Transcript No Slide Title

Amateur Radio, Your PC
and the Internet
Presented by Tony Langdon, VK3JED
For the Melbourne PC Users Group, Dec 5 2001.
1
Topics of Discussion
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
VK3JED and Amateur Radio
What is Amateur Radio?
Traditional Amateur Activities
IT and Amateur Radio
Monitoring Amateurs from your PC
Where to Listen
Receiving Amateurs for Yourself
The Internet Radio Linking Project – What it is and its impact on
Amateur Radio.
How to become a Radio Amateur
More Information – WWW sites to follow up.
Demonstration of IRLP
Thank You
2
VK3JED and Amateur Radio
• Licenced since 1989 as VK3JED
• Active in the following areas:
–
–
–
–
Internet Radio Linking (IRLP)
Satellites
Education and Publicity
Mobile and Portable Operation
• Member of Moorabbin & District Radio
Club
3
What is Amateur Radio?
• Amateur Radio stations are operated for the
purposes of self training in radiocommunications,
intercommunication using radiocommunications
and technical investigation into
radiocommunications by persons who:
– do so solely with a personal aim;
– have no pecuniary interest in the outcome of the
operation of the station; and
– are operated on [specified] amateur frequencies or
frequency bands...
4
Traditional Amateur
Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
HF (Shortwave) communication
Morse code
Analogue Voice
VHF/UHF repeaters
Radio Teletype (RTTY)
Homebrewing (construction)
“Dxing” (long distance contacts)
5
IT and Amateur Radio
• Computer Controlled Modes
– Packet Radio
– Slow Scan TV
– Narrow Band Teletype (PSK-31, etc)
•
•
•
•
•
Digital Signal Processing
Internet Radio Linking
Remote Bases and Web Radios
Internet Collaboration
Publicity
6
Monitoring Amateurs from
your PC
• Australian Amateur FAQ
– http://members.ozemail.com.au/~andrewd/hamradio/hamfaq.html
• Remote Bases and Web Radios
– W7DXX Remote Base http://www.lamonica.com (RA)
– Lots of online receivers http://www.qsl.net/oe3mzc/receivers.html
• IRLP - Internet Radio Linking Project
– Reflector 2 Live Audio http://www.live365.com/stations/253404
• There are many more online receivers on
the Internet!
7
Example of a Web Receiver
8
Where to Listen
• Amateur bands include
– 1.8-2 MHz, 3.5-4 MHz, 7-7.3 MHz, 10.1-10.15 MHz,
14-14.35 Mhz, 18.068-18.168 Mhz, 21 – 21.45 MHz,
24.89 – 24.99 Mhz, 28-29.7 MHz, 50-54 MHz, 70-72
MHz (UK only), 144-148 MHz, 220-224 MHz (North
America only), 420-450 MHz. And many higher
bands, up to 250 GHz.
• Modes to Monitor (rough guide)
– LSB below 10 MHz.
– USB 10 - 29 MHz.
– Try FM and USB above 29 MHz.
9
Receiving Amateurs for
Yourself
• Receivers
– Shortwave receiver (0-30 MHz)
• Must have BFO or SSB/CW facility
• Digital tuning an advantage
– Scanner for VHF/UHF
• FM will do for most common activity, though SSB can be
helpful
• Computer
– Any P100 or later running Win95 or later. Soundcard a must
– Lots of freeware and shareware applications available for
download off the Internet for accessory functions and decoding the
newer computer based modes.
– One of many sites with Amateur Radio DSP applications.
• http://www.muenster.de/~welp/sb.htm
10
The Internet Radio Linking
Project (IRLP)
• Uses the Internet to link distant radio sites
together.
• Gives global coverage to normally localised
VHF and UHF frequencies.
• Enables minimally equipped stations to
communicate globally.
• Allows end user control of links via their
radio.
11
How Internet Linking Works
Mobile
Station
Radio Link
IRLP Node
Internet
Distant
Repeater
Repeater
IRLP Node
The Internet is used as a link
12
to connect distant repeaters together
Typical IRLP Node
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Standard PC compatible is usually used.
Pentium P100 or faster.
Linux operating system.
Soundcard and appropriate drivers.
Simple hardware interface to control link radio.
Radio tuned to the appropriate link frequency.
ISDN/xDSL/cable/broadband Internet connection.
13
IRLP Reflectors
• Enable multiple nodes to be linked together into a
network – number limited only by bandwidth.
• Running a reflector requires very fast Internet
access (32 kbps per connected node) to handle the
multiple data streams. Most reflectors are hosted
at Internet Service Providers who often donate the
bandwidth.
14
Impact of IRLP on Amateur
Radio and the Public
• Level of amateur activity has increased
dramatically.
• Amateurs who have been inactive for a long
time are coming back on the air.
• Amateur Radio is becoming more appealing
to today’s Internet oriented youth.
• New opportunities for experimentation.
– Global network to communicate with ISS
15
The Future
• Internet linking is already becoming commonplace
– over 250 IRLP nodes on air.
• Improvements in technology will improve
performance of links.
• IPV6 and multicast offer more flexible linking
with less bandwidth.
• Technology can be ported to high speed amateur
microwave and satellite links.
16
How to Become a Radio
Amateur
• Radio amateurs are licenced by the ACA, once they pass
required examinations in Amateur regulations, radio theory
and optionally, Morse Code.
• Examinations are conducted privately or through radio
clubs.
• Many radio clubs run study courses for amateur theory and
regulations. One on one tutoring, self study and study by
email are other study options.
• More information
– Amateur information from the ACA
• http://www.aca.gov.au/publications/info/amateur_suite.htm
– Ron Bertrand’s online study course
• http://www.radioelectronicschool.com/
17
More Information
• IRLP – http://www.irlp.net
• Amateur Radio FAQ
– http://members.ozemail.com.au/~andrewd/hamradio/hamfaq.html
• Online Receivers
– http://www.qsl.net/oe3mzc/receivers.html
• Software - http://www.muenster.de/~welp/sb.htm
• Moorabbin and District Radio Club
– http://www.mdrc.org.au
• WIA Victoria - http://www.wiavic.org.au/
• Wireless Institute of Australia
– http://www.wia.org.au
18
Demonstration of IRLP
• What you are listening to is streaming audio which
originates from IRLP Reflector 2, which is the
busiest IRLP reflector in the world.
• The URL to listen is
http://www.live365.com/stations/253404
• Or alternatively, select the “Listen Live!” Link
from http://www.irlp.net.
19
Thank You
Tony Langdon, VK3JED
20