Jekyll2024-03-19T23:04:04+01:00https://danielpocock.com/feed/sdr.xmlDaniel Pocock’s personal blog | SdrSoftware engineer, Free, Open Source Software Consultant, Innovator, Fedora & Debian Developer
Free software, GSoC and ham radio in Kosovo2018-06-04T10:06:28+02:002018-06-04T10:06:28+02:00https://danielpocock.com/free-software-ham-radio-gsoc-in-kosovo-2018-05<p>After the <a href="https://danielpocock.com/oscal18-debian-ham-sdr">excitement of OSCAL in Tirana</a>, I travelled up to Prishtina, Kosovo, with some of Debian's new <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/gsoc">GSoC</a> students. We don't always have so many students participating in the same location. Being able to meet with all of them for a coffee each morning gave some interesting insights into the challenges people face in these projects and things that communities can do to help new contributors.</p>
<p>On the evening of 23 May, I attended a meeting at the <a href="http://www.prishtinahackerspace.org/">Prishtina hackerspace</a> where a wide range of topics, including future events, were discussed. There are many people who would like to repeat the successful <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/ks/2017/MiniDebConfPrishtina">Mini DebConf and Fedora Women's Day events from 2017</a>. A <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/ks/2018/MiniDebConfPrishtina">wiki page has been created for planning</a> but no date has been confirmed yet.</p>
<p>On the following evening, 24 May, we had a joint meeting with <a href="http://www.shrak.org/en/">SHRAK</a>, the ham radio society of Kosovo, at the hackerspace. Acting director Vjollca Caka gave an introduction to the state of ham radio in the country and then we set up a joint demonstration using the equipment I brought for OSCAL.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/shrak_meeting.jpg"/>
<p>On my final night in Prishtina, we had a small gathering for dinner: Debian's three GSoC students, Elena, Enkelena and Diellza, <a href="https://renatagegaj.wordpress.com/">Renata Gegaj</a>, who completed <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/outreachy">Outreachy</a> with the GNOME community and Qendresa Hoti, one of the organizers of last year's very successful <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/ks/2017/CoderGalsHackathonForGirlsPrizren">hackathon for women in Prizren</a>.</p>
<h3>Promoting free software at Doku:tech, Prishtina, 9-10 June 2018</h3>
<p>One of the largest technology events in Kosovo, <a href="http://doku.tech/">Doku:tech</a>, will take place on 9-10 June. It is not too late for people from other free software communities to get involved, please <a href="https://lists.flossk.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/general">contact the FLOSSK</a> or <a href="https://forum.openlabs.cc/t/dokutech-a-tech-conference-in-the-heart-of-the-balkans/1168">Open Labs</a> communities in the region if you have questions about how you can participate. A number of budget airlines, including WizzAir and Easyjet, now have <a href="http://www.airportpristina.com/destinations">regular flights to Kosovo</a> and many larger free software organizations will consider requests for a travel grant.</p>After the excitement of OSCAL in Tirana, I travelled up to Prishtina, Kosovo, with some of Debian's new GSoC students. We don't always have so many students participating in the same location. Being able to meet with all of them for a coffee each morning gave some interesting insights into the challenges people face in these projects and things that communities can do to help new contributors. On the evening of 23 May, I attended a meeting at the Prishtina hackerspace where a wide range of topics, including future events, were discussed. There are many people who would like to repeat the successful Mini DebConf and Fedora Women's Day events from 2017. A wiki page has been created for planning but no date has been confirmed yet. On the following evening, 24 May, we had a joint meeting with SHRAK, the ham radio society of Kosovo, at the hackerspace. Acting director Vjollca Caka gave an introduction to the state of ham radio in the country and then we set up a joint demonstration using the equipment I brought for OSCAL. On my final night in Prishtina, we had a small gathering for dinner: Debian's three GSoC students, Elena, Enkelena and Diellza, Renata Gegaj, who completed Outreachy with the GNOME community and Qendresa Hoti, one of the organizers of last year's very successful hackathon for women in Prizren. Promoting free software at Doku:tech, Prishtina, 9-10 June 2018 One of the largest technology events in Kosovo, Doku:tech, will take place on 9-10 June. It is not too late for people from other free software communities to get involved, please contact the FLOSSK or Open Labs communities in the region if you have questions about how you can participate. A number of budget airlines, including WizzAir and Easyjet, now have regular flights to Kosovo and many larger free software organizations will consider requests for a travel grant.OSCAL’18 Debian, Ham, SDR and GSoC activities2018-05-21T22:44:02+02:002018-05-21T22:44:02+02:00https://danielpocock.com/oscal18-debian-ham-sdr<p>Over the weekend I've been in Tirana, Albania for <a href="https://oscal.openlabs.cc">OSCAL 2018</a>.</p>
<h3>Crowdfunding report</h3>
<p>The <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/oscal18-ham-crowdfunding">crowdfunding campaign to buy hardware for the radio demo</a> was successful. The gross sum received was GBP 110.00, there were Paypal fees of GBP 6.48 and the net amount after currency conversion was EUR 118.29. Here is a <a href="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/oscal18-crowdfund-report.pdf">complete list of transaction IDs for transparency</a> so you can see that if you donated, your contribution was included in the total I have reported in this blog. Thank you to everybody who made this a success.</p>
<p>The funds were used to purchase an <a href="http://www.ultracell.co.uk/products/ucg-batteries/12v">Ultracell UCG45-12</a> sealed lead-acid battery from <a href="http://tashi.al">Tashi in Tirana</a>, here is the <a href="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/battery-receipt.jpg">receipt</a>. After OSCAL, the battery is being used at a joint meeting of the <a href="https://www.prishtinahackerspace.org/">Prishtina hackerspace</a> and <a href="http://www.shrak.org/">SHRAK</a>, the amateur radio club of Kosovo on 24 May. The battery will remain in the region to support any members of the ham community who want to visit the hackerspaces and events.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/enkelena-battery.jpg"/>
<h3>Debian and Ham radio booth</h3>
<p>Local volunteers from Albania and Kosovo helped run a Debian and ham radio/SDR booth on Saturday, 19 May.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/oscal-team.jpg"/>
<p>The antenna was erected as a folded dipole with one end joined to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_Tirana">Tirana Pyramid</a> and the other end attached to the marquee sheltering the booths. We operated on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20-meter_band">twenty meter band</a> using an <a href="https://danielpocock.com/building-loop-antenna-sdr-shortwave-ham-oscal17">RTL-SDR dongle and upconverter</a> for reception and a <a href="https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&encProdID=8CBB7C4BDBAF40129AD4253A4987523C">Yaesu FT-857D</a> for transmission. An <a href="http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-1708SDR">MFJ-1708 RF Sense Switch</a> was used for automatically switching between the SDR and transceiver on PTT and an <a href="http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-971">MFJ-971 ATU</a> for tuning the antenna.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/antenna-pyramid.jpg"/>
<p>I successfully made contact with <a href="https://www.qrz.com/db/9A1D">9A1D</a>, a station in Croatia. Enkelena Haxhiu, one of our <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/gsoc">GSoC</a> students, made contact with <a href="https://dx-world.net/z68aa-z68rbj-kosovo/">Z68AA</a> in her own country, Kosovo.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/team-kosovo.jpg"/>
<p>Anybody hoping that Albania was a suitably remote place to hide from media coverage of the British royal wedding would have been disappointed as we tuned in to <a href="http://cvrs.org/">GR9RW from London</a> and tried unsuccessfully to make contact with them. Communism and royalty mix like oil and water: if a deceased dictator was already feeling bruised about an antenna on his pyramid, he would probably enjoy water torture more than a radio transmission celebrating one of the world's most successful hereditary monarchies.</p>
<h3>A versatile venue and the dictator's revenge</h3>
<p>It isn't hard to imagine communist dictator Enver Hoxha turning in his grave at the thought of his pyramid being used for an antenna for communication that <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-albania-surveillance/albanians-view-antique-communist-era-spyware-in-house-of-leaves-idUSKBN1D31E9">would have attracted severe punishment under his totalitarian regime</a>. Perhaps Hoxha had imagined the possibility that people may gather freely in the streets: as the sun moved overhead, the glass facade above the entrance to the pyramid reflected the sun under the shelter of the marquees, giving everybody a tan, a low-key version of a solar death ray from a sci-fi movie. Must remember to wear sunscreen for my next showdown with a dictator.</p>
<p>The security guard stationed at the pyramid for the day was kept busy chasing away children and more than a few adults who kept arriving to climb the pyramid and slide down the side.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/security.jpg"/>
<h3>Meeting with Debian's Google Summer of Code students</h3>
<p>Debian has three <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/gsoc">Google Summer of Code</a> students in Kosovo this year. Two of them, Enkelena and Diellza, were able to attend OSCAL. Albania is one of the few countries they can visit easily and OSCAL deserves special commendation for the fact that it brings otherwise isolated citizens of Kosovo into contact with an increasingly large delegation of foreign visitors who come back year after year.</p>
<p>We had some brief discussions about how their projects are starting and things we can do together during my visit to Kosovo.</p>
<h3>Workshops and talks</h3>
