Tracking Aircraft from Home

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Category: Ham Radio
Created: Saturday, 16 October 2021 04:55
Last Updated: Saturday, 16 October 2021 05:51
Written by Rick Swenton
Hits: 124

My general purpose receiver is the SDRPlay RSPdx software defined radio (SDR).  The latest version of the SDRUno software was released with support for many  new features. I stumbled upon the plug-in called ADSB.  It stands for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast. It is a surveillance technology in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation or other sensors and periodically broadcasts it.  It does this so that air traffic control and other aircraft can track it and know its position. Aircraft know their location using GPS.  The aircraft knows its altitude based on a pressure altimeter. The ADS-B transponder broadcasts the aircraft's ID and this three dimensional position (latitude, longitude, altitude) on 1090MHz or 978MHz.  This signal can be received by a radio within line of sight of the aircraft. ADS-B is required to be installed in all aircraft in US airspace as of January, 2020.

Here's a screen shot of my SDRPlay RSPdx receiver using the SDRUno software running the ADSB plugin and listening on 1090 mHz.  It is receiving the ADS-B signal from an aircraft whose ID is N669CS.

Here's a close-up of the data coming from the aircraft N669CS as received by the ADSB plugin.

A free software program called Virtual Radar Server is installed on my computer. The ADSB plugin feeds the aircraft's raw data being received at my house and plots the real-time position of the aircraft on a map.  The aircraft icon moves on the map as its position changes.  

Here's a close-up of the details provided by the Virtual Radar Server which shows that it is a private aircraft and the manufacturer. It's amazing how many commercial airliners I can receive going in and out of Logan Airport in Boston.  It's interesting to watch their flight path and then switch to the shortwave aeronautical frequencies to monitor their radio communications as they fly over the Atlantic Ocean.

VHF Channels

Frequencies are in mHz

118.250000 Boston Approach North
120.600000 Boston Approach West
127.200000 Boston Approach South
133.000000 Boston Departure

118.200000 Cape Approach 1
118.750000 Cape Approach 2

284.600000 Otis-Cape Air Approach
275.800000 Otis-Air Ground
121.600000 Otis-Air Ground
294.700000 Otis Tower
263.600000 Otis Tower
121.000000 Otis Tower

119.500000 Hyannis Tower
122.950000 Hyannis Unicom
123.800000 Hyannis ATIS

120.700000 TF Green Tower
257.800000 TF Green Tower
127.800000 TF Green Approach
127.900000 TF Green Approach
244.875000 TF Green Approach
119.450000 TF Green Approach (GROTON Sector)
123.675000 TF Green Approach/Departure (RHODY Sector)
125.750000 TF Green Approach (JUMPR Sector)
128.700000 TF Green Approach (New Bedford Sector)
135.400000 TF Green Approach/Departure

Shortwave Channels

3.485000  Gander Volmet
6.604000  Gander Volmet
10.051000 Gander Volmet
13.270000 Gander Volmet

3.413000  Shannon Volmet EUR
5.505100  Shannon Volmet EUR
8.957000  Shannon Volmet EUR
13.264000 Shannon Volmet EUR

3.446000  ARINC Family-J
3.455000  ARINC Caribbean-A
3.494000  ARINC
8.918000  ARINC Caribbean-B
8.864000  ARINC Gander B

 

Shortwave Channels continued

ARINC North Atlantic
3.016000  Family-A
5.598000  Family-A
8.906000  Family-A
13.306000 Family-A
17.946000 Family-A
21.964000 Family-A
2.899000  Family-B
5.616000  Family-B
8.864000  Family-B
13.291000 Family-B
17.946000 Family-B

2.872000  Family-C
5.649000  Family-C
8.879000  Family-C
11.336000 Family-C
13.306000 Family-C

2.971000  Family-D
4.675000  Family-D
8.891000  Family-D
11.279000 Family-D
13.291000 Family-D

2.962000  NY Family-E
6.630000  NY Family-E
8.825000  NY Family-E
11.309000 NY Family-E
13.354000 NY Family-E
17.952000 NY Family-E

