[CQ-Contest] Skimmer reverse beacon experiment - update

[Ron Notarius W3WN]

Pete,

Where are you getting the 20M SoftRock SDR kits from?  I went looking online
this morning (we were discussing projects this morning at the first meeting
of the new WPA QRP Club) and I didn't come across anything about currently
available kits... which, of course, just means I missed it!

73

-----Original Message-----
From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of Pete Smith
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 9:37 PM
To: cq-contest at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Skimmer reverse beacon experiment - update


Hi Clive - the spots I'm making available on the Internet are generated by
a US$13 (that's right, $13, in kit form) 20M SoftRock SDR taking its
antenna feed from the RX antenna loop of my second radio, a TS-930.  I have
been feeding these spots directly into N1MM Logger and DX4WIN, simply by
connecting to Skimmer as if it were a DX cluster node.

There are a number of radios on the market today (K3, Orions, etc.) and
previously marketed (TS-940, TS-950, TS-850(?), etc. that have an IF tap on
the antenna side of the roofing filter.  Neither of my radios has this
built in, so I elected to go with the SoftRock for experimental
purposes.  To tap the IF, you would need the appropriate SoftRock, or a
much more sophisticated device like N8LP's forthcoming LP-PAN.

Either way, the potential is fantastic.

73, Pete N4ZR

At 07:03 PM 3/7/2008, Clive Whelan wrote:
>Pete
>
>Sure, fantastic software indeed, and you are demonstrating what it is
>capable of. Perhaps the most profound implication is that it can render
>the use of DX clusters irrelevant, and therefore - at a stroke- deprive
>the cheats of their ( currently enjoyed) edge. However , what I don't
>quite see is how the average Joe, or even the well equipped contest
>station can integrate the functionality into his favourite logging
>programme so that the "spots" populate the band map, until or unless
>add-on hardware becomes available, or manufacturers make a ca. 100kHz
>slice of the IF available to Skimmer. My 756PROIII clearly has that
>potential as it can already display a bandscope over such a range, but I
>don't see ICOM making that externally available any time soon, as it is
>simply not for the mass market.
>
>
>Am I lacking in vision, or do you share my reservations?
>
>
>73
>
>
>
>Clive
>GW3NJW
>
>
>Pete Smith wrote:
> > Today I replaced the Skimmer software with a new version that permits
you
> > to select whether to forward all spots to Telnet, or just the ones that
> the
> > software identifies as calling CQ.  Depending on circumstances, you
might
> > want either.  Thanks to Alex for being so accommodating to this
experiment
> >
> > For the last several hours it has only been spotting stations that it
has
> > identified as CQ-ing or otherwise being ready to receive calls.  It has
a
> > series of key phrases it looks for, including some that are specifically
> > relevant to contesting, like [callsign] TEST or [callsign]SS.  In "spot
> > everything mode, it reports every station it hears - you can imagine how
> > useful this would be for a DXpedition station managing a big pileup.
> >
> > As you can tell, I'm sold - but please note, I have no business
connection
> > with VE3NEA other than as an admiring user of his products.
> >
> > 73, Pete N4ZR
> >
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> >
> >
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