Experimenter hf net organizing

[Terry Fox]

For a first step for receive-only stations, I could probably get an RX-320
or PCR-1000 receiver running with an active antenna (Frank's e-field probe)
fairly quickly.  I could use that for both our work here, plus the propnet -
timehare the radio via the computer.

Frank, maybe we should look at standardizing a receive package with an
RX-320, active antenna (antenna tuning driven via computer and cheap A/D
converter), plus some sort of cheap computer as we have been talking about.
Would the LF active antenna up to 10 meters?  I don't remember the specs,
and a lot of books, magazines, etc are still packed up somewhere (garage).

I would like to have a separate receive-only propogation and experimental
protocol system from whatever I use in the shack, or from the main HF
experimentation station.  That way, a major radio and antenna is not locked
into whatever we are doing at the moment.

I am looking into a random wire around the garage first, then around the
whole house, plus an automatic antenna tuner, as my ability to string up
antennas for each freq is somewhat limited....
Terry

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "hal" <hfeinstein at cox.net>
To: <tacos at amrad.org>
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 9:30 PM
Subject: Experimenter hf net organizing


> Dick Cramer and myself are beginning to organize
> an hf experimenter net whose purpose is to support
> both voice and data experiments in the hf band.
>
> We would like to work in the 17meter band, on 18.140
> and a second channel (not yet chosen) in the 20m band.
>
> The ideas of this net is to bring together hams interested in
> building and performing hf communications experiments.
> At some point we would like to automate this process
> to use unmanned automatic "robot" stations that receive
> their orders over hf and listen and collect data transmitted
> by an experimenter. But until we can design the robot
> participating hams can collect the data and send it back to the
experimenter
> for analysis.  If collection software is required the experimenter
> is responsible for writing these routines and distributing them
> to participating stations, perhaps via a designated web site.
>
> I have talked to several hams about the network and they
> said they are willing to participate, at first as collection stations
> for other experimenters and then as experimenters themselves.
>
> The main purpose of the net as a "platform" for
> experimenters.  And second, but equally important purpose,
> is to allow the participants to understand the
> experimenter's approach, the technology and how
> the experimenter will use the data collected by net members.
> I don't know yet how to support this part
> of the net but it is just as important for participants to understand and
> comment upon the experimenter's approach as is the experiment itself.
>
> This week we are starting to assemble equipment and antennas
> for the 17m and 20m channels and in a short time we will initiate
> trial contacts between members in NoVirginia, SC and Florida to
> get a better idea of the propagation.  Paul R has provided us
> with an VOACap propagation model to use for this purpose.
>
> Perhaps one of the first experiments will be to test out an
> idea of using turbo code FEC on hf to see how noisy the
> path can get and still allow relatively error free communications
> to get through.
>
> Net participants who have expressed  interest include
> Dick Cramer  rwcfl at NOSPAMearthlink.net    florida
> Hal Feinstein  hfeinstein at NOSPAMcox.net     No Virginia
> Terry Fox      wb4jfi at NOSPAMamrad.org     Columbia S.C
>
> Several others have spoken to me about participating.
> If your interested please drop a line to Dick, Terry
> or myself for the latest info.
> (delete the NOSPAM to reply to the address)
> -hal/wb3kdu
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Tacos mailing list
> Tacos at amrad.org
> http://www.amrad.org/mailman/listinfo/tacos
>