<p>On Sunday, 20 May, I ran a workshop <em>Introduction to Debian</em> and a workshop on <em>Free and open source accounting</em>. At the end of the day Enkelena Haxhiu and I presented the final talk in the Pyramid, <em>Death by a thousand chats</em>, looking at how free software gives us a unique opportunity to disable a lot of unhealthy notifications by default.</p>Over the weekend I've been in Tirana, Albania for OSCAL 2018. Crowdfunding report The crowdfunding campaign to buy hardware for the radio demo was successful. The gross sum received was GBP 110.00, there were Paypal fees of GBP 6.48 and the net amount after currency conversion was EUR 118.29. Here is a complete list of transaction IDs for transparency so you can see that if you donated, your contribution was included in the total I have reported in this blog. Thank you to everybody who made this a success. The funds were used to purchase an Ultracell UCG45-12 sealed lead-acid battery from Tashi in Tirana, here is the receipt. After OSCAL, the battery is being used at a joint meeting of the Prishtina hackerspace and SHRAK, the amateur radio club of Kosovo on 24 May. The battery will remain in the region to support any members of the ham community who want to visit the hackerspaces and events. Debian and Ham radio booth Local volunteers from Albania and Kosovo helped run a Debian and ham radio/SDR booth on Saturday, 19 May. The antenna was erected as a folded dipole with one end joined to the Tirana Pyramid and the other end attached to the marquee sheltering the booths. We operated on the twenty meter band using an RTL-SDR dongle and upconverter for reception and a Yaesu FT-857D for transmission. An MFJ-1708 RF Sense Switch was used for automatically switching between the SDR and transceiver on PTT and an MFJ-971 ATU for tuning the antenna. I successfully made contact with 9A1D, a station in Croatia. Enkelena Haxhiu, one of our GSoC students, made contact with Z68AA in her own country, Kosovo. Anybody hoping that Albania was a suitably remote place to hide from media coverage of the British royal wedding would have been disappointed as we tuned in to GR9RW from London and tried unsuccessfully to make contact with them. Communism and royalty mix like oil and water: if a deceased dictator was already feeling bruised about an antenna on his pyramid, he would probably enjoy water torture more than a radio transmission celebrating one of the world's most successful hereditary monarchies. A versatile venue and the dictator's revenge It isn't hard to imagine communist dictator Enver Hoxha turning in his grave at the thought of his pyramid being used for an antenna for communication that would have attracted severe punishment under his totalitarian regime. Perhaps Hoxha had imagined the possibility that people may gather freely in the streets: as the sun moved overhead, the glass facade above the entrance to the pyramid reflected the sun under the shelter of the marquees, giving everybody a tan, a low-key version of a solar death ray from a sci-fi movie. Must remember to wear sunscreen for my next showdown with a dictator. The security guard stationed at the pyramid for the day was kept busy chasing away children and more than a few adults who kept arriving to climb the pyramid and slide down the side. Meeting with Debian's Google Summer of Code students Debian has three Google Summer of Code students in Kosovo this year. Two of them, Enkelena and Diellza, were able to attend OSCAL. Albania is one of the few countries they can visit easily and OSCAL deserves special commendation for the fact that it brings otherwise isolated citizens of Kosovo into contact with an increasingly large delegation of foreign visitors who come back year after year. We had some brief discussions about how their projects are starting and things we can do together during my visit to Kosovo. Workshops and talks On Sunday, 20 May, I ran a workshop Introduction to Debian and a workshop on Free and open source accounting. At the end of the day Enkelena Haxhiu and I presented the final talk in the Pyramid, Death by a thousand chats, looking at how free software gives us a unique opportunity to disable a lot of unhealthy notifications by default.A closer look at power and PowerPole2018-05-14T21:25:17+02:002018-05-14T21:25:17+02:00https://danielpocock.com/a-closer-look-at-power-and-powerpole<p>The <a href="https://danielpocock.com/turning-a-dictators-pyramid-into-a-ham-radio-station">crowdfunding campaign</a> has so far raised enough money to buy a small lead-acid battery but hopefully with another four days to go before <a href="https://oscal.openlabs.cc">OSCAL</a> we can reach the target of an AGM battery. In the interest of transparency, I will shortly publish a summary of the donations.</p>
<p>The campaign has been a great opportunity to publish some information that will hopefully help other people too. In particular, a lot of what I've written about <a href="https://danielpocock.com/powering-a-ham-radio-demo-oscal-2018">power sources</a> isn't just applicable for ham radio, it can be used for any demo or exhibit involving electronics or electrical parts like motors.</p>
<p>People have also asked various questions and so I've prepared some more details about PowerPoles today to help answer them.</p>
<h3>OSCAL organizer urgently looking for an Apple MacBook PSU</h3>
<p>In an unfortunate twist of fate while I've been blogging about power sources, one of the OSCAL organizers has a MacBook and the Apple-patented PSU conveniently failed just a few days before OSCAL. It is the 85W MagSafe 2 PSU and it is not easily found in Albania. If anybody can get one to me while I'm in Berlin at <a href="https://www.kamailioworld.com/k06/">Kamailio World</a> then I can take it to Tirana on Wednesday night. If you live near one of the other <a href="https://oscal.openlabs.cc/speakers/">OSCAL speakers</a> you could also send it with them.</p>
<p>If only Apple used PowerPole...</p>
<h3>Why batteries?</h3>
<p>The first question many people asked is why use batteries and not a power supply. There are two answers for this: portability and availability. Many hams like to operate their radios away from their home sometimes. At an event, you don't always know in advance whether you will be close to a mains power socket. Taking a battery eliminates that worry. Batteries also provide better availability in times of crisis: whenever there is a natural disaster, ham radio is often the first mode of communication to be re-established. Radio hams can operate their stations independently of the power grid.</p>
<p>Note that while the battery looks a lot like a car battery, it is actually a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-cycle_battery">deep cycle battery</a>, sometimes referred to as a leisure battery. This type of battery is often promoted for use in caravans and boats.</p>
<h3>Why PowerPole?</h3>
<p>Many amateur radio groups have already standardized on the use of PowerPole in recent years. The reason for having a standard is that people can share power sources or swap equipment around easily, especially in emergencies. The same logic applies when setting up a demo at an event where multiple volunteers might mix and match equipment at a booth.</p>
<p><a href="https://wicen.org.au/">WICEN</a>, <a href="http://www.arrl.org/ares-races-faq">ARES / RACES</a> and <a href="http://www.raynet-uk.net/">RAYNET-UK</a> are some of the well known groups in the world of emergency communications and they all <a href="http://www.vic.wicen.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/standards.pdf">recommend PowerPole</a>.</p>
<p>Sites like eBay and Amazon have many bulk packs of PowerPoles. Some are genuine, some are copies. In the UK, I've previously purchased PowerPole packs and accessories from sites like <a href="https://www.torberry.co.uk/">Torberry</a> and <a href="https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/dc-power-ham-shack-or-portable/">Sotabeams</a>.</p>
<h3>The pen is mightier than the sword, but what about the crimper?</h3>
<p>The PowerPole plugs for 15A, 30A and 45A are all interchangeable and they can all be crimped with a single tool. The official tool is quite expensive but there are many after-market alternatives like this one. It takes less than a minute to insert the terminal, insert the wire, crimp and make a secure connection.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/DSC_6752_crimper_800.JPG"/>
<p>Here are some packets of PowerPoles in every size:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/DSC_6742_powerpoles_800.JPG"/>
<h3>Example cables</h3>
<p>It is easy to make your own cables or to take any existing cables, cut the plugs off one end and put PowerPoles on them.</p>
<p>Here is a cable with banana plugs on one end and PowerPole on the other end. You can buy cables like this or if you already have cables with banana plugs on both ends, you can cut them in half and put PowerPoles on them. This can be a useful patch cable for connecting a desktop power supply to a PowerPole PDU:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/DSC_6740_banana_800.JPG"/>
<p>Here is the Yaesu E-DC-20 cable used to power many mobile radios. It is designed for about 25A. The exposed copper section simply needs to be trimmed and then inserted into a PowerPole 30:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/DSC_6739_yaesu_e-dc-20_800.JPG"/>
<p>Many small devices have these round 2.1mm coaxial power sockets. It is easy to <a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=dc-coaxial-2.1-pigtail">find a packet of the pigtails</a> on eBay and attach PowerPoles to them (tip: buy the pack that includes both male and female connections for more versatility). It is essential to check that the devices are all rated for the same voltage: if your battery is 12V and you connect a 5V device, the device will probably be destroyed.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/DSC_6738_coaxial_800.JPG"/>
<h3>Distributing power between multiple devices</h3>
<p>There are a wide range of power distribution units (PDUs) for PowerPole users. Notice that PowerPoles are interchangeable and in some of these devices you can insert power through any of the inputs. Most of these devices have a fuse on every connection for extra security and isolation. Some of the more interesting devices also have a USB charging outlet. The <a href="http://www.westmountainradio.com/rigrunner.php">West Mountain Radio <em>RigRunner</em> range</a> includes many permutations. You can find a variety of PDUs from different vendors <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=powerpole+distributor">through an Amazon search</a> or eBay.</p>
<p>In the photo from <a href="https://danielpocock.com/powering-a-ham-radio-demo-oscal-2018">last week's blog</a>, I have the <a href="https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/powerpole-fused-dc-connector-box/">Fuser-6 distributed by Sotabeams in the UK</a> (below, right). I bought it pre-assembled but you can also make it yourself. I also have a Windcamp 8-port PDU purchased from Amazon (left):</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/DSC_6748_pdu_800.JPG"/>
<p>Despite all those fuses on the PDU, it is also highly recommended to insert a fuse in the section of wire coming off the battery terminals or PSU. It is easy to find <a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=maxi-blade-fuse-holder">maxi blade fuse holders on eBay</a> and in some electrical retailers:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/DSC_6744_maxi_800.JPG"/>
