Raspberry Pi could and can have many uses within the amateur
radio shack . Due to it being a new product the possibilities are only just
starting to be explored.
In th is section we are going to explore using the Raspberry Pi to
do some basic tasks . This should give you a sufficient understanding, so
that you can then start exploring what's possible and push the bounda-
ries of the device yourself.

APRS
There are numerous software packages available for Linux that will
decode APRS packets. Some of these are pre-co mpiled binaries that
you can install via APT. Alternatively they will need to be compiled
manually from source. Don't let this stop you though, because most
have comprehensive guides on howto set them up.

Fig 17.6: XASTI R

APRS package.

212
 The Raspberry Pi

Due to the fact the Raspberry Pi doesn 't have any soundcard
inputs you will either have to connect a TNC or try one of the sound
modem packages such as Multimon - Packet Soundcard (http://
www.baycom .org/-tom/ham /linux/multimon .html)
A grea t package to get started with is XASTIR (http ://
www.xastir.org) .This is sown in Fig 17.6. Installation is straightforward .
Open -up the terminal screen then issue the com mand to insta ll:

sudo apt-get install xastir

This process might take some tim e, de pen ding on the speed of
yo ur Internet co nnection
and what else your Pi is
currently doing, but it will
tell yo u when it is com - Fig ure 16.7:
plete . Once installed if FL-Digi in PSK-31
mode.
you click on the start
menu icon then go to
'other' you shoul d find
xastir. If not, ty pe the
fo llowing on the com-
mand line and it should
load up :

';xas it r

You'll now need to configure the interfac e that you want to use and
also the maps . You ca n either use the basic wor ld outl ines or the highly
comprehensive Ope n Street Map tiles.

Digital Modes
Even though the Raspberry Pi doesn't have audio inputs, don't let this
put you off. With the help of a cheap externa l soundcard or a data
interface which has a bui lt in soundcard you can achieve good results .
A great application to start with is FL-Digi (Fig 17.7 shows a
screenshot of FL-Digi in PSK-31 mode) . It's simple enough to install, just
by installing though the APT package manager:

sudo apt-get install fldigi

Once it has successfully completed, load the application via the

start menu . You will need to configure the soundcard and also any other
add -ons like CAT contro l and PIT keying . It is also possible to interface
with onl ine callbooks for grabbing stat ion information.
If you're more interested in SSTV, you'll find QSSTV (http ://
users .telenet.be/on4qz/) by ON4QZ works very we ll. A great guide on
how to build it can be found at: http ://blog .dale .id.au/a rch ives/1246.

213
The Raspberry Pi

Figure 17.8: Satellite Tracki ng

GPredict. Satelli te tracking is really
easy using the Rasp-
berry Pi, using the
excellen t GPredict
program sho wn in Fig
17.8 (http ://
gpred icLoz9aec.net!) by
OZ9AEC , which allows
interfacing to radios and
rotators using the
Hamlib library (http://sourceforge.net!projects/hamlib/).lt's a perfect
companion for anyone who wants to operate through amateur satellites;
track cubesats or - as Fig 17.9 shows - just monitor the pass times for
the International Space Station .
Setup couldn't be simpler. Within the terminal window type:

sudo apt -get ins tall gpredict

Then follow the on-screen instructions. Configuring the radio and

rotators can be more complex, depending on the equipment con-
cerned , so it's worth consulting the help documentation.

Remote SDR IQ
Server
..
A very useful
application for the
Raspberry Pi might
be as a remote
SDR IQ streaming
serverfor RTL
chipset SDRs
--."......
... , _w ..
-.
~~
....
, ... ilrw q-

Figu re 17.9: (Funcube dongles "" ....r ·1 •

RTL TCP coming soon). This .... ~-

running inside a will allow you to

_""
_sr..... "0'
_ ....... .

. f l t ' . . f.l."
U"Il_~ln

1_
• •_
. .....
NUol.ll'04"U" U ,
_ .. . u.l.UI

PuUyWindow .... "'Iw ... . ,. . _ , " .. _

remotely control
SSH.
the dongle via a
range of software
.-----
packages like SDRSharp (http://sdrsharp .com) on Windows (see Fig
17.10) . This is made possible using the RTL-SDR toolset which is avail-
able from http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wikijrtl-sdr.
Getting it to work on the Raspberry Pi requires a little work, but it's
worth the effort. To do this type the commands below in the terminal.

sudo apt-get install git

git clone git//git.osmocom.org/rtl-sdr.git
sudo apt-get install cmake, pkq-conflq, Iibusb1.0

214
 The Raspberry Pi

Figure 17.10:
SDRSharp
NfW ..... LS8 use streaming the
• WI N 0S8 C'Wl cw.u broadcast band.
r ,~ 99,112,n7 :
c... 99 ,400 .000 :
... D

r_",.. ~ ... ~l
r.... . . . . r_oW
".,.,. :
ow...

........
,.-
e.-IQ

-
You then need to compile what you have done with the following:

cd rtl-sdr/
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ../ -DINSTALL_UDEV_RULES=ON
make
sudo make install
sudo Idconfig

Once it's completed and you've restarted the Raspberry Pi, type:

rtUcp -a 192.168.1.883

Please note that the IP address should be the one assigned to your
Raspberry Pi, so you'll probably need to change it. As long as you get
no errors you're now ready to connect to the RTL_TCP server from
another application . I'm going to use SDRSharp , but there are other
applications available for Linux.
SDR# is easy to use. I'd recommend you download the nightly
build as it has all the latest features, then it's just a matter of selecting
RTL-SDR / TCP and filling out the IP information to match the Raspberry
Pi and clicking Play! You can now use SDRSharp normally.

External Interfaces

The Raspberry Pi comes with a 26 GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output)

pins on an expansion header. These can be programmed through
software. These pins break down to provide 8 GPIO lines plus access to
12C , SPI, UART, +3.3V, +5V and GND supply lines. It is worth noting that
no over-voltage production is included, so if you plan on using these

215
The Raspberry Pi

pins it will need to be added.

A number of expansion boards have been developed to make
using the GPIOs easier and also to provide some mo re functions . These
vary from simple, with the Slice of Pl/O (https :j jwww.modmypLcomj
shop jraspberry-pi-expansion-boardsjs lice-of-pio-raspberry-pi-breakout-
boad), to the Gertboard wh ich is great board for learning more about
electronics . This is also available from Farnell.
Other opt ions are the popular Ardunio board (http ://
www.ardu ino.cc) . which is an open-source electronics prototyping
platform . This supports many add-on boards (shields), including a TNC
shield (http://goo.gl/mHQiP) .
Regardless of the platform you choose you should be able to
program the Raspberry Pi to complete most tasks .

216
 Useful Programs and Web Links

18.
Useful Programs
and Web Links
by Steve White, G3ZVW

Besides the usefu l software that can be found on the CD that accompa-
nies this book (and listed in Append ix 2) , here are some suggestions .

Drawing
A bas ic drawing package will enab le you to create circuit symbols and
draw lines between them to create a circu it diagram . Such a package
will also enab le you to draw block diagrams, flow charts, antennas and
simple plans.

Circuit Drawing and PCB Layout Packages

There are a number of programs dedicated to the drawing of circuit
diagrams. Many can be downloaded free from the Internet, although
versions that are downloaded sometimes have restrictions placed on
them . Some packages also enable you to design a printed circu it
board. Free versions often have limitations in terms of board size and
the number of layers of tracks .

