PY1NB Alex, utvecklar en server som skall hantera data från ett världsomspännande nätverk av "reverse beacons" vilka använder sig av VE3NEA's CW Skimmer. Nu har Alex släppt version 1.1 vilken även inkluderar en Telnet server. Det är en möjlighet för alla användare av CW Skimmer att hjälpa till i denna fascinerande utveckling.
För alla Er som inte vet vad det handlar om. En "reverse beacon" är en CW skimmer (programvara) med en bredbandsmottagare (exempelvis en SoftRock Lite för $13!) vilken är kapabel att ta emot ett brett område av ett CW band. Pete's egen experiment beacon har varit aktiv på 20 meter under de senaste veckorna och ingår som test i konceptet. Servern tuffar på med telnet adress 24.126.38.27 port 7300, den sänder ut alla stationer med signal och frekvens som den hör på bandet. Alla som har en Telnet klient, vilken finns i det flesta generella contest och loggprogrammen, kan ansluta sig precis som till en DX-Cluster nod. Mer information på engelska följer......
The purpose of the aggregator or "hub server" is to provide a single point to which users of the future "reverse beacon" network can connect. Direct connections to any individual CW Skimmer will probably quickly overload the computer CPU, although I have had as many as 13 simultaneous telnet connections with a relatively busy band to report on. It's not hard to conceive of several hundred simultaneous users, hence the need for the server.
Even more important, the hub server will support a variety of queries. For example, you will be able to transmit a CQ on any band, wait a few seconds, and then ask the server, "Where am I being heard?" Similarly, you will be able to ask the server, "What bands is Station X being heard on, and at what locations." Spots will be archived in a database, so that you can ask retrospective questions like "When did Station X begin operation on 20 meters yesterday." There will undoubtedly be many fascinating uses that can be made of the data, either displaying it cartographically or in response to complex queries like this.
But first, we need Skimmer owners to serve as "reverse beacons." If you have CW Skimmer 1.1 working, are using a broadband receiver of any sort to feed it with 48 KHz or more of any CW band, and you have an "always on" connection to the Internet, then you can be part of this effort. If you are not yet using Skimmer but the idea sounds intriguing, it costs nothing to try. Start with a trial copy of Skimmer and the audio from your radio; if it is fun, invest in a SoftRock Lite receiver kit for $13, buy a Skimmer license, and you're off and running. Not only will you have the opportunity to help with the network, but you will be able to decide for yourself whether CW Skimmer will fit into your contest or DX operating, because the same CW Skimmer can be used simultaneously to feed the reverse beacon network and your logging program.
You don't have to commit to 24/7 availability of your CW Skimmer station. Mine will be shut down when thunderstorms are in my area this spring and summer, for example; the server is smart enough to resume receiving spots from a "reverse beacon" when it returns to action. Obviously, though, the more stations that are available at any given time, the better the network will be.
If you'd like to get involved, drop me a note, and I'll help you get started. You can download a full-featured 30-day trial copy of CW Skimmer 1.1 from www.dxatlas.com. Even if you initially downloaded the trial version of 1.0, and your trial has ended, version 1.1 offers a new trial period.
The prototype hub server is located at http://skimmer.dxwatch.com It is up and running. You can also get the flavor by contacting my CW Skimmer at 24.126.38.27 port 7300, using the telnet "packet" input of your logging software or the standalone telnet client that comes with Windows. Check the instructions of your logging program or telnet client to learn how to designate the port - typically, there are already DX clusters on the node list of your software that are using explicitly designated ports, so you can follow their example.
See you on the network?
73, Pete N4ZR
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73, Pete N4ZR