Just had to do it!!!!!!!!!

 

On my web site (see below), in the 'Beacons' section, you will find PCBCN.zip which is a simple Windoze utility that activates a COM port at regular intervals   Specify repeat interval and offset in minutes, and the Tx ON time in seconds, and it will set the RTS and DTR lines of your specified COM port for the duration when the appropriate interval arrives.  That's all, no CW messages, no bells, no whistles, no warranty!

 

.. and its entirely up to you to somehow keep the PC clock accurate enough!

 

The prog was thrown together in VB6 this afternoon and barely tested enough to ensure it did what it said on the tin.   I can't guarantee it will function over midnight (at least not until tonight anyway :-) or how well it will work on any PC.  It did run on two here though.

 

The full source code is supplied for anyone to look / inspect / / audit / verify / play with / hack about.   Please don't ask for highly complicated additions, bells, sirens, soundcard functionality etc etc.  And say thank you to my employer for the few hours spent "self training in the art of programming"

 

Andy  G4JNT

 

www.scrbg.org/g4jnt/PCBCN.zip

 

 

 

On 10/02/2008, Graham <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi all,



This is something that may be of interest  .. To a programmer or two or
three ? There exists collectively the expertise, but can anyone see a way of
producing the system?



The idea  came initially from the 'Beacon Bedlam' , that existed south of
Watford gap .. about the only time the skip distance on 500 was 'useful' in
that band conditions in the north west where quite quiet, later to  prove a
hindrance,



There already exists a similar system on 5 Mhz , however the transmission
sites are defined and  participation is only possible by 'passive reception'
not too appealing for 'experimentation' This is a 'proposal' the concept is
proven , but 'we' need the
services of a programmer or two !! Similar thing's exist but are coded to
use 'pics' ,



One of the main criteria is , that 'anyone' with a windows based pc should
be able to download and install the tx/rx  software and join in, be it as a
TX station, simply claim a 'time slot' ,  or a passive observer being
presented with all 5 slots as a amplitude/time plot.



One of the  main attractions would be : TX stations will be able to  observe
the other beacons in the chain , eliminating the lonely vigil of being in
perm ante

transmit mode, while providing , at a glance, band conditions  for all
involved as well as reducing tx duty cycle time !



The number of TX stations is proposed as 5 in the chain , more may be
possible , but the time control factor may prove too difficult to achieve
within windows , but cw type software in beacon mode would appear top  make
a reasonable job of time control ?

Click on http://groups.google.com/group/uk500khz/web/the-big-beacon-project
- or copy & paste it into your browser's address bar if that doesn't
work.