Circuit simulators
Designing RF filters used to involve a lot of mathematics. It still does,
but now your computer can do that for you and show you graphically
the response of a filter that you have designed. Such a package will
contain virtual test equipment, so it will also be capable of taking a
circuit diagram andsimulating its operation, to give you confidence in it
working. Most packages work to the SPICE (Simulation Program with
Integrated Circuit Emphasis) standard.
Circu it simulator packages will not design circuits for you and are
not easy to learn, but they are capable of similating quite accurately any
design and finding a fault in it.

217
Computers in Amateur Radio

Antenna design
There are nume rous tools available to desig ning antennas . Some exist
as web based applications, while others exist as downloadable pro-
grams orspreadsheets.

Test and measurement

Given the appropriate software, a computer with a sound card can be
used to make numerous kinds of measurement. Audio analysis software
can be used to measure distortion, noise, modulation and oscillator
drift. A sound card can also be used as a frequency coun te r, sometimes
up to hundreds of kilohertz.

Internet Resources

With something as dynamic as the Internet it would be impossible to list

all the useful online calculators and downloadable programs, but the
pages that follow include information on some of them.

QRZ.COM
(www.qrz.com)
Well-known for its worldwide callsign database, this site also has discus-
sion forums, an online swapmeet, practice amateur radio exams (US
syllabus) and an amateur radio trivia quiz.

VHF-Microwave Path Profiler

(www.mike-willis.com/software.html)
'Path Profile' by Mike Willis, GOMJW, is a utility that generates the
profile of a given radio path and computes path loss for frequencies
between 30MHz and 3GHz. It uses Shuttle RadarTopography Mission
(SRTM) .HGT data , which you need to download separately. You will
need the one deg ree tiles . This means downloading a lot of data, but
you need large files to get high resolution. The entire database is 30 +
gigabytes, but it is entirely poss ible to download if you have a
broadband Internet connection .
There is a terrain map display facility and you can also plot the
climatic zone data, which is used for estimating the probability of
ducting. There is also a display for climat ic zone, that is Inland , Sea
and Coastal as per ITU definitions . A prototype area coverage model
is also included.

GEOG.ZIP
(www.g4jnt.com/hdbase.htm)
This suite of programs from Andy Talbot , G4JNT includ ing programs for
calcula ting distances and bear ings, the spot height for any given site,
Locator system conversions and distance / bearing measurement,

218
 Useful Programs and Web Links

troposcatter loss for two sites , the path profile between two sites , maps
of paths worked between many sites, a local height colour map , 3D
representation of local heights, a Great Circle world map based on any
locator, a wide area height colour map, the horizon view from any site
and more.
The programs were written for a DOS environment, but you should
have no problems running them underWindows. You will need PKUNZIP
or WINZIP to open the download file.

OFCOM
(www.ofcom.org.uk)
The regulatorforthe UK communications industries, with responsibilities
across television , radio , telecommunications and wireless communica-
tions services.The site contains a number of information sheets of
interest to radio amateurs.

Special Interest Groups

Just about every special interest group, from AMSAT to WACRAL, has
its own site . Topics covered include, caravanning, television, DXing,
Morse , low power operation, listening , the Armed Forces, the disabled,
old timers , emergency comms, VHF, microwaves and more.

Yahoo! Groups
Discussion boards on just about every amateur radio topic, from indi-
vidual models of equipment, through DXing to local clubs.

Locator calculators
Calculate Locator from latitude and longitude (and vice-versa):
www.amsat.org/cgi-bin/gridconv
Find Locator direct from Google maps:
http ://f6fvy.free.fr/qthLocator/fuIIScreen.php
Calculate Locator from UK National Grid Reference:
www.ntay.com/contestjNGR2Loc.html

IARU Societies
Most national societies have web sites . They are all accessible via a
page at the IARU web site, www.iaru .org/iaru -soc .html

Software collections
There are so many web sites that contain collections of utilities and
programs it would be impossible to list them all. Here are three worthy
of mention:

AC6V
(www.ac6v.com/software.htm)
A site that contains links to numerous utilities.

219
Computers in Amateur Rad io

AmSat
(www.amsat.org/amsatjftpsoft.html#win)
Conta ins numerous links to programs and utilities. The emphasis is on
satell ites, but there utilities of all kinds .

g3vfp
(www.g3vfp.org/download.html)
Utilities and software mainly for MS Windows .

RSGB
(www.rsgb.org)

This is the starting point for the site. Navigation buttons are provided to
take you to the rest ofthe site. The latest news headl ines are displayed
prom inent ly, as are links to special offers and new features . There are
links to pages for news, local information, membersh ip, committees
and operating.

Members' area
The Members' Area ofthe RSGB website offers a selection of valuable
amateur radio resources to members of the society. The weekly news is
published here two days before is appears on the piblic pages, plus
there are news archives, the minutes of Broad and Council mettings,
Fig 18.1: Join this downloadable logos, the RSGB bylaws, planning advive, a searchable
Yahoo! Group if version of the small ads that is found every month in RadCom, informa-
you need tion on operating abroad, the RSGB QSL Bureau, details of the insur-
technical advice ance offered to affiliated groups, hundreds of links to the web sites of
or can help national and local clubs and societies, links to technical leaflets etc.
others.
RSGBTech
3 • (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
rsgbtechl)
RSGBTech is technical help forthe
_.-
""",_..
".. ~T""
_ .........._ .. ....._ ....." '_......__........1_
21st Century. It is an RSGB Internet
site located on Yahoo!(see Fig 18.1).
11.......-01 ' _ _ ""1 .
_ , hI .oIo.
Its purpose is to be the first port of
"'....r - call for technical queries on amateur
1
..._. ..._.. ..-.. . . __.. . '. __II_'.. ..-:..,.rJ·,......
•.•_
~,

......"'10;",..._ radio matters. It is open to all radio

_Y...... lo• . . - . ·... I _ b . _ _..... ~ _ .... ~ .... _ . _ . - . . . . _ _ •
amateurs and within a short period of
-'-'"-'""-'
time from its inception had hundreds
_oi loo..-.,_ .. ..... of registered users. Not only are
_.r_
~ , ~

_l'O.o..-_'" there people from the Society on the

IIollD _
" 0 ._ _ _ ._ _ _ - . ~
~
............... _4_.. _ ... I'-'I .. :x:._ _. _....
(_ ~ I<:otooL_ ..

- . . - - .. _ _ ...._ _ A.:!:• •
site, but people from other special
interest groups and radio amateurs
from overseas .

220
 Useful Programs and Web Links

Emergent Technology Coord inat io n Committee

(www.etcc.rsgb.orgl)
The ETCC was formed when the Datacommunications Committee (DCC)
and Repeater Management Committee (RMC) were merged.
In terms of repeaters, there ar eare pages that list the operational
status of existing units and the vetting process of as yet unlicensed
repeaters , plus lists of repeaters sorted by callsign , frequency and type.
However, the largest and most graphic part of the site is devoted to
ope rational units. There are national coverage maps for every channel
and individual cover age colou r maps for every repeater (see Fig 18.2 for
an example) .
Fig 18.2 : One of
On the datacomms sid e, the s ite contains pages associated with many repeater
Internet linkin g and other data modes , lists of packet mailbo xes, Internet coverage maps.
gateways, etc.

