WSJT on UBUNTU

After the previous success on WSPR on UBUNTU it was next time to try WSJT. I found an install package for an old version of WSJT but this did not have the ISCAT mode. So I turned to Roger W3SZ who was the Linux guru at the WSJT contest station for guidance. He showed me how to compile the current version from the svn. using the following method (type what is between the < and >)

 <svn co svn://svn.berlios.de/wsjt/trunk>

 go to .../trunk

I checked with the package manager and found I already had the libfftw3 and libfftw3-dev packages.

<./configure --with-portaudio-include-dir=/WSJT9/trunk/--with-portaudio-lib-dir=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/>

it did a whole load of things starting at "Compiling wsjt" and ended with "Installing into: /usr/local"

still in trunk:-:

<make clean>

<make>

after it finishes make sure you have permissions to execute  ../trunk/wsjt.py 

<./wsjt.py>

then I saw

"WSJT Version 9.3 r2589 , by K1JT

Revision date: 2012-09-17 16:13:47 -0400 (Mon, 17 Sep 2012)

Run date:   Sun Oct 21 19:02:33 2012 UTC

..............................."

The normal WSJT9.3 window opened and I set up the options for JT65B and after leaving the rig tuned to 70.0485MHz for a while I saw:-

Next I set it to JT65A on the WSJT frequency on 40m and saw:-

Also worked well on transmit

Double success!

WSPR on UBUNTU

UPDATE: 1/12/2013: 

to make this work now select revision 2840

svn co http://svn.berlios.de/svnroot/repos/wsjt/branches/wspr -r2840

I have used WSPR and WSJT digimodes for many years now but always on windows machines so I thought I ought to try using it on my Dell D630 Ubuntu Laptop

 Initially I tried installing the deb packages for WSJT on the K1JT web site http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wspr.html but both packages had issues

WSPR 2.11

when installing wspr_2.11r2263_i386.deb using the method in WSPR_2.0_User.pdf it installs OK but when I try to execute it I get:-

******************************************************************

WSPR Version 2.11_r2254, by K1JT

Run date:   Tue Oct  9 15:50:42 2012 UTC

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "wspr.py", line 53, in <module>

    w.acom1.appdir=(appdir+(' '*80))[:80]

ValueError: could not convert string to float: /home/dave/Downloads/WSPR

so I moved on to the other available version, wspr_2.00r1714_i386.deb when installing I get the following:-

dpkg: error processing wspr_2.00r1714_i386.deb (--install):

 unable to open file '/var/lib/dpkg/tmp.ci//.svn': Is a directory Errors were encountered while processing:

 wspr_2.00r1714_i386.deb

Searching the Internet I found many others who had discovered the same issues but no solutions. Then I discovered http://www.george-smart.co.uk/wiki/Compiling_WSPR which shows how to compile wspr from the svn location. Following the instructions It installed WSPR3.0.1 (which is the latest "experimental" release of WSPR no signs of "released version" on the SVN.). I had no issues so I tried it on 40m receive after setting the input and output audio to "default" (11), see above

Next I tried the transmit side. When it was time to transmit I got "Can't open /dev/ttyS0".  I checked the port:- 

dave@Ubuntu-D630a:~/trunk$ dmesg | grep tty

[    0.000000] console [tty0] enabled
[    0.555491] serial8250: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A
[    0.988910] 00:09: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A 

so the port was there. Another web search revealed that there can be issues with who owns that serial port. It was found to be root. and adding me to the uucp group should fix it, which it did. Leaving it running driving the K3 at 5W I found the following spots on WSPRnet:-

2012-10-22 22:26  G4FRE  7.040096  -11  0  IO82uc  5  G4ENZ  IO81vv  24  166  

2012-10-22 22:14  G4FRE  7.040104  -1  0  IO82uc  5  S59I  JN76me  1417  111  

2012-10-22 22:14  G4FRE  7.040096  -11  0  IO82uc  5  LA9JO  JP99gb  2177  22  

2012-10-22 22:14  G4FRE  7.040011  -7  0  IO82uc  5  LA1NRA  JP53ej  1457  26  

2012-10-22 22:14  G4FRE  7.040082  -6  0  IO82uc  5  OK2IP  JN89ee  1351  96 

Success!

KX3 HF Band Decoder

Having had a KX3 for nearly 6 months now, the biggest handicap has been the lack of band outputs to switch external equipment (eg LPF in external PA, antennas etc).  These are standard on the K3 but are missed on the KX3. So Today I finished rewriting and testing the code for my RS232 Transverter driver to accomplish this. The writeup is at http://g4fre.com/KX3_RS232_hf.htm

28MHz QRSS 21 October

After seeing spots of my 28MHz WSPR signals into SE USA during Sunday morning:-, 

It seemed a good time to try QRSS DFCW on the band. Running just 300mW into the DX-EE I was received in Nova Scotia by VE1VDM in FN85 (4411km):-

I am the upper signal and am sending "G4FRE IO82" at this time (key to decode: upper frequency = dash lower frequency = dot and dash length=dot length)

I was also seen Florida by W4HBK in EM60 (7070km) :-

Again I am the upper signal. Signals were seen at W4HBK from 1305z when I started until  1745z when they faded out

14MHz WSPR 19 October

After the success on 10m earlier in the day I decided to leave WSPR running on 20m in the evening

The above map shows 1600z to 1740 ie just 100 minutes on the band. WA2YUN caused some head scratching till I found he was really WA2YUN/KH9 on Wake Island, rare dx on any band

2012-10-19 20:34	G4FRE	14.097095	-22	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 20:24	G4FRE	14.097095	-17	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 20:06	G4FRE	14.097095	-13	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 19:56	G4FRE	14.097095	-15	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 19:44	G4FRE	14.097095	-12	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 19:36	G4FRE	14.097095	-10	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 19:26	G4FRE	14.097095	-13	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 18:58	G4FRE	14.097096	-12	0	IO82uc	0.5	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 16:46	G4FRE	14.097096	-24	0	IO82uc	2	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 16:34	G4FRE	14.097096	-24	0	IO82uc	2	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 16:26	G4FRE	14.097096	-24	0	IO82uc	2	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 16:16	G4FRE	14.097096	-22	0	IO82uc	2	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11
2012-10-19 16:08	G4FRE	14.097096	-20	0	IO82uc	2	WA2YUN	RK39hh	12001	11

my signal got louder with him after I reduced the power!!