3.476000  Family-F
6.622000  Family-F
8.831000  Family-F
13.291000 Family-F

6.577000  NE US Primary
8.846000  NE US Secondary
5.550000  NE US Secondary
6.501000  Weather

Volmet by Frequency
3.413000  SHANNON
3.485000  GANDER
5.450000  RAF-MILITARY ONE (ST EVAL)
5.505000  SHANNON
6.604000  GANDER
6.754000  TRENTON
8.957000  SHANNON
10.051000 GANDER
11.253000 RAF-MILITARY ONE (ST EVAL)
13.264000 SHANNON
13.270000 GANDER
15.034000 TRENTON

Here's a list of the aviation frequencies stored in my SDRUno. You can see they have multiple shortwave frequencies to use for optimal propagation depending on the time of day.  High frequencies for daytime and low frequencies for nighttime.  It's amazing what can be done from home with simple equipment that was only dreamed about in the past.

Electro-Voice RE27 N/D Microphone for Ham Radio

Details
Category: Ham Radio
Created: Saturday, 10 July 2021 16:39
Last Updated: Monday, 27 December 2021 20:20
Written by Rick Swenton
Hits: 270

This article intended to be more of a philosophical discussion than a technical review.  When you are dealing with Ham Radio transmitters and receivers, your choice of microphone can be based on science or opinion or both.  There's no real right or wrong answer.  It's kind of like asking someone how to adjust bass and treble controls on a music system. Let's start with some technical background.

The Electro-Voice RE27 N/D is a professional grade studio/broadcast microphone. Some of its features include a powerful neodymium magnet and a reinforced diaphragm dome.  This offers increased sensitivity (up to 6-dB more output), undistorted output at high sound pressure levels and an extended high-frequency response.  The mic has a 5 kHz presence rise.  This gives the sound extra clarity.  Some people say you can just do that with an equalizer.  Sure, you can.  But there's something to be said about having that already present in the mic signal.  It is a large diaphragm cardioid dynamic mic.  It's sound fidelity rivals the best condenser mics.  Unlike condenser mics, the RE27 does not suffer distortion from close-talking nor does it suffer from the "proximity effect."  The proximity effect is a change in the sound caused by the closeness of the person's voice to the mic.  The proximity effect will cause a bassier sounding voice if the person close-talks the mic. Some radio personalities use this effect as a feature sound in their shows. This effect is commonly heard on some evening shows where the host does "pillow talk" by close-talking the mic. The RE27 maintains consistent quality independent of distance between the person and the mic.  Also unlike condenser mics, the RE27 has better off-axis sensitivity.  It has a hum-bucking coil.  This helps filter electromagnetic interference and can be especially helpful in transmitting environments.

The RE27 has three with switches near the base of the mic to control frequency response.  With all switches off (switched up towards the head) the response is set to flat from 80-2,000 Hz with a 6-dB rise in response from 2,000-16,000 Hz. With one filter switch in the “roll-off” position (down), low-frequency response tilts down 6 dB from 250 to 100 Hz. A second filter switch, when in the “roll-off” position (down), creates a gentle roll-off of 12 dB from 1,000 to 100 Hz. The third filter switch, when in the “roll-off” position (down) reduces the high-frequency rise by 3 dB.

The mic has a built-in blast and wind filter and a built-in shock mount.  It is unclear how effective these are.  I suspect they are better than nothing but not perfect.  I have seen applications that have external pop filters but have never seen foam wind screens on this mic.  My own application uses the Electro-Voice 309A shock mount suspension.  The mic has a balanced 150 ohm output through a standard XLR connector,

This mic is expensive.  It lists for $499 almost everywhere.  Used ones are typically found between $400 and $450.  It comes with a carrying case and a stand clamp.  The mic is large and heavy,  It weighs a little over 3 pounds. The 309A shock mount suspension adds another $99.  I have seen professional studios with and without the shock mount so it is unclear if it is really necessary. The shock mount adds another 7.5 inches to the distance between the mic clamp and the stand threads. That means the shock mount would either raise the mic 7.5 inches above the top of your desk stand or lower the mic 7.5 inches below the bottom of your dropdown boom mount. Also keep in mind that the shock mount will add to the already heavy weight of the mic,  I had to increase the spring tension on my dropdown boom.