Contest Committee
(www.rsgbcc.orgl)
Sinc e the merg er of the HF an d VHF Con-
test Committees, there has bee n a major
reorganisation oftheirweb pages . There is GB3CS
st ill a frequency dist inction between HF and
VHF events , but all RSGB contesting pages
now co me under one site .
The major part of the site is devoted to GB3 HA

results .There are results for RSGB HF

contests go ing back to the year 2000 . The
results ofthe IOTA Contest can be sea rched
and sorted in more ways than other events .
For those who do not use a computer
GB3MP
for logging in a conte st , there is a web-based
log generator. Via the Claimed Scores page
you can subscribe to an e-mail reflector that
will mail you an alert of claimed scores, either
GB3PI
for all events or just the ones you enter. On
GB3 BC
the Results page you can similarly subscribe
to an e-mail reflector that will mail you an
alert of dec lared results, either for all events or
just the ones you wish.
Recent innovations include e-ma il alerts
prior to contests and the ability to see on a
Google map where you made all the contacts in a contest.

Electromagnetic Compatibility Committee

(www.rsgb.orgjemcl)
The EMC web site conta ins a wealth of information on the subject,
including news updates on PLT.
Clicking on 'EMC Help' will take you to a page with links to

221
Computers in Amateur Radio

nu merous EMC leaflets , to help you iden tify and resolve problems .
There are also links to lists of EMCjtechnical advisors . Another page
lists all the different models and uses of the ferrite rings and EMC filters
that RSGB stock .

Propagation Studies Committee

(www.rsgb.org.ukjpscl)
The front page contains links to numerous other pages associated with
propagation ascross the frequency spectrum , plus specific types of
propagation.

Planning Advisory Committee

(www.rsgb.orgjcommitteesjpacl)
Source material for planning applications.

Amateur Radio Direction Finding Committee

(www.rsgb.orgjradiosportjardf/?id=ardf)
The home page of this site has links to news of IARU style AROF in the
UK, rules for events , results from 2006 to date , a newcomer's view of
IARU OF, hints and tips on IARU OF events, an events calendar, links to
IARU AROF sites and technical information.

Spectrum Forum
(www.rsgb.org.ukjspectrumforuml)
The Forum was launched in 2004. It is a grouping of all RSGB spectrum-
related voluntary bodies and close affiliates. The Forum replaced the
earlier RSGB structure ,whereby separate committees focused upon
different areas ofthe spectrum. The Forum looks across the whole
spectrum , forming short-term Working Groups or ad hoc teams to focus
on specific issues. Thus , the Forum is agile , better linked both internally
and externally with other groups and is able to be seen as a single point
of representation for the UK amateur radio enthusiast.
A major part ofthe site is devoted to band plans , with HTML and
Excel spreadsheet versions available . Other parts of the site deal with
news, awards , consulation documents, developments,

Radio Communications Foundation

(www.commsfoundation.org)
The RCF is a chari ty set up by - but independent from - the RSGB, to
create a fund which can support efforts to bring radio communications
into classrooms , univers ities , indeed any place where a hands -on publ ic
demonstration can deliver our message.
The RCF supports projects which demonstrate radio communica-
tion to the public through the expertise of the UK radio amateur.
On 16 January 2007 an agreement was signed betwee n Ofcom and
the RCF, sett ing out the terms under wh ich the RCF agrees to conduct
amateur rad io examinations and under which Ofcom agrees to recog-

222
 Useful Programs and Web Links

nise a candidate's result in those examinations for the purpose of

granting an amateur radio licence. A Standards Committee is responsi-
ble for oversight ofthe management structure and policies.

Islands On The Air

(www.rsgbiota.org)
A site devoted to RSGB's highly-rated award program. Additionally,
there are lists of operations approved for island credit, imminent island
activities and the latest DX spots from island stations, the Honour Roll
and Annual Listing, Research Resources , IOTA Meeting Frequencies ,
IOTA Contest information and Google Earth Files.

National Radio Centre

(www.nationalradiocentre.coml)
The world-class Radio Communications Centre, located at the former
WWII code-breaking centre at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire , is a
showcase for radio communications technology.
From the first inventors in the late 19th century
through to future radio developments , the Centre
provides visitors with the opportunity to get 'up
close and personal' with the history of radio com-
munications.
Visitors will find films, interactive displays ,
hands on experiments and even the opportunity to
go on the air at the state-of-the-art amateur radio station.

223
Computers in Amateur Radio

Appendix 1
The Modern Personal
Computer
by Steve White , G3ZVW

There's a basic precaution that should always be observed when work-

ing inside a personal computer. Don't do it while its switched on! Power
it down and unplug the power lead first.
The next thing you need to be aware of is that many ofthe compo-
nents in a computer are sensitive to static electricity. If you have a static
discharge wriststrap,use it when working inside your computer. Failing
that, touch the chassis ofthe machine every time you approach it,
because static electricity accumulated by walking across a carpet can
destroy sensitive components. Keep components in anti-static bags or
in anti-static foam until you are just about to instal them.

Power Supply
The power supply converts the AC supply from the mains to various DC
voltages used by the PC. More powerful machines need supplies
capable of delivering more current. In desktop systems such as the one
shown in Fig 19.1, the power supply is almost always at the top back of
the machine . It will require a mains cable with a female IEC connector.
Some power supplies have power and/or voltage selector switches ,
while some don't. Some power supplies also have an IEC female (outlet)
connector on the back, for powering additional equipment, for example
the display screen.

Memory
The Random Access Memory (RAM) used in PCs comes in standard
sizes (256MB , 512MB, 1GB etc). Depending on the operating system
and software you run , you may require more or less of it. Systems with
less momory tend to run slower, so a relatively inexpensive way of
increasing your computing power is to increase the amount of memory.

224
 The Modern Personal Computer

This type of memory is 'volatile' , which means that data is not

retained when the machine is switched off.
There are a variety of memory module types and technologies.
They have different connectors and run at different speeds , so make sure
you use the correct type for your machine .

Power cabling
A wiring loom with a variety of connectors will emerge from the power
supply. Each device installed in the machine will need power connecting
to it. Even in machines that are loaded-up with a lot of devices , some of
the connectors are likely to remain unused.

CD/DVD Drive
For installing programs, listening to music, backing-up data, etc . Older
Fig 19.1: Inside a
drives were CD-only read -only types. More modern drives can also read
modern desktop
DVDs, as well as write to a variety of media . The most modern machines computer.
may have a BluRay drive.

Power Memory Power cabling (with spare power supply connec-

supply (2 slots) tors for options not installed in this machine)

CPU
(beneath CD/DVD
fan and drive
heatsink)
Floppy
drive

Hard
drive

Motherboard
(within
/"-......- -/'--- - -1""'' "---- - - --==-..;:,-- - -='''''--..-
dashed Loud- RTC Ribbon cables (for data USB
line) speaker battery to/from disk drives) sockets

225
Computers in Amateur Radio

Floppy Drive
Almost obsolete now, but used for installing small programs, backing up
small amounts of data etc. New machines are not equipped with floppy
disk drives, because it has become more convenient to move or store
small amounts of data on memory sticks or across networks.

Hard Drive
Sealed disk that stores most ofthe information (programs and data) on
the machine. Data is retained when the machine is switched off. Some
machines may be equipped with more than one hard drive.

USB Sockets
The Universal Serial Bus is used for the connection of a wide variety of
hardware, such as printers, scanners, external disk drives, memory sticks
etc. USB sockets are often found on the back of computers and some-
times on the front as well .

Ribbon Cables
Used for devices that require parallel connection to carry data, typically
disk, CD and DVD drives . Different drives (e.g. floppy disk and hard
disk) use different cables , which are not interchangeable.

