March 30, 2003                                                                                   copyright (c) TFG 2003 

With the SignaLink interface operating, we proceeded to operate on 20 Meters, concentrating on BPSK31, RTTY and MFPSK. Since MixW32 has been around for several years in Beta testing as a Free program, I decided not to write much about it. It is already popular and it is well-developed. SKY SWEEPER is little known in the USA and seems to suffer from a poor marketing strategy. For this reason, we will concentrate on it because of its remarkable qualities and the different thinking it demonstrates. The company is located in Espoo, Finland. Our several e-mails asking for help were answered immediately by Mikko.The first thing that strikes you with Sky Sweeper, is it high quality graphic presentation. Secondly, its Help section is the most legible (large, hi-contrasting fonts) of any program we have ever used. We use Hi Contrast Color Scheme in our PC to reduce eyestrain. The number of different digital modes available exceeds any found in other Ham type programs. It has an extensive Analysis and Diagnostics menu which for the purist who is looking to learn something new is a real delight.

Unfortunately, the author has opted to let you familiarize yourself using a DEMO feature  rather than giving you a Free period of 15 days as does MixW32. We could not get much satisfaction using the Demo so we registered it. Since the program shows no signs of having been designed to suit the taste and habits of USA amateurs, it is not quite as “intuitive” as MixW32 – not a big problem, however!

A Configuration Editor permits you to select a Mode and other items like Filters, etc. Clicking on Start puts the program into motion and using CASCADE to place all pertinent sections on-screen, you have a Waterfall Spectrogram, a Transmit Panel and a Receive Panel. Across the top of the Receive Panel is a grid display of the spectrum being tuned. The signal is displayed in sine-wave format across the entire bandwidth –  3-4 KHz. Below that is where the incoming message is displayed. If you are already receiving signals, the AutoTune system will jump to the strongest signal and printing begins. AutoDetection quickly tells you whether you are receiving Baudot and at what speed. If the first station signs off, it will search and lock onto the next dominant or answering station. You may set and lock onto a station manually, as well. The AutoTune feature is much more aggressive than in the MixW32 which means that a lot of tedious tuning is eliminated!

Since the Receive panel has its own spectrum layout, the Waterfall spectrogram seems a bit superfluous, however, I am used to watching nearby activity so – once operating -- I positioned the Waterfall in vertical alignment with the Receive panel.  Clicking on a signal stream in the waterfall is rather neat in MixW32 but the Autotune feature in this program makes up for it. Later, I stopped using the Waterfall, thereby reducing the screen to just the Receive and Transmit panels. The Configuration Editor was minimized until I changed to another mode. Mikko has indicated that the Waterfall is being changed to operate like MixW.
 

TRANSMIT Function

The Transmit panel was a little mysterious at first. I could not get the Transmit function to work! Unlike most other programs I have used, each mode in Sky Sweeper is totally standalone. This means that you adjust the Transmit output of the Sound Card for each mode. The Setup menu for Transmit does not refer to the Sound Card anywhere, possibly an oversight.

The author used the word MAGNITUDE for the Sound Card WAVE adjustment.  I paid no attention to it since I had already adjusted the Sound Card’s WAVE (Playback) sliders earlier. No matter, each mode's Transmit is setup in its own Configuration panel. I had to increase the slider to the highest value. Once you have setup the Transmit values, you should save it to a *.cfg file. You are prompted to do so when you exit that Mode. From there on, when you go back to that Mode, you will select that file to automatically set up for that mode again. This is very handy since there are many Filters and Analytical tools that you can include in that particular configuration file.

Note that when using the SignaLink after the above setting, you must carefully adjust the Volume and WAVE sliders for Transmit/Playback. To eliminate a "flutter" problem mentioned in the previous article, you should bring forward Playback/MICROPHONE panel and mute it. Setting the Auto-PTT threshold level is required initially. A Tune Transmitter button would be helpful here. Do this by putting it in Transmit mode, running the CQ Macro, click the icon in the toolbar to bring up the Sound Card panel and slowly increase the WAVE slider from zero to where the PTT LED on the Signalink lights up. Then advance the slider about 50% higher. Some tweaking may be necessary in the same manner that you adjust a VOX setup. Once this is set, you can adjust the transmit power output with the mike gain control on the transceiver if you desire. SignaLink does not require a Serial Port connection, a nice touch!  Most other interfaces require the use of a Serial port or a USB conversion adapter cable.

