VOA Radiogram for 29-30 June

Thanks to everyone who sent reception reports to VOA Radiogram for the weekend of 22-23 June. Response was down somewhat, probably because of the many radio amateurs participating in Field Day during that weekend. I'm grateful that some of you found time to tune in to at least one VOA Radiogram at, or after, Field Day.

EasyPal

Last week's switch to 4-QAM EasyPal images, which require 7 minutes each to transmit, did not seem to result in many more successful decodes. For a real comparison between 4-QAM and 16-QAM (requires only 2:40), this weekend we will transmit both.

The result is that about ten minutes of VOA Radiogram for the weekend of 29-30 June 2013 will be devoted to EasyPal. Apologies to those of you who do not have the EasyPal software, or cannot get it to work. After this weekend, we will reduce the EasyPal transmissions to one per broadcast, once or twice a month. Please let me know how much interest you have in EasyPal.

Three listeners have devised interesting methods to help decode EasyPal images. See:  

voaradiogram.net/post/54018596203/voa-radiogram-easypal-decoding-tricks

MultiPSK

The new release (4.24) of MultiPSK is now available from f6cte.free.fr .  The new version can decode MFSK32 and MFSK64, as well as MFSK images, and so would be of interest to VOA Radiogram listeners. An interesting feature is a slant adjust for MFSK images. You might try running Fldigi and MultiPSK simultaneously, and compare results.

VOA Radiogram, 29-30 June 2013:

2:31  MFSK16: Program preview

4:19  MFSK32: VOA News: "super-earths"

2:05  MFSK32: Accompanying image

:23  MFSK32: Introduction to MFSK64

2:15  MFSK64: VOA News: China space mission

2:53  MFSK32: Accompanying image

:33  MFSK32: Introduction to EasyPal

7:00  EasyPal 4-QAM: "super moon" in Greece    

2:40  EasyPal 16-QAM "super moon" in Singapore

1:08  MFSK16: Closing announcements

:24  Surprise mode of the week

We’re still especially interested in...

1) Reception on less expensive shortwave portables -- although not to the exclusion of reception on your transceivers and SDR receivers, which do generally provide more successful decodes.

2) Your audio samples of difficult reception which nevertheless results in a successful decode of at least one of the MFSK text modes.

Good listening and good decoding,

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Produce and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

http://voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @voaradiogram

Alexanderson Alternator Transmission June 30 (UTC)

On Sunday, June 30 (Alexanderson Day), Grimeton Radio (SAQ) will transmit on 17.2 kHz in CW mode using an Alexanderson alternator. The scheduled message times are 0900 and 1200 UTC, with transmitter tuning starting half an hour sooner.

These transmissions are done three times a year, on Alexanderson Day, United Nations Day (October 24), and Christmas (December 24 or 25). While the frequency is low, the power is in the 200 kW range, and the antenna is truly monumental.  It gets out.  Reports typically come from all over Europe, and on occasion from the eastern U.S..

In the past, it has been audible on one of the WebSDRs, which receives VLF.

An amateur special event station, SK6SAQ, will be on 3755 kHz LSB at 0700 on the 30th, and at 0800 on 14035 CW and 14215 USB. Operation will last until 0900. It will also take place 1000 to 1200 UTC.

Reports to:

info@alexander.n.se
fax +46-340-674195

Or direct to:

Alexander - Grimeton Veteranradios Vaenner,
Radiostationen                         
Grimeton 72
SE-432 98 GRIMETON, SWEDEN

(NB: new address)

More information about this incredible radio station is at http://www.grimeton.info/

Annual Ham Field Day Begins

A lot of people I know are currently in remote locations shouting into radios, exchanging class and section.  The means of deciding these are quite arcane, and can be read in very minute detail at the ARRL web site.  Let's just say that Formula One is simple by comparison.

Field Day is a great exercise, and the competition for points maintains incentive to operate the whole 24 hours.  The knowledge of Murphy's Law thus gained is invaluable for radio communication in disaster situations. The various go-bags and deployable equipment systems developed by the clubs are a definite emergency asset. The self-confidence in knowing that one can actually do this isn't bad either.

The contest gives extra points for copying the Field Day message and submitting your copy.  There are several opportunities.