RTC battery
Used to keep the Real Time Clock running when the machine is
switched off, this battery also enables the machine to retain basic
settings (disk drive types and capacities etc) when it is switched off.
Most systems use a flat, button-shaped lithium battery. Expect such a
battery to last about five years. The battery can be unclipped from its
holder and replaced.

Loudspeaker
Used by the machine for basic sounds, e.g. error warnings on startup.

Motherbaord
Populated with components that carry out many of the functions of the
machine. There will be a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) chip that
enables the computer to boot from disk, the Real Time Clock (RTC) and
controllers for the keyboard, mouse, video graphics, network, sound ,
joystick, USB etc. The CPU chip invariably plugs into a socket. On
different motherboards expect the components shown in Fig 17.1 to be
in different places.

Expansion Slots
Printed circuit boards that can be used for numerous purposes plug into
these sockets. In early PCs is was common for several boards to be
required, indeed older motherboards were larger and has more sockets.

226
 The Modern Personal Computer

As more and more functions became incorporated onto motherboards

and peripheral devices standardised onto USB, there has become less
of a need to plug in anything at all.

I/O Connectors
Accessed from the rear of the machine, there will be sockets for the
kayboard, mouse, network, USB devices, sound, joystick, video display
etc. Some motherboards are equipped with sockets for a parallel printer
and/or RS232 serial comms. See the following paragraphs .

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The CPU is the computer's engine. The faster the chip, the more instruc -
tions it can execute per second . CPUs with multiple cores overcome the
'speed limit' of technology as it currently stands .

Connectors and Connections

Fig 19.2 shows the back panel of a typical personal computer.

Power Voltage Parallel Gameport/

Switch Selector Printer Network Joystick

Fig 19.2 : The

back panel
connectors of
atypical
personal
computer.

PS/2 PS/2 VGA USB Audio

Mouse Keyboard Display

Power Switch
Typically a small rocker switch, this can be used to power the computer
completely off. Of left 'on', the power supply will in fact be in standby
mode when the computer appears to be 'off'.

Voltage Selector
Used for switching between 115/230Voperation. Some power supplies
are 'universal' types that can accommodate any input voltage, in which
case this switch will not be present.

227
Computers in Amateur Radio

Power Inlet
Male IEC connector. Power supplies that have an outlet will be equipped
with an additionallEC female connector.

Pin Name Colour

1 Neutral Blue
2 Earth Green/yellow
3 Live Brown 1 2 3

Network
The most popular wiring scheme for lEE 802.3 networking uses
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cable. The standard plug and socket is
the RJ45 'jack'. Cables need to be made with care to work efficiently at
higherspeeds. When used for 10/100/1 OOOBASE-T networking , the
maximum cable length for Cat5e is 100m (sorn horizontal). When used
for 10GBASE-T, Cat6 is limited to 37m or 55m, depending on its envi-
ronment. Cat6 cables must not be kinked or bent too tightly.
For connecting a computer to a router, switch or hub , a straight
cable is required. For connecting two computers together without a
router, switch or hub, a crossover cable is required.
If you are going to make a cable , you must use the correct cable
type, because the guage of the conductors and the twists in the pairs
are critical to performance. You will require a special crimping tool to
terminate the cables . Also , there must be an absolute minimum of
untwisting of the pairs as they enter the plugs. Either wiring scheme
shown below is OK.

TIA/EIA 568A Wiring TIA/EIA 5688 Wiring Signal

Pin Colour Colour name
1 White + Green White + Orange TX+ 01
2 Green Orange TX- 01
3 White + Orange White + Green RX+ 02
4 Blue Blue BI+ 03
5 White + Blue White + Blue BI- 03
6 Orange Green RX- 02
7 White + Brown White + Brown BI+ 04
8 Brown Brown BI- 04
Crossover Wiring
Pin 1 - Pin 3
Pin 2 - Pin 6 8
Pin 3 - Pin 1
Pin 4 - Pin 7
Pin 5 - Pin 8
Pin 6 - Pin 2
Pin 7 - Pin 4
Pin 8 - Pin 5
8

228
 The Modern Personal Computer

VGA
The Video Graphics Adap ter connector is a 15-pin high density D-type.

Pin Name Description

1 Red Red Video (75-ohm , 0.7V p-p)
2 Green Green Video (75-ohm, 0.7V p-p)
3 Blue Blue Video (75-ohm, 0.7V p-p)
4 102 Monitor ID Bit 2 (to PC)
5 Gnd Ground
5
6 R Gnd Red Ground
7
8
9
GGnd
B Gnd
Key
Green Ground
Blue Ground
Key (no pin)
10\

15
9
11
6

10 SGnd Sync Ground

11 IDO Monitor ID Bit 0 (to PC)
12 ID10rSDA Monitor ID Bit 1 (to PC)
13 HSYNC or CSYNC Horizontal Sync (or Composite Sync)
14 VSYNC Vertical Sync
15 ID30rSCL Monitor ID Bit 3 (to PC)

HDMI
High Definition Multimedia Interface. The Type A is commonplace. Type
C is the newer mini HDMI plug. The pinouts shown below apply to the
Type A and Type C. The 29-pin Type B is able to carry an expanded
video channel, but is rarely used .

Pin Name
1 TMDS data 2+
2 TMDS data 2 shield
3 TMDS data 2-
4 TMDS data 1+
5 TMDS data 1 shield
6 TMDS data 1-
7 TMDS data 0+
8 TMDS data 0 shield
9 TMDS data 0-
10 TMDS clock+
11 TMDSclockshield
12 TMDS clock-
13 CEC (control)
14 No connection
15 SCL (DDC clock)
16 SDA (DDC data)
17 DDCjCECground
18 +5V
19 Hot plug detect

229
Computers in Amateur Radio

Gameport
Analog joystick interface . On Gameport connectors fitted to sound
cards, pins 12 and 15 are usually devoted to MIDI (Musical Instrument
Digital Interface) usage .

Pin Name Description

9
1 +5V +5VDC
2 /B1 Button 1
3 X1 Joystick 1 X-axis 15 10
4 GND Ground (switch 1)
5 GND Ground (switch 2)
6 Y1 Joystick 1 Y-axis
7 /B2 Button 2
8 + 5V + 5V DC
9 +5V + 5V DC
10 /B4 Button 4
11 X2 Joystick 2 X-axis
12 GND Ground (switches 3 and 4) or MIDI out
13 Y2 Joystick 2 Y-axis
14 /B3 Button 3
15 +5V +5V DC or MIDI in

PS/2 Connectors
The keyboard and mouse on an IBM-compatible PC are connected with
a 6-pin miniature DIN plug ofthe same type. A mouse plug and socket
are usually green, while a keyboard plug and socket are usually purple.

Mouse
Pin Name Description
1 DATA Data 6 5
2
3
N/C
GND
Not connected
Gnd ,~,
4 VCC +5VDC 2 1
5 CLOCK Clock
6 N/C Not connected

Keyboard
Pin Name Description
1 DATA Data
2 N/C or DATA2 for dual PS/2
3 GND Gnd
4 VCC +5VDC
5 CLOCK Clock
6 N/C or CLOCK2 for dual PS/2

230
 The Modern Personal Computer

RS232
There are two connectors in common use, both D-types. In older equ ip-
ment it tends to be 25-pins (which supports the full specification) , whi le
on modern PCs it is 9-pin . This smaller connector means that only a sub-
set of the modem control signals are supported , but it is sufficient for
normal communication .
RS232 was introduced to enable electronic equipment to commu-
nicate serially via modems . This led to two terms being introduced -
Data Terminal Equ ipment (DTE) forthe main equipment (originally
Teletype terminals , but now also computers and USB-RS232 adapters ,
etc) and Data Set Equ ipment (DSE) for modems . DTE equipment will
have a 9-pin male connector, the fema le connector being on the cable .

