YouTube videos of this weekend’s digital text via shortwave broadcast
See below for some YouTube videos of this weekend’s digital text via analog shortwave broadcast received at my QTH in Herndon, VA. Each includes audio, the Fldigi printout, and the Flex-3000 SDR spectrum display.
Entire VOA Radiogram, 31 March 2013, 1300-1330, 6095 kHz:
Entire VOA Radiogram, 31 March 2013, 0230-0300, 5745 kHz:
The Mighty KBC, 31 March 2013, 0133 UTC, 7375 kHz, MFSK128 test:
The Mighty KBC, 31 March 2013, 0133 UTC, 7375 kHz, MFSK 64 test:
PCJ Radio International, via WRMI Radio Miami International, 31 March 2013, 0227 UTC, 9955 Khz, digital text test using MFSK32:
Flex-3000 and DRM Radio
Using the Flex-3000 and the DRM decoding software I was able to listen to “The Disco Palace”. They broadcast for 1hr a day from 20:00 – 21:00 UTC on 17.875 MHz
Late snow in March!
VOA Radiogram Reception Report from Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Here is my first attempt at receiving the digital transmissons from VOA Radiogram. As you can see PSK125R was very reliable but as the speeds went up I really started to take a lot of hits.
Screenshot for PSK125R
Screenshot for PSK250R
I took a couple of hits on the flmsg but it was perfectly readable:
..and here is the image sent using MFSK32
The entire log file for the transmission:
Before RSID: <<2013-03-24T02:35Z BPSK-31 @ 5745000+1500>>
Could this be the last snow for the year? Don’t count on it.
The Capital Weather Gang are continuing to track a storm that may produce some late season snow on Sunday night into Monday morning.
Official launch of VOA Radiogram: teaching old shortwave transmitters new tricks.
VOA Radiogram for March 23/24 will be similar to the past weekend’s “soft launch” in that it features the PSK modes. Much of Kim’s script will be the same. In this weekend’s broadcast, however, only one mode at a time will be transmitted. This should improve the signal-to-noise ratio and ability to decode each mode.
Each will be centered on 1500 Hz:
- BPSK31 (1:00)
- PSK63F (1:00)
- BPSK63 (1:00)
- PSKR125 (1:00)
- PSKR250 (1:00)
- PSKR500 (1:00)
- PSKR1000 (1:00)
- PSKR125 (3:45) Plain text
- PSKR250 (2:40) Flmsg* formatted (with html)
- MFSK32 (0:55) Image
*Install Flmsg. Then, in Fldigi: Configure > Misc > NBEMS > under Reception of flmsg files click Open with flmsg and Open in browser, and below that state where your Flmsg file is located.
If decoding performance is still not satisfactory, VOA Radiogram in future weekends will feature more robust modes, such as MFSK, MT63, and Olivia.
See VOA Radiogram: how to decode the modes.
VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC)
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.
Please send reception reports, audio samples, screenshots, etc., to radiogram@voanews.com
Latest NWS Snow Fall Predictions
Hurricane Isaac
Ways to monitor amateur radio stations during Hurricane Isaac:
HF Phone
Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz USB see www.hwn.org
NBEMS
Primary: 14.065 MHz(1000 Hz center) USB
Backups: 7.065 MHz USB and 3.565 MHz USB
D-STAR
www.dstarinfo.com/repeater-maps.aspx choose USA Southeast region.
If you are unsure how to program your D-STAR radio to connect visit www.dstarinfo.com/dstar-web-calculator.aspx
EchoLink
*WX_TALK* ONLY USE THIS NODE IF YOU ARE IN THE IMPACTED AREAS, need to preserve bandwidth for emergency traffic only.
*VKEMCOMM* If you are outside of the impacted areas or want to just monitor
For additional VOIP nodes visit http://www.voipwx.net/
Reston Bike Club Century Ride
Although I had registered for the Reston Bike Club (RCB) Century ride this year I’ve decided to volunteer my time to helping out with the amateur radio communications. This year I will be in SAG vehicle #4 so follow me around the course.