From ARRL:

(Times UTC)

SATURDAY CW       1400
         Phone    1500
         CW       0000 (Sun)
         Digital  0100
         Phone    0145
     
SUNDAY   CW       1400
         Phone    1500
         Digital  1600


K6KPH Field Day Bulletin Schedule


SATURDAY CW        1403 
         CW        0030 (Sun)
         Digital   0130 


SUNDAY   CW        1430 
         Digital   1630 

W1AW will operate on its regularly published frequencies.
CW frequencies are 1.8025, 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975, 21.0675, 28.0675 and 147.555 MHz.

Digital frequencies are 3.5975, 7.095, 14.095, 18.1025, 21.095, 28.095 and 147.555 MHz.

Phone frequencies are 1.855, 3.990, 7.290, 14.290, 18.160, 21.390, 28.590 and 147.555 MHz.

W1AW will transmit the Field Day bulletin using 45.45-baud Baudot, PSK31 in BPSK mode and MFSK16.

The Maritime Radio Historical Society station K6KPH will transmit the W1AW Field Day 2013 bulletin for the benefit of West Coast stations on 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975 and 21.0675 MHz using CW.

K6KPH will transmit the Field Day bulletin using Baudot, FEC AMTOR, BPSK31 and MFSK16 on 7.095 and 14.095 MHz.

The K6KPH schedule is accurate as of June 17, 2013.

Any additional transmissions or changes in the schedule will be posted on the web at, http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2013/2013 w1aw sked.pdf.

VOA Radiogram for the weekend of 22-23 June

We had an excellent  response to the VOA Radiogram of 15 and 16 June. Thanks for your reports and attachments. I am still analyzing the audio and screenshots you have sent. It's all fascinating.

As I expected, many of you lost the ability to decode MFSK16 when it was reduced to -12 dB under the noise that was mixed with it. I was surprised, however, at the number of listeners who copied all of the MFSK16 at that level. Many of these listeners are in Europe.

For the weekend of 21 and 22 June, the number of reports I receive might be reduced somewhat by the amateur radio Field Day exercise here in North America. I hope you can take a break from Field Day and tune in to one of the VOA Radiogram airplays. 

This weekend's main experiment will involve the EasyPal digital image system. We will use a more robust 4-QAM setting, rather than the 16-QAM setting of previous weeks. As a result, the EasyPal image transmission will occupy seven minutes of the next broadcast, rather than the usual 2:40. The reward for this long EasyPal transmission might be a successful decode of the EasyPal image if it has not succeeded before. Because it does require seven minutes of a 29-minute program, we will not transmit 4-QAM EasyPal images on a regular basis. Download EasyPal from vk4aes.com.   

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 14, 22-23 June 2013:

2:23  MFSK16: Program preview

3:17  MFSK32: VOA News story about Google balloons

2:13  MFSK32: Image of a Google balloon   

:22  MFSK32: Introduction to Flmsg 

3:41  MFSK32 in Flmsg* format: VOA News re Chinese computer

:14  MFSK32: Intro to MFSK64 

2:53  MFSK64: VOA News story about new astronauts

1:07  MFSK32: Image of new astronauts

:53  MFSK32: Introduction to EasyPal

7:03  EasyPal image of the week

1:08  MFSK16: Closing announcements

:18  Surprise mode of the week

*Use Flmsg with Fldigi, both available from w1hkj.com.

During VOA Radiogram during the weekend of 8-9 June, our "interference" experiment involved the song "I Remember You" by Slim Whitman. We selected Mr. Whitman's song because his amazing vocal range provided a good test for the MFSK modes. This week came the sad news that Slim Whitman died Wednesday, age 90.

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC):

Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz

Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz

Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz

Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina. 

VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

http://voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @voaradiogram

WYFR Woes Doom Yet Another NA SWBC Site

With the decline of Family Radio, this latest SWBC casualty comes as no surprise:

From Shortwave Central:

WYFR to close all shortwave services

We regretfully inform you that the final day of operation for WYFR will be June 30, 2013.

This station descended from W1XAL (an experimental class license assigned in 1927).  In 1939 the call letters were changed to WRUL, and then changed to WNYW in 1966.

Initially, broadcasts came from Boston.  In 1936 the station moved to Scituate, Massachusetts.

On October 20, 1973 Family Stations, Inc. took ownership of the station using the call letters WYFR.  (FSI had been buying airtime from WNYW starting in January of 1972.)  At that time, the station sported four transmitters and nine reversible rhombic antennas.

