[Flexradio] differences between PSK31 demodulators
Making progress here. VAC is working and I am trying different digital- mode applications. It is interesting to see how different the quality of the copy is. I have my MacBook Pro connected via analog cable to line out and am using CocoaModem to monitor the off-air signal as I fumble with VAC and various digital mode programs on the PC, i.e. MixW and MultiPSK. It is interesting to see the difference in the quality of the copy between the various programs. Right now I am looking at both the Mac and PC printing out a PSK31 QSO but the error rate for MixW is *MUCH* higher than the error rate in CocoaModem on the Mac. Not having any other experience with this what should I expect? No, I have not tried routing the analog signal to the sound card in the PC to see how that works. So, since I have no experience with Windows-based soundcard digital mode programs, should I be looking at something other than MixW? MultiPSK's UI is much more cluttered but seems to work pretty well. I occasionally play with PSK31 but am much more interested in more robust modes like MFSK and Olivia. -- 73 de Brian, WB6RQN Brian Lloyd - brian HYPHEN wb6rqn AT lloyd DOT com ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] differences between PSK31 demodulators
Are you using the demo version of VAC? If so, the decode errors are from the embedded voice that says trial every few seconds. -Tim -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brian Lloyd Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 3:00 AM To: FlexRadio Reflector Subject: [Flexradio] differences between PSK31 demodulators Making progress here. VAC is working and I am trying different digital- mode applications. It is interesting to see how different the quality of the copy is. I have my MacBook Pro connected via analog cable to line out and am using CocoaModem to monitor the off-air signal as I fumble with VAC and various digital mode programs on the PC, i.e. MixW and MultiPSK. It is interesting to see the difference in the quality of the copy between the various programs. Right now I am looking at both the Mac and PC printing out a PSK31 QSO but the error rate for MixW is *MUCH* higher than the error rate in CocoaModem on the Mac. Not having any other experience with this what should I expect? No, I have not tried routing the analog signal to the sound card in the PC to see how that works. So, since I have no experience with Windows-based soundcard digital mode programs, should I be looking at something other than MixW? MultiPSK's UI is much more cluttered but seems to work pretty well. I occasionally play with PSK31 but am much more interested in more robust modes like MFSK and Olivia. -- 73 de Brian, WB6RQN Brian Lloyd - brian HYPHEN wb6rqn AT lloyd DOT com ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/ ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
[Flexradio] 2008/July/19 FRF TeamSpeak audio
The 19/July Flex Radio Friends TeamSpeak zipped mp3 (28 minutes) is available at: http://www.hamsdr.com/dnld.aspx?id=838 or http://www.hamsdr.com/dnld.aspx Ubuntu HDMI success Mercury hardware spur reduction Cyclops progress Erlang hints Thanks to Dale, WA8SRA, for the HamSDR.com website and all the work maintaining it. Mike - AA8K ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] Is There a Time-Out-Timer For the Flex Radio PTT?
Thanks for the list of ideas! - Original Message From: Brian Lloyd [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Ted [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, July 18, 2008 4:17:01 PM Subject: Re: [Flexradio] Is There a Time-Out-Timer For the Flex Radio PTT? On Jul 18, 2008, at 11:25 AM, Ted wrote: Does anyone know of this problem with the old type rigs, the ones with knobs? Do any of those old rigs get stuck with the transmitter keyed ON, and the only way to terminate the RF out would be to power down the A/C? Yes. Have you ever had a relay stick? I have. It doesn't happen often but it does happen. We are charting new waters here with this rig. When I was setting up the station CW with the 5000a It got 'stuck' ON and the only solution was to turn it off and reboot the computer. If I were operating remote I'd make sure the station had an independent OFF timer. There are several ways you could do implement protection. Here are some approaches I have used with various things in a network environment: 1. independent addressable device that can be commanded to reset another device; 2. watchdog timer; 3. heartbeat monitor; 4. automatic periodic reboot; 5. telephone call to on-site personnel. If I were doing this I would probably take a two-pronged approach. I would probably use a small microcontroller board to monitor a heartbeat pulse coming from the controlling computer (generated by PowerSDR probably) and also have it monitor the PTT line on the Flex5000. Failure to hear the heartbeat? Reboot the computer. PTT down too long? Power cycle the Flex5000. (This last one might require restarting PowerSDR or rebooting the PC as well, in any case, that is still possible.) So: 1. If PTT asserted for more than X seconds, kick the Flex5000 and PC. 2. generate a flag on a port of the PC; e.g. serial status line, bit on a parallel port, packet to a particular TCP or UDP port, etc.; and look for a good response. This should be tied somehow to the running of PowerSDR as well. This implies some additional intelligence in PowerSDR. 3. Look for periodic heartbeat (status packet/message) from PowerSDR. 4. Query PowerSDR for status (do this across the network). This could be something like an SNMP query. (Has anyone done an SNMP MIB for radios?) Failure to respond is grounds for kicking the PC's reset line via external controller. I can think of more but this gives you an idea of ways to deal with the problem. It isn't too difficult. (OTOH the difficult thing is writing code that doesn't fail unless there is a hardware fault. It is possible but probably not if you are the current crop of popular operating systems.) Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori School 9330 Sierra College Bl brian AT gbmontessori DOT com Roseville, CA 95661 +1.916.367.2131 (voice)+1.791.912.8170 (fax) PGP key ID: 12095C52A32A1B6C PGP key fingerprint: 3B1D BA11 4913 3254 B6E0 CC09 1209 5C52 A32A 1B6C ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] Help with MixW
