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Re: [RTTY] RTTY Skimmer Server computer hardware needed to handle WPX wi

To: Jeff AC0C <keepwalking188@ac0c.com>
Subject: Re: [RTTY] RTTY Skimmer Server computer hardware needed to handle WPX without throttling
From: Mark n2qt <n2qt.va@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 08:44:19 -0400
List-post: <rtty@contesting.com">mailto:rtty@contesting.com>
I have a setup similar to n4zr, AMD 8350 8 core cpu.  Running concurrent 
cw/RTTY over
7 96khz bands it would max out at about 320 decoders.  It always showed 100% 
decode
on cw. 

There seems to be an advantage in running the high end i7 CPUs, as reported 
decoders
is higher with them, even when the Passmark rating is similar to what I run.   
There are some 
instructions that are benchmarked much better with the Intel parts.

I'm traveling so haven't done the analysis Pete did, but will when I get better 
internet. 

Mark. N2QT

> On Feb 18, 2015, at 4:47 PM, Jeff AC0C <keepwalking188@ac0c.com> wrote:
> 
> Pete, thanks for the comments.
> 
> On my AMD 945 (3750 passmark), I could see about 350 decoders max.
> 
> On two bands at 96 Khz, there were around 600 signals.  If that's 
> representative, it's fair to assume that the max load is during the daytime - 
> with 3 active bands (10/15/20).  Assuming 300 signals per band, and adding a 
> bit of pad, to call it 1K signals total.
> 
> Assuming that passmark score/decoder was predictive in my case, I 
> extrapolated that it would take about something with about 11K passmark to 
> keep up (for the most part) skimming 5 bands @ 96 Khz on a busy RTTY contest.
> 
> It's interesting that your much more capable rig (2-3x higher passmark score) 
> was running only 25% higher decoder count.  I've seen data that the AMD cpu 
> do not provide as good of a performance as the intel for unknown reasons with 
> this application (I assume it's due to some CPU or code optimization specific 
> to the compiler or libraries).  However, as a separate data point, Wes told 
> me his current setup (i7 hasselwel category CPU) was almost able to keep up 
> in a 5x96 configuration.
> 
> Lot of assumptions and variables - so I don't have a lot of confidence in my 
> conclusions.
> 
> But I do think this means the best of the current generation would be up to 
> the task.  But only just so...
> 
> 73/jeff/ac0c
> www.ac0c.com
> alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Pete Smith N4ZR
> Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 5:44 AM
> To: Jeff AC0C
> Cc: rbn-ops@yahoogroups.com ; RTTY Contesting ; skimmer@dxwatch.com
> Subject: Re: [RTTY] RTTY Skimmer Server computer hardware needed to handle 
> WPX without throttling
> 
> Hi Jeff.  For whatever it is worth, here's what I did this weekend.  I'm
> running an AMD FX8350 (passmark 9000+) with 8 GB of RAM.
> 
> 1.  turned off CW skimming for the weekend.
> 2.  Set up low band and high band rotation at sunrise and sunset,
> running 4 bands at a time
> 3.  Limited coverage to 96 KHz
> 4.  Tailored my RTTY segments, starting with the "Contest" default
> setting, to make sure I wasn't listening where the RTTY wasn't. The most
> important change was to define two RTTY segments for 40M, 7040-7050 and
> 7080-7120.  I think I probably missed some Region 2 and 3 activity in
> the gap, but also got rid of a lot of that pesky CW stuff.
> 
> The best I was able to get was 440 decoders. All 8 cores were engaged at
> the same levels.  Whenever the CPU usage would spike over 70 percent,
> throttling would occur.  The number of decoders would drop fairly
> sharply (down to 350 or so), then rebound to at or near the critical level.
> 
> A preliminary look at the RBN traffic for the weekend suggests about a
> quarter of the CQWWCW daily totals(all modes).  I made about 29,000
> spots per day, and I don't hear very well - certainly as compared to WZ7I.
> 
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
> http://reversebeacon.net,
> blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
> For spots, please go to your favorite
> ARC V6 or VE7CC DX cluster node.
> 
>> On 2/17/2015 6:50 PM, Jeff AC0C wrote:
>> I ran Alex’s RTTY Skimmer Server over the WPX contest weekend and had a 
>> tough time decoding multiple bands without throttling, even though the PC it 
>> was running on is pretty stout.
>> 
>> If you ran RTTY Skimmer Server over WPX and managed to do so on multiple 
>> bands without throttling, I would be very interested to know what your 
>> computer configuration was.  I need to put together a new box for this task 
>> and have no idea how to size the hardware.
>> 
>> 73/jeff/ac0c
>> www.ac0c.com
>> alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
>> 
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