Construction started in Florida in 1976.  On November 23, 1977 the first transmission from Okeechobee went on the air.

For several years WYFR operated simultaneously from Scituate and from Okeechobee.  The last broadcast from Scituate took place on November 16, 1979.

The Okeechobee site eventually grew to 14 transmitters and 23 antennas.  And now we’ve gone full cycle.

Good listening to all, and 73,

Dan Elyea

This also affects Radio Taiwan International, which was rebroadcast by WYFR.

VOA Noise Tests Continue June 15-16

Thank you for another great response to the VOA Radiogram for the weekend of 8 and 9 June. Your audio samples were especially helpful.

During the past weekend, we experimented with mixing music with MFSK text modes. Reducing the MFSK modes by 9 dB was not a problem if the signal level was good, but the MFSK text did break up for some listeners if reception conditions were marginal.

For many listeners, a new web page popped up after the VOA News story in Flmsg format was transmitted. As for the EasyPal image, there was more success in Europe than in North America.   

This weekend, 15 and 16 June, we will mix some actual noise taken from shortwave with MFSK text. After the noise begins, a VOA News story in MFSK16 will first be transmitted at full level, then reduced to -6 dB, then reduced to -12 dB. I will probably lose many of you when the level is reduced to -12 dB, but please stay tuned: the audio level will soon be restored.   

Please note that noise that is mixed with MFSK text as part of the VOA Radiogram production is not an ideal simulation of co-channel interference. This is because real co-channel interference involves two (or more) transmitters at different locations and with different propagational characteristics.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, 15 and 16 June 2013:

 2:10      MFSK16: Program preview

 1:58      MFSK16: Introduction to noise experiment

10:09     MFSK16: At -0 -6 -12 dB versus noise

    :59      MFSK16: Image of VOA logo

    :47      MFSK16: Introduction to MFSK32

    :51      MFSK32: Image of VOA logo

 3:19      MFSK32: VOA News re Curiosity Rover on Mars                                

               MFSK32: VOA Radiogram logo

  2:40      EasyPal Image of the week         

  1:10      MFSK16: Closing announcements

   :20      Surprise mode of the week

As usual, your audio samples of bad reception that nevertheless results in a successful decode of at least MFSK16 would be appreciated. This email address -- radiogram@voanews.com -- seems tolerant of attachments up to 20 MB or so.

Also, if you are able to use portable shortwave radios to receive VOA Radiogram, this would be helpful. This will help us determine if typical listeners will be able to decode the digital text modes.  

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

Kim

Kim Andrew Elliott

Producer and Presenter

VOA Radiogram

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC)

Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz

Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz

Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz

Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

http://voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @voaradiogram

MFSK32 mixed with a bit of music on The Mighty KBC

The Mighty KBC, with studios in the Netherlands and a leased transmitter in Germany, will keep it simple with its digital text transmissions this weekend. These will be during The Mighty KBC’s North America broadcast, UTC Sunday 9 June 2013 at 0000-0200 (Saturday 8-10 pm EDT) on 9925 kHz.

At about 0133 UTC, MFSK32 will be centered on 1500 Hz. At just before 0200, the same thing, MFSK32 on 1500 Hz, but with a bit of music added in the background.

VOA Radiogram 8-9 June comes with its own “interference”

The VOA Radiogram frequencies have been large free of co-channel or adjacent-channel interference. [Except on 5745 on the West Coast -Hugh] To determine how well our MFSK modes can cope with interference, we will insert some interference of our own during this weekend. The “interference” will be in the form of the song “I Remember You,” sung by Slim Whitman. Mr. Whitman’s vocal range, spanning octaves, may create a challenge for MFSK.

Also this weekend will be a VOA News story in MFSK32 and in the Flmsg format. We have not transmitted an Flmsg-formatted story recently. This weekend, if it is received successfully, the VOA News story will pop up in a new window of your web browser.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, 8-9 June 2013:

2:53        MFSK16: Preview
1:52        MFSK32: Image of VOA Radiogram logo
5:30        MFSK32: VOA News story in Flmsg format*
1:19        MFSK32: Image to accompany the preceding
7:12        MFSK16: Versus musical “interference”
2:55        MFSK32: Versus musical “interference”
2:40        EasyPal** image of the week
1:10        MFSK16: Closing announcements
:21         Surprise mode of the week

*To view as a web page, use Fldigi and Flmsg from w1hkj.com. In Flidigi, click Configure > Misc > NBEMS, and under Reception of flmsg files, check both boxes. Under that, indicate where your Flmsg program file is located.