I'm connected to the Internet . Hopping for some help . I do like MixW cluster, It lets me know what I've worked . Maybe I should find a MixW reflector ;o) There IS a MixW reflector, and the whole issue of DXSummit migrating and thus breaking the MixW Cluster window has been discussed there rather thoroughly recently. Join the list (over 4K members!): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mixw/?v=1t=directorych=webpub=groupsse c=dirslk=1 de Peter K1PGV ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] - UGLY BETTY -
Jim, You might be cutting off the air flow with that filter. The top vent is on the rear for a reason. The air flow is diagonal across the inner case. Press the control-shift-I key combination often to get the temperature. I keep my 5000A under my main desk. The beauty of an SDR rig, is that it can be put out of sight, freeing up desktop. Besides it is easier to reach the rear connectors if is on a lower shelf. I can't put it right on the floor. My two Pug dogs would have feast chewing the cables. 73, Steve N6VL ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] differences between PSK31 demodulators
On Jul 19, 2008, at 12:22 AM, Tim Ellison wrote: Are you using the demo version of VAC? No. I paid for it. They gave me a link for download. I presume this is the full version. It isn't asking for a serial number or anything. If so, the decode errors are from the embedded voice that says trial every few seconds. I am guessing that isn't the problem. More looking. I tried turning on audio repeater so I can listen to the stream between PowerSDR and MixW. Dropouts. I can now see what they look like on the waterfall and see that I am getting them even when I am not running audio repeater. So the bad copy seems to be caused by dropouts in the VAC stream. To try to fix things I have dropped the sample rate to 11025 and increased the number and size of the buffers. It hasn't fixed the problem. CPU utilization as reported by PSDR is 15%-20 so I don't think processing is the issue. Any suggestions? -- 73 de Brian, WB6RQN Brian Lloyd - brian HYPHEN wb6rqn AT lloyd DOT com ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
[Flexradio] Editing the database
In response to my feature request for the ability to append our own labels for frequencies; e.g., 20M Digital Voice for 14.236, I was pointed to http://kb.flex-radio.com/article.aspx?id=10346 which purports to show how to edit the database -- a poor substitute for being able to RMB on the frequency display and being offered the option to Label this Frequency, but anyway... OK, I use OpenOffice Base to link to PowerSDR.mdb, figure out how to add an entry to the BandText table (only at the end, not in numerical order), discover that the existing format allows only two decimal places so that 14.236 gets rounded to 14.24, change the format to allow three decimal places, add the new entry, and save the database -- as an OpenOffice file, which is the only format option I am offered. How do I get the changes into PowerSDR.mdb? Color me frustrated. Alan NV8A (who has designed and used databases using dBase II and DataPerfect on microcomputers and DB2/SQL on minicomputers) ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] Editing the database
Alan ... Microsoft Access works fine here! Alan NV8A wrote: In response to my feature request for the ability to append our own labels for frequencies; e.g., 20M Digital Voice for 14.236, I was pointed to http://kb.flex-radio.com/article.aspx?id=10346 which purports to show how to edit the database -- a poor substitute for being able to RMB on the frequency display and being offered the option to Label this Frequency, but anyway... OK, I use OpenOffice Base to link to PowerSDR.mdb, figure out how to add an entry to the BandText table (only at the end, not in numerical order), discover that the existing format allows only two decimal places so that 14.236 gets rounded to 14.24, change the format to allow three decimal places, add the new entry, and save the database -- as an OpenOffice file, which is the only format option I am offered. How do I get the changes into PowerSDR.mdb? Color me frustrated. Alan NV8A (who has designed and used databases using dBase II and DataPerfect on microcomputers and DB2/SQL on minicomputers) ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/ ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] Editing the database
Yes, but I don't have Micro$$$oft Acce$$$ and don't intend to buy it. The KB item to which I was referred purports to tell how to use OpenOffice Base to do it. 73 Alan NV8A On 07/19/08 06:37 pm Larry W8ER wrote: Alan ... Microsoft Access works fine here! In response to my feature request for the ability to append our own labels for frequencies; e.g., 20M Digital Voice for 14.236, I was pointed to http://kb.flex-radio.com/article.aspx?id=10346 which purports to show how to edit the database -- a poor substitute for being able to RMB on the frequency display and being offered the option to Label this Frequency, but anyway... OK, I use OpenOffice Base to link to PowerSDR.mdb, figure out how to add an entry to the BandText table (only at the end, not in numerical order), discover that the existing format allows only two decimal places so that 14.236 gets rounded to 14.24, change the format to allow three decimal places, add the new entry, and save the database -- as an OpenOffice file, which is the only format option I am offered. How do I get the changes into PowerSDR.mdb? Color me frustrated. Alan NV8A (who has designed and used databases using dBase II and DataPerfect on microcomputers and DB2/SQL on minicomputers) ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
