[TangerineSDR] Question about Personal Space WX functionality

[Engelke, Bill]

Ward – thanks, this is most helpful.  For now, I have included your comments into the Future Feature Concepts section, although a couple of things you mentioned are included in Phase 1 (or can be accommodated).  Below are some in-line remarks about those.

On reaching out – I can think of a couple of user communities who would be interested in suggesting features – one is as you mentioned, SARA and groups interested in radio data collection; another is “Joe/Josephine Ham,” who might be motivated to build a PSWS to have his/her own propagation monitoring for helping their operating. (See my comments below on automated signal monitoring).  I’d love to have your advice on how to select the group(s) to reach out to, and how to do that.

Something to bear in mind for all of this is that this is a multi-phase project that will span years. For Phase 1, we have a specific scope of work that we will need to focus on for the NSF, but will try to work in a way that allows folks outside the core team to contribute in special interest areas outside main scope. (see also below).

Discussion points:

“Standalone single-channel instrumentation, either as a PSWS module or a separate device, such as a magnetometer, irradiation meter, event counter (Geiger counter), or other useful devices related to space weather and general ionospheric studies. ….  “


  *   The magnetometer is already included; however, for future additional devices, my idea is to design the software as a collection of small individual services that communicate using standard methods, so that volunteers can write additional compatible modules that can operate through the standard I/O pins on the Odroid to interface to other devices. A related question will be what to do with the data, since not everything will fit into our database model, at least in the short term.

“Automated signal monitoring and tracking, such as an RBN node, WSPR receiver, PSK Reporter node, etc. …..  “


  *   We plan to include this in Phase 1 for at least FT8 and WSPR, with upload to PSK Reporter and WSPRNet, for up to 8 bands simultaneously. (The Red Pitaya can do this today, so we need to have at least that much).
  *   An additional item would be to allow the user to specify (say, up to 5) callsigns to watch for, and get an email (which could route to a text message) to alert them when that callsign is detected. A great cheat option for contacting DXpeditions that plan to operate at least some digital.

“Noise characterization on a long-term basis beyond what the ARRL is envisioning with their Noise Study. …. “

  *   I’m not sure if this would fit into Phase 1 (Nathaniel --?) – but definitely a good idea
  *   On a related note, it would be possible (maybe using an AI approach) to detect when a band is open and alert the user (see above).


  *   Tnx es 73 – keep in touch – Bill, AB4EJ

From: Ward Silver <hwardsil at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2019 12:09 PM
To: Engelke, Bill <bill.engelke at ua.edu>
Cc: Nathaniel A. Frissell Ph.D. <nathaniel.frissell at scranton.edu>; TAPR TangerineSDR Modular Software Defined Radio <tangerinesdr at lists.tapr.org>
Subject: Re: Question about Personal Space WX functionality

Hi Bill,

I am wandering around the Southwest and running a little behind on email :-)

I expect the PSWS to eventually support:

Standalone single-channel instrumentation, either as a PSWS module or a separate device, such as a magnetometer, irradiation meter, event counter (Geiger counter), or other useful devices related to space weather and general ionospheric studies.  I often use the apocryphal "second grade science project" as our lowest common denominator and I think there is a lot of interest in citizen science at this level.  Witness the proliferation of personal weather stations (from which the PSWS concept was created) operated by interested individuals.  At any rate, a series of simple instruments that plug into the PSWS either physically or virtually via a data interface somewhere in the architecture would be very useful.  There is no reason to limit these instruments to geophysical / ionospheric measurements, either.  Any earth science variable would benefit from a distributed monitoring network - for example, electric fields and earthquakes.

Automated signal monitoring and tracking, such as an RBN node, WSPR receiver, PSK Reporter node, etc. We are just at the beginning of what automated receivers can do and how they will integrate with both scientific research and amateur radio.  This function can range from simple, single-mode decoders to wide-band spectrum capture.  The upper end of this function is probably not sufficient for ionospheric research but would be targeted toward operational use and low-end event monitoring - like the Solar Eclipse QSO Party data and intruder alerts watching for OTH radar and things like that which pop up from time to time.

Noise characterization on a long-term basis beyond what the ARRL is envisioning with their Noise Study.  We need to get some long-term baseline monitoring in place before wireless power transfer becomes widespread.  The increasing noise floor and unintentional radiators are putting all amplitude-modulated modes under pressure, from broadcasting to point-to-point comms.  Without data, we will have a hard time making a case against it.

Those are the three that come to mind this morning.  We should also reach out to SARA and similar groups with an interest in radio data collection so to broaden the interest and support for PSWS development and deployment.  I hope this is what you were looking for!

73, Ward N0AX

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On Wed, Sep 25, 2019 at 10:53 AM Engelke, Bill <bill.engelke at ua.edu<mailto:bill.engelke at ua.edu>> wrote:
Hello Ward – here is a topic that came up in discussions at the DCC in Detroit, about the functionality of the Personal Space Weather station (in particular, the Tangerine SDR).
(Sorry if you got this twice, I inadvertently sent it first from the wrong email account).

For phase 1, we’re putting our emphasis on functions that will scientists to characterize Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (i.e., observing Doppler shift in WWV, etc.)

Perhaps you could help us identify some other functionalities that could be added to make the system more appealing to hams. Examples we can think of already include:


  *   Copying & reporting FT8 stations heard on up to 8 bands (to PSK Reporter and/or to local tracking)
  *   Copying & reporting WSPR stations heard (to WSPRNet and/or local)
  *   Watching for a selected station or stations to appear on the air and notifying the user by text message (or something like that)
  *   Monitoring the noise level and/or total energy on a band to watch for when it opens or when certain types of noise become present

Can you think of others?  Also, do we need to somehow poll the ham community to see what other ideas people might have?

(Sorry if someone else already asked you about this, it wasn’t clear to me who was supposed to contact you; but I am writing the Functional Specification, so I need to know anyway).

Please let me know your thoughts – tnx es 73-  Bill Engelke AB4EJ



W. D. Engelke (Bill), Asst. Research Engr.
Center for Advanced Public Safety
Cyber Hall
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Desk: (205) 348-7244
Mobile: (205) 764-3099

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