**Use EasyPal software from vk4aes.com
VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC)
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz (Sat 10:30-11 pm EDT)
Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Radio Australia digital text transmissions 8-9 June

From VOA Radiogram:

Radio Australia will transmit digital text and an image during three special broadcasts the weekend of 8 and 9 June 2013.

The seven-minute broadcasts will consist of…

MFSK16 text
MFSK32 text
MFSK32 in Flmsg* format (creates Radio Australia logo in browser window)
MFSK32 image (ABC logo)

*Fldigi and Flmsg from www.w1hkj.com must be used together. In Fldigi, click Configure > Misc > NBEMS: Under Reception of flmsg files, check both boxes, and under that indicate where your Flmsg program file is located.

Transmission schedule

All dates/times are in UTC, all frequencies in kHz

Saturday/Sunday 8/9 June 2013

Nominal target areas are listed. Reception beyond these target areas is likely.

0850-0857 UTC
 7410 (PNG & south-west Pacific) 
11945 (south Pacific, NZ, central America, Europe)

1230-1237 UTC
 6080 (PNG, west Pacific, Philippines, Japan)
 9580 (central Pacific, NAM) 
12065 (central Pacific, NAM)

2150-2157 UT C
11695 (south-east Asia, Europe)
21740 (central Pacific, NAm)

Each broadcast begins with with 40 seconds of Radio Australia interval signal (Waltzing Matilda).

More Images this Week on VOA Radiogram

On VOA Radiogram for the weekend of 1 and 2 June 2013, we will continue to compare MFSK32 and EasyPal images. Here is the lineup for the program:

3:44    MFSK16: Program preview
3:17    MFSK32: VOA News story about Olympics wrestling
3:16    MFSK32: VOA News story about 2013 hurricane season
1:10    MFSK32: File image of Atlantic hurricane
2:53    MFSK32: VOA News story about colliding galaxies
1:04    MFSK32: Image of the colliding galaxies
1:21    MFSK32: Introduction to MFSK64 and EasyPal
1:30    MFSK64: Same VOA News story about colliding galaxies
 :39     EasyPal text: Same VOA News story about galaxies
2:38    EasyPal image: Colliding galaxies
2:38    EasyPal image: Soyuz capsule being moved to launch site
1:09    MFSK16 closing announcements
 :29     Surprise mode of the week

To decode EasyPal text and images, download the 4-May-2013 version of the program from vk4aes.com.

To decode the MFSK modes, use Fldigi from w1hkj.com or another digital decoding program.
 
VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC)

Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

And visit voaradiogram.net (where any schedule or frequency changes will be posted)

Twitter: @VOARadiogram

----------


Some successful decodes of the EasyPAL images were made. These, of course, look great, since it's either all or nothing.

It's Image Week on VOA Radiogram

Hello friends,

Thanks to everyone who sent reception reports, audio samples, screenshots, etc., from last weekend's VOA Radiogram. The SSTV modes have performed well but, according to most your reports, MFSK32 images provide better images.

On VOA Radiogram the weekend of May 25-26, we will continue our experiments with images via shortwave broadcast. The MFSK32 and SSTV modes are analog. Now we will try purely digital images using EasyPal software.

Download EasyPal from vk4aes.com. After EasyPal is installed, go to Setup > Setup c/s-soundcard-PTT > Soundcard and select the soundcard you use to receive VOA Radiogram.

In EasyPal, click the RX button to receive images. You should see a waterfall along the left side of the interface. The software will indicate how many segments have been received. Unlike SSTV and MFSK32 images, you will not see the picture slowly form on the software interface. Instead, when a sufficient number of segments has been received, the picture will appear instantaneously.

Will EasyPal work in a shortwave broadcast environment? I have no idea, but it's worth trying.

