AmateurRadio.com

The University of Victoria online SDR from SDR.hu

A posting today on Yahoos' ndblist Group by Geir, LA6LU, pointed to a list of online SDR receivers at various locations around the globe. I have seen similar lists like this in the past, only to be disappointed when finding many of the receivers impossible to get operating or arriving at a dead link. This list appears to be up-to-date as a quick check of four random receivers saw all four come to life quickly!

The site is run by Andras Retzler, the author of the OpenWebRX software that enables these SDR's to be made seamlessly available online through your web browser. Since all of the sites use the same software, all receivers appear the same, thus providing a very short operational learning curve. At the time of this posting, there were 76 online SDRs, a number that fluctuates slightly throughout the day. Conveniently, the site also indicates how many users are currently using any individual receiver.

I can think of several very handy uses of such a resource, from checking your own on-air signal to confirming, in real time, a suspected DX catch that you might be hearing from your own location. You may even be interested in putting your own SDR online for others to share. It really is a very useful resource and while there, check out the rest of Andras's interesting site.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

This post is a continuation of The Cacophony of Digital Voice Continues (Part 1), so you probably should read that one first.

All of the popular amateur digital voice (DV) systems (D-STAR, DMR and YSF) use the AMBE vocoder (voice codec) technology. This technology was developed by Digital Voice Systems, Inc. and is proprietary technology covered by various patents. The use of proprietary technology on the ham bands causes some folks to get worked up about it, especially proponents of an open source world. See my blog posting: Digital Voice at Pacificon and this presentation by Bruce Parens K6BP: AMBE Exposed. Codec2 is an alternative open voice codec developed by David Rowe, VK5DGR. David is doing some excellent work in this space, which has already produced an open codec that is being used on the ham bands. FreeDV is an umbrella term for this open codec work. Here’s a recent video of a presentation on FreeDV by VK5DGR.

It will be interesting to see if and how Codec2 gets adopted in a DV world already dominated by AMBE. After all, a new codec is another contributor to the digital cacophony. On the HF bands, it is easier to adopt a new mode if it can be implemented via a soundcard interface (which FreeDV can do). Any two hams can load up the right software and start having a QSO. The same is true for weak-signal VHF/UHF via simplex. (Note that Flexradio also supports FreeDV, showing how Software Defined Radio (SDR) has an advantage with adopting new technology.)  VHF/UHF repeaters are trickier because you must have a solution for both the infrastructure (repeaters and networks) as well as the user radios.

The vast majority of digital repeaters support just one digital format. For example, a D-STAR repeater does not usually repeat DMR or YSF transmissions. Interestingly, DMR and YSF repeaters often support analog FM via mixed mode operation for backward compatibility. It is definitely possible to support multiple digital formats in one repeater, but the question is will large numbers of repeater owners/operators choose to do that? With existing DV systems, the networking of repeaters is unique to each format which represents another barrier to interchangeability. In particular, most of the DMR infrastructure in the US is MOTOTRBO, which won’t ever support D-STAR or YSF.

In the case of a new vocoder, we can think of that as just a new format of bits being transported by the existing DV protocol. DMR, for example, does not actually specify a particular vocoder, it’s just that the manufacturers developing DMR equipment have chosen to use AMBE technology. So from a technical viewpoint, it is easy to imagine dropping in a new vocoder into the user radio and having it work with other identical radios. Of course, these radios would be incompatible with the existing installed base. Or would they? Perhaps we’d have a backwards compatibility mode that supports communication with the older radios. This is another example of putting more flexibility into the user radio to compensate for DV incompatibilities.

One objection to AMBE is the cost of the technology, especially when compared to free. When D-STAR radios first started using AMBE codec chips, the chip cost was rumored to be $25 to $50, but I don’t have a solid source on that. Now, I see that Tytera is selling a DMR handheld at around $100, including AMBE technology inside, so the codec can’t be very expensive. If a free codec starts to be a credible threat, it will put additional pricing pressure on the AMBE solution.

