Radio and rails...

I now have a second YouLoop (supplied by Moonraker) set up in the loft, this time connected to the RSPdx which itself is connected to the Linux PC. I use SDR++ on the Mac and am getting used to the excellent software (see https://www.sdrpp.org). There are versions specifically for Ubuntu, Windows, MacOS (Intel and Apple silicon) and the Raspberry Pi, plus the source code is available to compile yourself. So I wanted to compare the Airspy HF+ Discovery and the RSPdx. When installed on the Linux PC SDR++ does not see the RSPdx. However, once the relevant API is installed and running it duly appears in the devices list as SDRplay and displays the necesary antenna selection menu. So here they both are, looking from 0 to around 85kHz. First the Mac and Airspy: And the Linux PC and RSPdx: This is about as clean as I managed to get the various settings and it is particularly useful having the same software on each machine. Of course this is a rather arbitrary comparison given the multitude of settings and the fact that they are on two different platforms, plus the two YouLoops are facing in different directions. But it does…

Just recently I realised that amongst my kit I do not have a scanner other than the baby IC-R2. So I had a look to see what there is and they range from cheap but limited range ones that do not have a continuous coverage to expensive types that are just way over the top for my needs. My interest is limited to having something I can quickly switch on and listen to a few spot frequencies, including amateur radio ones and the local airport ATIS. I also have a bunch of various SDRs but none met the 'quickly switch on' requirement. Time to fiddle then. Other than the various Raspberry Pi systems the only always-on system I have is a Mac Mini. The other two desktops - Linux and Windows - only get turned on when I want to use the FT450D or TS2000X on digimodes or I need more screen real estate for something. So what can I do with the Mac? I already had CubicSDR loaded and I downloaded the Mac version of gqrx. As I use SDR# on Windows and after reading some blog posts I found and downloaded sdrpp. I already have the Airspy HF+…

Some interesting distances in the VHF/UHF lift on the 18th and 19th January, all not too bad for loft mounted antennas - a 2m QFH and a 70cm big wheel, running 20W from the TS2000X, FT8. On the 18th I managed three 2m FT8 QSOs with French stations, one 386 miles south from me. Later on I was receivd 502 miles away in Denmark on 70cm FT8 but no QSO. On the 19th came a 2m FT8 QSO with Denmark at 432 miles.

(updated 01/01/25 - added 11 and 12) I managed to receive all of the 12 images in the December 2024 ISS SSTV event. These were received using an indoor QFH and the TS2000X, with MMSSTV on the PC. Here they are in numerical order:

SAQ was received fine here on the 24th December for their Christmas broadcast at 08:00. This was again using the Airspy HF+ Discover and YouLoop in the loft. I had a bit of time to fiddle with settings in SDR# this time, reducign the bandwidth to 100Hz and trying the HF AGC on and off - leaving it on produces better audio but really not much difference between on and off. The signal from SAQ was showing as -100dBFS vs -110dBFS background. Nothing at all received using vlfrx-tools via the UMC204HD + PA0RDT mini whip. That does show the same large peaks above 19kHz but not the one at about 16.5kHz (see above) nor that smaller peak seen at about 21kHz, so no surprise it did not see SAQ. But never mind, it's still useful. The Youtube recording of the event can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CQZmW_vE00