wsprAfter being stuck a few days ago with the self compiled wspr.py I was searching the web today to find a breakthrough. I could hit myself for the head when I did see a link to one of my favorite blogs: VK2TPM where I found out that WSJT is just a package in Debian 🙁

Of course I installed it right away, but this is WSJT and not WSPR. I don’t now how to create a WSPR-signal from here, but I’ll play around with it.
Then I stumble upon another familiar link: G4ILO created a Asus EEE-PC version of WSPR. Downloaded that binary and it runs almost out of the package right away. Clicking around in this renewed interface I got some new insights. Maybe I didn’t set the right Audio In and Audio Out settings. Maybe that’s why my own compiled version didn’t seem to hear a thing.

Hmmm, let’s get on that horse again tonight when I’ll be home 🙂

WSPRnetNot yet where I want to be, but did some work to get things working. I’ve installed the Gnome desktop on my Debian Etch linux server so I can compile WSPR for linux. First I had to struggle with all kinds of packages and then I had to check out an svn for the source code of WSPR. If you want to do the same thing and you are running Debian/ Ubuntu, let me save you a few hours of your time, type as root:

# aptitude install subversion gfortran portaudio19-dev python2.4-dev python-pmw python-numpy python-numpy-dev libsamplerate0-dev

When it’s done you should have the appropriate packages installed to build WSPR from source. To get WSPR from source you have to check out svn:

# mkdir src
# cd src
# svn checkout svn://svn.berlios.de/wsjt
# cd wsjt/branches/wspr
# ./configure
# make

hopefully you have a working WSPR! Run it with: python wspr.py

In my case I think somethings going wrong with the soundcard. There is no waterfall and the applications crashes after a few minutes with all kind of errors. When I listen to the input from the FT-817 on the computer, it sounds horrible. I don’t know if it’s the hardware (it shouldn’t) or maybe the drivers. I hope I’ll figure out sometime 🙁

Some interesting links I found on the subject:

Compiling WSRP

Compiling WSPR for linux (on wspr.org)

Since I am a relative new amateur, I don’t yet own many devices where I can do measuring with. Of course I have a multimeter and some old analog CB swr meter. But I like to have a better equiped shack. When I take a look in the online shops or at the flea-markets, I’m shocked about prices for a good SWR-meter or a simple frequency counter!

It must be possible to find a good but cheaper solution, I figured and fired on my favorite browser. After a few minutes of surfing I did find this very interesting link:

Digital Power & SWR meter from OH2NLT.

After reading this article I’m very interesting in building this device. So I went on part hunt. Most of the parts are easy to buy but the display is very hard to get a hold on. The solution appeared very easy: just send an e-mail to Matti OH2MH and he did send me a display in about 2 days!

So now I need to collect the last parts and start building… I’ll keep you posted!