<h3>Need help crimping your cables?</h3>
<p>If you don't want to buy a crimper or you would like somebody to help you, you can bring some of your cables to a hackerspace or ask if anybody from the <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianHams">Debian hams team</a> will bring one to an event to help you.</p>
<p>I'm bringing my own crimper and some PowerPoles to <a href="https://oscal.openlabs.cc">OSCAL</a> this weekend, if you would like to help us power up the demo there please consider <a href="https://danielpocock.com/turning-a-dictators-pyramid-into-a-ham-radio-station">contributing to the crowdfunding campaign</a>.</p>The crowdfunding campaign has so far raised enough money to buy a small lead-acid battery but hopefully with another four days to go before OSCAL we can reach the target of an AGM battery. In the interest of transparency, I will shortly publish a summary of the donations. The campaign has been a great opportunity to publish some information that will hopefully help other people too. In particular, a lot of what I've written about power sources isn't just applicable for ham radio, it can be used for any demo or exhibit involving electronics or electrical parts like motors. People have also asked various questions and so I've prepared some more details about PowerPoles today to help answer them. OSCAL organizer urgently looking for an Apple MacBook PSU In an unfortunate twist of fate while I've been blogging about power sources, one of the OSCAL organizers has a MacBook and the Apple-patented PSU conveniently failed just a few days before OSCAL. It is the 85W MagSafe 2 PSU and it is not easily found in Albania. If anybody can get one to me while I'm in Berlin at Kamailio World then I can take it to Tirana on Wednesday night. If you live near one of the other OSCAL speakers you could also send it with them. If only Apple used PowerPole... Why batteries? The first question many people asked is why use batteries and not a power supply. There are two answers for this: portability and availability. Many hams like to operate their radios away from their home sometimes. At an event, you don't always know in advance whether you will be close to a mains power socket. Taking a battery eliminates that worry. Batteries also provide better availability in times of crisis: whenever there is a natural disaster, ham radio is often the first mode of communication to be re-established. Radio hams can operate their stations independently of the power grid. Note that while the battery looks a lot like a car battery, it is actually a deep cycle battery, sometimes referred to as a leisure battery. This type of battery is often promoted for use in caravans and boats. Why PowerPole? Many amateur radio groups have already standardized on the use of PowerPole in recent years. The reason for having a standard is that people can share power sources or swap equipment around easily, especially in emergencies. The same logic applies when setting up a demo at an event where multiple volunteers might mix and match equipment at a booth. WICEN, ARES / RACES and RAYNET-UK are some of the well known groups in the world of emergency communications and they all recommend PowerPole. Sites like eBay and Amazon have many bulk packs of PowerPoles. Some are genuine, some are copies. In the UK, I've previously purchased PowerPole packs and accessories from sites like Torberry and Sotabeams. The pen is mightier than the sword, but what about the crimper? The PowerPole plugs for 15A, 30A and 45A are all interchangeable and they can all be crimped with a single tool. The official tool is quite expensive but there are many after-market alternatives like this one. It takes less than a minute to insert the terminal, insert the wire, crimp and make a secure connection. Here are some packets of PowerPoles in every size: Example cables It is easy to make your own cables or to take any existing cables, cut the plugs off one end and put PowerPoles on them. Here is a cable with banana plugs on one end and PowerPole on the other end. You can buy cables like this or if you already have cables with banana plugs on both ends, you can cut them in half and put PowerPoles on them. This can be a useful patch cable for connecting a desktop power supply to a PowerPole PDU: Here is the Yaesu E-DC-20 cable used to power many mobile radios. It is designed for about 25A. The exposed copper section simply needs to be trimmed and then inserted into a PowerPole 30: Many small devices have these round 2.1mm coaxial power sockets. It is easy to find a packet of the pigtails on eBay and attach PowerPoles to them (tip: buy the pack that includes both male and female connections for more versatility). It is essential to check that the devices are all rated for the same voltage: if your battery is 12V and you connect a 5V device, the device will probably be destroyed. Distributing power between multiple devices There are a wide range of power distribution units (PDUs) for PowerPole users. Notice that PowerPoles are interchangeable and in some of these devices you can insert power through any of the inputs. Most of these devices have a fuse on every connection for extra security and isolation. Some of the more interesting devices also have a USB charging outlet. The West Mountain Radio RigRunner range includes many permutations. You can find a variety of PDUs from different vendors through an Amazon search or eBay. In the photo from last week's blog, I have the Fuser-6 distributed by Sotabeams in the UK (below, right). I bought it pre-assembled but you can also make it yourself. I also have a Windcamp 8-port PDU purchased from Amazon (left): Despite all those fuses on the PDU, it is also highly recommended to insert a fuse in the section of wire coming off the battery terminals or PSU. It is easy to find maxi blade fuse holders on eBay and in some electrical retailers: Need help crimping your cables? If you don't want to buy a crimper or you would like somebody to help you, you can bring some of your cables to a hackerspace or ask if anybody from the Debian hams team will bring one to an event to help you. I'm bringing my own crimper and some PowerPoles to OSCAL this weekend, if you would like to help us power up the demo there please consider contributing to the crowdfunding campaign.Powering a ham radio transmitter2018-05-07T10:04:19+02:002018-05-07T10:04:19+02:00https://danielpocock.com/powering-a-ham-radio-demo-oscal-2018<p>Last week I announced the <a href="https://danielpocock.com/turning-a-dictators-pyramid-into-a-ham-radio-station">crowdfunding campaign to help run a ham radio station at OSCAL</a>. Thanks to all those people who already donated or expressed interest in volunteering.</p>
<p>Modern electronics are very compact and most of what I need to run the station can be transported in my hand luggage. The two big challenges are power supplies and antenna masts. In this blog post there are more details about the former.</p>
<p>Here is a picture of all the equipment I hope to use:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/amateur-radio-station_800.jpg"/>
<p>The laptop is able to detect incoming signals using the <a href="https://danielpocock.com/building-loop-antenna-sdr-shortwave-ham-oscal17">RTL-SDR dongle and up-converter</a>. After finding a signal, we can then put the frequency into the radio transmitter (in the middle of the table), switch the antenna from the SDR to the radio and talk to the other station.</p>
<p>The RTL-SDR and up-converter run on USB power and a phone charger. The transmitter, however, needs about 22A at 12V DC. This typically means getting a large linear power supply or a large battery.</p>
<p>In the photo, I've got a <a href="https://www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/products/varta-professional-dual-purpose-agm">Varta LA60 AGM battery</a>, here is a close up:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/battery_800.jpg"/>
<p>There are many ways to connect to a large battery. For example, it is possible to use terminals like these with holes in them for the 8 awg wire or to crimp ring terminals onto a wire and screw the ring onto <a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=battery-terminals">any regular battery terminal</a>. The type of terminal with these extra holes in it is typically sold for car audio purposes. In the photo, the wire is 10 awg superflex. There is a blade fuse along the wire and the other end has a PowerPole 45 plug. You can easily make cables like this yourself with a PowerPole crimping tool, everything can be purchased online from sites like eBay.</p>
<p>The wire from the battery goes into a fused power distributor with six PowerPole outlets for connecting the transmitter and other small devices, for example, the lamp in the ATU or charging the handheld:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/pdu_800.jpg"/>
<p>The AGM battery in the photo weighs about 18kg and is unlikely to be accepted in my luggage, hence the crowdfunding campaign to help buy one for the local community. For many of the young people and students in the Balkans, the price of one of the larger AGM batteries is equivalent to about one month of their income so nobody there is going to buy one on their own. Please consider <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TWPNU3ZZHCPU2">making a small donation</a> if you would like to help as it won't be possible to run demonstrations like this without power.</p>Last week I announced the crowdfunding campaign to help run a ham radio station at OSCAL. Thanks to all those people who already donated or expressed interest in volunteering. Modern electronics are very compact and most of what I need to run the station can be transported in my hand luggage. The two big challenges are power supplies and antenna masts. In this blog post there are more details about the former. Here is a picture of all the equipment I hope to use: The laptop is able to detect incoming signals using the RTL-SDR dongle and up-converter. After finding a signal, we can then put the frequency into the radio transmitter (in the middle of the table), switch the antenna from the SDR to the radio and talk to the other station. The RTL-SDR and up-converter run on USB power and a phone charger. The transmitter, however, needs about 22A at 12V DC. This typically means getting a large linear power supply or a large battery. In the photo, I've got a Varta LA60 AGM battery, here is a close up: There are many ways to connect to a large battery. For example, it is possible to use terminals like these with holes in them for the 8 awg wire or to crimp ring terminals onto a wire and screw the ring onto any regular battery terminal. The type of terminal with these extra holes in it is typically sold for car audio purposes. In the photo, the wire is 10 awg superflex. There is a blade fuse along the wire and the other end has a PowerPole 45 plug. You can easily make cables like this yourself with a PowerPole crimping tool, everything can be purchased online from sites like eBay. The wire from the battery goes into a fused power distributor with six PowerPole outlets for connecting the transmitter and other small devices, for example, the lamp in the ATU or charging the handheld: The AGM battery in the photo weighs about 18kg and is unlikely to be accepted in my luggage, hence the crowdfunding campaign to help buy one for the local community. For many of the young people and students in the Balkans, the price of one of the larger AGM batteries is equivalent to about one month of their income so nobody there is going to buy one on their own. Please consider making a small donation if you would like to help as it won't be possible to run demonstrations like this without power.Turning a dictator’s pyramid into a ham radio station2018-05-03T21:44:31+02:002018-05-03T21:44:31+02:00https://danielpocock.com/turning-a-dictators-pyramid-into-a-ham-radio-station<p>(<em>Update: due to concerns about the crowdsourcing service, I changed the links in this blog post so people can donate directly through PayPal.</em>)</p>
