SSTV PAL Multimode ver.November 17, 2004 "Beta" with RIGblaster

Digital and Analog SSTV and VideoClips (by VK4AES June 2003)

Digital, Redundant Digital File Transfer RDFT/SSTV: the file to be transmitted is encoded

with a "Reed Solomon" (CODEC forward error correction redundancy technique), is 20%. JP2

compression reduces the file size. The encoded file is converted to a.wav file, where data is

Fast Fourier Transform" frequency sorted and sent 8 times (eight DPSK carriers in the waterfall

display), each holding its own data, but with different frequency off sets. A File Block

(306 symbols) can be destroyed by Band Conditions, (static burst) but be repaired; Successful

RX decoding only needs some of these 8 carriers to survive. IrfanView resizes images larger

than 640 x 480 to 640 x 480 and converts BMP into JPEG 2000 or JPEG compression files.

Hardware:

A RIGblaster (1ea), Soundcard speaker cables: Radio Shack-42 2387 (2ea).

RIGblaster-plus "West Mountain Radio's Sound Card Interface":

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.

Radio setup:

Set all IF Filters to OFF (or as wide as possible)

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

Transmission:

Load SSTV-PAL Picture, Adj. JP2 slider to top (TX minimum seconds).

Click Make WAV, Click SSTV-PAL TX.

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.

Recommended VFO frequencies:

14.233 USB (9:00 am to Sunset net); 7.173 LSB (12:am net)

1.840-1.850KHz, 3.845KHz, 7.171KHz, 14.230KHz, 18.38.15KHz, 21.340KHz,

28.680KHz, 28.690KHz, 28.700KHz, 145.500KHz, 145.600KHz

Setting Up SSTV-PAL Multimode program:

Click SSTV-PAL Multimode desktop Icon

Program COMMAND LINE

Click Setup:

Select:SUPER Encode/Decode (DIGTRX program will not receive PAL SUPER)

Use JPEG 2000 Compression - Allow RX Picture

Popup Viewer - Allow Sending FSKID - Auto Save - Add Date Time Stamp

- AFC - Save Repeated WAV Files

Click: SSTV Configuration:

RX Select: Zero crossing - Polynomial - IIR - VIS or SYNC -

Squelch-Lower - RxBPF BROAD - Auto Stop - Auto Resync - RX Buffer

RAM - Decode FSKID - Squelch level Lowest - Left Click on

CALIBRATION and wait till it finishes. A window will open the Blue

line should not have any bends, it should be straight

Upper Left to Bottom Right. This will balance Sound Card to

Program. Click OK

TX Select: PTT Port COM1 - Digital Output Level to Mid Range -

Exclusive lock - Loop-back OFF - TxBPF TAP 24 - TX Buffer

8 FSKID - CALLSIGN (sets Callsign on SSTV-PAL) - Encode FSKID -

VOX USER - CWID OFF

MISC: Select: FIFO RX 12 TX 8 - Priority HIGHER - DEVICE ID-I -

Source MONO - Clock 11025.HZ - Click OK

Operate SSTV-PAL:

Click SSTV-PAL desktop Icon:

Receive Mode: "Receiving a Picture"

Waterfall displays 8 DSPK modulated carriers

CAPTURE button lights

Above RX window, displays "Capture Progress___ Seconds"

Vertical Signal Bar: GREEN = Start/Stop Sig.(SC2-60 VIS/PD-50 VIS Code)

GRAY = Data - RED = AF Gain or Soundcard Line IN Volume too high

Waterfall display of 8 DSPK carriers stops

DECODE button Blinks "Decode ___ Seconds" is displayed

Decoded picture is displayed in:

Desktop window, RX window and Thumbnail window

Drag unwanted Thumbnail pictures to the SSTV-PAL Recycle Bin

Transmit Mode: "Transmitting a Picture"

Select MODE and Mode Lock

Click TUNING TONES: Receiving Stations will adj. VFO to align the 2 tone

spikes with vertical parallel lines in Scope display window

Click & Hold 1750 Hold to TX a 1750 HZ tone

GRAPHIC PICTURE SOURCES: CD-ROM's Floppy Disk, Paint Programs,

Print Programs, Clipart, Animations, Screen Grab, Internet, Scanners,

Camcorders, Digital Cameras, WEB Cam

Click on IrfanView (desktop)

