Coming up – Mark Wickens M0NOM: The ADIF Processor

Tomorrow, May 5th 2022 at 8pm BST, WARC will host Mark Wickens M0NOM with his presentation The ADIF Processor – A tool for enriching your log files and visualizing contacts in Google Earth

Access information will be available from this website after 6pm BST on May 5th. Please watch out for it!

Here’s the talk abstract:

The ADIF Processor is an online tool I originally developed to help me record additional, useful information in my log files. It metamorphosed into a way of viewing QSOs in Google Earth. Let’s create a log file together and see how QSOs come alive, as well as discovering some of those amazing antennas out there on the way. If anyone has some interesting contacts they’d like to see on the day please email me your ADIF files beforehand: mark@wickensonline.co.uk

D&G Raynet Open Letter to Users of the Cambret Hill Repeater GB3DG

This letter reached us from William 2M0WML, the Group Controller at D&G Raynet. Here is the original PDF document — please double-check it if in doubt about any details regarding the content, since the document was retyped for publication on this website.


From

Dumfries and Galloway Raynet Group

To

Users of the Cambret Hill Repeater

For many years the D&G Raynet Group has provided a repeater at Cambret Hill primarily for use in emergencies but also for the use of radio amateurs in general.

The repeater costs are funded by the activities of the D&G Raynet members — such as offering radio support at local cycle events, car rallies, marathons etc., for which donations are received. The D&G Raynet members also pay an annual membership fee.

Ongoing costs include electricity, insurance, a building to be maintained, equipment to be maintained and replaced as required.

Times are changing. Events have reduced to only 4 this year and on top of that the electricity bill will rise by a significant sum. In addition the membership of D&G Raynet is decliring, as is the number of events to provide donations.

So how do we keep the repeater alive?

If you are a user of the repeater at Cambret you can help in a couple of ways

1: Become a member of D&G Raynet group which will boost the membership fees and also provide a bigger pool of people for any events. Click here for the website, or find contact information information at this direct link.

2: Make a donation to the group, either by sending a cheque payable to Dumfries and Galloway Raynet Group to our Treasurer at this address:

Jane Boan
9 Philip Avenue
Newton Stewart
DG8 6HF

or

by paying directly into our bank account:

Sort code 802260
Account number 19410962
Account name Dumfries and Galloway Raynet Group
Reference: your name

Many thanks in advance

Mid-May (TBA) – Outdoor Meet at Big Water of Fleet Viaduct

This in recently via Wullie and Clive:


Wullie (2M0WUL) and Clive (GM4FZH) are trying to organise an outdoor meet at the Big Water of Fleet Viaduct (nr Gatehouse of Fleet) sometime in the middle two weeks of May (note slight change of weeks). This meet of course is weather dependent which we cannot predict. As we reach May we will look at the weather patterns to try and predict a day.

At the moment this meet will hopefully include a demonstration of the military Clansman radio, a look at home-brew portable radio antennas and putting them up and if time permits a qrp station

Of course don’t forget the picnic lunch which you should bring. Anybody can bring other items along which they would like to demonstrate as well as any items you want to get rid of. There are toilet facilities at the Visitor Centre which is passed a few hundred metres before the viaduct.

Further information will be sent out nearer the date including route details to those interested.

PLEASE: It would be helpful if you could email Wullie or Clive if you are interested.

Talk Recording: Bruce Littlefield – “Paul Godley: Self Made Man”

In December of 1921, the American Radio Relay League conducted a set of tests to see if the “commercially useless” shortwaves and limited power allowed radio amateurs could reach across the Atlantic ocean. For these tests, the ARRL decided to send one of their own members to England to copy any American amateur signals that could be received. That amateur was my grandfather, Paul Godley. My presentation covers early radio development, Paul Godley’s dogged pursuit of a career in wireless communications, why he was chosen for this task, and some of what the test results taught the radio world.

Yesterday evening WARC had the great pleasure of hosting Bruce Littlefield with a presentation about his grandfather: Paul Godley: Self Made Man

We’d like to thank Bruce for his time, it was an excellent presentation! The video recording is now available below.