<p>I've launched a <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TWPNU3ZZHCPU2">crowdfunding campaign</a> to help get more equipment for a bigger and better ham radio demo at OSCAL (19-20 May, Tirana). Please <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TWPNU3ZZHCPU2">donate</a> if you would like to see this go ahead. Just EUR 250 would help buy a nice <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-cycle_battery">AGM battery</a> - if 25 people donate EUR 10 each, we can buy one of those.</p>
<a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TWPNU3ZZHCPU2"><img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/1200px-Pyramide_Tirana_ham_station.jpg" width="800"/></a>
<p>You can help turn the pyramid of Albania's former communist dictator into a ham radio station for <a href="https://danielpocock.com/oscal18-call-for-speakers-booths-sponsors">OSCAL 2018</a> on 19-20 May 2018. This will be a prominent demonstration of ham radio in the city center of Tirana, Albania.</p>
<p>Under the rule of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enver_Hoxha">Enver Hoxha</a>, Albanians were isolated from the outside world and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-albania-surveillance/albanians-view-antique-communist-era-spyware-in-house-of-leaves-idUSKBN1D31E9">used secret antennas to receive banned television transmissions from Italy</a>. Now we have the opportunity to run a ham station and communicate with the whole world from the very pyramid where Hoxha intended to be buried after his death.</p>
<p>Donations will help buy ham and <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/sdr">SDR</a> equipment for communities in Albania and Kosovo and assist hams from neighbouring countries to visit the conference. We would like to purchase deep-cycle batteries, 3-stage chargers, 50 ohm coaxial cable, QSL cards, PowerPole connectors, RTL-SDR dongles, up-convertors (Ham-it-up), baluns, egg insulators and portable masts for mounting antennas at OSCAL and future events.</p>
<p>The station is co-ordinated by <a href="https://danielpocock.com">Daniel Pocock</a> VK3TQR from the <a href="https://www.debian.org/blends/hamradio/">Debian Project's ham radio team</a>.</p>
<p>Donations of equipment and volunteers are also very welcome. Please <a href="https://danielpocock.com/contact">contact Daniel directly</a> if you would like to participate.</p>
<p>Any donations in excess of requirements will be transferred to one or more of the hackerspaces, radio clubs and non-profit organizations supporting education and leadership opportunities for young people in the Balkans. Any equipment purchased will also remain in the region for community use.</p>
<p>Please <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TWPNU3ZZHCPU2">click here to donate</a> if you would like to help this project go ahead. Without your contribution we are not sure that we will have essential items like the deep-cycle batteries we need to run ham radio transmitters.</p>(Update: due to concerns about the crowdsourcing service, I changed the links in this blog post so people can donate directly through PayPal.) I've launched a crowdfunding campaign to help get more equipment for a bigger and better ham radio demo at OSCAL (19-20 May, Tirana). Please donate if you would like to see this go ahead. Just EUR 250 would help buy a nice AGM battery - if 25 people donate EUR 10 each, we can buy one of those. You can help turn the pyramid of Albania's former communist dictator into a ham radio station for OSCAL 2018 on 19-20 May 2018. This will be a prominent demonstration of ham radio in the city center of Tirana, Albania. Under the rule of Enver Hoxha, Albanians were isolated from the outside world and used secret antennas to receive banned television transmissions from Italy. Now we have the opportunity to run a ham station and communicate with the whole world from the very pyramid where Hoxha intended to be buried after his death. Donations will help buy ham and SDR equipment for communities in Albania and Kosovo and assist hams from neighbouring countries to visit the conference. We would like to purchase deep-cycle batteries, 3-stage chargers, 50 ohm coaxial cable, QSL cards, PowerPole connectors, RTL-SDR dongles, up-convertors (Ham-it-up), baluns, egg insulators and portable masts for mounting antennas at OSCAL and future events. The station is co-ordinated by Daniel Pocock VK3TQR from the Debian Project's ham radio team. Donations of equipment and volunteers are also very welcome. Please contact Daniel directly if you would like to participate. Any donations in excess of requirements will be transferred to one or more of the hackerspaces, radio clubs and non-profit organizations supporting education and leadership opportunities for young people in the Balkans. Any equipment purchased will also remain in the region for community use. Please click here to donate if you would like to help this project go ahead. Without your contribution we are not sure that we will have essential items like the deep-cycle batteries we need to run ham radio transmitters.RHL’18 in Saint-Cergue, Switzerland2018-01-15T09:02:54+01:002018-01-15T09:02:54+01:00https://danielpocock.com/saint-cergue-rhl18-ham-radio<p><a href="https://2018.hivernal.es/">RHL'18</a> was held at the centre du Vallon à St-Cergue, the building in the very center of this photo, at the bottom of the piste:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/saint-cergue-piste.jpg"/>
<p>People from various free software communities in the region attended for a series of presentations, demonstrations, socializing and ski. This event is a lot of fun and I would highly recommend that people look out for the next edition. (subscribe to <b>rhl-annonces</b> on <a href="https://lists.swisslinux.org/">lists.swisslinux.org</a> for a reminder email)</p>
<h3>Ham radio demonstration</h3>
<p>I previously wrote about <a href="https://danielpocock.com/building-loop-antenna-sdr-shortwave-ham-oscal17">building a simple antenna for shortwave (HF) reception with software defined radio</a>. That article includes links to purchase all the necessary parts from various sources. Everything described in that article, together with some USB sticks running <a href="https://www.debian.org/blends/hamradio/get/live">Debian Hams Live (bootable ham radio operating system)</a>, some rolls of string and my FT-60 transceiver, fits comfortably into an <a href="https://oscal.openlabs.cc">OSCAL</a> tote bag like this:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/radio_bag.jpg"/>
<p>It is really easy to take this kit to an event anywhere, set it up in 10 minutes and begin exploring the radio spectrum. Whether it is a technical event or a village fair, radio awakens curiosity in people of all ages and provides a starting point for many other discussions about technological freedom, distributing stickers and inviting people to future events. My previous blog contains <a href="https://danielpocock.com/building-loop-antenna-sdr-shortwave-ham-oscal17">photos of what is in the bag and a video demo</a>.</p>
<h3>Open Agriculture Food Computer discussion</h3>
<p>We had a discussion about progress <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/openag">building an Open Agriculture (OpenAg) food computer</a> in Switzerland. The next meeting in Zurich will be <a href="http://forum.openag.media.mit.edu/t/meetings-in-zurich-switzerland/1818/26">held on 30 January 2018</a>, please subscribe to the forum topic to receive further details.</p>
<h3>Preparing for Google Summer of Code 2018</h3>
<p>In between eating fondue and skiing, I found time to <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/SummerOfCode2018/Projects">resurrect some of my previous project ideas for Google Summer of Code</a>. Most of them are not specific to Debian, several of them need co-mentors, please contact me if you are interested.</p>RHL'18 was held at the centre du Vallon à St-Cergue, the building in the very center of this photo, at the bottom of the piste: People from various free software communities in the region attended for a series of presentations, demonstrations, socializing and ski. This event is a lot of fun and I would highly recommend that people look out for the next edition. (subscribe to rhl-annonces on lists.swisslinux.org for a reminder email) Ham radio demonstration I previously wrote about building a simple antenna for shortwave (HF) reception with software defined radio. That article includes links to purchase all the necessary parts from various sources. Everything described in that article, together with some USB sticks running Debian Hams Live (bootable ham radio operating system), some rolls of string and my FT-60 transceiver, fits comfortably into an OSCAL tote bag like this: It is really easy to take this kit to an event anywhere, set it up in 10 minutes and begin exploring the radio spectrum. Whether it is a technical event or a village fair, radio awakens curiosity in people of all ages and provides a starting point for many other discussions about technological freedom, distributing stickers and inviting people to future events. My previous blog contains photos of what is in the bag and a video demo. Open Agriculture Food Computer discussion We had a discussion about progress building an Open Agriculture (OpenAg) food computer in Switzerland. The next meeting in Zurich will be held on 30 January 2018, please subscribe to the forum topic to receive further details. Preparing for Google Summer of Code 2018 In between eating fondue and skiing, I found time to resurrect some of my previous project ideas for Google Summer of Code. Most of them are not specific to Debian, several of them need co-mentors, please contact me if you are interested.Building an antenna and receiving ham and shortwave stations with SDR2017-05-16T20:34:37+02:002017-05-16T20:34:37+02:00https://danielpocock.com/building-loop-antenna-sdr-shortwave-ham-oscal17<p>In my previous blog on the topic of software defined radio (<a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/sdr">SDR</a>), I provided a <a href="https://danielpocock.com/quickstart-sdr-ham-radio-gqrx-gnu-radio">quickstart guide to using gqrx, GNU Radio and the RTL-SDR dongle</a> to receive FM radio and the amateur two meter (VHF) band.</p>
