Clayton
VK1TKA/ZL3TKA
I too have proposed new things for QRSS, only to find a strong view
that
"we don't do it that way" which resists change and new ideas.
Your idea does have merit, and some spin-off capabilities that could
be
used to further enhance the ability and usefulness of QRSS as a
serious
communication mode.
At risk of sounding like one of the nay-sayers, here are my thoughts
regarding
your proposed system:
- Go ahead and do it, even if the Luddites don't want to
participate.
If it catches on they will come around, and probably claim that
they
invented it.
- Receivers can be constructed for very much less than your
figure.
An SA612 IC costs less than USD $3.00 from Chinese sources.
A single 2N2222A following the SA612 gives AF levels sufficient
for driving the PC audio input.? Crystals for QRSS frequencies
can
be either cheap or expensive, depending on which QRSS band is
being received.
- It will be difficult to determine which band the centralized
signal is
coming from unless the source ID includes band information.?
- It will be difficult to know which grid square the centralized
signals
are coming from unless the source ID includes location
information.
- Some sort of coverage plan, or at least a coverage map may be
be required to make most effective use of the system.
- Aggregated data should probably be available in both visual
(web
page map), and in raw data formats so that others can use your
server
output for further automated processing.
- What is in it for those who will be installing receivers and
the thin-
client access to to Internet?? What would be the motivation for
many
to participate with getting and maintaining their facilities to
provide
data to your system?
- Who would be the target clients of your system and it's data??
Why
would they be interested in it?
- I'm guessing that the central server would be receiving audio
(VoIP...?)
information from simple QRSS receivers, and would need to
process
this audio from many different sources.? That seems like it
would
require a dedicated sound card based ADC processor for each
input
signal.? That is a lot of sound cards for one computer unless
some
method can be designed to multiplex AF signal processing.? Have
you
worked out a method for doing this?
- The amount of equipment for the central aggregation and
processing
system may become significant.? How would you pay for this, and
who
would install and maintain it?? This brings to mind ideas about
using
"cloud computing" methods to distribute the processing and data
management, but software for that has not yet been written...are
you going to do it??? Hmmm...maybe we need to just add a
downstream
data link for existing QRSS reception software so that ARGO
and/or
Spectran could send received signal info to your centralized (or
distributed)
QRSS aggregation system?
- Maybe the best approach if you are really interested in making
it happen
would be to go ahead on your own and build it, with the
assumption that
"if it gets built, they clients will use it".? I'm not wholly
convinced that this
is a good assumption, but there is one way to really try the
concept...build
the system and see if anybody wants to play in your sandbox.
As mentioned earlier, I too have discussed with others the
possibility of doing
more with QRSS, only to run into a wall of indifference, criticism,
and resistance
to change.
About a year ago I built a rudimentary QRSS receiver and put it on
the Internet
via my own local QRSS viewer and web server:
???? ??? .
To say that nobody was/is interested would be a significant
understatement.?
Today the aggregation of QRSS servers known as the QRSS Compendium
??? ???
is dominated by a few long-time participants who apparently have
large
antenna installations and excellent receiving systems.? Those with
lesser systems
or less time in the group are not even mentioned in the Compendium.?
Because
of this apparent good-old-boys-club aspect of QRSS activity, your
proposal might
potentially be seen as competing with, and disruptive to, their well
established
system.
My suggestion is to go forward with your idea, even if you don't get
volunteers
who are begging to help build it and want to become participants in
the result.
If you make announcements here as certain parts of your system
become
available for general use, some of us will try it.? We might even
like it.?
:-)
73's
Arv K7HKL
_._
On 06/07/2011 05:21 AM, Clayton G wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
?
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