Pin Name Direction Description

1 CD To PC Carrier Detect 5
2 RXD To PC Receive Data
3 TXD From PC Transmit Data
4 DTR From PC Data Terminal Ready
6 9
5 GND Ground
6 DSR To PC Data Set Ready
7 RTS From PC Request to Send
8 C1S To PC Clear to Send
9 RI To PC Ring Indicator

USB
Designed to connect peripherals such as mice , keyboards ,scanners ,
digital cameras , memory sticks , printers and hard disks. Up to 127
devices may be connected in a tree -like fashion on a USB bus.Hubs
may be cascaded .

r --- - ~
Pin Name Colour Description
1 VCC Red +5VDC 1 2 3 4 A
2 D- White Data -
3 D+ Green Data +
4
x
GND Black Ground
May be disconnected ,
GND, or used as
~ 4 3
B

attachment I/D
am-% Mini

231
Computers in Amateur Radio

Firewire (IEE1394)
A high speed serial interface that uses differential signals. Used typically
for high-end equipment and applications such as scanners , digital
video, digital audio mixing, etc.

4-pin 6-pin 9-pin Name Description Colour

1 8 Power Unregulated DC
(30V no load) White
2 6 Ground Ground return for
power and inner
cable shield Black
1 3 1 TPB- Twisted-pair B Orange
2 4 2 TPB+ Twisted-pair B Blue
3 5 3 TPA- Twisted-pair A Red
4 6 4 TPA+ Twisted-pair A Green
5 Ashield
7
9 Bshield
Shell Shell Shell Outer Cable shield
1234

8 ; d~ 43 21

Audio
On desktop systems there are usually three 3.5mm stereo jack sockets ,
for the inputting and outputting of audio . In terms of left and right audio ,
all the sockets are wired the same. The microphone input is usually red,
the line input is usually blue and the output is usually green. Many
laptop computers only have one input socket.

Connection Usage
Sleeve Ground
Ring Right
Tip Left

232
 The Modern Personal Computer

Parallel (Centronics) Printer

The Centronics printer was the one-time standard for high speed print-
ers. Largely replaced by USB these days, it is still sometimes used by
radio amateurs to drive keyers. The full Centronics standard is not
supported by the 25-pin D-type on a personal computer. The wiring and
signals are shown below.

13
Pin Pin Name Description
(PC) (Prtr) 0000000000000
000000000000
1 1 IStrobe Strobe
25 14
2 2 00 Data Bit 0
3 3 01 Data Bit 1
4 4 D2 Data Bit 2 18
5
6
7
5
6
7
D3
D4
05
Data Bit 3
Data Bit 4
Data Bit 5
\ 36 19
l
8 8 D6 Data Bit 6
9 9 07 Data Bit 7
10 10 lAck Acknowledge
11 11 Busy Busy
12 12 POut Paper Out
13 13 Sel Select
14 14 IAutofeed Autofeed
15 n/c Not used
16 OV Logic Ground
19 17 ChassisGnd Shield Ground
18 +5VPuliup +5 V DC (50 mA max)
20 19 Gnd Signal Ground (Strobe)
20 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 0)
21 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 1)
22 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 2)
23 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 3)
24 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 4)
25 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 5)
26 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 6)
27 Gnd Signal Ground (Data 7)
28 Gnd Signal Ground (Ack)
29 Gnd Signal Ground (Busy Ground)
25 30 IGndReset Reset Ground
16 31 IReset Reset
15 32 IFault Fault (Low when offline)
33 OV Signal Ground
34 n/c Not used
35 +5V +5VDC
17 36 ISlctin Select In (Taking low or high sets printer
on-ine or off-line respectively)

233
Computers in Amateur Radio

Appendix 2
Software on the CD that
accompanies this book
The following are brief descriptions and information from the maker's
websites ofthe included shareware/freeware on the CD that accompa-
nies this book. Please note this software is supplied with no warranty or
implied approval by the Radio Society of Great Britain. The producers
of this CD have made no charge for the software listed below and
provide no technical support for it. Most of these programs are de-
signed for PC use only and not all will work with Vista, Windows 7 or 8.
If you choose to use the software it is entirely at your own risk and you
are bound by any conditions applied by the makers or their agents.
Should any feature ofthe software's use be illegal or have restrictions
placed on its use in your jurisdiction, you must only make legal use of
this software or its features. The Radio Society of Great Britain will not
accept any responsibility for losses or damage arising from the use of
this software. We provide no installation instructions, but all items are
either zip or self installing files .

Amateur radio programs

AALog
A comprehensive logger program designed for amateur radio station
operators. It has a convenient interface , a good set oftools, is fast and
very easy to use. It looks like your paper logbook and uses all power of
your computer. It can be integrated with the CW terminal program
CwType, Morse decoder, CwGet and RTTY/PSK31 software TrueTTY.
Also you can use AAVoice for voice operations . AALog is LoTW and
eQSL.cc compatible.

234
 Software on the CD that Accompanies This Book

AGW Software
This package includes:

AGWPacket This application will allow your sound-card -

equ ipped PC to function as a packet TNC,
without an external modem .

AGWTracker This is an APRS(c) compatible program . It works

using AGW Packet Engine or Packet Engine Pro.

AGW Monitor This application allows you to mon itor packet

radio act ivity.

AGW GMT Clock GMT time display for DXers.

AGW DX Robot Disp lays the DX Robot Auro ra and Sporad ic-E
Propagation for Europe .

AGW DX Net Manager Rag Chewing Net Manager.

AGW DX OSL Print Design and Print your OSL o

Airlink Express
A user-friendly digital mode software package for the amateur rad io
operator. The software is compatible with Microsoft Windows Xp,
Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Windows 7. It offers PSK, MFSK
and RnY digital modes, with logging and macro capabil ities. If you
have ever used Digipan software you will be immediately familiar with
Airlink Express .

Amateur Contact Log

An easy-to-use general logging program that has many great features,
includ ing track ing of Worked All States, Count ies and Countries.

Contest Trainer
A great contest trainer, produced by G4FON . Please note that this is
shareware and limited to 20 OSOs .

CWDecoder
Translate Morse code to printed text with your PC sound card . Version
2 .81 .2, Vista Compatible .

CwGet
A program to decode Morse code (CW) via sound card to text. It can
also work as a narrowband DSP filter. No additional hardware is required
- you need only a receiver and a computer with a sound card . Can
integ rate with AALog logger.

235
Computers in Amateur Radio

CW_PLAYER
A program to learn and train the Morse code, which needs a sound card
and Win95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP. The Morse message of page amateur
radio has been generated with CW_PLAYER. CW_PLAYER includes
automatic CW keying of the transmitter, through serial and parallel
ports, or manual keying through the Joystick port. A special menu will
add some fun for children.

CWSkimmer
Version 1.6. Multi-channel CW decoder and analyzer used with the
software defined radios.