<p>Using the same software configuration and the same RTL-SDR dongle, it is possible to add some extra components and receive <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio">ham radio</a> and shortwave transmissions from around the world.</p>
<p>Here is the antenna setup from the successful SDR workshop at <a href="https://oscal.openlabs.cc/">OSCAL'17</a> on 13 May:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/20m_loop_oscal17.jpg"/>
<p>After the workshop on Saturday, members of the OSCAL team successfully reconstructed the SDR and antenna at the Debian info booth on Sunday and a wide range of shortwave and ham signals were detected:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/oscal_demo1.jpg"/>
<p>Here is a close-up look at the laptop, RTL-SDR dongle (above laptop), Ham-It-Up converter (above water bottle) and MFJ-971 ATU (on right):</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/oscal_demo2.jpg"/>
<h3>Buying the parts</h3>
<table style="spacing: 8pt; padding: 8pt; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top">
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<th>Component</th><th>Purpose, Notes</th><th align="right">Price/link to source</th>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>RTL-SDR dongle</td>
<td>Converts radio signals (RF) into digital signals for reception through the USB port. <em>It is essential to buy the dongles for SDR with TCXO, the generic RTL dongles for TV reception are not stable enough for anything other than TV.</em></td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/">~ € 25</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>Enamelled copper wire, 25 meters or more</td>
<td>Loop antenna. <em>Thicker wire provides better reception and is more suitable for transmitting (if you have a license) but it is heavier</em>. The antenna I've demonstrated at recent events uses 1mm thick wire.</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=enamelled-copper-wire">~ € 10</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>4 (or more) ceramic egg insulators</td>
<td>Attach the antenna to string or rope. Smaller insulators are better as they are lighter and less expensive.</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=ceramic+egg+insulator">~ € 10</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>4:1 balun</td>
<td>The actual ratio of the balun depends on the shape of the loop (square, rectangle or triangle) and the point where you attach the balun (middle, corner, etc). You may want to buy more than one balun, for example, a 4:1 balun and also a 1:1 balun to try alternative configurations. Make sure it is waterproof, has hooks for attaching a string or rope and an SO-239 socket.</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/bhp/4-1-balun">from € 20</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>5 meter RG-58 coaxial cable with male PL-259 plugs on both ends</td>
<td>If using more than 5 meters or if you want to use higher frequencies above 30MHz, use thicker, heavier and more expensive cables like RG-213. The cable must be 50 ohm.</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=rg58+pl259+pl259+5m">~ € 10</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU)</td>
<td>I've been using the <a href="http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=mfj-971">MFJ-971</a> for portable use and demos because of the weight. There are even lighter and cheaper alternatives if you only need to receive.</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=antenna+tuner">~ € 20 for receive only or second hand</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>PL-259 to SMA male pigtail, up to 50cm, RG58</td>
<td>Joins the ATU to the upconverter. Cable must be RG58 or another 50 ohm cable</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=male+pl259+sma+pigtail+-so239+-female">~ € 5</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>Ham It Up v1.3 up-converter</td>
<td>Mixes the HF signal with a signal from a local oscillator to create a new signal in the spectrum covered by the RTL-SDR dongle</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.nooelec.com/store/sdr/sdr-accessories/ham-it-up.html">~ € 40</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>SMA (male) to SMA (male) pigtail</td>
<td>Join the up-converter to the RTL-SDR dongle</td>
<td align="right"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/?_nkw=male+sma+pigtail+-female+-rp+-bnc+-n">~ € 2</a></td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>USB charger and USB type B cable</td>
<td>Used for power to the up-converter. A spare USB mobile phone charge plug may be suitable.</td>
<td align="right">~ € 5</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align: top">
<td>String or rope</td>
<td>For mounting the antenna. A ligher and cheaper string is better for portable use while a stronger and weather-resistent rope is better for a fixed installation.</td>
<td align="right">€ 5</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h3>Building the antenna</h3>
<p>There are numerous <a href="https://www.google.ch/search?q=loop+antenna+calculator">online calculators</a> for measuring the amount of enamelled copper wire to cut.</p>
<p>For example, for a centre frequency of 14.2 MHz on the 20 meter amateur band, the antenna length is 21.336 meters.</p>
<p>Add an extra 24 cm (extra 12 cm on each end) for folding the wire through the hooks on the balun.</p>
<p>After cutting the wire, feed it through the egg insulators before attaching the wire to the balun.</p>
<p>Measure the extra 12 cm at each end of the wire and wrap some tape around there to make it easy to identify in future. Fold it, insert it into the hook on the balun and twist it around itself. Use between four to six twists.</p>
<p>Strip off approximately 0.5cm of the enamel on each end of the wire with a knife, sandpaper or some other tool.</p>
<p>Insert the exposed ends of the wire into the screw terminals and screw it firmly into place. Avoid turning the screw too tightly or it may break or snap the wire.</p>
<p>Insert string through the egg insulators and/or the middle hook on the balun and use the string to attach it to suitable support structures such as a building, posts or trees. Try to keep it at least two meters from any structure. Maximizing the surface area of the loop improves the performance: a circle is an ideal shape, but a square or 4:3 rectangle will work well too.</p>
<p>For optimal performance, if you imagine the loop is on a two-dimensional plane, the first couple of meters of feedline leaving the antenna should be on the plane too and at a right angle to the edge of the antenna.</p>
<p>Join all the other components together using the coaxial cables.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/balun.jpg" width="540"/>
<h3>Configuring gqrx for the up-converter and shortwave signals</h3>
<p>Inspect the up-converter carefully. Look for the crystal and find the frequency written on the side of it. The frequency written on the specification sheet or web site may be wrong so looking at the crystal itself is the best way to be certain. On my Ham It Up, I found a crystal with <em>125.000</em> written on it, this is 125 MHz.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/ham-it-up-125.jpg" width="540"/>
<p>Launch gqrx, go to the File menu and select <em>I/O devices</em>. Change the <em>LNB LO</em> value to match the crystal frequency on the up-converter, with a minus sign. For my Ham It Up, I use the <em>LNB LO</em> value <em>-125.000000 MHz</em>.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/lnb-lo.png"/>
<p>Click <em>OK</em> to close the <em>I/O devices</em> window.</p>
<p>On the <em>Input Controls</em> tab, make sure <em>Hardware AGC</em> is enabled.</p>
<p>On the <em>Receiver options</em> tab, change the <em>Mode</em> value. Commercial shortwave broadcasts use <em>AM</em> and amateur transmission use single sideband: by convention, <em>LSB</em> is used for signals below 10MHz and USB is used for signals above 10MHz. To start exploring the 20 meter amateur band around 14.2 MHz, for example, use <em>USB</em>.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/gqrx-mode-usb.png"/>
<p>In the top of the window, enter the frequency, for example, <em>14.200 000 MHz</em>.</p>
<p>Now choose the <em>FFT Settings</em> tab and adjust the <em>Freq zoom</em> slider. Zoom until the width of the display is about 100 kHZ, for example, from 14.15 on the left to 14.25 on the right.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/gqrx-freq-zoom.png"/>
<p>Click the <em>Play</em> icon at the top left to start receiving. You may hear white noise. If you hear nothing, check the computer's volume controls, move the <em>Gain</em> slider (bottom right) to the maximum position and then lower the <em>Squelch</em> value on the <em>Receiver options</em> tab until you hear the white noise or a transmission.</p>
<h3>Adjust the Antenna Tuner knobs</h3>
<p>Now that gqrx is running, it is time to adjust the knobs on the antenna tuner (ATU). Reception improves dramatically when it is tuned correctly. Exact instructions depend on the type of ATU you have purchased, here I present instructions for the MFJ-971 that I have been using.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/MFJ-971.jpg" width="540"/>
<p>Turn the <em>TRANSMITTER</em> and <em>ANTENNA</em> knobs to the 12 o'clock position and leave them like that. Turn the <em>INDUCTANCE</em> knob while looking at the signals in the gqrx window. When you find the best position, the signal strength displayed on the screen will appear to increase (the animated white line should appear to move upwards and maybe some peaks will appear in the line).</p>
<p>When you feel you have found the best position for the <em>INDUCTANCE</em> knob, leave it in that position and begin turning the <em>ANTENNA</em> knob clockwise looking for any increase in signal strength on the chart. When you feel that is correct, begin turning the <em>TRANSMITTER</em> knob.</p>
<h3>Listening to a transmission</h3>
<p>At this point, if you are lucky, some transmissions may be visible on the gqrx screen. They will appear as darker colours in the waterfall chart. Try clicking on one of them, the vertical red line will jump to that position. For a USB transmission, try to place the vertical red line at the left hand side of the signal. Try dragging the vertical red line or changing the frequency value at the top of the screen by 100 Hz at a time until the station is tuned as well as possible.</p>
