Utah Traffic Net Recordings

Efforts to automate the W7YV shack operations are continuing. The latest addition to the shack is the automatic recording of several traffics nets that are routinely visited here at W7YV.

These recordings my be of general interest but, more importantly, may be of use to those taking traffic on these nets as a means to verify what they thought they copied.

Using a computer running Ubuntu Linux, a "cron job" has been setup to start an "arecord" session at the times of various traffic nets.

This is an experiment and might go away. If it does, well, fine then. Until that happens, check out this link: http://63.226.66.243:8080/nets . At present, files are kept for one week.

This link is shown at the top of the HF Nets section on the right side of this blog.

Implementation

The setup here at W7YV includes a PC running Linux Ubuntu 11.10. The PC is interfaced to an ICOM IC-756PRO.

At present, the process is mostly manual in that the operator has to be present to setup equipment. The expectation is that much of this will be automated in the coming months. If the operator is present to monitor or call the net, the recordings will probably happen. If not, probably not.

The Linux program "arecord" is used to capture the audio and the Linux program "lame" is used to convert the captured WAV format to MP3.

A bash script is launched by a "cron job" at the beginning of the nets and runs for a fixed time interval. These time intervals are still being worked out. Listings of the various scripts follow:

recordAudioFile.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# SCRIPT: recordAudioFile.sh
# PURPOSE: Records an audio file using arecord
# command format:
# recordAudioFile.sh duration_seconds filename_prefix"
#
# REVISIONS:
# 12/17/2012 JRH Initial creation

arecord -f cd -d $1 -t wav | lame --preset 56 -mm - $2.mp3

Problems:

1. The mixer settings are not stable. The audio settings are destroyed by other processes running prior to the cron job. A means to preset these mixer settings is needed.
2. Recording duration need adjustment. It seems prudent to "over record" and trim the files later. The duration of any given net cannot be predicted.

crontab -l

In Linux, a "cron job" is a scheduled job that runs based on instructions in "crontab." Here is a "snapshot" of the crontab used at W7YV: 

# m h  dom mon dow   command

#########################################################

# Twelfth Region Net SSB

# Announce

#########################################################

55 06 * * * ~/bin/cron_messages.sh "TWN 3923.5 KHz 0700 LT"

00 07 * * * ~/bin/recordAudioFile.sh 300 Nets/TWN0

#########################################################

# Wyoming Jackalope Net

# Announce and begin recording

#########################################################

15 12 * * * ~/bin/recordAudioFile.sh 900 Nets/WJN

#########################################################

# Wyoming Cowboy Net

# Announce and record

#########################################################

45 17 * * * ~/bin/recordAudioFile.sh 1200 Nets/WCN

#########################################################

# Utah Code Net

# Announce and record

#########################################################

30 19 * * * ~/bin/recordAudioFile.sh 900 Nets/UCN

#########################################################

# Mountain States Net

# Announce and record

#########################################################

00 20 * * * ~/bin/recordAudioFile.sh 1200 Nets/MSN

#########################################################

# Twelfth Region Net

# Announce and record

#########################################################

30 20 * * * ~/recordAudioFile.sh 1200 Nets/TWN1

#########################################################

# Twelfth Region Net

# Announce and record

#########################################################

00 22 * * * ~/bin/recordAudioFile.sh 1500 Nets/TWN2

Enjoy!

Winlink 2000 Email As A QRP Buddy

Playing around with QRP is lots of fun and sometimes very challenging. But, it usually takes two to tango. You need somebody on the other end of the link to hear you and respond. Usually, we expect that to be a warm-blooded human being. If you have the itch to play radio with QRP and nobody is around, well, you're stuck.

There is another way....

Recently, I acquired an account on Winlink's Global Email System and can now connect to servers around the world and the country to send email via HF radio. It occurred to me that I am connecting to a computer that is, for the most part, impartial in it's judgement of my signal quality. If it doesn't like it, it won't answer. If it is too weak, it will not hesitate to dump me and move on to paying customers.

I use RMS Express as the client software for Winlink. It works well for my purposes. Within that software is a database that shows the available remote stations that you can connect if you have a Winlink Email account. The database shows the distance to the station as well as the expected propagation characteristics.

The table below shows some of my results using QRP power levels:

Station Date/Time	FREQ KHz	Distance (km)	Power Watts	km/watt miles/watt	Rate Bytes/Min
VE3ONN 10/19/2012 0405Z	7088	1988	1	1988 1235	38
KJ5YN 10/18/2012 0222Z	7094.5	1850	1	1850 1150	52
W0ECM	14092	1477	1	1477	131
KN6KB	7081.5	3155	5	631	134
KD4NUE	7079.5	2908	5	582	480
KE7XO	3585.5	567	1	567	328
VE3ONN	7088	1988	5	398	110
K5AEA	7098.5	1693	5	339	90
W0ECM	7082	1477	5	295	108

These results are not record breaking but I am just getting started.

