HamPAL v.10/Dec/2005 DRM/WinDRM System by HB9TLK with RIGblaster
A much abbreviated setup and operating guide,
a humble effort to simplify a system, to
encourage those who
maybe scared off by the complexity, so they may enjoy a mode enjoyed
by many.
A very short guide to a Digital Program by VK4AES &
HB9TLK and others. FM Audio over HF.
Redundant Digital File Transfer (RDFT) is replaced by
Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM). WinDRM
(2.3 or 2.5KHz BW) is compatible to DIXTRX
Hardware:
A
RIGblaster (1ea), Soundcard speaker cables: Radio Shack-42 2387 (2ea).
RIGblaster-plus "
Strap P1 to
match your radio's Microphone. (i.e. RJ45 IC706 page 9). Set Audio Level
in center, Switch
VOX/AUTO to AUTO, Cable RIGblaster to radio and computer, as shown in
RIGblaster
manual’s hookup diagram. The RIGblaster interface will allow computer
speakers to continue to operate for music etc.
Note: Don't use
low impedance un-amplified speakers.
Windows Sound card setup:
Master
Volume: Master Volume to 1/3 of the way up - Balance slider to the center
Wave Volume to 1/3 of the way up
- Balance slider to the center
Line In Volume to 2/3 of the way up - Balance
slider to the center
Microphone Volume to 1/3 of the way up
PC Speaker Volume to 2/3 of the way up
Recording
Controls: Line In SELECT - Volume to 1/3 of the way up
- Balance slider to the
center
Note: Turn the
computer speaker volume control knob most of the way, but not all of the way
down.
Software:
IrfanView JP2 plugins_395 4.54MB http://www.irfanview.com
Iview397.exe 856KB http://www.irfanview.com
HamPAL
v.10/Dec/2005 http://www.tima.com/~djones/hampal.htm
Radio setup:
Set IF
Filter to 2.7k
Set Audio
RF to MAX
Set VFO to:
14.233
Set
Transmitter output power to ¼ manufacturer’s rated RF power output, 25 watts or
less is a good operating setup for a 100 watt transmitter
and linear performance.
Set Mode to
USB
Set
Processor to OFF and SWR ON
Adjust
Tuner for 1:1 with the normal output on CW
Set ALC to
ON and SWR OFF
Speak into
the microphone, adjusting MIC control so that ALC doesn’t occur above the
ALC Zone indicator. (use a Dummy
Load)
Connect
antenna (Dummy Load will give bad ALC reading in Digital setup)
Adjust
Tuner for 1:1
Recommended VFO frequencies for Digital SSTV:
1.884 3.857 7.228 LSB
14.233 14.266
USB
Setting Up program:
Click
HamPAL desktop Icon
Program
MENU BAR
Click
Setup:
Select Your
CALLSIGN - type Callsign
Select
PTTCOMMPORT – type 1
Select: Use
JP2 Compression
Fast Load JP2
Auto Save
Time/Callsign
Grey Scale
Click Set IrfanView Directory c:\program files\IrfanView\
Check Unattended operation
Set MAX#Files: Autosave=10 LastRx=10 Txpics=5
Set to 0 to clear-out pictures
Click TxMode:
Select
Defaults
Select 1
Instant
Horz.
Slider (jp2000 File size & jpg quality) default=15
Vertical
Slider + Zoom will change File size & Resolution
Check
Progressive RX
TUNE:
Click:
TUNE
Adjust
RIGblaster Audio Level Control, stopping as transmitter output power reaches
MAX
(ie. 40
watts) keep an eye on your ALC so that ALC does not occur; run with NO ALC
indicating occurring; any ALC indicating, results in your TX
Signal being distorted,
and causing harmonics.
Note: The
RIGblaster Audio Level Control is the most precise way to adjust the
Soundcard
output voltage into the radio. The Microsoft Volume controls were
designed to vary the voltage, through a range of reasonable
outputs for Speakers;
They were
not designed to be adjusted so precisely as to be reliable set to
5 millivolts.
ALC can
remain (on) to control drive limit.
