WSPR setup

[VK4KL]

I finally got semi-serious about setting up WSPR.
Have setup the laptop with WSPR 2.11 with 2cables speaker out to mic socket (using vox) and speaker out to mic socket on laptop. Apparently I am txing ok because I am being heard in France,USA, VK and JA but I am not decoding anything. Any ideas?
Ideally I probably should get a Signal link or a rigblaster but not possible at the moment (small budget)

Adrian

[VK3ZAZ]

Which program are you using

WSPR X shows sound level and if you are within audio level
Only other thing is frequency are you seeing any traces down the screen in the waterfall
Check for hum and ground loop
Try running laptop (if you have one) on battery only disconnect power supply and see if that's better
My wspr leads to both 891 and 680 just plug straight in
to pc sockets.
I bought a rig blaster biut over the top it does everything and best way imo is to keep it simple
Ill sell you mine cheap if you want it as I dont use it.

I ran fully self contained 6M beacon last year on wspr it was simple and worked well using a laptop and a ts680 and a usb dongle and audio leads.

[VK4KL]

I am using WSPR2.11. I have checked for ground loops but it seems ok. I might have to look at isolating laptop from radio electrically (isolation transformers etc).
Let me know how much for the rig blaster

Adrian

[VK4KL]

Should have said that I am seeing signals on the waterfall

Adrian

[VK5PJ]

Hi Adrian

Should have said that I am seeing signals on the waterfall
Adrian

You may find that your PC's time is out as this is one of the variables that does impact on decodes and being decoded. If you do not have some software to sync your PC's time, you will need to find an NTP package to use. A lot of people use Dimension 4 for this I have been using one from a commercial company (its free) to sync my PC http://www.meinbergglobal.com/english/sw/ntp.htm

Other than that it sounds like your almost there... do not be too concerned about a fancy interface until your happy you need it, I have run the most basic interface you can imagine for over 8 years now and only just improved it a few months ago.

If in doubt about your time, listen to WWV and watch your PC's clock at the same time, if its less than a second, you should be good to go (some PC clocks do wander, so be aware of that)

Good luck,

Peter, vk5pj

[VK4KL]

I have dimension 4 installed and checking time every 60 minutes. The D4 history indicates that the laptops clock has been out by 0.9 second over a 60 minute period.

Adrian
Left the WSPR running over night in rx only and managed to decode 5 stations JA and VK

[VK2KRR]

Hi Adrian

It wouldn't hurt to increase the time sync rate, I also use Dimesion 4 and have mine set to resync every 15 mins.

If u still have issues, capture a few screen images so we can see whats on the WSPR screen.

[VK4KL]

Don't know what's happening but.....
I still can't get WSPR to decode signals on my laptop I have tried for the last week to get it running I have given up
I can be heard but can't decode anyone. Even copied the sample file onto another device and played it back to the laptop, no go.
Installed WSPR on my MacBook Pro plugged the cables in and it started decoding straight away. I changed nothing from WSPR's default settings. Uninstalled WSPR on the laptop reinstalled under admin, just in case, left the default settings and still nothing.
So MacBook stays in shack at least until can figure out what's happening

Adrian

[ZL2WHO]

Hi WSPR guys.
Now that we cant get an experimental beacon license for 40-45Mhz to replace the 45Mhz vids i have considered a WSPR beacon in the 40.660-40.700 GURL band. I would like to know if a standalone micro or a small low power PC can run a WSPR beacon. We are allowed 1w eirp so i would consider setting up a local beacon on a hilltop fed from solar and batts.

Any thoughts ??

Mark.
ZL2WHO

[VK4KL]

I think a raspberry pi can be used
I am sure some more knowledgable person will come along shortly

Adrian

[VK3BQ]

with the correct filter (and maybe a small amp to lift the output power) the raspberry PI can be used as a WSPR beacon very simply.. as its just going to transmit.

you have control over the TX frequency, not limited to ham bands, it will work from 0-200Mhz with proper filtering.

see http://www.vk3bq.com/2014/08/12/raspber ... -wsprrypi/ for what I did to make it work.

thanks

[VK2ZIW]

Banana Pi, a BETTER Raspberry Pi with SATA port

WSJT Ver 10 ins written in "Python 3". (not 2.7) knowing this, how 's it going?