Paul Godley: Self Made Man – Zoom Meeting Details

As you probably know, Paul Godley was sent over from the USA 100 years ago to conduct the transatlantic tests that opened up the era of short wave radio communication. But why Paul Godley? Who was he? Why was he chosen? And what happened next?

On Thursday April 7th, all those questions will be answered in an open Zoom talk by Godley’s grandson, Bruce Littlefield. The Zoom meeting will be hosted by Wigtownshire ARC and will begin at 20:00 BST (1900 UTC). Everyone is invited, subject to a limit of 100.

Checkin: Thursday April 7th from 19:40 BST.

Please use the following link: access details removed

If you cannot join the meeting, we will be posting a link to the recording a few days afterwards – so bookmark this page.

Talk Recording: Ron Bishop MI0PCW – The Mystery of HF Number Stations

Last Thursday WARC proudly hosted Ron Bishop MI0PCW, representing the RSS Memorial Amateur Radio Society with his talk The Mystery of HF Number Stations — an absolutely fascinating evening!

Please view the full article and find the video recording below.

Here’s the abstract for the talk:

Through the Cold War to the present day, strange disembodied voices have popped up across the radio spectrum reciting long strings of numbers. No country admits any knowledge of them. But they are not nuclear readiness codes or the voices of those lost in the Bermuda Triangle, as some suggest! Hear a mysterious story of radio, ciphers and spies, and of how you too can take part.

Many thanks to Ron for this talk, and to all those who joined us live.

Karl’s Links for Remote Radio

In our meeting last Thursday, Karl demonstrated a couple of remote radio options. He promised to send a few links to make it easier for you to try things for yourself – here they are now, with a few comments from Karl.

Remote Hams: http://download.remotehams.com

Kiwi SDR Map: Click the Kiwi SDR Map button – top left http://kiwisdr.com/public/ Worldwide choices to listen.

Tip: If you are testing new antennas or if you are in a very noisy location and still want to operate, use a SDR somewhere else to listen – or – to listen what you sound like yourself. Very useful tool!

Who is on that shortwave frequency: https://www.short-wave.info (enter frequency and press ‘now’ for the list below)

Great SDR locally: Hack Green: http://hackgreensdr.org:8901

Coming up: Saturday 19th Lunchtime Meet

Back in November 2021 we had plans for a lunchtime meet, but like so many things they were foiled by Covid. Now we decided to go ahead with a new date:

Saturday 19th February 2022, at noon

The location is the Galloway Lodge Coffee Shop in Gatehouse of Fleet. They have a website with details about the cafe, and here is a map image where the highlighted area is the car park directly adjacent to the cafe.

If you intend to join us, a quick message or a comment below will be appreciated, since this helps us gauge interest and keep the cafe people happy.

Hope to see many of you there!

Talk Recording: Roy Lewallen W7EL – The Story of EZNEC

Yesterday, WARC proudly hosted Roy Lewallen W7EL, with his presentation The Story of EZNEC – From Beginning to End. In case you missed it, please find the recording below.

This is what the talk was about:

EZNEC is probably the world’s most popular antenna modelling software, widely used in ARRL publications, and on his retirement the developer Roy Lewallen is making it free to all amateurs. As well as talking about the software itself, Roy will be telling a personal story about operating a one-man business in the ‘shark tank’ of corporate America.

Thanks to all those who attended the presentation live, and of course to Roy for all his work on EZNEC and for presenting his story to us.

Adventures in DXing – Feb 2022 – Karl Zuk N2KZ

Signals From Space

Merry Christmas from above! What an interesting present we received. A vision came from on high. Slow Scan TeleVision (SSTV) pictures were sent continually from the International Space Station from December 26 to December 31, 2021 using PD120 format transmitted via 2 meter FM on 145.800 MHz.

The International Space Station (ISS) pictured against Earth’s horizon. [NASA]

The International Space Station (ISS) pictured against Earth’s horizon. [NASA]

If you were in range of their signals it was hard not to receive them! When was the last time you received 2 meter FM from over 250 miles away traveling at
17,000 miles per hour? It was quite an adventure!