Here is the lineup for today's program:

MFSK16: Opening announcements (now)

MFSK32: VOA news story about the comet ISON (4:07)

MFSK32: NASA image of the comet ISON (1:03)

MFSK32: VOA news story about new train lines in South Korea

(3:22)

MFSK32: Image of the South Korean train (3:57)

MFSK16: Introduction to EasyPal (1:06)

EasyPal: Same image of the South Korean train (2:38)

EasyPal: Image of the cicada (large insect) transmitted last week

in SSTV and MFSK32 (2:44)

EasyPal: Text (:19)

MFSK16: Closing announcements (1:09)

Surprise mode of the week (:27)

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

I hope you can tune in and decode this weekend.

Kim Andrew Elliott

VOA Radiogram

radiogram@voanews.com

http://voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @voaradiogram

This ought to be interesting. The EasyPAL waveform resembles HamDRM, and was intended for amateur single-sideband equipment. What it'll do on an AM transmitter is anyone's guess.  -Hugh

Additions/ Corrections to Weekend Digital SWBC Schedule

1. The P5 SSTV mode will decode in MMSSTV.

2. The higher frequency given for Radio Australia at 1230 UTC is in error.  It is probably definitely 12065 kHz.  The stated 12095 kHz is not an R. Australia frequency, and in fact it is used by a Philippine broadcaster at this time.  The western US should have absolutely no trouble copying the 11945 broadcast at 0830.

3. Copy of the text modes was around 90% here in California for the first VOA Radiogram transmission. The only issue was deeper than usual fading, possibly left over from last night's CME/auroral event.  The SSTV was noisy, but then SSTV usually is on anything less than an optimum channel. The "surprise" mode came through just fine, though I won't spoil the surprise.

[Update: 100% copy on 5 MHz.]

4. We thank Kim Elliott for doing this every week.

Big Weekend for Digital SWBC Trials

VOA Radiogram:

More SSTV on VOA Radiogram May 18 and 19

On VOA Radiogram for the weekend on 18 and 19 May, we will continue to experiment with images. In fact, we will transmit the same picture three ways: in two SSTV modes and then as an MFSK32 image. Bring something to read, or an electronics project, because these picture transmissions will take 4 to 5 minutes each.

To decode the SSTV modes, several software programs are available. They include the RX-SSTV (receive only) from http://users.belgacom.net/hamradio/rxsstv.htm , MMSSTV from http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php , and Digital Master 780, part of the Ham Radio Deluxe suite, from http://www.hrdsoftwarellc.com .

Before the images will be two VOA news stories in MFSK32 text, with the usual center audio frequency of 1500 Hz. The second story is in French, as we continue to determine if accented letters appear correctly on your display.

To view accented characters in Fldigi: Configure > Colors & Fonts > next to Select Char Set, select UTF-8. To keep your selection of UTF-8, under Configuration, click Save Config.  

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram the weekend on 18 and 19 May:

2:55        MFSK16 Program preview

1:59        MFSK32 VOA News in English

4:03        MFSK32 VOA News in French

1:07        MFSK16 Intro to SSTV transmissions

4:31        Scottie DX SSTV

 :10        Tone (to give you time to save your Scottie DX image)

5:08        Pasokon P5 SSTV

 :25        MFSK16 intro to MFSK32 image

4:07        MFSK32 image

1:10        MFSK16 closing announcements

1:22        Surprise mode of the week (mixes somewhat with the closing music)      

                             

On VOA Radiogram during the weekend of 25-26 May, we will experiment with the Easypal digital SSTV mode, comparing it to MFSK32. Please download Easypal from http://vk4aes.com . Easypal images are transmitted by radio amateurs on 14233 kHz.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC)

Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz

Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz

Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz

Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Pasokon P5 is an old mode.  I have no way of determining if it's one of MMSSTV's several undocumented modes.  [UPDATE 5/18: MMSSTV does do it, and it works well.]   -Hugh

The Mighty KBC: 

More Hell this weekend on The Mighty KBC

The Mighty KBC will transmit the Hell 80 mode at about 0133 UTC on Sunday 19 May (9:33 pm EDT Saturday), centered on 1500 Hz. This is during its North America broadcast Sunday at 0000-0200 UTC on 9925 kHz via Nauen, Germany.

At just before 0200 UTC, images in MFSK32 will be centered on 1000 and 2000 Hz.  