If you use the provided mic clamp, you should know that it clamps to the rear of the mic. This means that the mic will be front-heavy on the stand. Most of the body of the mic has acoustic screens so you can't use a shock mount that clamps to the body of the mic without blocking the ports.  The rear body area has a small portion of solid space but the mic will still be front-heavy. The 309A shock mount allows the mass of the mic to be centered and balanced on the stand mounting point.

Click Here for the RE27 N/D Mic Data Sheet

Click Here for the 309A Shock Mount Data Sheet

Now, on to the philosophical discussion.  Many of my opinions are formed by two great veteran ham radio operators.  One is Clark, N1BCG, who is a long-time broadcast engineer and Ham Radio AM expert. The other is Rob, W1AEX, who is a long-time Ham Radio AM expert, SDR expert, and online resource. Both have been invaluable consultants and trusted advisors.

It is my belief that you should strive to have the finest possible audio quality to send to your transmitter. The problem arises when different transmitters and receivers have different capabilities.  Modern transceivers from companies like Kenwood, Icom and Yaesu deliberately restrict their transmit bandwidths.  Sometimes, this limit could be as low as 2.4 kHz and even lower for SSB.  This creates courteous "good-neighbor" signals on the band. They are spectrum efficient and generally non-interfering if the audio is adjusted properly.  Some hams use ancient relics for receivers and transmitters,  There is a lot of equipment still being used today that was originally placed in service during World War II.  Much of this unmodified equipment will not have high fidelity receivers or will not be capable of full fidelity transmit.  Most of these users will not be able to tell the difference between your RE27 mic and almost any good basic mic.  Even the factory hand mic on the Icom IC-7300 sounds great to most people.  Why would you spend the money on a mic like the RE27 if most people won't notice?

Stated again, it is my belief that you should strive to have the finest possible audio quality to send to your transmitter.  My main transceiver is the Apache Labs ANAN-7000DLE MKII.  It is a software defined transceiver.  As such, all of its operating parameters are controlled by software.  With this radio I can open up the transmit bandwidth to accept the rich fidelity of the RE27.  The transmitter will still be able to be a "good neighbor" on the bands by not exceeding the set bandwidth. I will still have the same problem at the other end.  The other folks still have inconsistent receive fidelity.  At least I know at my end it is the best it can be.  The real joy comes when you and the other person both have the ability to run high fidelity audio.  This type of audio is not suited for weak signal work or seeking distant contacts.  It is meant for enjoyable conversation. Sure, the signal is wider than AM on some modern radios like the ICOM 7300, but with the SDR, the signal is tight and does not splatter adjacent users.

Is the RE-27 possibly the finest microphone ever made? Possibly. Do you need it? Probably not.  If you get it, will your world be changed?  Probably not. Many users compared this mic with the Heil PR-40, the Audio Technica AT-2020, the Behringer B-1, and the Behringer XM8500 Ultravoice,   Various tests results did not reveal a clear winner.  That's probably because of human perception. The other mics suffer from proximity effect.  Radio listeners might not notice this unless the person transmitting is constantly changing his distance from the mic.  Many people are fond of the Behringer XM8500.  The Behringer XM8500 Ultravoice goes for about $20. Music vocalists say the XM8500 sounds as good as the industry standard Sure SM58 which goes for about $100. If you want a great dynamic mic that won't break the bank, the Behringer XM8500 is an excellent choice. Don't get the Electro-Voice RE27 unless you have a transmitter that is capable of showcasing its fidelity. If you get the Electro-Voice RE27,don't be disappointed if goes unnoticed on the air. You can't go wrong with the RE27 as a very high quality, best-in-class mic. That doesn't mean it will be right for you or your equipment.

Is the RE27 is worth the cost for Ham Radio use? Perhaps the answer is subjective. Is it worth it to you?

 

ANAN-7000 Band Change cable for ALS-1306

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Category: Ham Radio
Created: Thursday, 12 November 2020 22:07
Last Updated: Wednesday, 21 July 2021 20:25
Written by Rick Swenton
Hits: 389

Please check the article "Last Updated" date above.  I have been periodically updating this article with supplementary information.  The main content is stable.

The ANAN-7000 can control the band switching of the ALS-1306 using its Open Collector (OC) Pins using a binary format. You can make your own data cable to connect the ANAN to the amplifier.  It will be a 5 conductor cable with a DE-9 connectors.

For many popular name brand transceivers you can purchase interconnect cables already made.  They can be costly and range from $30 to $90.  The Yaesu interface sends binary ABCD data.  The Kenwood interface uses serial RS232 data.  The Icom interface uses voltage levels.  The ANAN can perform band changing using ABCD binary over its OC Outputs.

Above is the layout of the DE-9 connector on the ANAN-7000.

From the ALS-1306 schematic the following control information can be sent into the DE-9 connector on the rear of the amplifier marked RADIO INTERFACE.  The control signal is binary. The logic level is TTL – 5v. 

Yaesu / Elecraft Band Change
Band DCBA
60m 0000
160m 0001
80m 0010
40m 0011
30m 0100
20m 0101
17m 0110
15m 0111
10m 1001
6m 1010
NC 1111


The ANAN does not have an output dedicated for band control of an amplifier.  However it does have 6 Open Collector (OC) outputs that can be programmed on a per-band basis.  You can assign OC0, OC1, OC2 and OC3 to represent the ABCD binary signal to send to the ALS-1306.  Open Collector means the output can pull a signal to ground (sink) when active but floats when inactive (no voltage coming from it.) The output devices are actually FETs rated at 25v 800ma.  The band switch control voltage in the ALS-1306 is TTL, 5 volts and is well within the ANAN FET limits.

Since the ALS-1306 Band Switching input is 5+ TTL the ANAN will allow the amplifier’s input pins to float up to 5 volts and can pull them down to zero volts.  This means the ANAN and the ALS-1306 can be directly connected between their DE-9 connectors.

For reference here is the ALS-1306 DE-9 pin definitions

 

ALS-1306
DE-9 Connector

Function

1

ABCD B In

2

ABCD A In

3

Kenwood Rx Data In

4

Kenwood Tx Data Out

5

Icom Band Data

6

Ground *

7

Amp Key In

8

ABCD D In

9

ABCD C In

Shell

Ground

* If JP1 is not in place inside the amplifier the ground connection on Pin 6 is really a 10 ohm 1W resistor in parallel with two 2.7v back-to-back Zener diodes.

 

When Ground is not a Ground

Here's the problem with the ground connection on pin 6 of the DE-9 connector on the amplifier.  Pin 6 does not actually go to ground as the RGND label suggests.  It goes to ground through a 10 ohm 1W resistor in parallel with two 2.7v back-to-back Zener diodes.  Pin 9 on the RJ1-B connector goes to the Control Board CB2 pin 9 of RJ1-A.  There is is called GND.  But it's only really ground if JP1 is installed.

On my ALS-1306 JP1 was not installed as shipped.

Now consider this: 

if 

  • you leave JP1 removed and
  • you connect and use Pin 6 on the ALS-1306 DE-9 as your ground and
  • you connect that to the ANAN ground on pin 1 of the ANAN DE-9

then

  • you will essentially fully ground the amplifier Pin-6 anyway but through the interconnecting coax cable braid and the power cord ground wires!

endif

So here's the thing.  If you want to use Pin 6 on the DE-9 as a ground you should install JP1 in the amplifier.  You could also do as I did and use the DE-9 shell as the ground on the amplifier side of the cable.  Since Ameritron never told me what JP1 and the 10 ohm resistor was for I decided not to use it and not to connect anything to it.

I just bothers me because 10 ohms is close to ground but it's not really ground.  What are those 2.7v zener diodes for?  Do they expect a +- 2.7v signal on this "ground" line?  How does the amplifier respond to that?

Consulting with MFJ/Ameritron

 

According to Mark at Ameritron, JP1 is involved with the ICOM Band Control interface.  The amplifier is shipped with JP1 removed.  ICOM controls the band change using discrete voltage levels that are closely spaced.  There is some kind of ground reference problem between the amplifier and some ICOM transceivers so they needed to raise the ground potential by a small amount.  If you want a "real" ground on pin 6 of the DE-9 connector then install JP1.  It probably will work fine without JP1 because of the common ground provided by the shield of the coax and any ground wires you attached to the amplifier and transceiver.  If you installed JP1 and later desire to use an ICOM interface for band changing you may have to remove JP1.