Comet dual band vertical at WA2MCR

Comet dual band vertical at WA2MCR

Several PCARA members downlinked wonderful pictures using the latest MMSSTV software version known as YONIQ. (Free downloads with detailed instructions are available here — Microsoft Windows only). Eagerly awaiting new images from space were Joe WA2MCR, Mike N2EAB, Malcolm NM9J, Rob AC2CT and myself. We learned so much about ISS reception techniques together. The collaboration was brilliant.

Joe was the master of clean images using an Icom IC-7000 with a Comet 2m/70cm antenna raised to roof level. Joe’s results were top notch resolving several near-perfect frames. Joe proved an important lesson: Maximize ISS reception by using an omni-directional antenna free and clear from obstructions, high in the air!

Unless you have a sophisticated tracking system to follow the ISS as it passes, omni-directional antennas will provide the best results. They tend to be more resilient to deep fades and hold the ISS signal for much longer periods of time. My very first ISS attempt was with my 4 element 2m Yagi. The Yagi’s pickup nose was too narrow to hold and sustain receiving the ISS signal. A simple vertical omni antenna is a much better choice.

Mike N2EAB used a homebrew 2m ¼-wave ground plane indoor antenna connected to a Heathkit VF-7401 2m transceiver feeding audio to a HP desktop PC sound card via an audio patch cable. As you’ll see, his ideas really helped our mission.

Malcolm used a Yaesu FT-991A multimode transceiver connected to a Diamond X-200 dual band vertical collinear mounted on his chimney. “The FT-991A has a continuous spectrum display — which allowed me to retune slightly off 145.800 to compensate for ISS Doppler shift.”

Abbree 42.5'' foldable tactical antenna

Abbree 42.5″ foldable tactical antenna

Rob concocted a novel approach: “I was using a Yaesu FT-3DR (compact digital HT) with an Abbree 42.5-inch antenna, at 5:40 this morning. Indoors by a window with a clear line of sight facing west. I recorded the incoming audio data to a miniSD card, converted the .wav to a .mmv file using Audacity, then used YONIQ to decode. My first SSTV!” It was worth the effort. Rob acquired some beautiful pictures.

My approach echoed my QRP CW reputation. My motto: “Use the very least to get the very most!” My receiver was a beloved Uniden Bearcat BC-350A scanner I bought on sale as a store demo unit for $13 about 25 years ago. I spared no expense for my Earth station’s antenna: A 38 inch tall Larsen mag-mount received as a gift during a visit to the WEPN 1050 transmitter site back when. I placed it out on my porch deck on top of a barbecue grill that became the antenna’s ground plane. I enjoyed consistent predictable reception over and over again all week long.

Ubiden BC-350A scanner tuned to 145.800 MHz FM. [N2KZ pics.]

Ubiden BC-350A scanner tuned to 145.800 MHz FM. [N2KZ pics.]

A Learning Experience

We learned many useful and revelatory lessons during the week. One great discovery made all the difference in our results. I had been relying on a NASA site called Spot the Station for alerts telling me when the ISS would be overhead. You can instantly view an up-to-date list of ISS passage times around the world and even sign up for message alerts to be sent to your smartphone. It never failed to inform flawlessly.

NASA’s name for the site should have given me a clue regarding Spot the Station’s purpose. The listings and alerts were meant for Space Station fans who want to see the ISS pass over their house. The opportunities multiply wildly when you are trying to receive radio signals from the ISS. We collectively found that you could snag pictures from multiple passes before and after the suggested Spot the Station time.

This idea matured into a newfound strategy: The Lazy Man’s Method of receiving ISS SSTV images! We brought this idea to complete fruition. One night, Mike simply left his Earth station equipment on and ready and waited for results. While he was sound asleep, he picked up a formidable frame or two during a pass at 3:15 A.M.

