Introduction to PropNET Presented to the Bell Ringers Group

1. Introduction to PropNETPresented to the Bell Ringers Group Presented by Jorge Luis “JL” de la Torre – ki4SGU On behave of the PropNET User’s Group Bell Ringers Group

2. Who is ki4SGU QSL QSL QSL QSL QSL • Originally kb5YZM • Avid 10m Enthusiast and QRP’er • Originally from Cuba, raised in New Orleans, I now live in Atlanta with my wife and 8 children • I work as a IT & Communication engineer • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/peak-2-peak/ Bell Ringers Group

3. What will covered • PSK31 History & Basics • PropNet History & Basics • Propagation Prognostications • The Sack-Donnelly Effect • The Sack-Donnelly in GA? • Resources Bell Ringers Group

4. What is PropNET? • PropNET is an ad-hoc PSK31 wireless network of digital Amateur Radio enthusiasts that provides a mechanism for real-time propagation discovery and keyboard-to-keyboard messaging with an Internet component that displays worldwide data on demand! Bell Ringers Group

5. PSK31A ^ Brief Introduction Very Bell Ringers Group

6. PSK31 History • Developed by Peter Martinez, G3PLX • The fastest growing digital mode Keyboard to Keyboard QSO’s • Bit rate & bandwidth – 31.25 Hz • Suited to sound-card sampling. Bell Ringers Group

7. Why Operate PSK31? • Allow for live keyboard-to-keyboard chat (think wireless Instant Messaging) • Allows for experimentation and the software is FREE!! • Computer soundcard provides the necessary digital signal processing for decoding these modes. Modern soundcards are more than adequate to operate the different modes • Hardware to interface the radio to the computer is very inexpensive (if purchased complete) or easy to build (kit or individual parts) • Good for emergency communications in marginal conditions • Allows multi languages QSOs -- It is FUN! Bell Ringers Group

8. PSK31 Concepts Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) used in RTTY where the ‘mark’ (1) and ‘space’ (0) are different frequencies Mark Space Bell Ringers Group

9. PSK31 Concepts Phase Shift Keying (PSK) defines a zero (space) as a 180° phase reversal and a one (mark) as in phase with a reference frequency Bell Ringers Group

10. Why the Excitement Over PSK31? • Well suited to low power, simple antenna operation • Works well for DX contacts during weak part of sun spot cycle • Inexpensive, straightforward integration of computer and transceiver • Free or low cost software available for Windows PC, MAC, Linux Bell Ringers Group

11. Sound Card Digital ModesBandwidth Comparison CW PSK-31 HF PACKET (300 bd) RTTY OLIVIA Bell Ringers Group

12. Sound Card PSK31 Interfaces CW PSK31 RTTY PACKET APRS FSK411 JT44 EME Bell Ringers Group

13. What is the Waterfall Display DigiPAN - Skip Teller KH6TY Bell Ringers Group

14. Waterfall Display, More Details #1 Bell Ringers Group

15. Waterfall Display, More Details #2 Bell Ringers Group

16. Where to Operate PSK31? The Predominant USA HF Digital Frequencies Are: • 10 Meter Band: 28.110 - 28.125 Mhz • 12 Meter Band: 24.920 - 24.930 Mhz • 15 Meter Band: 21.060 - 21.080 Mhz • 17 Meter Band: 18.100 - 18.110 Mhz • 20 Meter Band: 14.060 - 14.080 Mhz • 30 Meter Band: 10.130 - 10.145 Mhz • 40 Meter Band: 7.060 - 7.080 Mhz • 80 Meter Band: 3.620 - 3.640 Mhz * All frequencies are USB & transceiver-based. Bell Ringers Group

17. Basic PSK31 Station Speaker Out Computer HF Transceiver Line In Sound Card Line Out Antenna COM Port PSK31 Application Mic Input DTR or RTS of COM n Bell Ringers Group

18. Learn about PSK31 - k7AGE Randy Hall k7AGE Bell Ringers Group

19. find out more about PSK31 The Official PSK31 WWW Homepagehttp://aintel.bi.ehu.es/psk31.htmlPSK31 DigiPan Download Pagehttp://www.digipan.net/Digital Radio Yahoo Grouphttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/30m Spots Pagehttp://www.projectsandparts.com/30m/ Bell Ringers Group

20. PropNETPropNET - the ad-hoc digital communication network Bell Ringers Group

21. PropNET History • Introduced In 1998 by Ev Tupis, w2EV At The TAPR/ARRL Confab • QST May 2001, & June 2002 • In Continuous Operation Since Its Origination. Bell Ringers Group

22. How does it work? Bell Ringers Group

23. On what frequencies is PropNET activity found? • Some PropNET Frequencies Are: • 80 Meter Band: 3.5982 Mhz • 40 Meter Band: 7.1032 Mhz • 30 Meter Band: 10.1389 Mhz • 20 Meter Band: 14.097 Mhz • 17 Meter Band: 18.105 Mhz • 15 Meter Band: 21.098 Mhz • 12 Meter Band: 24.924 Mhz • 10 Meter Band: 28.131 Mhz • 06 Meter Band: 50.291 Mhz • 02 Meter Band: 144.288 Mhz * All frequencies are USB & transceiver-based. Bell Ringers Group