RigBlaster - RMS Express Problem (SOLVED)

This is a post to West Mountain Radio describing a problem with RMS Express and the RigBlaster PRO. The West Mountain Radio folks provided a quick answer. The image and explanation is posted at the end of this article.

PROBLEM:
When sending to a remote station using RMS Express (WinLink/Winmor), the software appears to be using audio picked up by the rig's microphone rather than audio delivered into the RigBlaster's LINE IN from the computer's LINE OUT.

While this is functional, it requires that the microphone be placed close to the station speakers so that it can hear what is being generated for an output.

I am pretty sure this is not the way it is designed.

Now, when using RTTY, PSK31, or other modes with MixW Version 2.2, all is fine, i.e., the RigBlaster feeds computer audio directly to the rig rather than through the microphone.

SETUP:
a. ICOM 756PRO
b. RigBlaster PRO configured to take RCV AUDIO from the mic connector using jumpers on P1 (irrelevant but listed for the sake of completeness).
c. Computer Windows 7 using internal sound card.

OPINION:
I assume that RigBlaster has a relay or switch internally to switch rig input audio away from microphone audio over to computer audio. Works fine with MixW but it seems that the command to cause this to happen is, somehow, not being issued by RMS Express.

SOLUTION:

The West Mountain Radio folks provided a quick solution. The basic answer was:

The Pro does indeed mute the microphone during PTT cycles, however, if you are using PTT by CAT the RIGblaster has no way of knowing that PTT has happened.... make sure that RMS Express is set to perform hardware PTT on the serial port using RTS (not via CAT). You can tell when you have it correctly configured as the red "ptt" LED will light on the RIGblaster.
From: Shoto, K7TMG, West Mountain Radio Technical Support

After some fussing around and a couple of more emails, he provided the screenshot that shows how RMS Express must be set up. Simple, sweet, and it worked. Thanks to K7TMG and the West Mountain Radio folks for a quick solution.

73, Jim Harvey, W7YV
Oct 15, 2012

Low Cost Access to Winlink 2000 Global Email System

This short article reports on implementing the capability to connect to the WinLink 2000 Global Email System⁽¹⁾ using HF radio and an inexpensive sound card interface.

GOAL:

Implement the capability to connect to the WinLink 2000 Global Email System⁽¹⁾ using HF radio and an inexpensive sound card interface and equipment already on hand.

EQUIPMENT:

1. ICOM 756 PRO HF Transceiver (on hand)
2. Horizontal Loop Antenna, 268 ft perimeter, up 30 feet (on hand)
3. West Mountain Radio RIGBlaster PRO⁽²⁾ (on hand, MSRP: $299.95)
4. RMS Express Winlink 2000 (WL2K) radio email client.
5. MixW⁽³⁾ multi-mode software for PSK31 testing (free)

DISCUSSION:

From the time I had the idea to implement the capability to the time I sent my first message was a little less than a day. First, I had to find my RIGBlaster and all the cables. That was the hardest part. Then, I had to review the RIGBlaster documentation to relearn what I had forgotten. It has been idle for over three years -- the last time I did any PSK31 work.

The second challenge was to get RIGBlaster to work again with PSK31 on Windows 7 and, as well, to make sure all the cables were connected properly. My bad eyesight limits my ability to do that, sometimes.

I used MixW as a testbed for the PSK31. My first contact was to N7ZYS in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Once I had proved I could use PSK31 with the RIGBlaster, I moved on to downloading and installing RMS Express and obtaining a Winlink Email account. In order to get a Winlink account, you must connect using an  Email client, in my case, the RMS Express Winlink 2000 (WL2K) radio email client. In other words, you cannot simply register for a Winlink Email account online - the request has to come via radio.

Fortunately, the instructions for doing this are plainly covered on Winlink's site(4). The instructions lead you down the primrose path to the RMS Express download site. These links are found on Winlink's FTP site that is listed in the Getting Started document.

Now, I am not the sharpest tool in the drawer but I was able to follow the instructions and get RMS Express running. Within that software, a list of available Winlink stations is provided. My first choice, not really knowing what I was doing, was KE7XO, a station in Las Vegas, NV. I chose the station, made sure my rig was tuned, and pushed the Start button. My radio squawked and, lo and behold, the Saints be praised, I got a squawk back and had a connection.

The rest is history. I forget the exact steps that were requested of me to setup the account. From "Start" to disconnect and verification of an email back through my primary email account was about 10 minutes.

Way cool!