A potential advantage of Codec2 is superior performance at very low signal-to-noise ratio. We’ve all experienced the not-too-graceful breakup of existing DV transmissions when signals get weak. Some of the Codec2 implementations have shown significant improvement over AMBE at low signal levels.

Conclusions

Repeating a key conclusion from Part 1:

• For the foreseeable future, we will have D-STAR, DMR and YSF technologies being used in amateur radio. I don’t see one of them dominating or any of them disappearing any time soon.

Adding in these conclusions for Part 2:

• Codec2 will struggle to displace the proprietary AMBE vocoder, which is well-established and works. The open source folks will promote codec2 but it will take more than that to get it into widespread use. Perhaps superior performance at low signal levels will make the difference.
• Repeater owner/operators will continue to deploy single-DV-format repeaters. This will make multiformat radios such as the DV4mobile be very attractive. In other words, we will deal with the digital cacophony by having more flexible user radios. This will come at a higher price initially but should drop over time.

Repeating this one from Part 1:

• A wild card here is DMR. It benefits from being a commercial land mobile standard, so high quality infrastructure equipment is available (both new and used gear). And DMR is being embraced by both land mobile providers (i.e., Motorola, Hytera) and suppliers of low cost radios (i.e., Tytera, Connect Systems). This combination may prove to be very powerful.

Well, those are my thoughts on the topic. I wish the DV world was less fragmented but I don’t see that changing any time soon. What do you think is going to happen?

73, Bob KØNR

The post The Cacophony of Digital Voice Continues (Part 2) appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Bob Witte, KØNR, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

Last week we took our late holiday to North West Wales (GW land), of course I had packed a Baofeng UV-82 at the side of my toothbrush.  Most of the week when we had been around, I had not heard much break the squelch while the rig had been left switched on and left on the table inside our caravan.


Later on in the week getting a bit bored, I decided to take the Baofeng down on the beach.


Our temporary QTH was situated mid way on the Cambrian coast, making it ideal for contacts over to the North (Abersoch and Cricceth area), and to the South of the bay which lies the seaside town of Barmouth.


I must admit after nearly a week of hearing nothing but noise on 2m I wasn't too hopeful of hearing anything.

But the first CQ I put out, straight away an instant reply! MW0RHD came back and give me a 5/5 reporting wind noise on top of my modulation, however we managed to exchange names and QTH's,  he was about 6 miles NW across the bay from me as the crow flies, near the coastal town of Pwllheli, using an Icom from an homebase with an excellent take off towards the South where I was situated.



The sun was begining to set, and so was my battery,  the radio started beeping low and interupted the short QSO. I had left the radio on all week in standby mode with no thought of topping it up on the charger.



What this does prove you might not think there is any one around when the band is so quiet, so do always try a CQ. Always make sure the battery is well topped up, or better still take a spare charged pack and you won't get caught out like I did.




Steve, G1KQH, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from England. Contact him at [email protected].

Last week we took our late holiday to North West Wales (GW land), of course I had packed a Baofeng UV-82 at the side of my toothbrush.  Most of the week when we had been around, I had not heard much break the squelch while the rig had been left switched on and left on the table inside our caravan.


Later on in the week getting a bit bored, I decided to take the Baofeng down on the beach.


Our temporary QTH was situated mid way on the Cambrian coast, making it ideal for contacts over to the North (Abersoch and Cricceth area), and to the South of the bay which lies the seaside town of Barmouth.


I must admit after nearly a week of hearing nothing but noise on 2m I wasn't too hopeful of hearing anything.

But the first CQ I put out, straight away an instant reply! MW0RHD came back and give me a 5/5 reporting wind noise on top of my modulation, however we managed to exchange names and QTH's,  he was about 6 miles NW across the bay from me as the crow flies, near the coastal town of Pwllheli, using an Icom from an homebase with an excellent take off towards the South where I was situated.