<p>Try and listen to the transmission and identify the station. Commercial shortwave broadcasts will usually identify themselves from time to time. Amateur transmissions will usually include a callsign spoken in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_phonetic_alphabet">phonetic alphabet</a>. For example, if you hear "<em><b>CQ</b>, this is <b>V</b>ictor <b>K</b>ilo <b>3</b> <b>T</b>ango <b>Q</b>uebec <b>R</b>omeo</em>" then the station is <em>VK3TQR</em>. You may want to note down the callsign, time, frequency and mode in your log book. You may also find information about the callsign in a search engine.</p>
<p>The video demonstrates reception of a transmission from another country, can you identify the station's callsign and find his location?</p>
<video width="640" height="480" controls>
<source src="https://video.danielpocock.com/oscal_demo3.mp4" type="video/mp4">
Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>
<p>If you have questions about this topic, please come and ask on the <a href="https://lists.debian.org/debian-hams">Debian Hams mailing list</a>. The <em>gqrx</em> package is also available in Fedora and Ubuntu but it is known to crash on startup in Ubuntu 17.04. Users of other distributions may also want to try the <a href="https://www.debian.org/blends/hamradio/get/">Debian Ham Blend bootable ISO live image</a> as a quick and easy way to get started.</p>In my previous blog on the topic of software defined radio (SDR), I provided a quickstart guide to using gqrx, GNU Radio and the RTL-SDR dongle to receive FM radio and the amateur two meter (VHF) band. Using the same software configuration and the same RTL-SDR dongle, it is possible to add some extra components and receive ham radio and shortwave transmissions from around the world. Here is the antenna setup from the successful SDR workshop at OSCAL'17 on 13 May: After the workshop on Saturday, members of the OSCAL team successfully reconstructed the SDR and antenna at the Debian info booth on Sunday and a wide range of shortwave and ham signals were detected: Here is a close-up look at the laptop, RTL-SDR dongle (above laptop), Ham-It-Up converter (above water bottle) and MFJ-971 ATU (on right): Buying the parts ComponentPurpose, NotesPrice/link to source RTL-SDR dongle Converts radio signals (RF) into digital signals for reception through the USB port. It is essential to buy the dongles for SDR with TCXO, the generic RTL dongles for TV reception are not stable enough for anything other than TV. ~ € 25 Enamelled copper wire, 25 meters or more Loop antenna. Thicker wire provides better reception and is more suitable for transmitting (if you have a license) but it is heavier. The antenna I've demonstrated at recent events uses 1mm thick wire. ~ € 10 4 (or more) ceramic egg insulators Attach the antenna to string or rope. Smaller insulators are better as they are lighter and less expensive. ~ € 10 4:1 balun The actual ratio of the balun depends on the shape of the loop (square, rectangle or triangle) and the point where you attach the balun (middle, corner, etc). You may want to buy more than one balun, for example, a 4:1 balun and also a 1:1 balun to try alternative configurations. Make sure it is waterproof, has hooks for attaching a string or rope and an SO-239 socket. from € 20 5 meter RG-58 coaxial cable with male PL-259 plugs on both ends If using more than 5 meters or if you want to use higher frequencies above 30MHz, use thicker, heavier and more expensive cables like RG-213. The cable must be 50 ohm. ~ € 10 Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) I've been using the MFJ-971 for portable use and demos because of the weight. There are even lighter and cheaper alternatives if you only need to receive. ~ € 20 for receive only or second hand PL-259 to SMA male pigtail, up to 50cm, RG58 Joins the ATU to the upconverter. Cable must be RG58 or another 50 ohm cable ~ € 5 Ham It Up v1.3 up-converter Mixes the HF signal with a signal from a local oscillator to create a new signal in the spectrum covered by the RTL-SDR dongle ~ € 40 SMA (male) to SMA (male) pigtail Join the up-converter to the RTL-SDR dongle ~ € 2 USB charger and USB type B cable Used for power to the up-converter. A spare USB mobile phone charge plug may be suitable. ~ € 5 String or rope For mounting the antenna. A ligher and cheaper string is better for portable use while a stronger and weather-resistent rope is better for a fixed installation. € 5 Building the antenna There are numerous online calculators for measuring the amount of enamelled copper wire to cut. For example, for a centre frequency of 14.2 MHz on the 20 meter amateur band, the antenna length is 21.336 meters. Add an extra 24 cm (extra 12 cm on each end) for folding the wire through the hooks on the balun. After cutting the wire, feed it through the egg insulators before attaching the wire to the balun. Measure the extra 12 cm at each end of the wire and wrap some tape around there to make it easy to identify in future. Fold it, insert it into the hook on the balun and twist it around itself. Use between four to six twists. Strip off approximately 0.5cm of the enamel on each end of the wire with a knife, sandpaper or some other tool. Insert the exposed ends of the wire into the screw terminals and screw it firmly into place. Avoid turning the screw too tightly or it may break or snap the wire. Insert string through the egg insulators and/or the middle hook on the balun and use the string to attach it to suitable support structures such as a building, posts or trees. Try to keep it at least two meters from any structure. Maximizing the surface area of the loop improves the performance: a circle is an ideal shape, but a square or 4:3 rectangle will work well too. For optimal performance, if you imagine the loop is on a two-dimensional plane, the first couple of meters of feedline leaving the antenna should be on the plane too and at a right angle to the edge of the antenna. Join all the other components together using the coaxial cables. Configuring gqrx for the up-converter and shortwave signals Inspect the up-converter carefully. Look for the crystal and find the frequency written on the side of it. The frequency written on the specification sheet or web site may be wrong so looking at the crystal itself is the best way to be certain. On my Ham It Up, I found a crystal with 125.000 written on it, this is 125 MHz. Launch gqrx, go to the File menu and select I/O devices. Change the LNB LO value to match the crystal frequency on the up-converter, with a minus sign. For my Ham It Up, I use the LNB LO value -125.000000 MHz. Click OK to close the I/O devices window. On the Input Controls tab, make sure Hardware AGC is enabled. On the Receiver options tab, change the Mode value. Commercial shortwave broadcasts use AM and amateur transmission use single sideband: by convention, LSB is used for signals below 10MHz and USB is used for signals above 10MHz. To start exploring the 20 meter amateur band around 14.2 MHz, for example, use USB. In the top of the window, enter the frequency, for example, 14.200 000 MHz. Now choose the FFT Settings tab and adjust the Freq zoom slider. Zoom until the width of the display is about 100 kHZ, for example, from 14.15 on the left to 14.25 on the right. Click the Play icon at the top left to start receiving. You may hear white noise. If you hear nothing, check the computer's volume controls, move the Gain slider (bottom right) to the maximum position and then lower the Squelch value on the Receiver options tab until you hear the white noise or a transmission. Adjust the Antenna Tuner knobs Now that gqrx is running, it is time to adjust the knobs on the antenna tuner (ATU). Reception improves dramatically when it is tuned correctly. Exact instructions depend on the type of ATU you have purchased, here I present instructions for the MFJ-971 that I have been using. Turn the TRANSMITTER and ANTENNA knobs to the 12 o'clock position and leave them like that. Turn the INDUCTANCE knob while looking at the signals in the gqrx window. When you find the best position, the signal strength displayed on the screen will appear to increase (the animated white line should appear to move upwards and maybe some peaks will appear in the line). When you feel you have found the best position for the INDUCTANCE knob, leave it in that position and begin turning the ANTENNA knob clockwise looking for any increase in signal strength on the chart. When you feel that is correct, begin turning the TRANSMITTER knob. Listening to a transmission At this point, if you are lucky, some transmissions may be visible on the gqrx screen. They will appear as darker colours in the waterfall chart. Try clicking on one of them, the vertical red line will jump to that position. For a USB transmission, try to place the vertical red line at the left hand side of the signal. Try dragging the vertical red line or changing the frequency value at the top of the screen by 100 Hz at a time until the station is tuned as well as possible. Try and listen to the transmission and identify the station. Commercial shortwave broadcasts will usually identify themselves from time to time. Amateur transmissions will usually include a callsign spoken in the phonetic alphabet. For example, if you hear "CQ, this is Victor Kilo 3 Tango Quebec Romeo" then the station is VK3TQR. You may want to note down the callsign, time, frequency and mode in your log book. You may also find information about the callsign in a search engine. The video demonstrates reception of a transmission from another country, can you identify the station's callsign and find his location? Your browser does not support the video tag. If you have questions about this topic, please come and ask on the Debian Hams mailing list. The gqrx package is also available in Fedora and Ubuntu but it is known to crash on startup in Ubuntu 17.04. Users of other distributions may also want to try the Debian Ham Blend bootable ISO live image as a quick and easy way to get started.Quickstart SDR with gqrx, GNU Radio and the RTL-SDR dongle2016-11-07T20:56:09+01:002016-11-07T20:56:09+01:00https://danielpocock.com/quickstart-sdr-ham-radio-gqrx-gnu-radio<p>Software Defined Radio (SDR) provides many opportunities for both experimentation and solving real-world problems. It is not exactly a new technology but it has become significantly more accessible due to the increases in desktop computing power (for performing the DSP functions) and simultaneous reduction in the cost of SDR hardware.</p>
<p>Thanks to the availability of a completely packaged <a href="http://gqrx.dk/">gqrx</a> and <a href="http://gnuradio.org/">GNU Radio</a> solution, you can now get up and running in less than half an hour and spending less than fifty dollars/pounds/euros.</p>
