From: "Dave Sergeant" <dave@davesergeant.com>
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:24:01 +0100
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Subject: LF: Re: WOLF/WSPR Sound card issues
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On 12 Sep 2009 at 9:09, John Andrews wrote:

> As you point out, the WSPR program does not seem to have a way to 
> compensate for far-off actual sampling rates. But WSPR's author, K1JT,
> has a jack-of-all-trades program called WSJT that DOES allow for
> calibration. WSPR is one of a number of modes offered in WSJT. So, that
> might be a way out for those stuck with on-board audio setups.

I had a quick play with WSJT7. But it looks as if WSPR was an add on to 
the original program, its implementation is a bit basic and the GUI 
totally different from the separate WSPR program.

1. The bands seem to be pre-programmed in, you select just by the band 
and there seems to be no means of setting a custom frequency. 500kHz 
(and 60m) are noticeably absent, there is no 'other'.
2. The displayed decodes are a different format and it only tells you 
the call decoded, dB strength and a DF figure in Hz from presumably 
what it considers the centre of the WSPR spectrum - not the actual 
frequency, and the time of the decode is not given.
3. There is no band map, the upper right hand corner is taken up with a 
moon data window which may be of interest to moon bounce people.... and 
this cannot be turned off.
4. There is a seperate waterfall display in a seperate window, which 
may be useful to some.
5. Although it obviously decodes in the same 2 minute periods it does 
not show this by displaying 'waiting to start' at any time, it shows 
'receiving' continuously. I also failed to work out how to set any TX 
periods, or how to be sure I had turned them off.
6. There seems no option to upload spots.
7. And if you select any other soundcard input than the default 0 one 
it crashes at startup. From a Google this is a well known problem...
8. Supplied documentation is patchy. The main manual does not even 
mention WSPR mode and the additional quick guide for WSPR talks a lot 
about theory but virtally nil about actually using it.

I didn't get round to doing any sound card calibration, it obvously can 
be done but even that looked to be a bit fiddly. I hope K1JT does add a 
calibration routine to WSPR to address this issue.

73 Dave G3YMC

http://www.davesergeant.com