Wiring the Interconnect Cable for the ANAN-7000

You need a DE-9 male connector for the ANAN end. If your a ANAN is an older model you will need a DB-25 male connector.

You need a DE-9 female connector for the ALS-1306 end.

You need a 5 conductor cable.  It’s a good idea to use a shielded cable.  I did not use one and have not experienced any problems.  I will probably make a new one with a shielded cable in the future. Connect the shield to ground at only one end of the cable.

Wire your cable according to the following chart.

ALS-1306 Pins
DE-9 Female

 

ANAN 7000 Pins
DE-9 Male

Pin

Signal

 

Pin

Signal

6

Ground

-----

1*

Ground

2

A

-----

9

(OC-0)

1

B

-----

8

(OC-1)

9

C

-----

7

(OC-2)

8

D

-----

6

(OC-3)

 * If you use a shielded cable connect the shield and the ground wire from the ANAN Pin 1 to the DE-9 shell at the ALS-1306 end. Alternatively you can install JP1 on Control Board CB2.

What is the purpose of the connection called OCRef on the Anan DE-9 Pin 2?

Snubber

OCRef on the ANAN is only needed if you will be driving inductive loads (like relays) with the ANAN Open Collector outputs.

Whenever you energize a coil and then de-energize it, the energy stored in the coil will try to be dumped back out of the coil in the opposite polarity of the original voltage.  This voltage can be quite high and can damage a transistor that may have been driving the coil.  It is customary to put a diode in parallel with the coil with the cathode on the power supply + side and the anode on the low side of the coil that goes to the driver transistor.  The diode is called a snubber diode or flyback diode.  It absorbs that back-EMF from the coil. In the case of the ANAN these diodes are already inside the transceiver.  But the ANAN does not know what you will be connecting the transistors to and what the load voltage will be.  If you were going to drive relays that had a 12v power supply then you would connect the OCRef pin to the +12v power at the other end. That would connect all of the cathodes of the ANAN diodes to +12v.  That means that you can't mix the Open Collector outputs with relays that are not run from the same power supply.

Since the ALS-1306 has a transistor buffer input with about a 4k input impedance and internally operating at +5v there is no need to worry about these diodes or protecting the open collector output driver on the ANAN.  You can safely connect the ANAN Open Collector pins directly to the ALS-1306 ABCD pins.


Programming Thetis OC Control

Next you will program the ABCD binary data into the Thetis OC Control screen. Keep in mind that the ANAN OC outputs are active low (negative logic).  That means that we need to invert the ANAN signal to achieve the desired binary value.

Yaesu / Elecraft Band Change

ANAN
Inverted Binary

ANAN Thetis OC Programming **

OC-1

OC-2

OC-3

OC-4

Band

DCBA

DCBA

A

B

C

D

160m

0001

1110

 

X

X

X

80m

0010

1101

X

 

X

X

60m * (off)

1111

0000

        

40m

0011

1100

 

 

X

X

30m

0100

1011

X

X

 

X

20m

0101

1010

 

X

 

X

17m

0110

1001

X

 

 

X

15m

0111

1000

 

 

 

X

12m

0001

1110

X

X

X

  

10m

1001

0110

 

X

X

 

6m

1010

0101

X

 

X

 

NC

1111

0000

 

 

 

 

* There is no band definition for 60m because there is a 200w power limit on that band.
   The ALS-1306 does not have a 60m band position.

** These columns are the  Inverted Binary value flipped horizontally with X = 1 and no check = 0 

Electronic Signals OC-0 through OC-3 become Thetis values for OC-1 through OC-4 respectively

You program the OC Pins by band.  Keep in mind that the Inverted DCBA signal is applied to OC Receive Pins 1-2-3-4 as ABCD.  A binary 1 is a check and a binary 0 is no check.  This can be REALLY CONFUSING.  The wiring diagrams call the signals OC-0, OC-1, OC-2 and OC-3 but Thetis starts numbering them with 1.  (No OC-0)

If you don’t want to rack your brain about this just wire the cable according to my chart and program Thetis according to the screen shot.

Here is a screen shot of the completed programming.