At this point, click on LOAD (Transmit Panel) and select a *.txt file (a macro). We could run the Macro with no trouble but when we tried to use the keyboard in a QSO, we could not transmit. We finally contacted Mikko and he said use of the keyboard for normal QSOing would be included in the next update!! A strange ommission, indeed, suggesting that the creators of the program are not Hams. If the system is running, a RED strip with the word TRANSMITTING in it will appear. If the strip is YELLOW, it means you did not start the Transmit sequence up in the toolbar (a large Blue button).

You can make up messages as MACROS, save them and load them as needed.
 

OBSERVATIONS & FINDINGS

I have only skimmed the surface of what SkySweeper has to offer! As noted earlier, it has a large array of features, many that the average operator will not use. Remember, in the beginning,  I said both the SignaLink and SkySweeper will attract a special kind of Ham. SkySweeper is a bit pricey and we would suggest to the author that he issue a Lite version of the program, providing the more popular modes and fewer graphic tools. This current v2.10 is a super Deluxe program that will not attract rank-and-file Hams who are ‘appliance’ operators.  Yet it has features that would appeal to a number of regular operators who "are looking for something different"!

We also suggest that the program include a Free trial period of 25 days after which it must be registered. These changes will make it more competitive. The excellent graphic presentation and the best, most legible Help files creates a strikingly different and enjoyable program to use. By all means, download it and take a look at it at the very least. If you can get the DEMO method to work, congratulations! The greatest weakness in this current version is the fact that I cannot use the keyboard to send (i.e.,Transmit).

The SSTV program is not up to par with other programs. MMSSTV by Makato Mori has set the standard for a super SSTV program. Since it is Free, it is hard to beat! Only Martin and Scottie formats are available in SkySweeper.  There is no Packet mode which may indicate that the author recognizes that if one wants to us Packet, he should go to a number of programs that are well developed and popular for that mode. We especially like the ability to make the 4-5 frames or panels any size you prefer.

MixW32

We have used MixW ever since it began BETA testing many months ago. Graphics are pretty much ‘plain vanilla’ which means it is adequate but not striking. It excels in functionality and that is what most Hams look for above all. I would prefer to see some icons used for quicker access to the Sound Card sliders. Drop-down menus are used extensively. SkySweeper provides some icons for those items you need to access quickly during setup routines, obviously, a convenience. MixW32 does use a single or fully integrated panel, rather than a number of them which must be Tiled or Cascaded. 

The SSTV on MixW is very good although not quite a contender against MMSSTV. None of these programs come close to the MSCAN program which continues to be the only SSTV program to provide an On-Screen Editor. The OSEd permits the operator to type messages across the picture directly in real-time. In fact, after you begin to transmit a picture, you can type info like an RST report on the screen just so long as you stay below the cursor line. Neat! If you are the type of operator that likes to chat and put captions on your SSTV pictures, check out MSCAN at www.mscan.com/.

To find all these programs, we suggest you go to your favorite Search Engine and type KB4YZ or KB1HJ. These amateurs have well-catalogued listings of programs now available for SSTV, both analog and digital modes. Digital SSTV is the new rage although it is in the BETA testing phase. It is being tested on 7.228, 7173 and 14.233 channels.

Since we started these two articles to explore the Digital Modes, a final word or two follows:

Use of Digital Modes, compared to 5-7 years ago, seems to be much less active today. The exception to this is the BPSK31 mode which appeals to a large number who must run low power but still want to enjoy DX. Many ops are selling their linears and have become comfortable with 30-50 watts of power on the Digital spectrum. This is a good thing! An interesting ‘fallout’ feature to this trend is that many fellows are finding how valuable it is to be able to operate a keyboard and know how to spell! That, too, is a very good thing!

We hope these articles will be helpful! Over the past ten years we have written many articles about what I have called the Fourth Dimension of Ham Radio – going beyond the mere use of our voices to communicate. With the growing use of the modern Personal Computer, we see a fortuitous evolution at work which may perform some self-healing of the problems this wonderful Hobby/Service has suffered in recent decades. Ham Radio has been unique in being a family-oriented activity that not only provides excitement and fun, but it also educates and trains our younger set to appreciate the value of skills and knowledge in a meaningful way. Let's keep the ARS a place where considerate men, women and young people can meet, a place that is decent and wholesome, where all members of the family may enjoy the good fellowship it can provide. Let's all work to make and keep it that way!

73 & SK