Operate:
Transmit
Mode:
Select:
GRAPHIC PICTURE SOURCES: CD-ROM's Floppy Disk, Paint Programs,
Print
Programs, Clipart, Animations, Screen Grab, Internet, Scanners,
Camcorders,
Digital Cameras, WEB
Click on IrfanView (desktop)
Click FILE
- OPEN i.e. a CD-ROM with pictures
Select a
picture file for transmission- Click OPEN
Click FILE
– OPEN – CD – COREL
Select a
File – OPEN
Select
IMAGE – Resize/Sample
Select 75%
- OK
Save as -
type file name - save as JPEG2000 Format to DESKTOP or HamPAL Folder –
EXIT
Drag &
Drop picture file from Desktop or Folder into the TX window
or
Click LOAD
Select a
picture file to transmit – OK
(a picture approximately 1.75 inches high is approximately
120 secs to transmit)
To Add TXT
to a picture:
Click
PICTXT – FILE – OPEN – PIC FILE – OPEN
Click FILE
– Textbrush
Select:
Color + Depth – Size OK
Click on
Picture
Save to
Library
Click
RELOAD TX (seconds to transmit may change)
(Picture is sent and indicated in percentage)
Note: Before
sending Digital Picture, key MIC and by voice announce:
HamPAL
Digital File Transfer (ie.) 120 seconds, Callsign (ie.) ____"
To Send
Water-fall TEXT:
Click W/FallTxt – type text: ie. CALLSIGN & is this frequency
clear?
Click Send
Text Now
REPAIR: When Bad Blocks are received, you may request
the originator to
retransmit; replace only the Bad Blocks, with good Blocks.
(TX Bad
Segment Repair (BSR)).
Should
the received .WAV File be received with Bad Blocks:
Click on BSR. The originating Station will operate FIX and
send repair blocks
to requesting Station.
To add IrFanView TEXT to Picture:
Click IrFanView - FILE - OPEN
Select a
Picture from a Folder or Floppy - Click OPEN
Click EDIT
Click
Create Custom selection
type 20 for Y-Coord: type 400 for
Width type 60 for Height
Click
Apply to Image
Click EDIT
Select:
Insert Text into Selection
Click
Choose Font
Select:
Font BOLD Italic – Size 48 – Color yellow
Type
CALLSIGN
Click OK OK
Click FILE
– SAVE AS –type File name – OK
Exit IVIEW
To Delete
TX Pictures:
C:\program files\hampal\TXPics\
Select
and delete
Create a waterfall ID for HamPAL 01NOV05:
1. HamPAL 01NOV05 includes a new feature for creating a wave file that sends
text in the waterfall. For this feature to operate, HamPAL requires Irfanview.
2. Select the "W/FallTxt" menu at the top
of the screen. Enter your call in the text window. You may want to pad a couple
of space characters on the left side so the call will appear centered. Click
"Save to USERWAVE" then enter "announcestart".
3. To send your waterfall ID from HamPAL, left click
the "User.wav" button. Select the file
"announcestart.wav". Clicking the
"Open" button will start the sending of the wave file.
4. Continue these instructions to setup HamPAL for sending your ID in the
waterfall automatically before the sending of a picture.
5. Left click the "User.wav" button.
Looking in the "UserWav" folder, locate the
file "announcestart.wav". RIGHT click this
file, then LEFT click "Copy". Click the "Up One Level" icon
near the top of the Open dialog box. Note the folder name in the "Look
in" box. Click the "Up One Level" icon again. Find the folder
name previously noted. RIGHT click this folder, LEFT click "Paste".
6. HamPAL will now send your ID in the waterfall prior to each picture
transmission automatically.
NOTE: The "announcestart.wav" file may now
be longer without overwriting the "HAMPAL" text in the waterfall.
This wave file is sent automatically ONLY at the begining
of a picture/file transmission. It is NOT sent with a BSR, FIX, or repeater
access function. "HAMPAL" is sent in the waterfall at at the beginning of the BSR, FIX and picture/file
transmissions.