Click FILE - OPEN i.e. a CD-ROM with pictures

Select a picture file for transmission- Click OPEN

Click FILE - Save as - type file name - save as BMP to DESKTOP or

DIGITAL FAVORITES

Drag & Drop a picture file into the SSTV-PAL TX window

or

Click FILE - LOAD

Click on DIGITAL FAVORITES

Select a picture file to transmit - OK

Adjust JP2 Slider (90 to 194 seconds) for best quality and TX time

Click on Make WAV button, if Make WAV button lights RED

(above picture is displayed time in seconds to TX .WAV File)

Double Left Click on TX window to view finished product before sending.

Note: Before sending Digital Picture, key MIC and announce:

"Super-PAL Digital File Transfer (ie.) 116 seconds, Callsign (ie.) ____"

Click TX button to transmit, button lights and .WAV File is transmitted

Seconds to TX is displayed above TX window

TX button light turns off (end transmission)

REPAIR: When Bad Blocks are received, you may request the originator to

retransmit; replace only the Bad Blocks, with good Blocks.

(Need fills) (TX Bad Block Report (B.B.R.)).

Should the received .WAV File be received with Bad Blocks:

Click on REPAIR

Click on Highlight File to be Repaired (number of Bad Blocks are indicated)

Click REPAIR

Example of a Repair Request: AA3EU request Repair blocks 12, 20 for File

W5UFR-camera.jp2. Anyone receiving this message may repair. Do you wish

to proceed? OK - CANCEL

Optional Features:

To Make a Favorites Thumbnail:

Drag & Drop a Picture File into the SSTV-PAL TX window

or

Click LOAD - FILE -Select a File - OK (File sent to TX window)

next

Click Make wav

Click ACTION

Click Save to Favorites (picture will go into Digital Favorites Thumbnail

as a wav File). Picture File is ready to Transmit

To Send Text .WAV Only:

Click ACTION

Click SEND TEXT MESSAGE

Type Message

Click Make WAV

Click TX

To add Text to picture:

Click on SSTV-PAL's little pencil/paper pad icon

Type Text in Add Text and Pics block

Click on T & TEXT COLOR - select color - OK

Click on TEXT OUTLINE - select color - OK

Right-Click on F1 and select Font BOLD SIZE 14 - OK

Click on area of picture to place Text

Click SET

Click DONE

To put a Pic in Pic (has border)

To put an Overlay (no border)

Click on SSTV-PAL's pencil/paper pad Icon

Drag Picture to TX window

Click Pic in Pic - or - Overlay

Drag another picture on to TX picture

Use +/- to make Pic larger or smaller

To Overlay edited picture onto a picture

Drag Thumbnail to TX window

Click Pencil/paper pad Icon

Click DRAW and draw a line around area to be used to overlay on

to another picture

Click OVERLAY Click SAVE

Drag Thumbnail of picture to be Overlaid to TX window

Click Pencil/paper pad

Click Edit's OVERLAY

Click Thumbnail OVERLAY

Drag Thumbnail picture on to TX window

Drag overlay to position overlay

Click SET - Click DONE

Click Makewav - Click TX

To put RX picture & report on your QSL picture

Drag QSL picture to TX window

Click pencil/pad Icon

Click RX to TX

Type Report

Click on TX picture

Click SET - DONE

Click TX

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 - Click Apply to Image

Click EDIT - type the Text

Click Choose Font

Select: Font - Type - Size - Color

Click OK OK

To Send Small Messages:

Below the Thumbnails see the Rectangle Window with your Call;

You can type up to approx. 26 Characters. Type and than Double

Click to send a Short Message which can be viewed by other users off

SSTV-PAL. To view, Right Click on Waterfall.

