The AM Forum

THE AM BULLETIN BOARD => QSO => Topic started by: WA3VJB on February 02, 2007, 09:11:33 PM



Title: Instant airchecks !
Post by: WA3VJB on February 02, 2007, 09:11:33 PM
This evening I was messing around with one of the online receivers, mostly checking for AM activity in Europe, and discovered I can roll an instant aircheck if I want to hear how reception is at three different locations represented on the website below


http://pa3ang.nl/index2.php?php=rx322&player=wme

By simply starting my recording software (not a Microsoft product), I found I had an input to record directly the incoming "stream," something I had not done before. 

Usually I had recorded and decoded previously recorded files. so this was cool.

Thanks for the station providing the demonstration, as received in New York.




Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: W1DAN on February 03, 2007, 08:48:12 AM
Hi Paul:

That site is cool, but I could not get the audio to stream. BTW that receiver is in a town I used to live in...Auburndale, MA (My YL lives there now). I get better reception in Natick, MA.

As Bruce W1UJR was gonna do a web site for ham AM audio, I have started a LOONNGG Ham/SWL cassette to data DVD transfer process. I have a moving box full of cassettes that I will EVENTUALLY transfer. Doing two cassettes at a time to 16 bit 22.050khz WAV audio.

Two nights ago I started the Gaithersburg 1997 Special event station tape.

This process may take a year or more.

73,
Dan
W1DAN


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: flintstone mop on February 03, 2007, 04:10:47 PM
It's a nice idea. I wonder if there are other receivers out there in other parts of the USA? I have always been curious about the 'BCQ signal. How far does it go at 6PM Eastern time?
Do a Google search "online receiver ....type in a name of a State?"
Thanks
Fred


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: wa1knx on February 03, 2007, 08:23:14 PM
boy this is fun, lisleing on the nework recr paul, heard fxe on 1885.
so I popped my recvr here in az, and I heard him direct!!! about a
20 second delay, turned it over to etp I think.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on February 03, 2007, 08:41:06 PM
Cool. So you are hearing us out in AZ Deano. Yes, FXE, ETC, HUZ, DEU, CYT, and N4RQ are in there right now. The band is VERY quiet out here on the east coast. If you have 160 meter capability, try checking in. We should be able to hear you.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: Tom WA3KLR on February 03, 2007, 09:24:22 PM
Fred,

Here is a SWL/VHF website that lists their on-line whirl-wide receiver status:

http://www.dxtuners.com/

At the left side of the home page is a Menu column, look for and click on "Receiver List".

There must be a lot of other receivers on-line in the U.S. too.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: k4kyv on February 03, 2007, 10:37:36 PM
By simply starting my recording software (not a Microsoft product), I found I had an input to record directly the incoming "stream," something I had not done before. 

Does your software record the digital stream directly?

I have a copy of Intenet Radio Recorder (which I have never installed).  But programs like mine simply record the analogue audio file off the sound card, by converting it back to a digital format and saving to disc.

It has always been impossible to save the digital stream directly to disc, because media players like Windows, Real and Quicktime encrypt the stream with an undilclosed proprietary code.  I read somewhere recently that a program had been developed that bypasses the encryption and records the stream directly.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: wa1knx on February 04, 2007, 12:18:38 AM
steve,
       I could almost see your hand wavin!, fxe 4-8, you 4-7. could hear
rich and john deu's carriers. I called rich on the phoneum, put the
mike up to the recvr and he could hear your maul. about a 20 second
delay. way cool

deano


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: WA3VJB on February 04, 2007, 12:27:21 PM
Pretty cool example follows.

Here, I was listening to my QSO with Larry NE1S in Grey, Maine on 40m Saturday.
Neither site could hear him (too close), but I was hearing him fine directly, and myself through the NY site.

Later, I got an aircheck MP3 from a third party who had captured the test !

It's like one of those carnival things where a mirror-in-a-mirror keeps going.