The sun was begining to set, and so was my battery,  the radio started beeping low and interupted the short QSO. I had left the radio on all week in standby mode with no thought of topping it up on the charger.



What this does prove you might not think there is any one around when the band is so quiet, so do always try a CQ. Always make sure the battery is well topped up, or better still take a spare charged pack and you won't get caught out like I did.




Steve, G1KQH, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from England. Contact him at [email protected].

Friday's auroral condx courtesy of :OVATION

Well another CLE has come to pass with most listeners in North America reporting poor conditions ... other than those in the southern states.








As typically happens when hit with a serious geomagnetic event (why do they always coincide with our CLE's?), northernmost stations are affected worse than those further south. This disturbance was a strong and persistent solar wind, making the band very noisy. Signals in the Perseus SDR waterfall that looked as if they should be easy copy, were mushy and run together, making many idents uncopyable in the solar wind noise.

Welcome to CLE 212 couretsy of: OVATION

The east-west path, being reliant on quiet geomagnetic conditions, was totally absent, with no NDB's from Ontario making it into my log. Somewhat surprising was the rarely heard Galapagos Island NDB on 272 kHz ... heard widely throughout North American.

GLS - 272 Galapagos courtesy: Google Maps

As usual, my receiver for the CLE was the Perseus SDR along with my normal LF / MF inverted-L antenna, tuned to ~ 300kHz.


29 08:00 272.0    YLB         Lac La Biche, AB, CAN
29 11:00 272.0    XS             Prince George, BC, CAN
30 06:30 272.0    GLS         Galapagos, GAL
29 05:00 274.0    FR            Fort Resolution, NT, CAN
29 08:00 275.0    SF            Williston, ND, USA
29 07:00 275.0    HIN         Chadron,NE, USA
29 05:00 275.0    GEY        Greybull, WY, USA
29 06:00 275.0    AV           Winnipeg, MB, CAN
31 12:00 277.0    OT            Worthington, MN, USA
31 05:00 280.0    GYZ         Guernsey, WY, USA
31 13:00 281.0    CRN          Sparrevohn, ALS
30 13:30 283.0    DUT          Dutch Harbor, ALS
29 08:30 284.0    QD            The Pas, MB, CAN
29 13:00 284.0    FHR          Friday Harbor, WA, USA
29 08:00 287.0    ZWG         Winnipeg, MB, CAN
29 08:30 287.0    PE              Peace River, AB, CAN
29 08:30 290.0    YYF           Penticton, BC, CAN
30 08:00 290.0    QR             Regina, SK, CAN
30 08:00 292.0    ZET            Edmonton, AB, CAN
30 08:00 293.0    TOR          Torrington, WY, USA
29 08:00 293.0    MB             Sidney, BC, CAN
30 08:00 295.0    8C              Fairview, AB, CAN
29 08:30 296.0    LGD           La Grande, OR, USA
29 08:30 299.0    TV              Turner Valley, AB, CAN
30 10:00 302.0    QW             North Battleford, SK, CAN
29 08:30 304.0    FH              Mc Leod, AB, CAN
29 08:30 305.0    Z1               Three Hills, AB, CAN
29 08:30 305.0    ONO          Ontario, OR, USA
30 06:30 307.0    M5              Manning, AB, CAN
29 08:30 308.0    ZZD            Edmonton, AB, CAN
29 08:30 311.0    9Y               Pincher Creek, AB, CAN
29 08:30 312.0    UNT           Naramata, BC, CAN
29 08:30 317.0    VC              La Ronge, SK, CAN

The results from all participants can be found in a few days at the NDB List website, or if you are a member of the ndblist Group, results will also be posted there.

The very active Yahoo ndblist Group is a great place to learn more about the 'art' of NDB DXing or to meet other listeners in your region. There is a lot of helpful information available there and new members are always very welcome. As well, you can follow and chat with other NDB chasers regarding antennas, techniques, unidentified signals and  nightly propagation ... and, if you are building a 630m station, listening for NDB's is a great way to determine your receive capability and if it needs improvement.

Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

Stories you’ll find in our November, 2016 issue:

TSM Reviews: Elecraft KX2 QRP Transceiver
By Thomas Witherspoon K4SWL

As a ham who already owns both the KX1 and KX3 transceivers, and likes them very well, wouldn’t a KX2 be redundant? Maybe. But it also puts him in a perfect position to compare Elecraft’s latest offering. Thomas takes the diminutive KX2 into the field, where it was meant to be, activating more than twenty NPOTAs (National Park on the Air). What he finds is that “the KX2 is a profound upgrade of the KX1.” He also checks out the KX2 on the international shortwave bands and finds, “It’s an exceptionally sensitive and selective receiver, with a stable AGC, that would please the most dedicated DXer.”

Small HF Antennas for Portable and Restricted Space Use
By Mark Haverstock K8MSH

While small and shortened antennas have their drawbacks, their advantages—convenience for portable use, backpacking and avoiding HOA conflicts—are substantial tradeoffs. And, while their performance is less than should be expected from full-sized antennas, this doesn’t mean they don’t perform—you just need to keep your expectations in perspective. Mark takes a look at several of the more popular portable HF antennas available commercially and he looks at the options for making your own, including a 40-6 meter end-fed antenna he made himself.

Radio Power Supplies: A Primer for Hams and SWLs
By Bob Grove W8JHD

It’s the most basic piece of equipment in your ham shack or radio room—it’s certainly the least interesting—but it could be the most important. Bob Grove answers just about every question you might have had about the lowly radio power supply: Why 13.8 volts? Is a same-brand power supply best for my name-brand transceiver? Do I really need meters on my power supply? What’s a switching power supply? What’s “crowbar protection” and “variable voltage?” What amperage do I really need? If I’m using a battery as a portable power supply, which is best?

The Kit’s Meow: Shopping for DIY Radio Projects
By Richard Fisher KI6SN

With Ramsey shutting down its radio kits division earlier this year, many hams and shortwave listeners felt it might signal the end of the radio kits industry. Don’t people build things anymore? Regular TSM contributor Richard Fisher KI6SN set out to discover the current state of kit making. What he found is quite encouraging: more than 250 online companies offering kits as varied as the spectrum we listen to, with a great range in prices and required maker skills. Richard lists them all, complete with a sampling of their wares and links to their websites.

MURS: Dots, Data and More
By Cory GB Sickles WA3UVV

Along with Class D CB, GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) and FRS, (Family Radio Service) there’s another aspect to the FCC’s Part 95 two-way radio – MURS. The Multi-Use Radio Service occupies five channels in the VHF spectrum. By rule, it is limited to a 2 watts output power and may seem quite limited, but there’s more to MURS than meets the eye. In this segment of his Part-95 radio series, Cory, looks at the little known VHF service that can meet quite a few needed applications where you live.

Scanning America
By Dan Veenaman
Public Utilities as “Critical Infrastructure”

Federal Wavelengths
By Chris Parris
TSA Radio Updates and More Small Federal Agencies

Utility Planet
By Hugh Stegman NV6H
KPH Returns to Point Reyes

Digital HF: Intercept and Analyze
By Mike Chace-Ortiz AB1TZ/G6DHU
An HF “Beep, Beep, Beep,” Chirping Signal Mystery

HF Utility Logs
By Mike Chace-Ortiz and Hugh Stegman

Digitally Speaking
By Cory Sickles WA3UVV
DMR Update

VHF and Above
By Joe Lynch N6CL
Baofeng BF-F8HP and BTech UV-5X3 Handhelds and 220 MHZ

Amateur Radio Insights
By Kirk Kleinschmidt NT0Z
Forget the Holiday—It’s Contest Time!

Radio 101
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
What’s New in CB and FRS/GMRS

Radio Propagation
By Tomas Hood NW7US
Space Weather: Solar Cycle 24 is Dying!

