Hi Clayton,
I think this is really an interesting thing to try and achieve. I am not on the air much now due to a shack/antenna/life reorganization but when i was it was always an exercise in patience to wait for a grabber to pick my signals up. Hans and i have sold well over 400 beacon kits now and I often wonder how many people built them only to give up when they had no "grabs"....someone once said that QRSS is a bit like fly fishing...it takes a lot of skill and patience but ?once you get a DX grab its all very worth while....
73s Steve
On 7 June 2011 12:21, Clayton G
<clayton@...> wrote:
?
Hello Knights!
?
I didn't get much response to my email last month,
but I'll try another tact before giving up.
?
For a while I've had an idea of developing a server
system with remote 'thin' receivers around the world. These receivers would send
in their sample data of a narrow QRSS band to the server, which would then
generate a worldwide view of the signals being grabbed. Data could also be
logged and overlays generated etc etc - it is kind of like the WSPR net but for
visual MEPTs. At minimum it would allow for a worldwide instant display of
activity with the ability to roll back in time.
?
Anyway I implemented the 'thin' receiver for a
design contest, and got among the winners. Subsequently the magazine (Circuit
Cellar) has asked if I'd like to turn my project into a published article. As
I'd get paid for this, it could be a source of seed funds to make the QRSS
network a reality.
?
The real question though is do the Knights think
such a network is of value, or do you find the aggregators and ad-hock grabbers
sufficient? Personally I found it inadequate when I was running my MEPT, but
this is in part due to the solar power and low duty cycle of my MEPT - I had to
watch at just the right time to see it.
?
The other benefit of the network is the ability to
expand the grabber base. As the receivers will be cheap (I think the component
cost can be as little as $50) and not require a PC or anything (only a power
source, antenna and internet connection) more operators should be able to
install them.
?
What do you think???
?
Clayton
VK1TKA/ZL3TKA
?
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 10:52
AM
Subject: QRSS grabber receiver &
server project
I recently entered a design project with a QRSS application. I
was luck to get amount the winners with my entry. See:
The project was a small (and hence cheap) receiver (a SDR) and DSP
processor + ethernet interface. The idea is that with these receivers doted
around the world sending their small bandwidth of sample data to a central
server we could get a central webpage to a worldwide network of grabber
receivers (much like the WSPR network manages the WSPR spots). My project was
the receiver end of the project only - the server itself was beyond the scope.
The receiver used a cheap GPS module to calibrate its
internal?oscillator?and hence obtain frequency accuracy (with the
central server doing the necessary calculations and managing this).
The hope was to be able to build the receiver for < $100, with the
only need beyond that being the power supply, antenna, and ethernet connection
(ie no radio or computer required). I got the basics working, but there is
still plenty of scope to improve the receiver (such as reduction of the amount
of data transferred - currently it would use about 3.5GB/month), sort out the
receiver design PCB etc, and to get the server operating to accept the data
and manage the receivers.
Anyway, the details are in the entry documents on the website above. I
would love this project to move beyond just this contest entry. Is anyone
interested in being part of such a project. The main need at present is
someone to take on the server side, and a suitable place to host it; although
receiver work is also required. Anyone interested? I'm a bit tied up with
other project at present, but can do some more work on the receiver.
Regards
Clayton
VK1TKA/ZL3TKA
--
It is vain to do with more that which can be done with less.