And Don, I don't know where the computer grabs the audio at. I will presume it's downstream at a D/A output, but maybe there is some real time processing and recording of the format as it comes in as telemetry, which THEN is spit out as an analog signal. The site is streaming audio, so there's no reason it cannot also be fed as digital into the software, but I don't think so somehow.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: flintstone mop on February 04, 2007, 12:44:19 PM
WOW Paul,
I remember those heaters from the 50's!!!! They felt like the Sun!!   ::)
Fred


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: K3ZS on February 04, 2007, 01:36:15 PM
I am listening to Timtron now at:

http://www.ralabs.com/webradio/

This site has been around for a long time.    It streams mp3 with about a 30 second delay from the site and whatever your buffering delay is.
I just checked out my IC-718 AM audio on it.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: W1UJR on February 04, 2007, 04:22:16 PM
Hi Paul:

That site is cool, but I could not get the audio to stream. BTW that receiver is in a town I used to live in...Auburndale, MA (My YL lives there now). I get better reception in Natick, MA.

As Bruce W1UJR was gonna do a web site for ham AM audio, I have started a LOONNGG Ham/SWL cassette to data DVD transfer process. I have a moving box full of cassettes that I will EVENTUALLY transfer. Doing two cassettes at a time to 16 bit 22.050khz WAV audio.

Two nights ago I started the Gaithersburg 1997 Special event station tape.

This process may take a year or more.

73,
Dan
W1DAN


Still doing it Dan!

Its a work in progress, Garageband has been cranking on my iMac when time permits.

-Bruce


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: wa1knx on February 04, 2007, 07:04:50 PM
heard vjb on 3837 via that rcvr. popped on my rig mid-aft, heard a pw wee
wee carrier! no modulation, way to early. good copy on the remote rcvr,
fun tool. some night, I may be able to hear my on sig on that thing, since
theres a 20 second delay, it might work!


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: W1DAN on February 04, 2007, 08:43:39 PM
Hey Bruce:

I'll get ya a copy of the DVD's when we meet at Hosstraders or whenever. So far I have 6 gigs of audio, which is not too many cassettes.

73
Dan
W1DAN


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: WA3VJB on February 04, 2007, 08:48:31 PM
CQ the Internet, CQ the Internet  !!

I can hear it now Dean-O, you trying to toss a signal through your wi-fi.

Here's what I don't get --

Quote
I may be able to hear my on sig on that thing, since
theres a 20 second delay, it might work!

When was the last time you made a transmission less than 20 seconds ?




Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: WA3VJB on February 04, 2007, 08:55:35 PM
WOW Paul,
I remember those heaters from the 50's!!!! They felt like the Sun!!   ::)
Fred

Oh yeah Fred, this is an oldie too.

Picked it up for $10 at an antique shoppe.

I have one as a screen saver, and people come up and rub their hands in front of it at work.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: wa1knx on February 05, 2007, 10:11:43 PM
Paul,
    I heard my own mall last night , the 20 second delay is great. talking to
k5ayd, and could tell I was louder back east then he wuz so that was good
a good sign. I would say I was  5-9 then faded to 4x6, conditions faded
out. nice to be able to hear east coast when things sux out here.


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: Mike/W8BAC on February 06, 2007, 08:45:21 PM
This site has become an instant favorite with me. I travel for a living and stay in Motels often. I have carried a Sony ICF-2002 short wave receiver for over 20 years to satisfy my listening needs but lately motels have become RF hash and noise generators with internet conveniences and a laptop in every room.

Listening the past few nights on the internet has brought back some radio fun to travel. It isn't great but it is fun. Thanks Paul.

Mike


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on February 06, 2007, 08:47:58 PM
The other side of it is the set up Marv - KC9VF has going. He can access his entire station (both TX and RX) via the Internet. Think about actually getting on the air from that hotel room. That would be fun!


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: wa1knx on February 06, 2007, 08:57:14 PM
steve,
    I would love that, but ZHH uses it. is it open to others? I'd love
to connect back east when I can't do it with bad condx ? ? ?


Title: Re: Instant airchecks !
Post by: Steve - WB3HUZ on February 07, 2007, 08:30:57 AM
Dunno. Gotta get in touch with Marv somehow and ask. I think Skype or similar is used for the audio link. Don't know about the control link. Pretty cool though.
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