Hell is short for Hellschreiber, "Shiny Writing," an old CW based mode which synchronously prints letters onto paper tape or its various computer display emulations. Since darkness changes with signal strength, it's a "fuzzy" mode like analog fax.  This makes it possible to read the large double print even on sub-optimal channels. -Hugh

 Radio Australia:

Radio Australia digital text and image May 18 and 19

For the first time, Radio Australia will broadcast digital text and images. This will be Saturday 18 May and Sunday 19 May 2013.

UTC               Frequency (kHz)   Target

0830-0835      7410 & 11945        south-west Pacific

1230-1235      9580 & 12095 12065       south Pacific

As is characteristic of shortwave, reception outside the nominal target areas is likely.

Each five-minute broadcast will include:

  :34 RA tuning signal (still Waltzing Matilda?)
  :05 Tone 1500 Hz
1:42 MFSK16 text
1:42 MFSK32 text
  :55 MFSK32 image

All modes are centered on 1500 Hz

The Radio Australia digital transmissions can be received on any shortwave, even if it does not have single sideband capability. Patch audio from the radio to a personal computer, and use software to decode the modes. For more information, see how to decode the modes.

Bright X2.8 Solar Flare with R3 Blackouts at 1600 UTC

While X.2.8 is not a huge solar flare, it's a pretty respectable one, and one of the largest in the low Cycle 24.  This event occurred just over the sun's east limb and sunlit side HF radio propagation is only now starting to recover at 1642 UTC.

This comes after a flare in the X1 range last night (North American time).

Due to location on the sun, any CME should miss the Earth, or any other planet.

VOA Radiogram for May 11-12 will include SSTV

VOA Radiogram for the weekend of May 11 and 12 will feature long stretches of VOA News in plain text, using the MFSK 32 and 64 modes. No Flmsg or Flamp this time. This weekend’s program will also include our first test of slow scan television (SSTV).

Here is the lineup:

MFSK16 (2:28)     Preview

MFSK32 (12:08)     VOA News stories

The first of the three stories will be in Spanish. This is to determine how letters with accent marks appear on your display. The second VOA news story will be followed by an accompanying MFSK32 image

MFSK16     Intro to the next mode

MFSK64 (3:34)    VOA News story

MFSK16     Intro to the next mode

SSTV Scottie DX (4:31)

There are several software programs that decode SSTV, including Digital Master 780 (DM780) and MMSSTV. A free receive-only SSTV decoder is RX-SSTV from  users.belgacom.net/hamradio/rxsstv.htm

MFSK16 (1:11)     Closing announcements

Closing music, accompanied by the surprise mode of the week

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com

Screenshots and audio samples are welcome, especially audio of less than perfect reception conditions.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC)
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

What A Difference A Week Makes on 5745 kHz

The venerable transmitter at the Edward R. Murrow Transmitting Center was a steady s9 + 10 dB in SoCal this week. SailMail was well behaved, as was the geomagnetic field despite recent flares.  It was the best signal ever, and so this test will have to be labelled as a high-quality transmission path.

Copy of the MFSK was 100% in all modes, with files saved in both Flmsg and Flamp.  The Flamp took all three passes, but got it.  If Kim wants to know what worked and what didn't, well, it all worked. 

There'll be more when everything's massaged.

Hurricane on Saturn (VOA Radiogram)

VOA Radiogram for May 4-5

VOA Radiogram for May 4-5: All MFSK, with another Flamp

In the next few weeks, we will be transmitting more MFSK32 and MFSK64, and comparing these two speeds of MFSK. MFSK64 (240 wpm) would allow us to put more information into a broadcast, but MFSK32 (120 wpm) would perform better in difficult reception conditions.

Last weekend, after using Flamp to transmit a VOA news story twice, some of you successfully received more than 90% but not quite 100% of the blocks. This weekend, we will use Flamp to broadcast a VOA news story three times. Please use Flamp 1.0.x.; the experimental version Flamp 2.0 is not compatible with Flamp as currently transmitted on VOA Radiogram.

The question for us is whether it makes sense to use Flamp (or similar future app) to transmit a news story two or three times using a fast mode like MFSK125, or just send the story once using a slower but more robust mode, like MFSK32 or MFSK64.

Here is the schedule of modes for the May 4-5 VOA Radiogram:

MFSK16: Program preview

MFSK32: Two VOA news stories

MFSK32: Image to accompany story to follow

MFSK32: VOA news story in Flmsg* format

MFSK64: Same VOA news story in Flmsg* format

MFSK128: Same VOA news story in Flamp* X3 format (compressed**)

MFSK16: Closing announcements

MFSK32: Image

An MFSK16 mode ID will precede each mode transmission.