CONCLUSION:

While PSK31, RTTY, and other digital modes are fun, they don't interest me that much as I do not do contests and have little interest in chasing DX or rag chewing. I am active on CW nets and like to handle Radiograms over the ARRL National Traffic System. Now, I can do that digitally.

Having a Winlink Email account and the ability to send Email via radio makes it possible for me to do that when out in the sticks somewhere camping or, perhaps, when the infrastructure in my local area has collapsed and I need to get messages out.

With regard to hardware, I used what I had on hand  Other solutions are possible at higher and lower prices. If money were no object, I would prefer to have a dedicated TNC (Terminal Node Controller) rather than using the soundcard in my computer.

That said, my goals were met in that I was able to get active with Winlink Email in less than a day using equipment I already had on hand.

REFERENCES:

1. Winlink 2000 Global Email System
2. West Mountain Radio RIGBlaster PRO
3. MixW Multi-Mode Software
4. http://www.winlink.org/GetStarted

Just Follow The Traffic - Routing of Radiograms

As I have gained some measure of confidence in checking into CW traffic nets, I've learned a bit more about how the National Traffic System seems to work, at least, at my local level. This short article summarizes a bit of what I've learned so far, in particular, how ARRL Radiograms are routed at my local level.

Local Nets

In my area, I check into three local CW nets almost every night. These nets occur between 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM local time which works well for me as I am already at my shack desk either playing radio or purusing some other hobby.

Utah Code Net

This net meets daily at 0130Z on 3570 KHz +/- QRM. It is intended as a training net and is listed as a Slow Net on the FISTS website. A great deal of information on this net can be found here.

Mountain States Net

This net meets daily at 0200Z on 3570 KHz +/- QRM. It is intended as a training net and is listed as a Slow Net on the FISTS website. A great deal of information on this net can be found here.

Traffic Routing - Follow The Traffic

Traffic accepted by this net is taken by another amateur checked into the net. This may be the intended recipient as is often the case with simple net reports. Otherwise, the traffic is "bumped up" to the next higher level.

In the case of the Utah Code Net or the Mountain States Net, the next higher level net is the Twelfth Region Net (TWN). TWN covers the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. TWN is part of an even higher level net called the Pacific Area Net.

Suppose, for example, W7YV (that's me) has traffic for a non-amateur (3rd party)  friend in Colorado. Here is how it might work:

1. W7YV checks into the Utah Code Net and lists traffic for the Twelfth Region Net.
2. W7YV is told to standby while the NCS continues to call the net.
3. Another amateur, W7DML, checks in.
4. The NCS knows that W7DML routinely checks into the TWN. The NCS directs both W7YV and W7DML to go "up 5" to handle the traffic. When this is completed, W7DML now has the traffic and will (most likely) check into the TWN CW net later that night and pass the traffic.
5. The procedure with TWN works the same way. W7DML checks into TWN and, if another amateur checks into the net that is known to handle Colorado traffic, then the NCS of TWN will direct them both to handle the item.

What happens when it doesn't work that way? Well, there are many different scenarios - far too many to explain in this short article. It does happen, sometimes, that there is nobody to pick up the ball and run with it. 

The key to making the system a success is that the operator the receives a piece of traffic has only three choices: (a) dispatch the traffic to another amateur for handling; (b) deliver the traffic directly to the intended recipient; or, (c) send a "service message" back to the originator that the message could not be delivered.

If the operator chooses to "drop the traffic," then he or she isn't really a qualified traffic handler and ought not be pretending to be one.

REFERENCES:

1. NTS Traffic Routing
2. Utah Code Net
3. Mountain States Net

CW Proficiency - A Solution

One of my passions in this hobby is CW and I try to work that mode as much as I can. In the beginning of the pursuit of my hobby, I learned Morse Code and worked quite a few stations in that mode. But, life gets in the way and I got away from my goal of doing at least one CW QSO each day.

The pattern that set in was: learn Morse Code, use it, have fun, get busy, get away from it, forget much of it, relearn it, use it, have fun, get busy, get away from it, ..... --- ad infinitum!

ENOUGH! 
I had to find a better way. It occurred to me that the local CW nets met daily and gave me a chance to practice code each and every day for a real purpose. I began monitoring the local nets and, after a month or so, got up the courage to try to check in. Man, that was a rush! Scary but, well, we all gotta die sometime! So, I bit the bullet and checked in! Screwed that up pretty bad, at least, in my opinion. But, the NCS didn't seem to mind and welcomed me into the fold.

So, now, wow, I am the "cool dude" and have checked into the following nets and have been (I suspect grudgingly)  added to the roster - such as it is:

Utah Code Net, 3570 KHz, daily, 0130Z
Mountain States Net, 3570 KHz, daily, 0200Z
Idaho Montana Net, 3572 KHz, daily, 0245Z (start early check in)