rtl sdr what a big world of radio.

got one of these on e-bay and found it a bit tricky at first. usual thing most software for fun stuff is on Linux and window won't let you compile it even if you have all the listed dependencies?
then I found window binaries for http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr.
Linux was very easy follow the instruction. Gnuradio as yet I can get to work on window and was tricky even on Linux my tip is if you have any problems install GQRX and it seems to fix any problem? and it is not a bad GUI.

if you are looking for example at http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr the link to https://www.cgran.org don't work.

also be warned this is all processor intensive my Windows 8 laptop is a beast quadcore 64bit but getting software to run is a pain and my Linux machine is single core + 7 years. but you can install and run loads :(

Cool stuff
http://www.rtl-sdr.com/

www.eb3frn.net

http://hackaday.com/2012/06/17/ask-hackaday-has-anyone-built-a-radio-telescope/

An extra note on newer Linux watch out for driver problems. you may need to blacklist the TV driver. see post http://www.kubonweb.de/?tag=rtl-sdr.
this is for a PI but get the idea.
look in  /etc/modprobe.d/
and these are the drives:
blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu
blacklist rtl_2832
blacklist rtl_2830
also see this if on Ubuntu, http://m0dcm.co.uk/?p=423

"Open a Terminal and type

sudo gedit  /etc/modprobe.d/no-rtl.conf

Once you’ve entered your password and the text editor has opened, copy and paste these few lines into it

  blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu 
  blacklist rtl2832 
  blacklist rtl2830 

Now press save and reboot the PC"

needed above Ubuntu 11.
next time I'll explain if you get jumpy audio but off to play now.

 

did anyone see anything?

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Europe/2014/01/10

that was a 5, it goes up to 9 would you see it in London? 

 

Iss heard! 145.825Mhz 3/8/13 13:20 local time APRS

PIC-et radio?

www.webalice.it/capaso/DOCS/APRS/dcc.pdf

found the above link and with the python code I found I'm sure I could write a  C program to generate APRS packets.

As a start make a wav file and play it on a PC.

I'm well versed in writting code for gcc/mingw compilers, could set up a google code site.

and then transfer to a micro?

As it don't look over complicated,

APRS on android almost?

I found this http://technofart.blogspot.com/search/label/aprs.
An APRS generator written entiarly in python, YEPPY.
hold on  PL4A does not have pyaudio or numpy :0(
but it does have wave, I wonder if I could convert the code to generate a wav file and then send it.
wonder if any one has done simulare in C for Mingw on PC.

PL4A has access to GPS so it could auto update position.

FITSAT morse in the sky

http://www.fit.ac.jp/~tanaka/fitsat.shtml posted this on twitter. the morse bit is cool but it has an onboard camera with shots like these.

being transmitted on a 5.84GHz link real satelite TV 

Blogway test

Seen this android app and giving a go.

Slow to type on a phone but ok for quick posts

CB or not CB

I've dugg out my old scanner ( bought to moitor bands I didn't have rigs for) and was looking up the current state of play in UK of what you can and can't listen to it comes down to

1. Broadcast
2. Ham Radio
3. CB (big change from the old days
4. and an odd one navigationl broadcasts?

dose PMR446 come under CB?
and is there anything on CB 27Mhz as from investigation look like it's 80channel ( old UK 40 + EU 40)?
no licence great but set up scanner with best I can UK 40 is an odd offset.
not a sausage!
got some distant under the squelch on 10FM nothing I could make out. SSB-10M was better.
CB nothing.
if anyone is using CB let me know, it would be nice after all though people protested to get it in the 70s and 80s.
is PMR446 the new CB?
and can you listen to it to find out?

Little people invading?

Seen a lot of radio stuff with 433Mhz written on it recently. I have a clock with temperature display and a remote transducer with the said mark. So I got my uv-3r out and had a scan around and found it’s burp on 433.920Mhz but if I go up 5khz and open squelch I get an almost constant stream of chirps and burps. Further investigation found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LPD433 , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-power_communication_device  and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_keyless_system. Low and behold my car keys give out a buzz near there.

As well as that we have http://ukhas.org.uk/general:beginners_guide_to_high_altitude_ballooning doing some cool stuff on 434.075Mhz, http://ukhas.org.uk/guides:tracking_guide. They have their own protocol http://ukhas.org.uk/communication:protocol looks simpler than APRS and works ok, this is the sort of thing we could all be doing if not for http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/spectrum/amateur-radio/guidance-for-licensees/samplelicence07.pdf section 9(3)

9(3) Without prejudice to Clause 1 of this Licence, the Licensee shall not establish or use the Radio Equipment in any Aircraft or other Airborne Vehicle.

We could make use of this simpler protocol on HF? For direction finding as that is the only way we can beacon other than 144.800Mhz without NOV (notice of variation)

I also noticed we were turfed out of parts of 70cm for the Olympics. 70cm is a nice big band in a prime part of the spectrum and we have it on a secondary basis, if we don’t use it others have the right to do so.

If you a Foundation Licence see table A in the licence, it’s your highest and biggest apart from 10Ghz. So cherish it.

Balloons in uk?

http://ukhas.org.uk/
they are using a FSK signal on licence free 434.075Mhz in 70cm Amateur radio band, but you can't put an Amateur transmitter in one. not sure why we are limited in this way?

could you hang a becone or video transmitter under a tethered baloon or kite as http://ukhas.org.uk/communication:licence_exempt states

Video: 2.400 – 2.4835 GHz 10 mW EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) 20 MHz Bandwidth

can be used?

lots of cool stuff and you can view live on google maps at http://spacenear.us/tracker/