Signal Identification Software Capability
Aug 31st 2015, 20:15 | |
W6EOJoined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Hi. Ive been a ham for 56 years and have recently become interested in digital modes and CAT. In using Fldigi on my Macbook Pro it became obvious to me that what bogged everything down was that it was left up to me to identify received digital signals from among the many possibilities, and then to choose the correct mode in the software to enable reception. Very often I could not recognize either the waterfall display or the audio tone configurations, despite being a musician with perfect pitch. I would spend hours over days going back and forth with signal identification web pages and wikis, hearing audio clips of the different modes and then switching from one possibility to another with almost complete lack of success. It has become intensely frustrating. It seems to me that what I needed is software with the ability to "recognize" a received signal and automatically identify what mode is being sent and then (give option to) switch to that mode for RX/TX. For me this is a crucial requirement in order to enable me to effectively use FLdigi, HR Deluxe or any other digital mode amateur radio program. And for new and young hams this would go a long way to removing obstacles. Does such software already exist? Does it have a Mac OS X version? We need this software ability available for the Mac OS X platform. Such an application would have a very wide appeal to a large SDR user and Ham Radio audience, indeed, ham radio digital operation will not be complete without such software ability. This goes far beyond RSID (as I understand it) for which one must already know the mode - and be actively receiving it - in order to benefit from it. Why such automatic recognition abilities are not already incorporated in rig control and digital signal software such as HRD or Fldigi, is beyond me. If these (really quite wonderful) software bundles are able to read and decode each of the various modes, whether PSK, Domino, Olivia, RTTY or others, one would think they already contain the programming code needed to identify most incoming digital signals, match each one against code algorithms already existing in the program, and then to identify and decode the signal being received. Does such software already exist? If not I would imagine that the intention of creating such software could generate considerable interest and funding. It could become an adjunct program or feature of everything else out there, and even might eventually be incorporated in some of the major programs for digital ham radio. I for one would heartily support the organizational steps in the creation of such software. 73, Lorin WA1PGB |
Aug 31st 2015, 20:57 | |
W1VTSuper Moderator Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
http://www.machamradio.com/blog/2014/06/fldigi-digital-modes-on-os-x The most significant feature is full support for RSID (Reed Solomon ID) which provides a means for identifying unknown modes. When encountering an unknown mode, if the user is sending the RSID signal, the receiver can identify and tune to the correct mode either automatically or manually Fldigi - Digital Modes on OS X |
Sep 4th 2015, 17:24 | |
W6EOJoined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
Thank you, I own fldigi, and, and please correct me if I am wrong,, the RSID seems only to be possible if one is already receiving the signal.. I would love to know if there is a way for RSID to identify an unknown signal BEFORE one is already decoding it. 73 |
Sep 4th 2015, 18:07 | |
W1VTSuper Moderator Joined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
http://www.w1hkj.com/RSID_description.html Here is a description the RSID system. fldigi allows the RSID signal to be sent at the beginning and the end of each transmission. The leading RSID is the normal position. http://www.rtl-sdr.com/artemis-free-signal-identification-software/ Here is some software designed to identify signals What I did was to start off with one mode and develop some proficiency, and then learn another, and then another. I'd suggest starting out with either PSK31, JT65, or RTTY. JT65 is slow, but can allow very compromised stations to make contacts. RTTY is the preferred mode for rare DX-peditions. Zack W1VT |
May 3rd 2017, 12:20 | |
NetworkDrJoined: Nov 23rd 2011, 18:25Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I too have found RSID mostly useless for identifying digital signals and have been looking for software to help. Not much luck. One term for such software is Auto Decoder. Short discussion where the software is simply labeled as Decoder is here: http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Decoders RadioReference mentions a few commercially available decoders but they have prices in the several $1000 range & therefore out-of-reach for most HAMs. Another commercial software is go2Monitor here: www.procitec.de/en/products/go2monitor/ I list these Auto Decoders as existence proofs to instantly shut down those saying "It can't be done" & instead move forward with the much more useful discussions on making Auto Decoders available inexpensively to HAMs. |
Nov 26th 2017, 12:03 | |
W5DXPJoined: Apr 4th 1998, 00:00Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/about-rtl-sdr/ |