Re: [IRCA] Morning TP Methodology?

[Guy Atkins <dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Nick,

As you mention further down in your thoughtful response, indeed, live
listening isn't really my thing. Maybe in retirement, when I don't have a
commute up to two hours each way, live listening will be possible-- and
fun-- again  :^)

Ultimately I'd like to get very comfortable with the Data Analyzer in
SDR-Console, as it's a good visual way to check for activity over time. It
is similar to the Tractor feature in the Jaguar software that I used when I
still DXed with a Perseus receiver.

With my ultrawide format monitor and a 17-inch laptop screen running,
closely spaced waterfall lines aren't as much of a problem as they used to
be. I agree that your DXfishbarrel presents pertinent information with as
little distraction as possible... it's winner and a unique tool!

Our locations are approx. 105 miles apart, so I could conceivably make
regular use of your DXfishbarrel. Didn't you used to have a version of this
running on the DR-333 receiver back in the day?

73, Guy


On Sat, Sep 22, 2018 at 7:59 PM, Nick Hall-Patch <nhp@xxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Thanks Guy.   I agree that this is a very effective method for top of the
> hour ID searches.   However, here I'm reviewing up to 90 minutes of files
> every day, and SDR technology is capable of more than clicking on  a
> playback bar when reviewing potential DX over that much time.
>
> I mentioned the DXFishbarrel, which uses an older SDR, and which can be
> recorded as a video from screen.  An initial analysis of conditions
> changing over 90 minutes can take very little time.   See
> http://www3.telus.net/public/shallpat/4all/FBarrelSept2018.avi for a
> minute long analysis of this morning. (yellow, orange and red on the color
> bars indicate signals with audio) The Japanese big guns are there of
> course, but at 13:37UT, 1422 pops up for less than a minute in the original
> recording with a woman in Japanese at good level:
> http://www3.telus.net/public/shallpat/4all/1422_20180922_1337.wav And
> then, for a quick fade up and down for 30 seconds or so, check out 1701kHz
> at 13:44UT http://www3.telus.net/public/shallpat/4all/1701_20180922_134
> 4.wav (Brisvaani judging by the 30Hz offset?)
>
> Those were found with that minute long scan of signals over the entire
> band, and of course there is much more, but both of those were unusual, so
> caught my eye.   So, SDR's could do this, and if anyone knows of software
> that performs similarly, please let us know.   I'm not a programmer, and
> I'd be happy to hear of someone who is, that can deliver a worthwhile
> product, as I've heard that this one doesn't quite cut it.
>
> This was initially developed for assisting live listening with the R8,
> nearly 10 years ago when SDRs covered only 190kHz or so of bandwidth, but,
> even in those days, the SDR-14 had a spectrum analysis function for up to
> 30MHz bandwidth.  There's an IRCA reprint from that time describing the
> details
>
> If live listening isn't your thing, then my system won't be much use to
> you, unless you operate and record your own copy for later playback.   But
> seeing that it writes to the web (http://www3.telus.net/public/
> shallpat/test/display.htm), it's a fairly good initial indicator for
> anyone in a 100 mile radius of here, that maybe you should (or should not?)
> be using the radio, and it is easier on the eyes than peering at over 1MHz
> worth of closely spaced lines on a screen, especially on a phone-sized
> screen, which is what I tend to use to check what is happening on the
> radio.  And once you are warned, and are live listening, its display of a
> suddenly fading up 1422kHz signal (such as this morning) will catch the eye
> far faster than one of those closely spaced lines on a normal SDR
> waterfall.  And, yes, SDR has been used for live listening here  for over
> five years, while recording at the same time....no, not a Perseus,
>
> Admittedly, my interest is more in propagation peculiarities than in
> logging new ones, though I've certainly never turned down the new or
> unusual ones that have turned up during these searches.
>
> best wishes,
>
> Nick
>
>
>
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