DL4YHF's Amateur Radio Software:
Download site for the WOLF GUI

WOLF GUI site: http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/wolf/index.html
Original WOLF from: http://www.scgroup.com/ham/wolf.html

Last updated: March 2016

What is WOLF ?

WOLF was written by Stewart Nelson (KK7KA). It means "Weak-signal Operation on Low Frequency". WOLF can operate over a wide range of signal levels. For example, a WOLF beacon transmits a 15-character message repeatedly. If the received signal would be adequate for conventional CW, copy will be displayed in 24 seconds.
More information about WOLF can be found on used to be available at Stewart Nelson's website. Since that site seems to have disappeared, you can find a copy of the original info here. A simple explanation of the WOLF coding process written by Andy, G4JNT is on his website.

What is the WOLF GUI ?

GUI means "graphic user interface" in this case. The original WOLF implementation by KK7KA was a simple WIN32 console application. I (DL4YHF) tried to write a user interface for it in April 2005, using Borland C++Builder V4. At the moment, this is still "under construction", so please don't expect too much. The plan was...

  1. First to write a simple user interface, which is not too crowded but allows adjusting the most important WOLF parameters,
  2. use the SAME sourcecodes in the WOLF console application and the GUI variant, to minimize the testing effort, and to simplify coordination between co-workers (any takers ?..),
  3. implement real-time processing of data from the soundcard later,
  4. implement some new features to simplify bit-sync (possibly via GPS or other time signal broadcasters)

In the meantime, some "slow" and "fast" modes have been added in the WOLF GUI. Thanks to Ko, NL9222, for suggesting and testing these new modes !

To take a look at the user interface, look into the manual which is here. You can download everything (including the manual) from this site, it may include the slightly modified "WOLF CORE" which was originally written by Stewart. Again, my only contribution so far is the user interface, and some trivial adaptions to compile the sources with Borland C++Builder. A short description of the graphic user interface is contained in the zipped archive ( in the "html" subdirectory) . The WOLF core algorithms are built into the GUI version, so you don't have to download the original console application to run the GUI variant.
So here it is ... but please read the disclaimer before downloading the software archive !

Disclaimer

 (Ok, I hate this paranoid stuff, but someone told me it's wise to have it here..)

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED ''AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR AND CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Namings for products in the software and this manual, that are registered trademarks, are not separately marked. The same applies to copyrighted material. Therefore the missing (r) or (c) character does not implicate, that the naming is a free trade name. Furthermore the used names do not indicate patent rights or anything similar.

WOLF was developed by Stewart Nelson (KK7KA). The user interface was written by Wolfgang Büscher (DL4YHF).

You may use this software, copy it, modify it, but only for non-profit purposes. The above copyright notice and terms of use shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the software.

The program must not be used in 'critical' environments, where program failure may cause harm to persons or damage to property. Dont rely on this program as an emergency communication medium !

Further restrictions to the use of WOLF may apply, please check the author's website:

http://www.scgroup.com/ham/wolf.html

If you agree to these terms of use, then

download the WOLF GUI (compiled, no sourcecodes)
Last modified 2013-02-16 (YYYYMMDD)

Installation

To install, simply unzip everything into a directory of your choice (be sure to keep the subdirectory structure within the archive). Under "Vista", Windows 7, and possibly any later windows version, do NOT place this directory under the windows 'Programs' folder (or whatever the name of that folder may be) because in that case, the program may not have write permission to "its own" files (which it places in the same directory where also the executable is located - for example, "wolfcfg.ini" which stores the configuration data). Suggestion:
  Unzip the archive into C:\Ham_Radio\WOLF\*.*
A short introduction is contained in the html subdirectory.

John, W1TAG, has written this article on how to calibrate the sampling rate of your soundcard, using an AM receiver tuned to Loran at 100 kHz: http://www.w1tag.com/WOLFSamp.htm . Remember, calibrating the sample rate is essential to 'squeeze the last dB' out of the decoder.
A comparison of WSPR-15 and WOLF(-10), based on on-air tests by W1VD and W1TAG, is here .

If you are curious about the WOLF GUI sourcecodes, download this archive with all C, CPP, H, DFM, and BPR files. If you really want to compile it yourself, you will need Borland C++Builder.

Good luck !
Wolfgang ("Wolf") DL4YHF .


Last changes (YYYY-MM-DD) :

2013-02-16 : Added support for 'new' sampling rates for the soundcard

2008-01-16 : Added two selection combos for the "input" and "output" audio device.