The World of Shortwave Listening
By Ken Reitz KS4ZR
Trends in Shortwave Radio

The Shortwave Listener
By Fred Waterer
EU SW Stations and Election Night Listening

Amateur Radio Astronomy
By Stan Nelson KB5VL
FITS Again

The Longwave Zone
By Kevin O’Hern Carey WB2QMY

Adventures in Radio Restoration
By Rich Post KB8TAD
The Freshman Masterpiece: a 1920s TRF Experience

Antenna Connections
By Dan Farber AC0LW
And the Twain Shall Meet: Let’s Build a Dipole

The Spectrum Monitor is available in PDF format which can be read on any desktop, laptop, iPad®, Kindle® Fire, or other device capable of opening a PDF file. Annual subscription is $24. Individual monthly issues are available for $3 each.

Ken Reitz, KS4ZR, is publisher and managing editor of The Spectrum Monitor. Contact him at [email protected].

LY3H CW decoder logic program MRP40 compared to CW decoder logic by LY3H MRP40                                                                       CW decoder 1. Decodes all speeds up to 60wpm                            Decodes but not mention top decode speed. 2. Has good documentation                                         No documentation 3. Auto tracking very smooth                                      Auto tracking hunts between long letter spaces 4. Text formatting-format mode works great              Only option is manual or auto decode 5. Will not decode when APF is on                             Will de-code when using APF 6. Great weak signal decode S1 and below                 Poor weak signal de-code (not using APF) 7. Great email support                                                 Upgrades come out regularly 8. See's noise as code sends radium letters                  Only sends letters not radium noise as code 9. Does have save QSO but awkward to use.             Just added cut and paste QSO to word or clipboard 10. Has “always on top” option                                  Just added “always on top” option. 11. Added a mini log book                                          No log book as of yet  12. You can send code                                                At this time only able to read code                                                      A more in-depth look at some of the above comparisons: A)   Auto tracking- When wanting to decode a CW signal it helps when the program can lock onto a signal. MRP40 will lock onto a CW signal and stay locked on. CW decoder on the other hand once the CW signal stops or has long gap between letter the program starts to hunt small segments on either side of the CW signal for other CW signals. Once the code starts again CW decoder has to relock onto it and you lose some decoding. If slow code is sent you are in a battle of lock and relock of the code. B)   Text formatting options- with MRP40 you have the option on how you want to decode. - Correct word spacing…..this will attempt to add spacing between decoded words even if sender is running them together. - Expand abbreviations…..KN, AR and DE to mention a few. - Expand Q codes…self-explanatory.          Both of these programs do the job of decoding CW very well, you have more options and customization option with MRP40. CW decoder logic is very easy to setup and in no time you are decoding CW. I have not had a chance to compare both programs in a CW contest situation. The major drawback to each program is….. MRP40…….no matter what test formatting option I used the program when idling would send radium code as it listened to static were as CW decoder logic would not. CW decoder Logic……when the receiving code stopped the program would start “hunting” for other CW signals. This created two issues, the first being if you are decoding slow code I found the program between letters words would start to hunt. When it does this it bounces back and forth from decoding and hunting and your decode is not reliable. The second is if I second CW op appears close to the op you are decoding the program will bounce between the two QSO’s. The major positive of each program is….. MRP40…..it will decode CW that is almost down at the noise floor and do a great job of it too. CW decoder Logic……it will not send random letters when it is not decoding and does a great job of adding the breaks between words and not running them together. Also this program is free. These code programs will always decode what is sent so you must consider if you are reading odd words and letters it may have to do with poor code sending. CW signals that are close to each other (CW contesting) if your rig cannot filter out the one CW signal your decoder will be confused. CW decoder by LY3H free. MRP40 will cost you 50.00 Euro. You can download MRP40 HERE and you can download  CW decoder Logic HERE The picture to the left shows MRP40 trying to decode static.

The picture to the left shows CW decoder Logic and the nice spacing with very few static decodes.
Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].