We all resolved to adopt his approach immediately. The number of pictures coming in became almost relentless. After up to six viable passes every day you could easily catch a dozen or more frames automatically. Leave your equipment on for the entire duration of the event. You won’t miss a thing! It reminded me of operating an FT-8 station. Sit back, relax and watch the DX find you.

Many More Tips

Why don’t you join us for the next ISS SSTV event (to be announced) coming in 2022? Start with downloading MMSSTV YONIQ software. Audio hook-up is easy. Connect the audio output of any receiver to your computer’s soundcard line-in audio input (look for the jack marked with the microphone icon.)

Two-way splitter for 3.5mm mini-jacks can be used on computer’s audio input

Two-way splitter for 3.5mm mini-jacks can be used on computer’s audio input

There is a catch to this. Most computer’s soundcard interfaces do not allow full simultaneous in-out capability. When you plug in the receiver audio into your computer… how do you hear it? I found a clever solution: Use a mini stereo plug two-way adaptor. It now becomes a splitter-combiner. Plug your receiver’s output into one of the adaptor’s female jacks and plug a pair of earpads into the other hole. Then plug the adaptor’s male end into your computer. Now the audio finds its way to your ears and your computer simultaneously. You are all set to monitor your audio!

When the ISS is about to pass by you will begin to hear the picture data warble out of the static. Please leave the YONIQ RX mode in Auto mode to receive pictures and also click the Auto history box below the incoming video screen. Now your good pictures will automatically store into the C:\Ham\MMSSTV\History folder on your computer. Up to 32 pictures (default) or 256 (max) will always be waiting for you there. No effort necessary!

Make sure ‘Auto history’ (arrowed) is checked and ‘RX Mode’ is set to Auto while on the YONIQ ‘RX’ tab.. [Colors inverted for clarity]

Make sure ‘Auto history’ (arrowed) is checked and ‘RX Mode’ is set to Auto while on the YONIQ ‘RX’ tab.. [Colors inverted for clarity].

YONIQ software is well-developed and clever. Only the frames with useful content will be stored in History. If you have too much noise and static in your picture the software will disregard it. It doesn’t get more automatic than that!

One last tweak: In YONIQ, go to the Option tab, then Setup MMSSTV, then Misc. In the lower right, make sure to press ‘English.’ It will make a lot more sense that way!

For more information about everything MMSSTV in a PDF format click here.

The YONIQ Story

YONIQ decoding software is quite a story in itself. The original program is called MMSSTV named after its creator Makoto Mori, JE3HHT from Osaka, Japan. Today’s revised version called YONIQ was developed by Eugenio Fernández EA1IMW and volunteer members of Grupo Radio Galena of Principality of Asturias, a region of northwest Spain. The result is a mature product that is a joy to use. As a free download, it is a blessing and a gift! Yes, they really did think of everything!

FT-991A rear panel has a male DB-9 connector (arrow 1) for serial CAT connection as well as a USB Type B connector for both CAT and USB audio

FT-991A rear panel has a male DB-9 connector (arrow 1) for serial CAT connection as well as a USB Type B connector for both CAT and USB audio.

YONIQ was originally composed in Spanish. Detailed instructions will aid you through installation and translate the entire program into English. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to have all your questions answered. You could spend a lot of time experimenting with all its intuitive features! Besides picture handling, there are hooks for logging, automatic SSTV protocol assessment, sophisticated signal displays and CAT (Computer Aided Transceiver) control. You can even record the raw audio data of incoming signals for future processing after initial arrival.

Malcolm, NM9J, explained the capabilities of CAT control: “My FT-991A can carry out CAT commands using its DB-9 (serial) connector on the rear panel or using a virtual COM port over the USB cable connection. The FT-991A has a built-in soundcard, so that same USB cable is also carrying digital RX audio from transceiver soundcard to computer for processing, and carrying digital transmit audio to the soundcard built into the transceiver on transmit.”

