On The Air with HF Soundcard Digital

Update 6/12/12 - After running WSPR for a couple days I'm moving on to packet and APRS-Messenger.  The UZ7HO soundcard modem is receiving well and it looks like transmitting is working.   I have to tweak the configuration of the BPQ32 switch to use a realistic delay between connect attempts.   Then I can try a VIA connection to see if the nodes I'm hearing are hearing me.   Updating BPQ32 to the latest version will give me APRS and Unconnected Packets.   That will come after getting APRS-Messenger running and testing it out for a few days on the 30 meter APRS frequency.

Note to self - I still have to figure out why my WSPR display is showing from 0 to 200 Hz instead of 100 Hz to 300 Hz.  It appears I'm missing all the stations in that upper half of the band segment.

Cool discovery - the 2.0 WSPR User Guide document has some screen shots of the program being used.  Timing was good and I was on the air at the right time to show up on Joe's screen for the Additional Details section.

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It's so cool to FINALLY have a a solid HF to Computer Soundcard interface working...

Last weekend, at SeaPac, I picked up a West Mountain Rigblaster Advantage from their booth manned by Sholto.    Soundcard, PTT, Computer Rig control and more - all running in one little box with one USB cable to the computer..   Nifty...

After a bit of cable juggling and installing drivers (after all this is LinuxXXXXVista...)  I put it on the WSPR channel on 20 meters and gave it a "Transmit Now" kick.   2 minutes and some seconds later I went to the WSPRnet database and did a query on who have heard me.   I thought there might be one or two...


     Timestamp         Call                 MHz              SNR Drift Grid         Pwr Reporter RGrid km az
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097033 -12 0 CN87wq 10 K7UEB/20 DN06tb 337 121
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097052 -19 0 CN87wq 10 KK7KZ DN30xm 1131 131
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097027 -25 0 CN87wq 10 W7QL DN40bo 1134 130
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097043 -19 1 CN87wq 10 W7YLQ CN85mq 231 196
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097027 -8 0 CN87wq 10 KL1X BP51ip 2306 322
 2012-06-10 17:44 WA7NWP 14.097027 -20 0 CN87wq 10 K4COD EM73sc 3532 103


I'll have a bit more cable juggling - mostly extracting - and then it's down to just seeing what can be done and using the incredible software that's available.

73
Bill