Posted 25 Sep 2008 — by Alex
Category Radio
The beacon station uses an old Toshiba laptop and whilst it is likely that the power consumption isn’t that high (I really ought to measure it) the combination of the rig, two PSU’s and the laptop must make a healthy drain on the supply over a year.
Part of the SDR beacon station project is to develop a low power consumption unit so that the impact it has is fairly small. A number of options have been looked at in the last few weeks ranging from various netbooks (Eeepc 701 and it’s followers) as well as nano and pico itx systems. But the unit that caught my eye was the Fit-PC. Claiming a 3-5W drain and wifi really looks like a potential for low or even off grid monitoring. The units are fairly pricy so depending on the success of the SDR lite project the hole station can be put into a small box
Posted 23 Sep 2008 — by Alex
Category Radio
Whilst the new kid on the SDR block, the general coverage receiver is?at v8.3 for the shop buyers. The Softrock40 yahoo group had a post suggesting that the new v8.4 kits are fairly close to being ready. I emailed Tony, KB9YIG and got a pleasant surprise. The new kits are slated for a early October release.
A number of betas are being tested and whilst it means a short wait, with my upcoming exam and new baby due in the next couple of weeks it seems like a good idea to wait.
Posted 15 Sep 2008 — by Alex
Category Radio
Reading radcom can sometimes makle me feel a little dumb. Somethings I’ll just never quite understand. But sometimes it give me a little boost to my projects. The software defined radio (SDR) series of softrock kits have come up with the HF general coverage receiver thats available through Waters and Stanton.
This heralds something that both funding and technical know how have preculded. A SDR solotion for Faros. The project is now revived with this ?50 kit so an autumn project is to get this working along with the long wire tests for the receiver antenna.
There isn’t much info as yet but the W&S site says:
SOFTROCK-HF-LITE Software defined radio, all HF band receiver V8.3
The SoftRock Lite v8.3 is an all-band HF software defined radio kit that offers performance and features way above its price bracket. It is both a practical and an educational project. In practice it can function as a high performance receiver capable of replacing your existing receiver and with a suitable transmit receive switch (not supplied) you can use it with your transceiver. Educationally, it introduce you into the world of software defined radio and shows you just what can be achieved by integrating PC and software into your ham radio station. And of course, the financial benefits are enormous! So what do you get and what does the receiver offer.
?
* 160m – 10m
* SSB CW FM AM
* IF filters better than xtal type
* IF bandwidths down to 50Hz
* DSP noise filtering
* Digital frequency display
* Panoramic display
* High stability
* Power required 12v DC
* Supplied in kit form
* All components and boads included
* Instructions and software on PC disc
* Works with current Windows software?
Softrock HF Lite
Posted 09 Sep 2008 — by Alex
Category Radio
After having a week off work to do some heavy work in the garden I punctuated the soaking I got by playing about with some antennas.
As the radio hase been relocted away from the other PC the connection to the loft has been lost which is both good and bad. I get to regain my 2m antenna without having to change things around but teh diamond compact Vee (HFV-5) thats I’ve been using has had to be retired. Partly due to excessive corrosion and partly duy to not being able to find a new space for it. So I’m trying out some new antennas whilst the set up os being fiddled with.
1. Sony AN-1 – Active antenna
My first active antenna, bought in 1989 and not used much except with my Sony ICF-2001D when that was my only radio. Its powered by batteries and is essentially a long whip antenna with a pre-amp attached.
2. Home made loop
Just something that interested me so?I decided on making a relatively large loop (1.5m diameter) out of co-ax and other bits lying aorund the garage.
3. Long wire
I ‘own’ approximately 35m of fence which could be used for a long wire antenna. A small connection through the garage wall would give acces to the fence and although at least 4m is close to the house the remainder is moving away and the last 15 m at a?right angle couldn’t be further from the house. At 1.8m high it should give some interesting alternative results from the other options.
I’ll be sapping round these atennas over the next few weeks to compare the results and to?see?if there really is an opportunity to increase the results I get from the beacon monitoring programmme.
It was fingers crossedd again and upload the new files. wordpress update time again and this time went with some now all too familiar hitches. The automatic upgrade didn’t work so I’ve ditched the plugin for good now and there seemed to be a few owership issues which my host kindly sorted out for me.
it still astounds me how this system never seems to smoothly upgrade for me. At least this time there wasn’t anything lost on the way through.