“You can change band, mode and bandwidth from the computer console — and see transceiver parameters such as frequency, LSB, USB etc. displayed on your computer screen. Transmit/receive switching is also available usingCAT computer commands. Some software can complete your computer log entry based on the frequency, start, stop time, call sign of station worked etc. YONIQ/MMSSTV can switch the TX on when a picture is about to be transmitted then switch the transmitter off when the image transmission is completed.”

Follow the Map

Want to know exactly where the International Space Station is right now, where it has been and where it will go in the next pass? Go to the European Space Agency’s indispensable ISS map. Switch to Imperial mode in the bottom right hand corner to convert to measurements you may better understand.

European Space Agency map shows current location of the International Space Station, with latitude, longitude, altitude and speed at bottom left.

European Space Agency map shows current location of the International Space Station, with latitude, longitude, altitude and speed at bottom left.

Each ISS orbit takes about 90 minutes. The green circle around the ISS icon on the map shows where the Space Station’s communications coverage area is reaching at any given moment. Very important: Expect the ISS SSTV carrier to go off the air between images! This is normal. Keep listening and don’t give up when you
hear the carrier drop. It will be back automatically in just a minute or two with another image.

Twelfth picture of series 19 transmitted from the International Space Station in December 2021

Twelfth picture of series 19 transmitted from the International Space Station in December 2021.
Rob, AD2CT’s ARISS SSTV Award

Rob, AD2CT’s ARISS SSTV Award

Our group quickly understood a grand challenge! This ARISS/TV event transmitted a loop of 12 pictures to be sent in order to Earth by the resident Russian cosmonaut team. Look carefully at the sample picture we received. You might wonder what серия (seriya) means in Russian. It translates to English as “series” — we were receiving frames from the series 19 collection of 12 frames.

I suddenly found myself in the same mindset as my childhood pursuit completing sets of baseball cards! I made a list of all the frames I had successfully pulled in. I received some images over and over again. Some images were really elusive! At one point, I put out a public plea: “Hey, guys! I need frames 3, 4, 6 and 11!” I eventually caught them all. Pokémon!

Rob, AC2CT, took collecting to the next step. He applied for a commemorative certificate for his accomplishment and was awarded with a custom memento bearing his name and call sign from the Russian cosmonaut team. Well done!

The ISS amateur radio antennae seem to be mounted in the rear of the spacecraft. As the ISS icon on the ESA map passes your location, the signal will peak for earthlings down below. The best pictures seem to appear when the ISS icon on the ESA map appears to be just barely leaving your location — and — just north of your location. Is this a hint to where the transmitting antenna is located on the ISS spacecraft?

Clever Flexible Antennas

Shannon Walker KD5DXB uses the Kenwood transceiver with Soichi Noguchi KD5TVP during a recent ARISS amateur radio session with Hisagi Junior High School, Zushi, Japan. [NASA]

Shannon Walker KD5DXB uses the Kenwood transceiver with Soichi Noguchi KD5TVP during a recent ARISS amateur radio session with Hisagi Junior High School, Zushi, Japan. [NASA]

Malcolm, NM9J, searched the Internet and found remarkable details about the amateur radio transmission equipment onboard the ISS. At the heart of their station are Kenwood VHF/UHF FM Dual Bander Data Communicator TM-D700A/E and TM-D710-GA transceivers perfectly designed for use aboard the ISS. Complete details of these sophisticated units here.

Furled antenna for use on ISS is made of flexible metal tape coated in Kapton® polyimide film [ESA]

Furled antenna for use on ISS is made of flexible metal tape coated in Kapton® polyimide film. [ESA]

A highly illustrated tour of the ISS antenna system can be found [here](http://www
.marexmg.org/hardware/antennas.html). According to this site: “The orange/black antenna strips are very flexible and will not cut or poke the astronauts’ space suits. The metal portion of the antennas is similar to a metal tape measure and will bend back to its original shape. The metal portion was then covered with a protective plastic material to prevent sharp edges.” You will marvel at this design. It reminds me of the tape measure Yagis that are used during PCARA fox hunts!