There are many ways to configure the radio programming which may require a different wiring order on the pins.  Because of my digital and programming experience my thought process always has the least significant bit on the lowest signal ID.  That means when I control the binary data with the OC pins I want to have the least significant bit (A) on OC-1 and the most significant bit (D) on OC-4.  When you represent a binary number numerically on paper you show it with the least significant bit last as in DCBA.  That's why I flip the DCBA horizontally to make it ABCD so that A lines up with OC-1, B lines up with OC-2, C lines up with OC-3 and D lines up with OC-4.

Another point or contention is using the term BCD (Binary Coded Decimal) to define the control signal.  Technically this is not a BCD format signal.  BCD is not the same as Hexadecimal.  BCD is a way of counting in binary from 0 to 9. Nine in binary is 1001.  The next binary number is 1010. BCD numbers stop at 9.  You can see the bits to set the 6 meter band are binary 10 and that value is undefined in BCD.  1111 is also undefined in BCD. So even though Yeasu and Elecraft call this a BCD signal it really is not.  It's a 4-bit binary control.

If you want you can use OC-5, 6 and 7 for control of other things per band as long as you leave OC-1, 2, 3 and 4 as they are.

Plug in the cable and set the amplifier band switch to REM for Remote.  When you change the band on the ANAN the amplifier will follow and change to that band.

I believe this cable will work on the ALS-606 amplifier.

I believe this will work on older models such as the ANAN-200D by using a DB-25 connector instead of the DE-9 and wiring the DB-25 pins as follows.

ALS-1306 Pins
DE-9 Female

 

ANAN 200D Pins
DB-25 Male

Pin

Signal

 

Pin

Signal

6

Ground

-----

25 *

Ground

2

A

-----

5

(OC-0)

1

B

-----

17

(OC-1)

9

C

-----

4

(OC-2)

8

D

-----

16

(OC-3)

* If you use a shielded cable connect the shield and the ground wire from the ANAN pin 25 to the DE-9 shell at the ALS-1306 end.  Alternatively you can install JP1 on Control Board CB2.

 

Good luck and happy band changing!

Anan SDR with Midi Controller

Details
Category: Ham Radio
Created: Monday, 19 October 2020 00:45
Last Updated: Friday, 25 December 2020 22:12
Written by Rick Swenton
Hits: 553

I was reading about how later versions of  PowerSDR and Thetis support Midi controllers to control the Anan series of Software Defined Radios (SDR).  I noticed it supported the Behringer CMD PL-1 controller.  I tried to find one to purchase but it seems nobody has it in stock.  I suspect it has been discontinued.  I did find only one on Ebay which I promptly purchased.  I really liked this model because of the large knob which would be used to control the radio's frequency (VFO).  

I am running the latest version of Thetis 2.8.11. The repository is here.  Plug the Behringer controller into your computer's USB port and start Thetis.  It is very easy to assign Thetis controls to the Midi control you want to use.  I used a Brother P-Touch label maker with black label tape to make the button overlays.

In the Setup Tab and then CAT Control Tab you will find the button for Configure Midi. Keep in mind there are three different Midi control types:  Button, Knob / Slider and Wheel.  A button is a push button.  Depending on how you set it up it could be On, Off or Toggle operation.  A Knob or Slider is a variable control with upper and lower limits.  The slider on this device is a slider which has an upper and lower limit.  Using this as a volume control think of it as 0% to 100% volume.  A Wheel is a knob that continuously rotates left or right has has no stop.  The big knob is a wheel that I set to control the VFO frequency.  The other Behringer knobs are really wheels.  They have no stops.  This limited my ability to assign then to certain Thetis controls like Bandwidth and Shift.

This is a picture of my Midi setup.  You just push a Midi button.  A new screen will pop up where you tell Thetis whether the control is a Button, Knob / Slider or Wheel.  Be sure to operate the Midi control to make it send out the min and max Midi data values.  Then pick the Thetis control you want to assign to the Midi control.

If you want to try my configuration on your CMD PL-1 here is a link to download my Midi Configuration file.  You can use the Midi setup screen to import my configuration.

Here's a photo where I installed support brackets in back of the PL-1 to allow it to stand more vertically on the desk.  Now it takes up less space on the desk.  The controls are still accessible.  The VFO knob is still easily used while resting my arm on the desk.