Not 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)

In the series ‘what is WSPR?’ I did some reading last night. If I understand it correctly WSPR is a little computer program made by K1JT that is used to detect propagation on the amateur bands. It is using a very weak digital signal which is produced by your sound card in your computer and send out thrue your transmitter. Your computer also listens on the frequency to spot other ‘WSPR beacons’ and tells the central WSPR server via internet of the status.

WSPR means: Weak Signal Propagation Reporter. The program uses your sound card in QRSS mode and scans a 200Hz band for a signal of 6Hz wide with a baud rate of 1,46 Baud. 4-FSK modulation. Apparently there is 1 tone from your sound card. The nice thing about it is that you’re be able using mini wattage (a few hundred mW) to make big distances. A transmitting cycle lasts 110 seconds and there is minimal information packed.
The signals are received and decoded and sent to a central server and put on a map and a list.

So far the theory, in part 2 my search for a mac version of the program (as my faithful readers know, I’m a real Mac-lover).

Links: original instructions from K1JT
The program
The website (of the central server)

OZ1PIF manual to WSPR

I read more and more lately about WSPR. For instance, this morning I did see this article from VK2PTM. I getting more curious what this WSPR is and how it’s working. And you radio amateurs out there know what we guys and gals do about curiosity…. we will disappear into our Research & Development department and find out what the fuzz is all about!
So that’s my plan for the coming weeks: let’s find out. I’ll report my findings here on this blog.