Andy,
It's still alive, but infrequently used. DL4YHF did a GUI version of the
original command-line program. It can be found at:
http://www.qsl.net/d/dl4yhf/wolf/index.html
I just spent an afternoon/evening running it on January 1. Have to keep
the thing alive. Received a half-dozen reports from the eastern U.S. and
Canada. Didn't bother to publicize it here, due to band conditions.
WOLF is of course, 10 bit/sec BPSK. A linear PA is recommended for
preserving the nominal 40 Hz BW. This has limited the implementation, as
has the need for an SSB exciter, though the latter are more common now,
due to the popularity of WSPR. Curiously, the linear PA issue seems more
important in EU than here in the U.S., where a number of people are
using repurposed audio amplifiers for other modes. It's probably a power
consumption thing, with higher prices on the EU side.
In any case, the minimum signal levels required are similar to QRSS60,
and you have control over the 15 character text being sent. I've been
involved with a couple of 2-way QSO's over the years. With 15
characters, you can design a reasonably terse format, but are not stuck
with the predetermined requirements of some of the JT modes.
Anyway, if anyone wants a weak WOLF test signal, or advice, I'd be happy
to help. My shack should be back in operating shape in a day or so,
after some computer surgery.
John, W1TAG
On 1/4/2016 2:38 PM, Andy Talbot [email protected] [rsgb_lf_group] wrote:
Indeed -
What happened to WOLF (*) ?
I've just tried Googling (**) it and find practically no hits. The data
mode seems to have been used successfully in the years around 2001 and
on, for a bit, but has faded. The URL I had for it is now gives the
magic 404. Didn't the first transatlantic contact on 137kHz use this mode?
I guess that as it used 10 baud BPSK, was considered too complicated
for the average LF Op. to generate. No one seems to use upconversion
from audio, and few seem to be able to make simple PSK encoders. Even
for EBnaut, relays are suggested as the means to reverse the phase
(yes, truely !!). I suppose, to be fair, 10 baud unfiltered BPSK from
a high power transmitter is a bit unkind to other band users.
Andy G4JNT
(*) Weak signal Operation at LF
(**) Other search engines are available - so it has been said.
On 4 January 2016 at 19:14, John Andrews <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
For those who may be newer to this part of our hobby, Hartmut Wolff
is somewhat of a legend in receiving TA signals in the 137 kHz band.
Night after night while others could only see Loran lines and the
debris from DCF39, Hartmut produced screenshots of some pretty weak
North American signals. He also gave reports on the sadly-orphaned
WOLF mode. As recently as last month, his 137.780 kHz grabber showed
my signal on nights that it was invisible on the UK and other DL
grabbers.
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