To Send your Call in the Waterfall: (Right Click by Trash Bucket)

If you have DigTrx, go to the Application Folder and look for the File

"digzbzid.wav". (created by Dixtrx Setup/Call) Copy this File to your

Desktop and rename to MESSAGE.WAV (ALL UPPER CASE) and save to the

SstvPalMultiMode Folder. If RealPlayer doesn't work try Windows Sound

Recorder.

Note: Left Click on Waterfall, FSKID Tone Identifier will be displayed with

Callsigns of TX Stations using FSKID

Note: Don't close SSTV-PAL with "X"; close SSTV-PAL with: FILE - CLOSE

(this removes Temp Files)

Software:

Download: (must install in this order: 1. 2. 3.)

1. IrfanView JP2 plugins_395 4.47MB http://www.irfanview.com

2. Iview395.exe 856KB http://www.irfanview.com

3. SSTV-PAL ver. 17 Nov 2004 4MB http://www.kb1hj.com/hdstv.html

(note the installation locations to set path, from SSTV-PAL to IrfanView;

path must be set at end of SSTV-PAL install)

Other SSTV Digital Software:

DIGTRX V.2.09.B 9 Dec.2004 1.62 MB http://www.kiva.net/~djones/digtrx.htm

DIGIACE V1.7a 2.12MB http://au.geocities.com/vk3hjq/vk3hjq/sstv.htm

References:http://www.kb1hj.com/hdstv.html

http://www.tima.com/~djones/pal.htm

http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~betula/digital.htm

http://www.qsl.net/hb9tlk/nbtv/nbtv.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sstvpal_plus/join

http://vk3hjq.ipfox.com/

http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~betula/software.htm

http://www.hffax.de/html/software.htm

Graphic Photo Internet Sources:

http://gallery-yahoo.com/

http://photolib.noaa.gov/collections.html

http://toby.library.ubc.ca/subjects/subjpage.1cfm?id=778

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/clipart.html

http://www.freephoto.com/

http://www.visualjokes.com

http://www.webwombat.com.au/entertainment/humor

Credits to:VK4AES, KB9VAK, KB1HJ, KB4YZ, JE3HHT, DL1ORN, KC1CS, HB9TLK

SSTV Stations heard:

AA3EU AA5AT AB4DE CE3VJH CT1AAL CT1AFN FD8MB DF9NN EA5AAN EA7GOI

I0JMH I1WAL I5KVB IK0GDG IK0URZ IK6ZDG IZ1BLE K2DOT K3DCC K3DUG K3RQ K4AIX

K4ZET K5OWK K6DXC K7CZ K8CPA K8MD K8YHH K9FB K9FJ K9PH K9SQL KA1KHN

KA2HZO KA4P KB2AHZ KB4BW KB4DX KB4YZ KB6QEX KB6VRS KC0OR KC2DMC KC3AF KC4WQ KD3O KD4GOK

KE4TV KE9PH KF5IT KG6PU KG8Y KG9CW KJ7S KP4C KP4EMP KQ4TX LU3CP LU3JMT LU5EW LW7DXQ M2IXA

N0AB N0APC N0ISL N2JF N2WA N3WIM N4BM N4EAA N4JZK N4OYT N4ZFI N5BRY N5CST N5MFG N7LEQ

N7QH N7RKY N8OWM N8TUT N8UL NC7V ND0M NP4AI NR3G NS0P NW8C OM3EY ON4VT ON7FC OZ8SMA

PU3RRJ PV8AZ PY3DY PY3UP PY3ZRM TG9MB VA3JB VE1LP VE3GR VE3LVK VE3YDL VE9DS

W0TUP W1DQO W1REQ W2IDX W3YXS W4GA W4OD W5FJS W5NOO W5UFR W6IKR W7RJC

W8FBI W8FEJ W8YY W9CY W9OR W9PKC W9RMS WA0ORN WA0TJ WA0TSL WA2IPX WA3TMS WA4LSW

WA4TPY WA5ZNW WA8LMF WA9EUI WA9GPT WB0OAO WB0UNB WB0YQT WB2PTH WB4EJC WB5WB

WB5WM WB9UDB WD4KDK WD8CYB WM6V WW5WOW XC1RK ZF1DG ZP5ALI

Joe Mettle AA3EU sends: