Acer Aspire One as QRSS grabber ?

Today I installed the Ubuntu version made for netbooks - the "Easy-Peasy" distro - on my Acer Aspire One.

The install rendered the Wireless LAN inoperable, but after a standard update (via the wired LAN) it was working fine.

After installing a few of my well known applications I tried to get SpectrumLab up and running under WINE.

After an attempt to install on the "Z" drive failing, I finally got it installed to the "drive_c"

It took a bit of playing around with the mixer to get the input from the radio running. Apparently the sensitivity of the AA1 mic input is somewhat lower than on an older machine I have working here.

After some hours of work with the AA1 I intend to leave it for now and continue my reading. Later for trying to get WSPR/WSJT running - that should be "fun" (yeah - right!).

With SpecLab I should be able to make some simple grabber software for image upload, possibly with a script. I will need more knowledge of Linux than I have now, but this is part of getting things working.

80m SDR, p3

Finished the PCB (except the canned oscillator), needs testing , but later. the box needs one more hole for external LO connector - not originally provided for.

Finished second novel of the marathon reading, now 3 mopre novels, some novelettes and novellas until July 3rd. Let's see what can be done.

80m SDR, p2

More solder smoke released, only missing the ICs and the oscillator - I am going to leave out the oscillator and make a local oscillator input, making a switchable Local oscillator possible.

Now for some more reading.

Building SDR for 80m

Today I received the kit from the magazine "Funkamateur" with all necessary parts to build a "single frequency SDR", similar to the SoftRock, along with a few other components for my constructions.

Like for Joachim, one resistor had a 1000 times larger value than the one needed. No problem, since I had one of the correct value.

Some solder smoke generated, not quite finished yet, but it is time for some reading.

Spotted on 10m

Twice today I spotted IZ1ERR on 28 MHz, and now I see he spotted me, too :

Spot Database

Specify query parameters

Timestamp Call MHz SNR Drift Grid Pwr Reporter RGrid km az
2009-06-01 17:14 PA9QV 28.126170 -22 -4 JO22db 0.2 IZ1ERR JN35 758 164


Nice to see someone else is there. Now let us get some activity on 28 MHz WSPR before the Sporadic E season is over

Wspr on 10m

I am currently running the WSPR station on 10m, Dial setting : 28.124600MHz, also looking for QRSS signals on 28.125900 to 28.126000MHz.

Using a FT-817 running 10% tx-ing when I am home, otherwise just rx-ing.

I have only had a single spot today from IZ1ERR in JN35, so I guess activity is quite low atm.

I am looking forward to the peak(s) of the sporadic E season.

FT-817 PA

The FT-817 PA seems to be prone to overheating.

I have been running the 817 on 13.8V till now, and since it runs fine down to about 9V, I am thinking of finding a 10V regulator to take some heat out of the equation.

Will be looking for a 7810 IC, or possibly using the LM317 for that purpose.

More soldersmoke coming out some time here.