Ham Clock

The other day I came across an article about a Pi based Ham Clock. Given that I had a surplus 7 inch display in the junk box and a few Raspberry Pi SBCs, I thought I would give this project a go. 

There are a lot of configuration options, which took a little working out, but it came together well, and I am very pleased with the result. It has its own webserver so you can log into it from anywhere on the network, which is handy.

You can find the project at:-  www.clearskyinstitute.com/ham/HamClock/

 

Raspberry Pi for Ham-Radio - Setup

If you are interested in what a Raspberry Pi can do, in relation to Amateur Radio that is, check out DL1GKK's website.  It's full of informative setup instructions, and definitely worth a look.  I just can't remember how I stumbled across it!  But does that really matter!

Table of contents of this site

• Preliminary remarks
• Hardware
• Prepare SD Card
• Install operating system
• First start and basic setup Raspberry pi (Raspi)
• Backup & Restore
• Install GPS Clock (Time sync & Position)
• Install Real Time Clock (Additional hardware)
• Install Packet Radio (Hamlib, Direwolf, Xastir, Linpac)
• Install FLRig (Transceiver Control)
• Install FLDigi (Data Mode)
• Install WSJT-X (Data Mode)
• Install JTDX (Data Mode)
• Install GridTracker (Display connections on a map)
• Install JS8CALL (Data Mode)
• Install CQRLOG (Advanced Ham Radio Logbook)
• Install TQSL (LOTW Support)
• Install GPredict (Sat-Tracking)
• Install QSSTV (Slow Scan Televison)
• Install GQRX (SDR)
• Install FreeDV (Digital Voice)
• Install VOACAP (Propagation Prediction)
• Install Chirp (Programming transceivers)
• Install Qtel (Echolink Client)
• Other useful software
• General Information (last but not least)
• Disclaimer

Radiosonde - Weather Balloons

Thanks to information provided by Trevor VK8TH, I am now receiving data from Radiosondes. In my carefully cataloged equipment storage facility (junk box) I had a spare Pi-3 and RTL-SDR .   I am using software called Radiosonde Auto-RX developed by Mark Jessop VK5QI.  

Here is a Youtube video from Mark Jessop VK5QI explaining how it all works.

 

I am feeding the received data to aprs.fi

Radiosondes are usually in the air just before 00.00z and 12.00z.

Two JumboSpots and the World Solar Challenge

The Cambridge University Eco Racing team required two Raspberry Pi Zeros, but where were they going to find them in Darwin?  Yes, that's correct, the Amateur Radio community naturally!  The Jumbo Spot uses a Rasberry Pi Zero W and I have/had one and so did Ian (VK8LOL). We dismantles our Spots in the name of environmental sustainability and for the sake of all humanity.

The World Solar Challenge starts on Sunday and is a sun powered car race from Darwin to Adelaide (about 3000km).

 You can track the cars here

ADS-B Receiver Upgrade

I've been running a PiAware receiver for a friend for over a year now, and just recently he sent me a new RTL-SDR and antenna, to try. The New RTL-SDR has a built in RF amp and a filter for the 1090Mhz ADS-B band.  The results are very impressive, with regular tracking of planes out as far as 450km. The Pi and RTL-SDR is siting on the floor in the lounge-room, near the front window, with the antenna wedged into the top of a chair on the balcony. We will work of a better option for the antenna!

Screen Shots of the Flight-aware page

 The new RTL-SDR with RF Amp and 1090Mhz Filter

 

 Antenna location (Temporary.... but for how long?)

This is the view out to the West-Northwest!

 Before the upgrade

 After the upgrade!

Azimuth and Elevation Rotator - Part 3

The Pi-3 now has a 7in touchscreen display. still waiting on a few parts, including a case for the display and Pi.

Azimuth and Elevation Rotator - Part 2

After some setup issues the rotator and Gpredict on the Raspberry Pi are now talking to each other.  All that remains is for the electronics to be tidied up, some mechanical work to be completed and then to work out how to mount it, on either a speaker stand or tripod.

Radio-less Allstar node

Allstar is a great way of linking simplex radios and repeaters together. However sometimes a radio is not required.  With direct access to the net, either by Cat 5 or wifi all you really need is a way to receive audio, transmit audio and key up a node. This is what a radio-less node does. All that's required is a Raspberry Pi 3 a USB Sound FOB, a Microphone and Speaker and a few bits to connect it all together.

I used an old bluetooth speaker as the starting point.  The case housed a mic preamp an LM-386 amp module to drive the speakers the usb sound fob and 8v regulator for the Icom mic that I was using. The Pi is mounted in a separate case which also includes a relay module and 5v regulator.

MMDVM Jumbo Spot

Picked up a Jumbo Spot the other day, and now have it working, although there are a lot of additional things it can do, which I haven't explored as yet. All for another day.  Not sure why it's call 'Jumbo'?  It's very small!

On Fusion I'm generally connected into AU YSF001
On D-Star, try REF023-C or XLX389-D
On DMR BrandMeister Room 505005, 5056 or 5058 (via YSF2DMR bridge)

The MMDVM Spot has the ability to operate in one of four modes D-STAR, DMR, C4FM/Fusion and P25. (It may actually be more!)  And there are some reflectors/Rooms that can cross link these modes. For example VK4TUX has a system that links Room AU YSF001 (Fusion) to XLX389-D (D-Star),  along with DMR and (I think) P25. This makes it possible for Fusion, D-Star, DMR and P25 cross mode QSOs.

It's all very Cool!

SuperMon 6.1

The Hamvoip Allstar software comes with several web interfaces pre-installed.  SuperMon is by far the best and it has just undergone an upgrade to ver. 6.1.  It's a worthwhile upgrade that provides additional clarity on the system's real-time status.  See below.

FOX TELEM

I'm running FOX TELEM on a Raspberry Pi 3. And as you can see I'm climbing up the leader board.  I think I've got some work to do to improve its reception and or decoding.   But it's a start.

For additional information go to the AMSAT FOX site and or Chris Thompson's site.