FreeDV on Thursday!!

[VK2DUX]

Due to an overwhelming number of requests, the FreeDV test hour will now be held every Thursday evening at 6pm EST, on 7.1770 mhz lsb. All stations welcome. Join us to see what we can achieve with digital audio.
john de vk2dux

[VK2DUX]

To VK2EIK thanks for the report. Good to hear that someone was listening.

john vk2dux

[VK2EIK]

Was a bit slow getting the xmit audio going. Vk2dux was decoding well here. Will try again next Thursday.
73s
VK2eik

[VK5GR]

Sounds like a great idea to boost FreeDV interest in VK! It will be great to see how many stations participate! (Unfortunately it is too early for this poor pleb that has to work on a week night (5.30pm ACST I'm still stuck in traffic)).

Also don't forget you can listen in and call back to the WIA FreeDV Broadcast emanating from VK5ARG at 2330UTC (9.00am ACST) Sunday mornings also on 7177kHz. I will be doing the relay again this week. Last time we had 8 callback stations and 3 SWL reports. We also have IRC Chat running during the broadcast and callback on the freenode "FreeDV" IRC channel.

Signal reports for the FreeDV Broadcast can also be left on the AREG Website: http://www.areg.org.au/activities-old/h ... ice/2341-2

Have fun with FreeDV!

de Grant VK5GR

[VK2DUX]

Thanks Grant VK5GR for you comments. We do actually have some interest among vl logger members. Hopefully over time our thursday night sked will grow.
de john vk2dux

[VK2DUX]

For those interested, the FreeDV sked will be on again this Thursday night at 6pm on 7.1770 lsb. I will call cq after 6pm. Always interested to receive any reports.
de john vk2dux

[VK2DUX]

A big thank you to all the stations who were on our FreeDV sked tonight. I had qso's with VK3BBB Brian and VK3RV/5 Peter. I also saw several other stations as well on the waterfall. but alas not quite able to decode at my end. I am finding the linux version of FreeDV 1.1 hears better than the Mac version.

cheers de john vk2dux

[VK2BLS]

Hi John,

Peter vk3rv/5 port @ Murray Bridge was very clear tonight -(rx only).
Still playing with tx levels and could not get back to him.
No luck with other vk2 stations on rx either.
Tinkered with FreeDV a bit before, but lack of stations to test & interest faded.
Have reinstalled s/w and looking forward to opportunity to setup & test levels etc. on Thursdays now.

Well done guys

73 Darrell vk2bls

[VK2DUX]

Good one Darrell VK2BLS. Yes I know the frustration you feel in finding stations to test with on FreeDV, but it is such a good mode for a qso, albeit a bit tricky to setup and tune. I use a signalink and find it performs very well on most digital modes. What soundcard/interface are you using?
de john vk2dux

[VK2BLS]

John,
Also using a signalink. Win7 to FT847. Rx from Peter vk3rv/5 was mostly solid, best I've heard on this mode so far.
I think conditions not so good last night to the other stations. Will keep tinkering with settings, now that there is some activity around.

Cheers,
Darrell vk2bls

[VK2XTC]

John (VK2DUX),

I missed last night , didn't get home earlier enough from work
I'm setup with what sounds like a similar environment (Signalink and Mac).
I did some testing on Sunday before the broadcast but could not get a response.

What other frequencies are in use other than 7.177MHz And can you confirm LSB ? Don't you mean USB , as with other data modes?


(I'm interested in what other Ham software you run on the Mac. And if you've worked out how to band an app to a logical interface?)


Brian

VK2XTC

[VK2DUX]

To Brian VK2XTC

Hi Brian, I will try to answer your questions. 7.1770 lsb (yes it really is lsb) at 6pm each thursday evening. Use the iChat facility on VK Logger as well if you like, I do. I use FreeDV and FlDigi on my mac, linux (ubuntu) and windows 10 (I dont admit to that one often LOL). It is almost near impossible to find anyone to conduct a FreeDv qso with, that is why I started the thursday night sked. There is a website called http://qso.freedv.org/ , just log in using your callsign and you will see the list of freedv frequencies across the bands. Sadly very few stations use that website. Re the sunday freedv broadcast from VK5, I am yet to hear it so far, have tried on a number of occasions. Looking forward to seeing you next thursday.

de john vk2dux

[VK2DUX]

I said previously the not many stations frequent the FreeDV QSO finder http://qso.freedv.org/ website. Well I managed to have two qso's this weekend via that site, so maybe worth a look after all.

cheers de john vk2dux

[VK2DUX]

For those interested, the FreeDV sked will be on again this Thursday night at 6pm on 7.1770 lsb. I will call cq after 6pm. Always interested to receive any reports.
de john vk2dux

[VK5RM]

Hi All,

I will try and make it tonight also on FreeDV.

Phil vk5rm

[VK2BLS]

I was sitting on 7.177 lsb waiting for Freedv session at 6 pm and wow, the vk3chn beacon announcements came through nicely.

[VK2DUX]

A big thank you to everyone who participated this evening. Conditions sadly were against us but I still managed a few qso's.

I think VK3RV Peter can tell us more about that FreeDV beacon. Wonder if he is using a Pi to run it?

john vk2dux

[VK5RM]

Free Dv Thursday 6pm Est

Conditions weren,t that good but did manage to have some decent Qso,s with vk3rv vk5apr vk2iuw and heard vk2dux at times and a thumping
signal from the vk3chn repeater that I heard only once.

Two stations which i could not get were a vkdi? and a vk5??

Anyway it was fun and hopefully I will be about next week.

If anyone is interested you can get your Olivia 32/1000k fix most days of the week on 14106.5Khz Usb starting around 5pm EST.

Often vk4phd vk5rm and vk7ma and if propagation a few EU stations

73 de Phil vk5rm

[VK2DUX]

Well it is thursday and you know what that means? Another hour of FreeDV testing on 1600 mode from 6pm EST on 7.1770 Mhz lsb . Come and join the fun and frustration LOL!!
de john vk2dux

[VK7BEN]

I had hoped to make it tonight, but it seems unlikely now as a result of the storms we had overnight changing some of my plans. I'll advertise on the club Facebook page though (https://www.facebook.com/reasttas/ for those interested).

I know that there's at least 4 VK7s who have been trying to get involved - Myself, Tom VK7NTK, Clayton VK7ZCR and Richard VK7RO. Richard has a slight issue with his USB audio device so may not make it, and am not sure on the status of Tom or Clayton right now Hopefully they are on the forum and can provide an update.

Unless things change drastically, I'll catch you all next week!

Cheers
Ben