Re: LF: Re: How do I use Spectrum Lab as a VLF Soft Receiver ?

[M0FMT <m0fmt@yahoo.co.uk>]

Hi

If you use sm6lkm's rx it is intended for SAQ on17.2 kcs most sondcards will work ok since you only need a 48kb sample rate giving 24kcs band width. Not only will you hear SAQ when its on but also the Apha stations (Russian nav aids) at least three if not more sending a Beep Beep Beep. Also around 19 to 20 kc/s you will hear and see a strong set of signals sonding like a loud rushing sound. These are some kind of naval data stations may be US. You only need a few feet of wire in the mic socket preferably out doors away from domesric noise. If the antenna is fairly long make sure you shunt the input with a diode to stop the chance of destroying your card with high volts from static rain and the like. There is absolutly no need for preamps coils or any thing in front of you sound card just the protective diode.

 

Alan is right about Winrad if you set the software LO to zero and select LH or RH rather than the full IQ and depending on you sound card sample rate you will either get 0 to 24kc/s or 0 to 48kc/s band coverage.

 

You will not get any further radio frequency coverage without an SDR  (Tayloe detector ... multiplexer) front end on you soundcard. Softrock comes highly recomended it is simple to build and cheap and can be adapted to just about any band you wish to monitor.

 

If you wish to use any other software with you SDR set up again Alan is correct just down load the VAC (virtual audio cable... Google it) and you can daisy chain just about any decoding or FFT software you like with out resorting to a soldering iron additional PC's or physical cables.......... it's the future!!!

 

Hope this helps, lots of info on the web join Yahoo group Soft-rock 40.

 

There is info on a 500kc/s / 136kc/s plus IF panadaptor versions of softrock or you can buy a ready build Pegasus RX and others for serious money but Soft-rock will delight you for peanuts!!

 

73 mail me direct if you have any queries petefmt

--- On Fri, 27/11/09, Alan Melia <alan.melia@btinternet.com> wrote:

From: Alan Melia <alan.melia@btinternet.com>
Subject: LF: Re: How do I use Spectrum Lab as a VLF Soft Receiver ?
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Date: Friday, 27 November, 2009, 20:42

I am not sure about this you need to scour the help files but the SID
receiver is not meant for listening to it is to produce a sig-strength v
time plot. You might need some fairly crafty software connection for Spec
Lab Wolf will maybe reply he does monitor.

As an easy alternative try WinRad by Alberto www.weaksignals.com and just
stick a wire into the mic input and you get a full SDR receiver. I am not
sure you get sound out even then you may be Virtual Audio Cable, or perhaps
Alberto has a hook in the code now. The thing is you are using the card
twice....once to pruduce the receiver and again to produce the audio output.
I cant check at the moment I am still in the process of loading up this PC.

Best Wishes
Alan G3NYK

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy - KU4XR" <ku4xr@yahoo.com>
To: <lowfer@mailman.qth.net>; <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>
Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 7:14 PM
Subject: LF: How do I use Spectrum Lab as a VLF Soft Receiver ?


> Hello All:
>
> I have recently been trying to get a soundcard VLF receiver
> going. I found a SAQ receiver on the web designed by
> Johan - SM6LKM. It works good I suppose never having tried
> this before. I can hear " Radio noise " in other words, it
> actually sounds like a receiver. When I connect enough
> coils in series, with a variable cap to ground to make a
> pre-selector, The noise floor will rise 20 dB when I tune
> the Cap. and you can see the peak move across the spectrum
> display. However, that's as far as you can go, You can't
> choose a sound card, it automatically chooses the windows
> default card, and I haven't found a way to use DSP filtering
> with it, since everything is based on the sound card alone.
>
> Now for Spectrum Lab, It has a built in " SID " receiver,
> and the built in DSP filters work in the program. I just can't
> get it to work !!!!! All I can get is low freq. hum, or
> digital noise. It makes no difference with or without an Ant.
> I've changed sound card sample rates, and FFT settings,
> nothing works for me.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions for me to try  ?? Thank you.
>
> 73 to all :::
>
>
> Andy - KU4XR - EM75xr - Friendsville, TN.
> LOWfer Beacon " XR " @ 185.29866 KHz ( QRSS-60 )
> Coordinates:  N:  35* 43' 54" - W:  84* 3' 16"
> http://www.myspace.com/beaconxr
> http://webpages.charter.net/ku4xr/
>
>
>
>