Features
• A very sensitive CW decoding algorithm based on the methods of
Bayesian statistics;
• Simulatneous decoding of all CW signals in a receiver's passband
(up to 700 signals can be decoded in parallel on a 3GHz P4 if a
wideband receiver is used);
• A fast waterfall display, with a resolution sufficient for reading Morse
code dots and dashes visually;
• Callsigns are extracted from the decoded messages, and t he traces
on the waterfall are labeled with stations' callsigns;
• Extracted callsigns are exported as DX cluster spots via the built-in
Telnetcluster server;
• A DSP processor with a noise blanker, AGC, and a sharp, variable-
bandwidth CWfilter;
• An I/O recorder and player.

CwType
The termi nal program for CW operators. You can transmit both from the
keyboard and from a paddle connected to game or LPT port. You can
also operate in iambic mode. Control of the transceiver (PIT and CW
keying) is made through the LPT or one of the COM ports. Can inte-
grate with AALog software.

DXLab
A suite of interoperating applications designed to automate amateur
radio DXing activities. Each application can be independently installed
and utilized. When multiple applications are running, they sense each
other's presence and interoperate appropriately. All DXLab applications
are free and contain no advertising. They run on Windows 95, 98, 98SE,
NT, 2000 , and XP. Commercial use is expressly forbidden. You will also
find the latest development releases of the same software.

236
 Software on the CD that Accompanies This Book

Features
• Commander allows you to control your Alinco, Elecraft, Flexradio,
Icom, JRC, Kachina, Kenwood, TenTec, or Yaesu radio from a PC
(Vista compatible).
• DXKeeper is comprehensive amateur logging software.
• DXLab Launcher makes it easy to control individual DXLab applica-
tions, or a specified group of DXLab applications.
• DXView presents a world map, upon which beam headings, stations
you spot, the sun's position, and the solar terminator are continu-
ously displayed.
• Pathfinder makes it easy to find QSL information from web-accessi-
ble sources like address and manager databases and country-
specific callbooks.
• PropView uses VOACAp, ICEPAC, and IONCAP propagation predic-
tion engines, to forecast the minimum and maximum useable fre-
quencies between two locations over 24 hours.
• SpotColiector is a free application that captures spots from up to
four additional telnet-accessible DX Clusters, the DX Summit spot-
ting network (via the #CQDX IRC channel) and local PacketCluster
(via a TNC or the AGW soundcard packet engine).
• WinWarbler allows you to conduct QSOs in PSK31, PSK63, PSK125
and RTTY modes using your soundcard's analog -to-digital and
digital-to-analog conversion functions.

Great Circle Map

Produce your own Great Circle map with this program from SM3GSJ.
Other prog rams by SM3GSJ mapping islands, lakes, rivers etc are also
enclosed.

Ham Radio Deluxe

Version 6 is an integrated suite of software products for amateur radio.
The five modules in the suite provide rig control, logging, digital
communications, satellite tracking and rotator control.

Rig Control
Provides rig control through a richly-featured full-screen interface and
other products in the Ham Radio Deluxe Suite via a direct connection
orTCP/IP remote access.

Logbook
Provides QSO logging, DX cluster connectivity, callsign lookup, awards
tracking (with integration to LOTW, eQSL, and Ham Radio
Deluxelog .net), and contesting. Microsoft Access and MySQL are
supported, with strong features for backup and recovery.

237
Computers in Amateur Radio

Digital Master (DM-l80)

Provides the most popular sound card digital modes, with direct integration
to the Ham Radio Deluxe Logbook.

Satellite Tracking
Provides satellite operations, with rig control and Goog le Earth integration.

Rotator
Provides control for 15 popular models of antenna rotators .

Jason Mode
Jason is a weak signal communication program, especially ta ilored for
LF work.

MMSSTV
This program is for transm itting and receiving SSTV using a PC's
soundcard.

MMTIY
Superb RTTYsoftware program.

MMVARI
A multi-mode sound card amateur radio program for receiving and
transmitting in RTTY, PSK, FSK and MFSK modes.

MMANA-GAL
Antenna analyzing tool based on the moment method, which was
introduced in MININEC.

Morse Runner (Version 1.68)

Contest simulator for Windows 95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP.

Morse Trainer
Version 9 of the great Morse trainer produced by G4FON.

Multi PSK
Multimode program by F6CTE that supports phase shift keying modes,
on-off keying modes, frequency shift keying modes, multi frequency
shift keying modes, baseband modes, Hellschreiber modes, graphic
modes , OSP filters / analysis / bnaural CW reception, RTTY, CW,
BPSK31, BPSK63 and PSKFEC31 panoramics, and Video ID / RS ID /
Call 10 iden tifiers , a TCP/IP digital modem and an integered SDR
demodulator/modulator

238
 Software on the CD that Accompan ies This Book

N1MM Logger
The world' s most popular contest logging program. For CW, phone
and digita l modes, its combination of contest-optimized features is
unmatched. All major and many minor HF Contests are supported .
Inc lud es general OX logg ing, OXped ition, OXSatellite and VHF OX.
SSB, CW and digital support. Multi-user support, rover support for QSO
part ies and ot her contests which support th is. VHF and up contesting .
Transverter support (SHF bands supported up to 10 , 24, 47, 76, 142
and 241 GHz) . Oxped ition mode (stay in run, or S&P) .

QSLMaker
This nice software, developed by WB8RCR, lets you des ign and print
your own QSL cards , allowing you to personalise the background by
importing pictures or just filling with a plain colour, and lets you person-
alise headings and address, as well as your own callsign . It can import
AOIF log file for auto-filling fields during the print process, or allows you
to insert QSO data directly into a tab le.

Satscape
Satellite tracking program for Windows, Mac OS and Linux . You can
use it to find out the position of any of the 8000+ satellites and orbital
debris in orbit around the earth right now. Anything from the Interna -
tional space station to a misplaced spanner can be tracked right on
your screen, with no special equipment. Your very own NORAO com-
mand and control on your computer desktop. If you are a star-gazer
and want to see (with the naked eye) the International Space Station fly
over your house, or you're a radio amateur who wants to know when
you can have a QSO with your buddy thousands of miles away, this is
. the program you need . It is easy to use, looks pretty and there's no
need to be a rocket-scientist because it will do all the maths for you .

SAT EXPLORER
Freeware for satell ite tracking and antenna positioning. Handles the
following antenna tracking interfaces : PourSat, FOOTrack, EA4TX,
GS232, EASYCOM, TRAKBOX, KCT, PROSISTEL and other compatible
interfaces such as LVBTracker and SatDrive. SAT EXPLORERis com-
patible with TRX-Manager for pilot ing transceivers and other antenna
systems .

239
Computers in Amateur Radio

SO
Sets the standard for fast, simple logging and editing in the major
international contests and in dozens of others worldwide. It is intended
for single-op unassisted entries, on both SSB and CWO SD runs on all
versions of Windows, from Win95 to Win?, with a character-based
display.
SD is free and unrestricted in the following contests . There's no
need to register - just download and away you go! All RSGB SSB and
CW events, for both sides where applicable , including: IOTA, RSGB
DX, Commonwealth, Field Day, 1.8MHz, 21/28MHz, 80m Club Sprints,
80m CC, AFS, RoPoCo, Low Power, 160m Club Calls, ARSI
Hima layan, CQMM DX (PY), CW Open, CWops Mini Tests, FOC Mara-
thon, FOC QSO Party, INORC, IRTS 80m Counties, WAPC (China - both
sides). In all other contests logging is delayed after 10 QSOs if you're
not registered.
SDVforVHF Contests is free, and is unrestricted .