[Flexradio] Tortoise
Has tortoise changed its web address. I've been away and I get a message that there is an update but the page listed doesnt load Jon Valdina W2QYO ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
[Flexradio] help with new flex software
I feel like the evil Joker here not understanding or being crafty enough to defeat Batman! I took a real leap of faith today and downloaded the current Flex software and driver. Amazingly, even a total klutz of a PC operator was able to more or less get the current model running. I have one big question and this is after looking at the setup menus many times and manual for quite a long time. The receiver works quite well better than with the original 10.X.X software supplied by flex on a CD. For the life of me, I can not operate the key breakin or mic in PTT without clicking on MOX. When I do that, the transmitter works just fine. What am I missing to make CW breakin and PTT work on the new software? Everything is ON in the setup but it still is not working, as far as I can see. Your suggestions and help is appreciated as always. Dick W5AK _ Use video conversation to talk face-to-face with Windows Live Messenger. http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/connect_your_way.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_messenger_video_072008 ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] help with new flex software
Dick, Look under Setup = General = Options. Make sure the Disable PTT box is unchecked . Some installations has that box checked by default. 73, Dudley WA5QPZ Richard Beerman wrote: I feel like the evil Joker here not understanding or being crafty enough to defeat Batman! I took a real leap of faith today and downloaded the current Flex software and driver. Amazingly, even a total klutz of a PC operator was able to more or less get the current model running. I have one big question and this is after looking at the setup menus many times and manual for quite a long time. The receiver works quite well better than with the original 10.X.X software supplied by flex on a CD. For the life of me, I can not operate the key breakin or mic in PTT without clicking on MOX. When I do that, the transmitter works just fine. What am I missing to make CW breakin and PTT work on the new software? Everything is ON in the setup but it still is not working, as far as I can see. Your suggestions and help is appreciated as always. Dick W5AK _ Use video conversation to talk face-to-face with Windows Live Messenger. http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/connect_your_way.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_messenger_video_072008 ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.2/1562 - Release Date: 7/19/2008 2:01 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.2/1562 - Release Date: 7/19/2008 2:01 PM ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
Re: [Flexradio] differences between PSK31 demodulators
Brian, Try DM780 that comes with Ham Radio Deluxe. You have to download the entire HRD package, but then you can run only DM-780 for the digital. In the Super Browser, you can have 20 to 30 PSK QSOs going at once, and it's decode rate is better than MixW I think.. 73, Dudley WA5QPZ Brian Lloyd wrote: Making progress here. VAC is working and I am trying different digital- mode applications. It is interesting to see how different the quality of the copy is. I have my MacBook Pro connected via analog cable to line out and am using CocoaModem to monitor the off-air signal as I fumble with VAC and various digital mode programs on the PC, i.e. MixW and MultiPSK. It is interesting to see the difference in the quality of the copy between the various programs. Right now I am looking at both the Mac and PC printing out a PSK31 QSO but the error rate for MixW is *MUCH* higher than the error rate in CocoaModem on the Mac. Not having any other experience with this what should I expect? No, I have not tried routing the analog signal to the sound card in the PC to see how that works. So, since I have no experience with Windows-based soundcard digital mode programs, should I be looking at something other than MixW? MultiPSK's UI is much more cluttered but seems to work pretty well. I occasionally play with PSK31 but am much more interested in more robust modes like MFSK and Olivia. -- 73 de Brian, WB6RQN Brian Lloyd - brian HYPHEN wb6rqn AT lloyd DOT com ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.2/1562 - Release Date: 7/19/2008 2:01 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.2/1562 - Release Date: 7/19/2008 2:01 PM ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
[Flexradio] Dropouts in VAC stream (was: differences between PSK31 demodulators)
Turns out the quality problem decoding/displaying PSK31, where Cocoamodem on the Mac connected via analog was copying much better than MixW connected via VAC, is caused by dropouts in the audio stream. The dropouts are cyclic. Audio is good for about 20 seconds then it stutters for about 5 seconds. The process repeats ad infinitum. CPU utilization is down around 20%. I am using an AMD Athlon 64x2 duo-core processor running at 2GHz with 1GB RAM. This machine *should* be fast enough to run both PowerSDR and MixW concurrently. (It seems so with CPU utilization at 20%.) Huh. And no-one said anything about the spurs and varying noise level either. -- 73 de Brian, WB6RQN Brian Lloyd - brian HYPHEN wb6rqn AT lloyd DOT com ___ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kb.flex-radio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com/
