[CQ-Contest] CW Skimmer and SDR-IQ - progress report

[Pete Smith]

Yesterday, I received an SDR-IQ software defined receiver on loan from 
RFSpace (www.rfspace.com).  It covers 500 Hz-30 MHz, all modes, and is 
about the size of 2 decks of cards side by side.  The only connections 
required are antenna and a USB cable - it gets its power from the host 
computer.  Very neat.

PY1NB's reverse beacon server is up and running at 
http://skimmer.dxwatch.com for those who want a quick and easy look at the 
stations being heard here, with no need to set up telnet.  For the next few 
mornings I will be monitoring the opening from Europe and then moving the 
SDR-IQ to 15 meters to see whether it opens, simulating how a contester 
might use this capability.  Take a look!

Our biggest need right now is for additional stations running wideband 
receivers and CW Skimmer to contribute data to the hub server.  PY1NB has 
written a little helper application (working title, "the aggregator") that 
runs alongside CW Skimmer and translates its telnet output into web 
services format for transmission to the server.  It (currently) requires 
that you set up Skimmer to telnet on port 7300, but then it handles 
communication with the server transparently, with no need tor you to fiddle 
with firewall settings, etc.  You can download the aggregator 
at:  http://skimmer.dxwatch.com/downloads/skimmer_aggregator.zip.  If you 
are using the telnet output to feed your logging program, no problem - the 
aggregator coexists happily in that situation.


73, Pete N4ZR