<p>We provided a full demo of the <a href="https://www.debian.org/blends/hamradio/">Debian Hams</a> gqrx solution at <a href="http://debienna.at/minidebconf_vie2016/">Mini DebConf Vienna</a> (<a href="http://meetings-archive.debian.net/pub/debian-meetings/2016/mini-debconf-vienna/webm/Debian_Hams_and_Software_Defined_Radio_SDR.webm">video</a>) and hope to provide a similar demo at <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/gb/2016/MiniDebConfCambridge">MiniDebConf Cambridge</a> on the coming weekend of 12-13 November.</p>
<p>gqrx is also available <a href="https://apps.fedoraproject.org/packages/gqrx">for Fedora users</a>.</p>
<h3>Choosing hardware</h3>
<p>There are many different types of hardware, ranging from the low-cost RTL-SDR USB dongles to full duplex multi-transceiver systems.</p>
<p>My recommendation is to start with an RTL-SDR dongle due to extremely low cost, this will give you an opportunity to reflect on the opportunities of this technology before putting money into one of the transceivers and their accessories. The RTL-SDR dongle also benefits from being a small self-contained solution that you can carry around and experiment with or demo just about anywhere.</p>
<p><b>Important:</b> Don't buy the cheapest generic RTL TV/radio receivers. It is absolutely essential to buy one of the units that has been explicitly promoted for SDR. These typically have a temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) which is absolutely essential for the reception of narrowband voice and digital signals. Without this, it is only possible to receive wideband broadcash FM radio and TV channels.</p>
<p>For those who want to try it out with us at <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/DebianEvents/gb/2016/MiniDebConfCambridge">MiniDebConf Cambridge</a>, Technofix has UK stock (<a href="https://shop.technofix.uk/super-stable-1ppm-tcxo-r820t2-tuner-rtl2832u-rtl-sdr-usb-stick-version-3">online ordering</a>), they are about £26.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/rtl-sdr-dongle.jpg"/>
<h3>Getting gqrx up and running fast</h3>
<p>Note: to avoid the wrong kernel module being loaded automatically, it is recoemmended that you don't connect the RTL-SDR dongle before you install the packages. If you did already connect it, you may need to reboot or <em>rmmod dvb_usb_rtl28xxu</em>.</p>
<p>If you are using a Debian jessie system, you can get all the necessary packages from <a href="https://backports.debian.org">jessie-backports</a>.</p>
<p>If you haven't already enabled backports, you can do so with a command like this:</p>
<code>
$ sudo echo "deb http://ftp.ch.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
</code>
<p>Make sure your local index is updated and then install the necessary packages:</p>
<code>
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install -t jessie-backports gqrx-sdr rtl-sdr
</code>
<h3>Running it for the first time</h3>
<p>Once the packages are installed, connect the RTL-SDR dongle to the computer and then start the gqrx GUI from a terminal:</p>
<code>
$ gqrx
</code>
<p>If the GUI fails to appear, look carefully at the error messages. It may be that the wrong kernel module has been loaded.</p>
<p>The properties window appears, select the RTL-SDR dongle:</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/gqrx-choose-rtl-sdr.png"/>
<p>Now the main screen will appear. Choose the wideband FM mode "WFM (mono)" and change the frequency to a value in the FM broadcast band such as 100MHz. Click the "Power on" button in the top left corner, just under the "File" menu, to start reception. Click in the middle of a strong signal to tune to that station. If you don't hear anything, check the squelch setting (it should be more negative than the signal strength value) and increase the Gain control at the bottom right hand side of the window.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/gqrx-tune-fm.png"/>
<h3>Looking for ham / amateur radio signals</h3>
<p>A popular band for hams is between 144 - 148 MHz (in some countries only a subset of this band is used). This is referred to as the two-meter band, as that is the wavelength at this frequency.</p>
<p>Hams often use the narrowband FM mode in this band, especially with repeater stations. Change the "Mode" setting from "WFM" to "Narrow FM" and change the frequency to a value in the middle of the band. Look for signals in the radio spectrum and click on them to hear them.</p>
<p>If you are not sure which part of the band to look in, search for the two-meter band plan for your country/region and look for the repeater output frequencies in the band plan.</p>
<img src="https://danielpocock.com/sites/danielpocock.com/files/gqrx-tune-2m-fm.png"/>
<h3>Receiving HF and shortwave signals</h3>
<p>To start receiving HF and shortwave signals from around the world, you will need an up-converter, ATU and a larger antenna: see <a href="https://danielpocock.com/building-loop-antenna-sdr-shortwave-ham-oscal17">my next blog in the series for details of how to easily obtain the extra parts and build the antenna</a>.</p>Software Defined Radio (SDR) provides many opportunities for both experimentation and solving real-world problems. It is not exactly a new technology but it has become significantly more accessible due to the increases in desktop computing power (for performing the DSP functions) and simultaneous reduction in the cost of SDR hardware. Thanks to the availability of a completely packaged gqrx and GNU Radio solution, you can now get up and running in less than half an hour and spending less than fifty dollars/pounds/euros. We provided a full demo of the Debian Hams gqrx solution at Mini DebConf Vienna (video) and hope to provide a similar demo at MiniDebConf Cambridge on the coming weekend of 12-13 November. gqrx is also available for Fedora users. Choosing hardware There are many different types of hardware, ranging from the low-cost RTL-SDR USB dongles to full duplex multi-transceiver systems. My recommendation is to start with an RTL-SDR dongle due to extremely low cost, this will give you an opportunity to reflect on the opportunities of this technology before putting money into one of the transceivers and their accessories. The RTL-SDR dongle also benefits from being a small self-contained solution that you can carry around and experiment with or demo just about anywhere. Important: Don't buy the cheapest generic RTL TV/radio receivers. It is absolutely essential to buy one of the units that has been explicitly promoted for SDR. These typically have a temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) which is absolutely essential for the reception of narrowband voice and digital signals. Without this, it is only possible to receive wideband broadcash FM radio and TV channels. For those who want to try it out with us at MiniDebConf Cambridge, Technofix has UK stock (online ordering), they are about £26. Getting gqrx up and running fast Note: to avoid the wrong kernel module being loaded automatically, it is recoemmended that you don't connect the RTL-SDR dongle before you install the packages. If you did already connect it, you may need to reboot or rmmod dvb_usb_rtl28xxu. If you are using a Debian jessie system, you can get all the necessary packages from jessie-backports. If you haven't already enabled backports, you can do so with a command like this: $ sudo echo "deb http://ftp.ch.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list Make sure your local index is updated and then install the necessary packages: $ sudo apt-get update $ sudo apt-get install -t jessie-backports gqrx-sdr rtl-sdr Running it for the first time Once the packages are installed, connect the RTL-SDR dongle to the computer and then start the gqrx GUI from a terminal: $ gqrx If the GUI fails to appear, look carefully at the error messages. It may be that the wrong kernel module has been loaded. The properties window appears, select the RTL-SDR dongle: Now the main screen will appear. Choose the wideband FM mode "WFM (mono)" and change the frequency to a value in the FM broadcast band such as 100MHz. Click the "Power on" button in the top left corner, just under the "File" menu, to start reception. Click in the middle of a strong signal to tune to that station. If you don't hear anything, check the squelch setting (it should be more negative than the signal strength value) and increase the Gain control at the bottom right hand side of the window. Looking for ham / amateur radio signals A popular band for hams is between 144 - 148 MHz (in some countries only a subset of this band is used). This is referred to as the two-meter band, as that is the wavelength at this frequency. Hams often use the narrowband FM mode in this band, especially with repeater stations. Change the "Mode" setting from "WFM" to "Narrow FM" and change the frequency to a value in the middle of the band. Look for signals in the radio spectrum and click on them to hear them. If you are not sure which part of the band to look in, search for the two-meter band plan for your country/region and look for the repeater output frequencies in the band plan. Receiving HF and shortwave signals To start receiving HF and shortwave signals from around the world, you will need an up-converter, ATU and a larger antenna: see my next blog in the series for details of how to easily obtain the extra parts and build the antenna.LinuxWochen, MiniDebConf Vienna and Linux Presentation Day2016-04-24T08:23:10+02:002016-04-24T08:23:10+02:00https://danielpocock.com/linuxwochen-minidebconf-vienna-2016<p>Over the coming week, there are a vast number of free software events taking place around the world.</p>
<p>I'll be at the <a href="http://linuxwochen.at/">LinuxWochen Vienna</a> and <a href="http://debienna.at/minidebconf_vie2016/">MiniDebConf Vienna</a>, the events run over four days from Thursday, 28 April to Sunday, 1 May.</p>
<p>At MiniDebConf Vienna, I'll be giving a talk on Saturday (schedule not finalized yet) about our progress with free Real-Time Communications (RTC) and welcoming <a href="https://lists.fsfe.org/pipermail/free-rtc/2016-April/000233.html">13 new GSoC students (and their mentors) working on this topic under the Debian umbrella</a>.</p>
<p>On Sunday, <a href="https://iain.learmonth.me/">Iain Learmonth</a> and I will be collaborating on a workshop/demonstration on <a href="">Software Defined Radio</a> from the perspective of ham radio and <a href="https://www.debian.org/blends/hamradio/">the Debian Ham Radio Pure Blend</a>. If you want to be an active participant, an easy way to get involved is to bring an RTL-SDR dongle. It is highly recommended that instead of buying any cheap generic dongle, you buy one with a high quality temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TXCO), such as those promoted by <a href="http://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/">RTL-SDR.com</a>.</p>
<p>Saturday, 30 April is also <a href="http://www.linux-presentation-day.org/">Linux Presentation Day in many places</a>. There is an event in Switzerland organized by the local <a href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/LocalGroups/Zurich">local FSFE group</a> in <a href="https://wiki.fsfe.org/Events/Zurich/LPD_Basel_2016-04-30">Basel</a>.