24. Typical PropNET Station Most Stations… Same as PSK31 • Vertical Antennas • Use <15 Watts • USB Mode Bell Ringers Group

25. How do I find out more about PropNET? The Project? The Internet Portal to the PropNET Projecthttp://propnet.org/ Yahoo Grouphttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/PropNET-Online/ki4SGU – ki4SGU@arrl.net Bell Ringers Group

26. ATypical Day on PropNET Bell Ringers Group

27. Recently, The Bands were Rockin’ !!! Bell Ringers Group

28. Recently, The Bands were Rockin’ !!!A Day Later … Bell Ringers Group

29. Recently, The Bands were Rockin’ !!!Maybe 20m is more your style? Bell Ringers Group

30. Typical Afternoon Data Bell Ringers Group

31. Recent Activity Bell Ringers Group

32. Do see something strange? Bell Ringers Group

33. PropNetPSK - Screen Shot Jack Spitznagel kd4IZ Bell Ringers Group

34. PropNET transmissions appear strange. What does it all mean? A PropNET transmission is a PSK31-encoded character string, and includes two components: the preamble and the payload. • FOR INFO: http://www.PropNET.org < Preamble • ki4SGU>hy:[em73ox]PHG211066/^D644 < Payload Bell Ringers Group

35. PropNET transmissions The preamble exists to give decoding software time to scan and lock on to the PSK31 stream. The payload includes much of the same information that voice or CW operators exchange in a typical contact, but in a shortened form to minimize on-air frequency use. • The call sign of the transmitting station (“ki4SGU” in the example); • A two-letter band code (“hy”, which refers to 10 meters); • The station’s location, expressed as its 6-character Maidenhead locator (“em73ox”); • The station’s Power/Height/Antenna Gain (PHG) code (“211066”); • A checksum of the payload (the four characters after “^”). Bell Ringers Group

36. How often do PropNET participants ID themselves? • On HF frequencies, it is recommended that participants ID no more than six times per hour; however ID rates of up to 15 times per hour are allowed. -- The station owner is responsible for setting this parameter to a reasonable value. Bell Ringers Group

37. Are IDs time slotted? • No time slotting takes place by design. Each participant is stand-alone and autonomous in its operation. Normal differences in computer clock time and time keeping will cause participants to wander into and out of “sync” with others over time. -- This is a good thing as it offers some natural randomization. Bell Ringers Group

38. 16. What rules govern the PropNET service? PropNET is considered an international service. However, radio licensing regulations differ from country to country, so it is important for PropNET participants to know and abide by the rules of their own licensing authority. In practice, PropNET operates in a very similar way to APRS (http://www.aprs.net). Like APRS, PropNET stations form a network for sharing information, just like people in an SSB roundtable. This means that the rules governing PropNET are essentially the same as those governing APRS in your country. Bell Ringers Group

39. What does §97.3(6) define? §97.3(6) defines “automatic control” as “The use of devices for control of a station when it is transmitting so that compliance with the FCC rules is achieved without the control operator being present at a control point.” (italics added) §97.221(b) says that “A station may be automatically controlled while transmitting a RTTY or data emission on the 6m or shorter wavelength bands, and on segments.” Bell Ringers Group

40. I can’t operate as an Auto-Station. What other options do I have? • That's easy. Consider transmitting only when you are present at your station. When you are not, stay active but enter “Lurker” mode. That will make you receive-only, yet your station will still report anything that it “catches” to the Internet hub. Bell Ringers Group

41. Predicted ? VOAProp - Julian Moss g4ILO Bell Ringers Group

42. Predicted - Zoomed VOAProp - Julian Moss g4ILO Bell Ringers Group

43. Verified! Bell Ringers Group

44. The Sack-Donnelly Effect “The San Diego Experiment” • Data Collection Began In 2001 • Using PSK31 Mode on 28.131 Mhz • kf6XA Is Located In Murrieta, CA • w3NRG Is Located In Coronado, CA Bell Ringers Group

45. The Sack-Donnelly Effect Featured in QST 06/02 Ed Sack w3NRG * PropNET used to be called BEACONet, before they added features to make it an automatically controlled digital system. Bell Ringers Group

46. The Sack-Donnelly Effect kf6XA - Murrieta, CA w3NRG • Coronado, CA Bell Ringers Group

47. The Sack-Donnelly Effect QST Article: Elevations Between Stations Bell Ringers Group

48. The Sack-Donnelly Effect • Both Stations Use Radio Shack HTX-10 Transceivers At <10 Watt Transmitter Power Level • Both Stations Use Vertical Low Gain Antennas • Both Stations Transmit 8 Signals Per Hour • Verification Of WWII Navy Studies Bell Ringers Group

49. The Sack-Donnelly Effect • After They First Reported The Path In QST, June 2002, Bob Gonset, w6VR Brought To The Groups Attention A Study By Navy Researchers During WWII They Found The Same Anomaly Over Approximately The Same Path!! • There Is A Cold Surface Layer Over San Diego In Consequence Of The Waters Of The Pacific • There Is A Warm Upper Layer In Consequence Of The Heating Of The Sun • Propagation Results From Refraction Through That Boundary Bell Ringers Group

50. The Sack-Donnelly Effect Propagation Results From Refraction Through That Boundary Bell Ringers Group