The ISS Fan Club site provided further detail: “A set of four antenna systems are deployed in the ISS Service Module supporting the current installation of the Kenwood D700 and D710 radios. Each of the four antennas can support amateur radio operations on multiple frequencies and allow for simultaneous automatic and crew-tended operations. Having four antennas also ensures that ham radio operations can continue aboard the station should one or more of the antennas fail. Three of the four antennas are identical and each can support both transmit and receive operations on 2 meter, 70 cm, L band and S band. They also support reception for the station’s Russian Glisser TV system, which is used during spacewalks. The fourth antenna has a 2.5-meter (8 foot) long vertical whip that can be used to support High Frequency (HF) operations, particularly on 10 meters.”

“Two antennas are installed in the Columbus module, currently serving the Ericsson radios deployed there. Frequencies available for transmission to and from Columbus are 2 meters, 70 centimeters, L-band and S-band. These antennas will also support the Ham TV DATV transmitter.” Now that we have piqued your interest… watch this
simply amazing video
.

Strange DX Skip?

Some very brief bursts of specifically PD120 data have been seen when the ISS is far away from our area. On a couple of occasions, I captured PD120 data as the spacecraft was just beginning to fly over Japan. Maybe this is some sort of skip? Was it coincidence? Does the ISS signal bounce off the surface of the Earth and then propagate like a terrestrial VHF signal? Another mystery to be solved.

Inspirational Antenna Project

Turnstile antenna for circular polarization

Turnstile antenna for circular polarization

There is so much ISS mind candy to be found on the Internet! The ARRL website offers an easy-to-build crossed antenna array specifically for receiving signals from the ISS. “The turnstile is basically two, two element Yagi antennas that are pointed perpendicular to the ground (pointed up), the two antennas are mounted perpendicular to each other (in a cross configuration) and electrically phased to create a circularly polarized antenna pattern that mitigates signal fading due to polarization shifts that occur as the signals from space traverse through the ionosphere and reflect off of surfaces surrounding the immediate antenna environment.”

I know what my next project might be! Detailed plans can be found here.

A Final Eye-ball QSO

The week-long SSTV event transmissions ceased just after noontime on Friday, December 31st. We were sad to see it end.

While our memories were still fresh, The International Space Station returned to bid us a fond farewell! Just as dawn was beginning to break in the east on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, the ISS made a perfect pass, high in the sky, from 6:29 to 6:35 A.M. The spacecraft appeared like a bright cylinder to my eyes at 14 degrees above northwest and flew across the sky — reaching as high as 89° above (right overhead) — and then gracefully speeded away leaving at 10° above the southeast into the beauty of the red/orange new dawn. The Space Station caught the morning light, sparkling with glimmer — perfectly centered in the sky and gracefully streaked away until it was out of sight. What a fitting ‘goodbye!’

Dawn breaks as the ISS departs from Karl’s location

Dawn breaks as the ISS departs from Karl’s location

Daily SSTV Transmissions… on 20m HF!

Can’t wait for the next ISS SSTV event? You canfind Earthbound amateur radio operators sending SSTV pictures daily (especially during daylight hours) on 20 meter USB. Look for them on 14.230 and 14.233 MHz. Hookup your computer to the audio of your HF receiver, begin YONIQ on your computer and then sit back and wait for results! All sorts of call signs and entertaining graphics will be coming your way!

Sample SSTV image as received on 20 meters

Sample SSTV image as received on 20 meters

More to Learn and Discover

Still to be discovered: I understand positioning data from the ISS is transmitted on 145.825 MHz and this is sometimes used as a live test signal for amateurs to intercept while honing and tweaking their receiving stations. Comprehensive details about various ISS data transmissions can be found here and here. Software specifically written for resolving packet datafrom the ISS can be found here.

Get the very latest news regarding future ISS events via the ARISS blog. See the definitive collection of stunning image captures from above and please don’t miss the fascinating ISS Fan Club page.

So Major Tom… are you ready to be a Rocket Man? Keep your eyes to the skies! My congratulations to all who participated! What a grand collaborative experience! See you next month!

73 es dit dit de N2KZ “The Old Goat.”