Michael DG0OPK and I have been working on it and we have success:

Obstacles: The Python Imaging Library (PIL replaced by Pillow) ver 2.6.1 breaks both WSPR and WSJT.
Won't draw waterfalls or waveforms, "Segmentation Fault".
Revert to ver 2.5.3 with:
/usr/bin/pip3 install -I pillow==2.5.3
When, of course you have all the development libraries, "C" compiler etc..

WSPR Performance:
PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND
12927 alanb 20 0 432944 86988 12652 S 107.2 8.6 69:20.09 python3 <--- While "Decoding" took 2 mins.
11091 alanb 20 0 83304 22692 7144 S 1.3 2.2 6:26.04 Xvnc

So, after a long run, with some successful decodes:
Message: Attempted to start decode thread when already running. (crash)

Perhaps the Hardware Floating Point is not being used in the Fortran code. The Exynos quad core may be a help here.
The Banana Pi (Allwinner A20) does have an FPU. (armv7)
BTW: The SATA port with a SATA disk (1Tb) is my root filesystem, magic, space and speed.
See posts in WSJT software development <wsjt-devel@lists.sourceforge.net>

Alan VK2ZIW

[VK5ZRL]

Hi Adrian,

> Have setup the laptop with WSPR 2.11 with 2 cables, speaker out to mic socket (using vox) and speaker out to mic socket on laptop
> but I am not decoding anything. Any ideas?

From previous experience with laptop mic in sockets, the one I played with exhibited wicked AGC when feeding speaker audio into
the laptop's mic socket resulting in distortion and no decodes with WSPR. A line in socket would be better if it is available or better
still a signal link interface. Other laptops may give different results.

Good luck.
Rob VK5ZRL.

[VK2EM]

G'day all
I made a simple USB interface for my IC-706, and FT-8x7's very easily. I used the interface by Howard 'Skip' Teller KH6TY in QST.

I went to the local dump shop, and bought (see... gave a donation) 4 x old telephone modem cards and 2 x USB 'A' to 'B' leads (very thin ones!). I bought off Ebay 2 x USB sound card dongles ($2 each), and 4 x small 10k potentiometers. I purchased a small box from Jaycar to put it all in. The other bits were in the junkbox.

I started by removing the USB and sound sockets from the Soundcards so that they would fit in the box , and removing the isolation transformers from the modem cards. I then wired the interface onto a piece of Veroboard; I modified KH6TY's interface to put a pot in both send and receive legs, as the Rx noise on all bands is not equal!

They all went together nicely, and work well! The audio range is such that the sound card 'sliders' in the PC, once set, don't have to be touched, only the external pots in the interface, which is excellent for /portable use (especially travelling).

I think that I also inserted a similar article in "What's on Your Workbench" some time ago.

73 Bruce VK2EM

[VK7HH]

G'day all
I made a simple USB interface

I went to the local dump shop, and bought (see... gave a donation) 4 x old telephone modem cards and 2 x USB 'A' to 'B' leads (very thin ones!). I bought off Ebay 2 x USB sound card dongles ($2 each), and 4 x small 10k potentiometers. I purchased a small box from Jaycar to put it all in. The other bits were in the junkbox.


73 Bruce VK2EM

Hi Bruce.

Why did you buy 2 x dongles & 4 pots? Did you end up building two interfaces? What dongles did you end up buying, some have USB driver issues etc.

Regards
Hayden

[VK4BLK]

I have good sucess with these www. ebay.com.au/itm/230913495590?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
no driver req'd

[VK6OX]

I have good sucess with these www. ebay.com.au/itm/230913495590?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
no driver req'd

Had to strip the above URL down to get to here.

Doesn't mention support for Win7 or 8 though...only earlier versions.

[VK2EM]

Hello Hayden
I bought two of everything because I made two interfaces... one for the IC-706, and one for the FT=8x7 series radios. I have an IC-706, FT-857, and two FT-817's.

Cheers... Bruce

[VK2EM]

Also I bought dongles similar to these...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-2-0-Mic- ... 2c80e011f6

but some time ago when they had 2 LED's in them to indicate each direction of audio. They only have a power LED in them now! They were still less than $2 each!

Cheers... Bruce

[VK7HH]

Also I bought dongles similar to these...

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/USB-2-0-Mic- ... 2c80e011f6

but some time ago when they had 2 LED's in them to indicate each direction of audio. They only have a power LED in them now! They were still less than $2 each!

Cheers... Bruce

I got a couple of these myself, arrived yesterday. Tested with some headphones, the levels are really really loud, and my headphones actually get hot!

I imagine it will be fine though.