Message-ID: <1999032623201968199@zetnet.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 23:20:19 +0100
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
From: "Peter Dodd" <g3ldo@zetnet.co.uk>
Subject: LF: Re: Computer recording of signal levels
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As computers get more complex we have to, metophorically, constantly 
reinvent the wheel.
The old BBC computer had, as standard, a four channel A/D converter 
and children in science classes in school were using it to record 
experimental data from transducers. This was done using a BASIC word 
called ADVAL which addressed the A/D converter.
I used this method to plot polar diagram files and the BBC method is 
described in the 1st Edition of 'The Antenna Experimenter's Guide'. 
When the IMB computer became the world standard I had to solve the 
A/D converter problem. A company called Pico produced a very simple 
dongle that plugged into the printer port that can be addressed using 
GW-BASIC and QBASIC. This is described in the 2nd edition of  'The 
Antenna Experimenter's Guide' (available from RSGB bookshop).
The S/W listing is on the RSGB website <www.rsgb.org> under books. 
The BASIC program is now not supplied with modern computers and EXCEL 
is appears to be the main tool for non-programmers to make 
calculations for radio, however, I dont know if it can be made to 
talk to a simple A/D converter.


-- 
Regards, Peter, G3LDO

<g3ldo@zetnet.co.uk>