SIMPLEX
This repeater software quickly creates a free radio repeater. Handles
simplex, duplex, transponder and mixed repeaters . Requires a sound
card and Win95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP
The program includes a lot of recording functions and a watching
function program. WATCHDOG is also included in the zip. Time bea-
cons through the french COUCOU orthe multilingual Speaking Clock
Deluxe.

WinORM
Amateur radio digital voice with high -speed data transfer mode.

WinGrid
This program calculates grid squares from latitudes and longitudes, the
reverse, and calculates distances and headings from two sets of lat/
long orgrid squares. The program saves your home QTH information.

Also Includes:

RF Safety Calculator (Version 1.0)

This program calculates RF field strengths and compares them to
-1998 FCC safety standards.

Power Loss / dB Calculator (Version 2 .0)

Calcu lates transmission line power loss and input/output power.

Solar/Lunar Tracking Program (Version 5.3)

This program locates the Sun and Moon in real-time using a full set of
ephemeris factors.

240
 Software on the CD that Accompanies This Book

P3T AO-40 Telemetry Program

This is a comprehensive program for logging, interpreting, and replay-
ing the telemetry from AO-40 .

IPS EmulatorforWindows
A fully functional emulator for IPS (Interpreter for Processor Systems)
used on Phase3 amateur satellites.

WSJT - by K1 JT
Open-sou rce programs designed for weak-signal digital commun ication
by amateur radio . Normal usage requires a standard SSB transceiver
and a personal computer with soundcard. Some SDR-style hardware
including the SDR-IQ, Perseus, SoHRock, and FUNcube Dongle are also
supported . SimJT is a utility that generates simulated signa ls for test
purposes .

WSJT
Weak S.ignal Communication by K1 JI offers sp ecific digi tal protocols
optimized for meteor scatter, ion osp heric scatter, and EME
(moonb o unce) at VHF/UH F, as well as HF skywave pro pagation . The
program can decode frac tio n-of-a-seco nd sig nals reflected from ionized
mete or tra ils and ste ady signa ls 10d B below th e audible thres hold.
Check the WSJT page for details about new modes in WSJT 9.3 and the
experimental program release WSJT-X.

MAP65
Versio n 2 impleme nts a wideb and receiver for JT65 signals. It can be
used together with Linrad (by SM5BSZ) or SDR-Rad io (by HB9DRV), or
with direct input from a soundcard . The program decodes all detect-
ab le JT65 signals in a passband up to 90kHz wide, prod ucing a band
map of decoded ca llsigns sorted by freq uency. The principal applica-
tion of MAP65 is EME on the VHF and UHF bands . In a dua l-po lariza-
tion system, MAP65 optimally matches the linear polarization ang le of
each decodable signal , thereby eliminating problems with Faraday
rotation and spatial polarization shifts . Check the MAP65 page for
details on modes JT6582 and JT65C2 in MAP65 v2.4 .

WSPR
Pronounced 'whispe r' , Weak Signal Propagation Reporter is designed
fo r sending and receiving low-power transmissions to test propagation
paths on the MF and HF bands . Users with Internet access can watch
results in real time at WSPRnet. Version 2 .11 ofWSPR includes FMT, a
package of comma nd-line utilities t hat can help you make highly
accurate freq uency measurements without expensive laboratory
equipment.

241
Computers in Amateur Radio

SimJT
Generates JT65 and CW test signals with a user-specified signal-to-noise
ratio. It is useful for testing the JT65 decoder and the relative capabilities
of these two modes.

Winlog32
Logging software designed and wo rking on all Microsoft Windows
platforms , e.g. 95j98jMEjNT4j2000jXPNista/W7/W8. This software has
been in development for many years and is ongoing , In the true 'Ham
Spirit ', the author (GOCUZ) provides this software free to use by all
radio amateurs and SWL's. As such no warranty is implied or given as
to it's suitability or reliability.
Although Winlog32 is general purpose logging software , it has a
definite slant on DXing on both HF and VHF, with comprehensive
tracking of various awards programs like DXCC, IOTA, WAZ etc. It also
includes all the features you would expect from good quality logging
and DXing software , and more.

youLOG
The easiest logging software available for free to the amateur radio
community. Made in Italy, youLOG is a simple and efficient logg ing
system suita ble for DXpeditions , special events , or just simple fun.
youLOG full includes the WCall by IK1MTT, with 1.7 Million callsigns
included. It runs even on a small display netbook and is portable, as it
doesn 't need to be installed (you can run it from a USB memory stick).
No mouse is required , as it has bee n designed for those operators who
require time on the air without being distracted by their software.

Non amateur radio program that may be usefu l

Adobe Reader XI
This indispensable product lets you read and print from any system any
document created as an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file,
with its original appearance preserved. PDF files are compact and can
be shared, viewed, navigated, and printed exactly as the author in-
tended by anyone with Adobe Reader.

Doro PDF Writer

If you need to create PDFs that you can view and use inside of the
many free standalone PDF viewers, then Doro PDF Write r is a versatile ,
compact alternative in the form of printer-based PDF tool. Doro adds
an additional printer to your system , but instead of connecting to an
external device , it formats your documents and saves them as PDFs.
You create PDFs simply by selecting Print and choosing Doro from
your print menu . Doro PDF Writer is freeware.

242
 Software on the CD that Accompanies This Book

PDF-XChange
An alternative to Adobe's Acrobat Reader (above) and much more.
Viewing PDFs is incredibly simple and it excels with its added features.
The program's interface looks and feels remarkably like Acrobat Reader,
but with more command icons along the top. Users who are familiar with
view ing PDFs will find th is fairly intuitive and the control panel along the
top displays a long list of options for editing your PDFs. The most useful
we found was the option for making bright red shapes and lines, which
can be utilized to mark errors and make comments (an element that has
always been one of Acrobat's best tools) .

Open Office
A free and credible rival to MS Office, OpenOffice.org includes powerful
applications for making text documents, spreadsheets, presentations,
diagrams, and databases, as well as HTML and XML documents. Not
only does it let you edit bas ic documents, it also handles equations and
complex and multipart documents with bibliographies, reference tables,
and indexes. The interface is similar to that of MS Office , and even
advanced Office users will find almost everything they're used to: tem-
plates, macros , and even a programming language. You can open and
save documents in formats as diverse as MS Office formats, PDF, HTML,
and XML and import files in a huge range of formats. It normally saves
files in the open-standard Oasis Open Document XML format, for maxi-
mum compatibility with other applications.

243
 RSGB Antenna File
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has been promoting antenna ~
experimentation for over 100 years and for most of this time publishing the work done in a.
its monthly journal. The RSGB Journal RadCom has therefore developed a reputation ~
for producing some of the best material on antennas published anywhere.This book is Q.
l:
a compilation of some of the best articles about antennas that have been published in ::
the RSGB in recent years. ,g I/)
I/)

The RSGB Antenna File covers all parts of the spectrum from HF to UHF - and even LF ~
and microwave frequencies. From simple wire dipoles to morecomplex multi-band and .~
multi-element arrays, RSGB Antenna File contains dozens of 'how to' constructional «
articles , complemented by many features explaining how antennas work, facts about UJ
feed lines, antenna matching, earthing and much more besides. The doublet, Moxon Sl
and 'Super Moxon', cubical quad, 'low noise' and 'long' Yagis, log periodic, loaded UJ
dipole, horizontal loop, magnetic loop, delta loop and J-pole are just some of the
antenna designs featured in this book.