DRM Comparison: Why has the DRM mode become so popular? IT TAKES NO (OR AN INSIGNIFICANT) AMOUNT OF TIME TO DECODE/ENCODE. This is not at all like RDFT. Everyone likes the decoding on the fly so that you can see instantly how the picture came through. The file data is sent FASTER. 3X FASTER than RDFT and 2X FASTER than DIGPAL. Now SMALL standard JPEG and GIF files can be sent in their ORIGINAL size. DRM allows larger files to be sent in less time which means better quality pictures in about the same amount of time. If you are not convinced that the picture quality of DIGITAL SSTV is not BETTER than ANALOG SSTV, than you should see my "Analog vs. Digital Test"on my web page: http://kb4yz.ham.org
Your ID (callsign) is sent CONTINUOUSLY. This would allow others to identify the transmitting station and perhaps TURN an antenna for better reception. It allows viewing IMAGES with MISSING DATA or PROGRESSIVLY VIEWING as the Data is received. This is somewhat like ANALOG SSTV. There are no critical periods. You could miss the START or END of an DRM transmission and still have enough DATA to be useful. Without the problem of "Bad block Zero", it is possible to expect even large files to make it through in spite of poor band conditions. A replay is EXACTLY like the original. It would have the same file name, And the same file size. REPAIR: If a segment of a file is missing, a station may get REPAIRED MANUALLY. The DRM REPLAY can also "AUTOMATICALLY REPAIR" one station as others Are getting SEGMENTS for repair. If conditions are very bad, it is possible to get an INCREMENTAL REPAIR. What this means is that the REPAIR DATA does not have TO BE RECEIVED 100% A partial REPAIR may be repeated until the file COMPLETE. The REPAIR DATA SEGMENTS will be sent MULTIPLE TIMES, increasing the chance Of getting all the Data even under poor conditions. Under CONDITIONS where the BAND IS EXPIERENCING FADES, MULTIPLE instances May be sent. This makes it more likely for a SUCCESSFULLY received transmission. WINDRM allows as many as EIGHT DIFFERENT FILES TO BE SENT IN A SINGLE TRANSMISSION. DRM is very FORGIVING, it can TOLERATE FADES and QRM. Since it uses real TIME DECODING, it is possible to MONITOR the success of the RECEIVED FILE AS IT COMES IN. the TOTAL NUMBER OF SEGMENTS, the NUMBER OF SEGMENTS SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED, and the LAST SEGMENT NUMBER DECODED are DISPLAYED as RECEIVED. The display of the SIGNAL To NOISE RATIO (SNR) allows the user to make adjustments to the receiver during the transmission and see if it improves the SNR. By monitoring the SNR, adjustments can be made to optimize the ability for receiving. A ROBUST MODE is available for use when there is HEAVY QRM or STATIC. A high speed MODE is available for use on VHF, UHF, or when conditions are VERY GOOD on the HF BANDS. A SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO better than 18 is required for this 64 QAM MODE. ON THE DOWNSIDE: The use of DRM is limited to faster computers running the latest operating system. DRM Digital SSTV requires a computer that is 500 MHz or faster and Windows XP or 2000. For WinDRM & HamPAL you need a JP2 viewer such as IrfanView. Although, at times, files with missing segments may be viewed with some corruption, the file saved may be of little use. GOOD ANTENNA AND STABLE TRANSCIEVER REQUIRED. DRM requires a good signal without distortion. Frequency drift must be minimal. Audio levels must be adjusted carefully. Output power must be set so as not to cause any distortion. The wider bandwidth may be more than some transceivers can handle. The sending station must pay careful attention to file size or the transmission time may be excessively long. The software of DRM is new and under development. Sometimes errors in data may pass through undetected. At times, the software may be slow to establish a synronization lock. There are some concerns over GNU licensing. ================================= web page: http://kb4yz.ham.org ================================= Redundant Digital File Transfer - RDFT ================================== Digital Radio Mondiale - DRM is a new digital radio standard for use by HF broadcasters. The DRM standard uses a bandwidth of 4.5 to 20 KHz using OFDM-modulation. It provides FM quality stereo audio over HF as well as data. ============================= Dream is a software implementation of a DRM receiver. It is capable of making perfect DRM transmissions of 10 and 20 KHz BW. Reception requires an adaptor to be connected to the receiver's IF stage.