All modes (except for one surprise mode) will be centered on 1500 Hz.

*Download Flmsg, Flamp 1.0.01, and Fldigi from www.w1hkj.com

**Because it is compressed, you will not see recognizable words during this Flamp transmission

Two interesting suggestions sent by listeners:

John Hoskins WA5NJG runs two instances in Fldigi during VOA Radiogram. One is set permanently to MFSK16 (no RSID) to receive the mode IDs. The other instance follows the modes being tested.

Ralph Wallio W0RPK suggests turning off Fldigi’s AFC during VOA Radiogram. This will help keep the audio frequency on 1500 Hz, rather than chasing a noise up or down in audio frequency as sometimes happens with the AFC on.

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com. Audio samples of digital text that is successfully decoded during difficult reception conditions are especially helpful.

And visit voaradiogram.net

Twitter: @VOARadiogram   

 VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC)

Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz

Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz

Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz

Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Wishing you good decoding whether reception is good or not,

Kim

Grunge 3, VOA Radiogram 0

Southern California is called "The Land that Short Wave Forgot" for a reason.  Europe is too far most of the time.  The East Coast goes to sleep earlier, and wakes up before we get propagation.

That leaves Asia and the Pacific.  Asia is far away, and much of it is trans-auroral.  The Pacific has many little islands, most with radios, but the rest is salt water.  The fish couldn't transmit even if they wanted to.  They're on audio frequency.  The boats transmit, but mostly up into space.

What does this have to do with VOA Radiogram?  Plenty, especially this past weekend.  Basically, in plain non-technical language, the reception sucks on a good day and this week it sucked worse.

We open our tale of woe on 17860.  We are told that this frequency uses a venerable SWBC transmitter with something like 80 kW output to a mighty curtain array aimed towards Europe.  Given the good reception in Europe, and the truly abysmal reception in California, I have no reason to doubt this spec.

17860 kHz, 27 April, 1600 sked, MFSK/Flamp demo:

File : VOA_PhoneSats_FlampX2.html

<MISSING 80 0B64>{69D6}3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

Not good.

Typically, 5745 kHz saves the day.  I get a nice clean SDR recording, and I'm off to massage data.

Typically.

This week was not typical.  All went well until almost the exact second the MFSK128/ Flamp demo started.  That's when SailMail in San Diego had some traffic to move, a few kHz down.  While North Carolina is not a good path on 5 meg at 0255 UTC, San Diego is a very good path.  The resulting waterfall looks like a losing game of Space Invaders.

Also losing was the MFSK/ Flamp demo:

File : VOA_PhoneSats_FlampX2.html

<MISSING 68 06DE>{69D6}1 2 3 4 5 7 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17 18 20 22 23 25 26 27 28 29

Better, but uhhhhhhhh...... no.  That's a "PSE RPT ALL ALL BK" in anyone's mode.

And so, for the first time ever, we dropped back and punted to the third schedule.  Sometime around sunrise on a Sunday morning, a great time to hear Asia, an SDR came awake and tried to hear North Carolina instead.

The playback shows that Asia won.  Big.  KBS World Broadcasting, Korea, was 20 over S9, with a female announcing dismal pop ballads in English.   Everything else was adjacent-channel splatter.  VOA Radiogram was not there AT ALL.

There's probably no point in bothering with the last sked either.  

Well, fans, I gave it the college try.

VOA Radiogram Includes PSK63F, Thor, and Flamp

Dr. Kim Andrew Elliott writes:

VOA Radiogram for April 27/28 includes Thor50x2, PSK63F, and Flamp

Apologies for not updating this website since the April 20/21 VOA Radiogram. I have been diverted by deadlines connected to my other full-time job, audience research analyst for the International Broadcasting Bureau.

Thanks to all who sent reception reports, screenshots, audio samples, and other materials from the past weekend’s program. MFSK held off a challenge from the Thor modes and remains the most successful of the modes we have tested.

However, because your producer omitted the Thor 50x2 mode — a mode that might prove to be robust — from that program, VOA Radiogram on April 27/28 will include a “make good” transmission of Thor 50x2. And a transmission of Thor 50x1 for comparison.