<p>DebConf16 is only a couple of months away now, <a href="https://debconf16.debconf.org/accounts/login/?next=/accounts/profile/">Registration is still open</a> and the team are keenly looking for additional <a href="http://media.debconf.org/dc16/fundraising/debconf16_sponsorship_brochure.pdf">sponsors</a>. Sponsors are a vital part of such a large event, if your employer or any other organization you know benefits from Debian, please encourage them to contribute.</p>Over the coming week, there are a vast number of free software events taking place around the world. I'll be at the LinuxWochen Vienna and MiniDebConf Vienna, the events run over four days from Thursday, 28 April to Sunday, 1 May. At MiniDebConf Vienna, I'll be giving a talk on Saturday (schedule not finalized yet) about our progress with free Real-Time Communications (RTC) and welcoming 13 new GSoC students (and their mentors) working on this topic under the Debian umbrella. On Sunday, Iain Learmonth and I will be collaborating on a workshop/demonstration on Software Defined Radio from the perspective of ham radio and the Debian Ham Radio Pure Blend. If you want to be an active participant, an easy way to get involved is to bring an RTL-SDR dongle. It is highly recommended that instead of buying any cheap generic dongle, you buy one with a high quality temperature compensated crystal oscillator (TXCO), such as those promoted by RTL-SDR.com. Saturday, 30 April is also Linux Presentation Day in many places. There is an event in Switzerland organized by the local local FSFE group in Basel. DebConf16 is only a couple of months away now, Registration is still open and the team are keenly looking for additional sponsors. Sponsors are a vital part of such a large event, if your employer or any other organization you know benefits from Debian, please encourage them to contribute.Google Summer of Code opportunities for ham radio and SDR2016-03-12T21:39:24+01:002016-03-12T21:39:24+01:00https://danielpocock.com/gsoc-2016-ham-radio-sdr<p>I've started preparing some ideas for Google Summer of Code projects I'd be willing to help mentor this year and one of them is for <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/hamradio">ham radio</a>, with a focus on <a href="https://danielpocock.com/tags/sdr">software defined radio (SDR)</a>.</p>
<h3>Can you help?</h3>
<p><em>If you can help as a co-mentor or simply help refer students for this project please get in touch with me</em>.</p>
<p><a href="https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/">Ander the terms of the program</a> students are paid a $US 5,500 stipend by Google and source code is fully published under <a href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html">a genuine free software license</a> .</p>
<h3>Details about the project and how students can apply</h3>
<p>Students applying for this project are invited to submit two applications, one under the <a href="https://gnuradio.org/redmine/projects/gnuradio/wiki/GSoCIdeas">GNU Radio project</a> and another under the <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/SummerOfCode2016/Projects#SummerOfCode2016.2FProjects.2FHamRadioTransceiver.Ham_.2F_Amateur_Radio_Transceiver">Debian Project</a>.</p>
<p>The aim of this project is to make ready-to-run solutions for ham radio enthusiasts.</p>
<p>The typical use case is a ham who has a spare computer in his shack, he should be able to boot the computer from DVD or USB stick using the <a href="https://www.debian.org/blends/hamradio/get/live">Debian Ham Radio Live Blend</a> or the <a href="https://gnuradio.org/redmine/projects/gnuradio/wiki/GNURadioLiveDVD">GNU Radio Live SDR</a> and have a functional transceiver within a few minutes.</p>
<p>A student may not be able to do everything required for this project in one summer. We are looking for a student who can make any incremental improvement to bring us closer to this goal.</p>
<p>Here are some of the tasks that may be involved:</p>
<ul>
<li>survey the existing GNU Radio samples for ham radio, many are listed on <a href="https://gnuradio.org/redmine/projects/gnuradio/wiki/HamRadio">the HamRadio page of the GNU Radio wiki</a>.</li>
<li>design user interface improvements for the samples to make them more intuitive to new users and traditional radio operators. Consider how they can interact with <a href="https://gnuradio.org/redmine/projects/gnuradio/wiki/HardwareTransceiver">Hardware such as a VFO tuning knob, PTT microphone switch and even a morse key</a>.</li>
<li>look through the other packages in the <a href="https://www.debian.org/blends/hamradio/get/metapackages">Debian Ham Radio metapackage list</a> and consider how they could interact with GNU Radio. In particular, we are interested in the use of message bus solutions, such as <a href="https://gnuradio.org/doc/doxygen/page_zeromq.html">ZeroMQ</a> or <a href="https://dbus.freedesktop.org/">D-Bus</a> - for example, GNU Radio could send alerts on the bus when incoming signals exceed the squelch threshold. GNU Radio could also receive events over a message bus, for example, patching <a href="http://gpredict.oz9aec.net/">GPredict</a> to send Doppler shift information.</li>
<li>developing and packaging libraries needed to process digital voice transmissions</li>
<li>look at how one or more of the samples can be deployed as a Debian package so users can just install the package and have a working radio</li>
</ul>
<h3>Prerequisites</h3>
The following experience is highly desirable:
<ul>
<li>ham radio license</li>
<li>GNU/Linux skills (Debian or Ubuntu or another distribution like Fedora)</li>
<li>use of version control systems (Git)</li>
<li>C++ or Python or both</li>
</ul>
<h3>Mentor(s)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Daniel Pocock (VK3TQR/M0GLR/HB9FZT)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Application process</h3>
<p>To apply</p>
<ul>
<li>please introduce yourself on both the <a href="https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss-gnuradio">GNU Radio mailing list</a> and the <a href="https://lists.debian.org/debian-hams/">Debian Hams mailing list</a></li>
<li>Fill in the formal application for both GNU Radio and Debian</li>
<li>Pick some items from the list above or feel free to suggest another piece of work relevant to this theme. Give us a detailed, week-by-week plan for completing the task over the summer.</li>
<li>find at least one other member of the GNU Radio or Debian community who is willing to be a co-mentor on the project. Please try communicating with us over IRC or email and give us examples of your existing work on Github or elsewhere.</li>
</ul>I've started preparing some ideas for Google Summer of Code projects I'd be willing to help mentor this year and one of them is for ham radio, with a focus on software defined radio (SDR). Can you help? If you can help as a co-mentor or simply help refer students for this project please get in touch with me. Ander the terms of the program students are paid a $US 5,500 stipend by Google and source code is fully published under a genuine free software license . Details about the project and how students can apply Students applying for this project are invited to submit two applications, one under the GNU Radio project and another under the Debian Project. The aim of this project is to make ready-to-run solutions for ham radio enthusiasts. The typical use case is a ham who has a spare computer in his shack, he should be able to boot the computer from DVD or USB stick using the Debian Ham Radio Live Blend or the GNU Radio Live SDR and have a functional transceiver within a few minutes. A student may not be able to do everything required for this project in one summer. We are looking for a student who can make any incremental improvement to bring us closer to this goal. Here are some of the tasks that may be involved: survey the existing GNU Radio samples for ham radio, many are listed on the HamRadio page of the GNU Radio wiki. design user interface improvements for the samples to make them more intuitive to new users and traditional radio operators. Consider how they can interact with Hardware such as a VFO tuning knob, PTT microphone switch and even a morse key. look through the other packages in the Debian Ham Radio metapackage list and consider how they could interact with GNU Radio. In particular, we are interested in the use of message bus solutions, such as ZeroMQ or D-Bus - for example, GNU Radio could send alerts on the bus when incoming signals exceed the squelch threshold. GNU Radio could also receive events over a message bus, for example, patching GPredict to send Doppler shift information. developing and packaging libraries needed to process digital voice transmissions look at how one or more of the samples can be deployed as a Debian package so users can just install the package and have a working radio Prerequisites The following experience is highly desirable: ham radio license GNU/Linux skills (Debian or Ubuntu or another distribution like Fedora) use of version control systems (Git) C++ or Python or both Mentor(s) Daniel Pocock (VK3TQR/M0GLR/HB9FZT) Application process To apply please introduce yourself on both the GNU Radio mailing list and the Debian Hams mailing list Fill in the formal application for both GNU Radio and Debian Pick some items from the list above or feel free to suggest another piece of work relevant to this theme. Give us a detailed, week-by-week plan for completing the task over the summer. find at least one other member of the GNU Radio or Debian community who is willing to be a co-mentor on the project. Please try communicating with us over IRC or email and give us examples of your existing work on Github or elsewhere.