28MHZ WSPR 19 October 5 Continents

10:38   G4FRE   28.126082   -26   0   IO82uc   1   VK2KRR   QF34mr  16957   64
11:10   G4FRE   28.126085   -20   1   IO82uc   1   VK2KRR   QF34mr  16957   64
11:28   G4FRE   28.126087   -22   0   IO82uc   1   VK2KRR   QF34mr  16957   64
11:36   G4FRE   28.126121   -22   0   IO82uc   1   VK6ZT      OF78sq   14559   90
11:46   G4FRE   28.126121   -19   0   IO82uc   1   VK6ZT      OF78sq   14559   90
11:54   G4FRE   28.126121    -8   0   IO82uc   1   VK6ZT       OF78sq   14559   90
12:16   G4FRE   28.126088   -24   0   IO82uc   1   VK2KRR   QF34mr  16957   64
12:16   G4FRE   28.126121   -29   0   IO82uc   1   VK6ZT      OF78sq   14559   90
12:26   G4FRE   28.126089   -12   0   IO82uc   1   VK2KRR   QF34mr  16957   64
12:34   G4FRE   28.126089   -12   0   IO82uc   1   VK2KRR   QF34mr  16957   64
12:42   G4FRE   28.126088   -18   0   IO82uc   1   VK2KRR   QF34mr  16957   64

13:00   G4FRE   28.126096   -19   0   IO82uc   1   KC2GMM   FN21uc   5400   287
13:30   G4FRE   28.126099   -22   0   IO82uc   1   KC2GMM   FN21uc   5400   287
14:22   G4FRE   28.126100   -23   0   IO82uc   1   KC2GMM   FN21uc   5400   287
14:38   G4FRE   28.126099   -19   0   IO82uc   1   KC2GMM   FN21uc   5400   287

14:50   G4FRE   28.126104   -29   0   IO82uc   1   K3SIW   EN52ta   6225   297

It is interesting to see that at 1216 I was copied in both VK2 and VK6 and only 18 minutes after my last spot in VK2 I was seen by KC2GMM who was a member of the same Radio Club when we lived in New Jersey. What is most spectacular of the USA spots is that I have a hill 500' higher than the shack within 0.25 miles in the USA direction!

The only Continent missing for WAC was S. America.

The paths were not reciprical; I had multiple copies of SV1 and 4X4 with one copy of PA0 PE1 and OH5

28MHz WSPR 18 October VK6 Opening

I turned on the 28MHz WSPR system at around 11am and was surprised to see the following appear:-

 2012-10-18 10:38   VK6XT   28.126194   -17   0   OF86td   5   G4FRE   IO82uc   14894   312

I never saw VK6XT again, but he saw me for the next 2 hours:-

 2012-10-18 10:48   G4FRE   28.126088     -8   0   IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 11:16   G4FRE   28.126090   -12   0   IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 11:26   G4FRE   28.126093   -10   0   IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 11:36   G4FRE   28.126093   -11   0   IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 11:44   G4FRE   28.126093   -19   -1  IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 11:52   G4FRE   28.126093   -20   -1  IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 12:04   G4FRE   28.126093     -7   0    IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 12:26   G4FRE   28.126094   -12   -1  IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 12:34   G4FRE   28.126096   -17   0   IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 12:42   G4FRE   28.126094   -17   0   IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91  
 2012-10-18 12:50   G4FRE   28.126094   -20   0   IO82uc   1   VK6XT   OF86td   14894   91

Not bad for an indoor antenna in the loft (N/S) and 1W from the Elecraft K3!

28MHz WSPR 10 October

Not Bad for 200mW and indoor antenna!

K3 RS232 Band decoder

Having been disappointed with the ability of my K3 to readily provide outputs to switch VHF/UHF transverters I decided I needed a solution.

Initially I used some logic ICs to decode the band data on the rear panel ACC connector,  but having to reconfigure the interface every time I added or deleted a band was a right pain.  This was described at http://g4fre.com/k3vhf.pdf

Next I decided to use a PIC to do the decoding as it was easier to reprogramme a PIC chip than it was to redo the logic circuits. This decoded just 4 bands as it was intended for 4 bands HF, 6m, 2m and 70cm. This was described at http://g4fre.com/K3_PTT_sw.htm

Next I designed a circuit to decode the RS232 signals also available from the back panel. This looks at the 38400 Baud RS232 data and provides a 1 of 8 band output and a corresponding 1 of 8 PTT signal. It was designed for the 8 bands 144,432,23cm, 13cm, 9cm, 6cm 3cm and 1.2cm. This was written up at http://g4fre.com/K3_RS232_sw.htm . This worked fine for my station in the USA.  However I received a request to make it decode the 8 bands  4m, 2m 70cm, 23cm, 13cm, 9cm, 6cm and 3cm for use in the UK. So today I modified the code and tested it out and it works fine. This version is at http://g4fre.com/K3_RS232_UK.htm

I also tested it out on my Elecraft KX3. It worked fine, all we need now is for Wayne to write the software to support transverter mode in the KX3