The RSGB Antenna File reproduces the articles as originally published and is broken
down into five logical sections. HF Antennas is the first and largest section and this
is followed by a section covering VHF, UHF and Microwave Antennas. Antenna
experimentation is though much more than this, so readers will also find sections on
Feeders and Baluns and ATUs and Antenna Matching. There is even a section of the
less easily defined antenna article called Miscellaneous Antenna Articles.

In short, there are nearly 120 antenna articles here crammed into 288 pages with
information on antennas of all types that will be of interest to all antenna experimenters
everywhere. Today antenna experimentation is alive and well and as popular as ever,
making the RSGB Antenna File a 'must have' book for every radio amateur.

Size210x297mm , 288pages, ISBN: 9781905086870

RRP £14.99

Radio Society of Great Britain www.rsgbshop.org

3 Abbey Court, Priory Business Park, Bedford , MK44 3WH . Tel: 01234 832 700 Fax: 01234 831 496
 Test Equipment for the Radio Amateur
4th Edition
By Clive Smith, GM4FZH

Many of us would like to analyse the performance of our stations but find that ~
professional test equipment such as spectrum analysers prohibitively expensive. Yet a.
it can be easy to make many pieces of very useful test equipment yourself at home. g:
Test Equipment for the Radio Amateur is a book that provides the definitive guide to c.
l:
the equipment that can be made or used to measure the various parameters of an ~
amateur radio station. ..r::
11l
11l
This fourth edition of Test Equipment for the Radio Amateur has been fully updated to .~
show what can be achieved today with the simple, inexpensive and easily obtainable. c.
Test equipment for measuring current, voltage, the value of components, frequencies, <c
receiver performance, RF power, modulation, antennas and transmission lines, noise, LlJ
transmitter linearity and much more is all covered. For the home builder there are ~
numerous projects, from a simple fuse tester to a high quality 1.3GHz signal source LlJ
and much more. One chapter even covers software based test equipment that runs
on a PC and includes specialist calculators , oscilloscope and spectrum analyser
programs , signal generators, SINAD analysis and even design tools for RF filters.
Surplus equipment often appears on the amateur market and the use of this equipment
such as frequency counters and oscilloscopes, is well documented in this book. There
is an appendix of useful reference data with everything from resistor colour coding
to discrete semiconductor coding and surface mount device identification to common
coaxial cable equivalents. There is even a second appendix of PCB and component
layout diagrams for many of these projects.

Size 174x240mm, 256 pages, ISBN: 9781 905086726

RRP £14.99

Radio Society of Great Britain www.rsgbshop.org

3 Abbey Cour t, Priory Business Park, Bedford, MK44 3WH . Tel: 01234 832 700 Fax: 01234 831 496
 The Low Power
Sprat Book
QRP - the art and science of low-power operation - is one of the most popular aspects ~
of amateur radio. In the UK, the G QRP Club has been a leading light in this area c..
of operation since its formation in 1974. Its journal , SPRAT is recognised as one of ~
the world's leading QRP publications and it has now reached its 150th edition. This i5.e
milestone is marked by this publication of this book, which is a selection the best of ::
nearly four decades of low-power amate ur radio circuits and ideas that have been ,g
published in SPRAT. ~
Q)
(J

The Low PowerSpratbook is divided into seven parts, covering transmitters, receivers, .~
transceivers, antennas, ATUs, Morse keys and keyers, and a section for those circuits ;;:
which might best be categor ised as 'miscellaneous'. Circuits vary in complexity from w
an "ultra-simple" 80m CW transceiver using just 14 parts to the more sophisticated Sl
'Sparkford', designed by Walford Electronics and also for use on 80m CWO You will w
find early 'classics' within these pages, including the 'OXO' transmitter and the 'ONER'
both GM30XX designs. The Low Power Spratbook also includes QRP classics such
as versions of the 'FOXX' transceiver, the 'Pixie', the 'Epiphyte' and the 'Naxos'. All are
presented as they were originally printed.

The Low Power Spratbook will appeal to the dedicated QRP enthusiast through to all
those who have never tried QRP construction work before. This book is a veritable
gold mine of ingenious designs and circuits and provides a superb introduction and
reference book dedicated to the art and science of low-power or QRP amateur radio.

Size 174x240mm 320 pages ISBN: 9781 905086863

RRP £14.99

Radio Socie t y of Great Br itain www.rsgbshop.org

3 Abbey Court, Priory Business Park, Bedford, MK44 3WH . Tel: 01234 832 700 Fax: 01234 831 496
 Index
Antenna Modelling 48 Interfacing and Interfaces 195
APRS 162 Build Yourself 195
Commercial 198
Datamodes 5, 34 Instr,umentation 199
AmTOR 10 Kits 198
ASCII 8 Interfacing Tips 16
Baudot(RTIY) 6 Internet Linking 188
Clover 14 CQ100 193
Facs imile 16 Echolink 189
Hellschreiber 13 eQSO 191
MFSK 12 IRLP 188
Morse 5 WIRES-II 192
MT63 14 Internet Remote Operation 133
Olivia 9 RRC-1258 135
Packet Radio 9, 35 Icom RS-BA1 141
PacTOR 11 Internet Resources 2 17
PSK31 8 RSGB 220
ROS 16
WOLF 15 Logging Software 17
Data Modes Software 100 CW Readers 38
FLDIGI 104 Decoding CW 39
Ham Radio Deluxe - DM780 106 Data Modes 34
HamScope 111 DX4WIN 45
MixW 108 FLdigi 47
MMVari 12 0 General Tips 26
Mult iPSK 113 Ham Radio Deluxe 46
ROS 117 JVComm32 46
WinWarbler 110 Learning Morse 41
V4 Chat 118 Logger32 45
WSJT 114 Minos 47
D-Star 144 MMTTY 45
MMVari 46
Electromagnetic Compatibi lity 172 N1MM 42
ADSL 183 Satellite Tracking 40
ADSL2 185 SD su ite 43
Cases and Cabinets 176 Write log 43
Choosing the Right Hardware 17 4 TRLog 43
Telephones 182 MixW 44
Who le Station Filtering 178 Wintest 45

247
 Live Internet Applications 200 Operating Systems 3
Chat Rooms 200
OX Clustering 204 Propagation Modelling 60
Live VHF OX Maps 205 Beacon Monitoring Programs 67
Near Real-time Magnetometer 206 Ionospheric Monitoring Programs 73
Near Real-time MUF Map 206 Propagation Prediction Programs 62
Online Receivers 201 W6EL Prop 65
PSK Reporter 203
Reverse Beacons 202 Raspberry Pi 208

Modern Persona l Computer 224 Selecting a Computer for The Shack 21

Aud io 232 Slow Scan Television 123
CD/DVD Drive 225 Ana log 123
CPU 227 Digital 125
Expans ion Slots 226 Interfacing 128
Firewire (IEEE 1394) 232 SSTV and the Internet 130
Floppy Drive 226 Software Packages 3
Gameport 230 Software Accompanying This Book 234
Hard Drive 226 Software Defined Radio 87
HDMI 229
I/O Connectors 227 Terrain Modelling 79
Loudspeaker 226
Memory 224 Useful Programs and Web Pages 217
Motherboard 226
Network 228
Parallel (Centronics) Printer 233
Power Cabling 225
Power Inlet 228
Power Switch 227
Power Supply 224
PS/2 Connectors 230
Ribbon Cables 226
RS232 231
RTC Battery 226
USB Sockets 226, 232
VGA 229
Voltage Selector 227

248