There will also be a transmission of the PSK63F mode. This rather slow mode performed well during VOA Radiogram 1, but we only gave it a minute. There will be a longer transmission of PSK63F this weekend to allow a better evaluation.

The last text transmission this weekend will be in the Flamp format. If you don’t already have it, please download Flamp from www.w1hkj.com.

[I got a Norton false positive, as I do with many radio files on the PC. It was rejected for something to do with the file having a bad reputation, whatever that means.  Just restore it from Norton's warning window.  I installed and ran the program, with no ill effects. -Hugh]

Flamp divides a text file into several blocks, each with a specific number of characters. If any block is received without the correct number of characters, that block is rejected. The missing block can be picked up during the repeat transmission. Flamp might be useful for those text transmissions that are received at about 90% copy, when occasional deep fades prevent 100% copy. In Flamp, under Configure, check both of the Auto sync boxes.

Here is the lineup for the April 27/28 VOA Radiogram:

MFSK16 (58 wpm) program preview
PSK63F (55 wpm), 2:50
MFSK32 text (120 wpm) and image, 4:28
Thor50x1 (180wpm), 1:48
Thor50x2 (180wpm), 1:46
MFSK64 (240 wpm), 2:16
MFSK128* in Flamp X2 format, 3:46
MFSK32 image

*Probably a good idea to set the MFSK128 mode manually rather than depend on the RSID [Yes, a very good idea. -Hugh]

All modes will be centered on 1500 Hz.
Each mode will be introduced by a brief MFSK16 transmission, same as last weekend.
Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com
Twitter: @VOARadiogram

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC)
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

US Civil Air Patrol Sends Cease & Desist Letter to Radioreference.com

On April 19, 2013, the general counsel for the United States Civil Air Patrol sent a "cease and desist" letter to Lindsay C. Blanton, founder and CEO of Radioreference.com. This site has a discussion forum, and a highly regarded frequency database used by most people in the radio hobby.

The matter concerns a CAP communications plan document which was made available by a poster to the forum some time ago. This document was and is considered to be  Unclassified - For Official Use Only (FOUO).

Here is the forum announcement from Lindsay Blanton, RR's founder and CEO:

RadioReference receives a Cease and Desist Demand from the Civil Air Patrol

---

We received a Cease and Desist demand from the Civil Air Patrol to remove a post that had a PDF attached of a CAP communications plan.

We've complied with the request for now pending further review of the legalities of the request.

This is followed by links to two pdf documents:

• The cease & desist notice of 4/19/13
• A prior communication dealing with frequency publication

The 4/19 letter is NOT about government censorship, at least not on the surface. It refers to statutory protection of all CAP materials and documents from unauthorized commercial use:

As set forth in 36 USC §40306, Civil Air Patrol has the "exclusive right to name, insignia, copyrights, emblems, badges, marks, and words" the corporation adopts. Therefore, we reiterate that you are hereby directed to cease and desist in your use, publication, dissemination, distribution or reference to said document or file and refrain from the use or reference to the CAP name, logos, insignia, emblems, badges, marks and words or the use of any and all CAP e-mail lists for any commercial purposes. 

It is the prior email, from CAP Chief of Communications Malcolm C Kyser Jr, that has major ramifications for the radio hobby, by broadly invoking FOUO on content as well as delivery.  One part reads:

The reason for my concern is that the frequencies we use are granted to us by the Air Force and the DoD considers them “For Official Use Only”.

[...]

I know your readers are interested in monitoring the Civil Air Patrol but I’m sure none of them want to put our frequency support in peril. For this reason I am officially requesting on behalf of our organization that you delete the document from public view.

These word choices would seem to indicate that the CAP is claiming some official cloak of secrecy over the frequencies. While this sounds to your editor like bureaucratic butt-covering, the matter has still forced Utility World to exercise the "abundance of caution" that we're hearing so much about lately.

Therefore, the CAP frequency list, despite its being obtained completely by monitoring ALE soundings, has been temporarily deleted from this column's ALE list. It will be restored when and if the matter with Radioreference.com has been further clarified.

It is understood that this decision is likely a total over-reaction, having little or nothing to do with the issues raised in these letters concerning sensitivity of unclassified official documents. Even so, the present national security climate dictates that over-reaction is preferable to no reaction at all.

We hope that readers will understand the reasons for this action.