-
Skywavelinux 4.0 released!!!!
Perfect timing!
https://skywavelinux.com/
I'm going to try and make a persistent storage version so I can modify the key with additional apps. This tutorial seems to show how, I'll give it a try and report back with my results:
https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/14912/create-a-persistent-bootable-ubuntu-usb-flash-drive/
... my MLA-30 loop arrived last week, and I received a notification that my RTL-SDRv3 was delivered to my mailbox, which I will pick up tonight! Woo-hoo!!!!!!! Lots of stuff to do next few days, if the wife and kids will let me.
First I have to download and install the latest Skywavelinux to my USB key. Then I have to build a mount for the MLA-30 from a bunch of PVC tubes I have left over from when my kids learned how to skate.
It turns out I can open this up and use the T-junctions, L-corners and the 2 hinges to create a foldable easy to pack antenna mast that can extend up to 16 feet (each pipe is 2 foot long) and I have a 4 foot tripod base I can attach it to for a total of 20 feet height!
-
And how big are your feet? 
-
And how big are your feet?
I'll post photos of the skate-trainer antenna mast once I finish it. It may be a complete disaster.... only one way to find out! NOTE: This is not meant to be a permanent installation, it is something I put up and take down each time I use it. Inside the house I would only connect a few pieces and it would be maybe 6 feet tall facing near the window.
-
First impressions:
I haven't put together the MLA-30 yet but I did have a chance to play with the RTL-SDRv3 dongle and stuff that came with it (accessories package which includes some antennae and stuff):
I made myself a persistent USB key of skywavelinux 4.0 and after trying it on a few different computers I can tell you that I was not getting the best experience. Half of the apps crashed or didn't load or froze. For example, while Gqrx worked, CubicSDR didn't and LinHPSDR just stayed on the initialization dialog forever. It could be that skywavelinux doesn't like running on a USB key.
Add to that the i3 Window Manager (which I am starting to like) but the key-mappings were not standard and overall the user-experience with the many crashing or half-working apps was not instilling much pleasure from booting up the key.
So I decided to just install everything into my existing linux machine (Ubuntu Studio Bionic) and things went much better. I installed the RTL-SDR drivers, Gqrx (gprx-sdr) directly through sudo apt install commands, CubicSDR using an AppImage, and modified the conf files to blacklist the other drivers so that the dongle would be properly recognized when plugged in. All the instructions basically found on RTL-SDR.COM Quick Start Guide and this tutorial:
https://ranous.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/rtl-sdr4linux_quickstartv2-18.pdf
I had previously already installed fldigi and WSJT-X on same machine so now there is a Ham RADIO applications menu now showing up with all this stuff in it (somehow automatically ended up in there with all these apps going to that submenu).
The only thing that didn't work from the tutorial is getting the Dump1090. I cloned the git suggested and followed the make instructions but there were warnings/errors that thwarted success. Even turning off the Werror flags in the Makefile didn't get me any further and I didn't have time to start debugging the code. So I may try to find another Dump1090 fork to see if I have any better luck.
One other HARDWARE ISSUE that I found, which I'm not sure about... When I screw the whip antenna SMA male on to the RTL-SDR dongle SMA female, if I screw it on too much (too deep or tight) I lose reception, as if it is not plugged in at all. I tried everything from wiggling the cable, putting my finger on it, squeezing, etc. The same effect is reproducible. Basically... with no antenna attached there is basically just static. Once I thread on the antenna SMA maybe a few turns I get reception, but if I go past a certain point (SMA still easy to thread) I lose reception again....even until it finally is on tight, no reception.
Is this something to do with the SMA hardware design and improper electrical contacts on the male/female? I haven't tried any other cables or antennas but this is my first experience out of the box with the whip antenna it comes with. Once it is attached properly (a few threads in but not tight) I get amazing FM stereo reception and can even see RDS music/station info. I get so-so AM reception (I use the direct sampling to get down under 24Mhz) but can definitely pick it up. And I also find some of the stronger (mostly religious) shortwave stations in the 3000-8000 Khz range on the whip.
So far all these tests were in the kitchen. I'm looking forward to going upstairs and trying the long-wire antenna and higher elevation, as well as MLA-30 loop to see what differences I get.
A lot of "tongue at the right angle" it seems but slowly getting there!
-
I managed to mount my MLA-30 loop and plugged in the BIAS-T into my laptop USB port, and RTL-SDRv3 dongle in the other and I'm picking up tons of stations using CubicSDR to listen! I'm getting clear reception on so many SW stations.... right now I'm listening to 3990 kHz which is either in Chinese or Korean, playing music. I can't figure out where this station is... I can't believe it is in China/Korea. Do they use repeaters locally to rebroadcast? I've attached some photos of my setup and screenshot. I am very impresssed, my MLA-30 loop is on the first floor in a house in an urban area. I haven't even tried upstairs or using the longer extensions, or better yet... out in the country a bit away from the city.
[UPDATE:]
I tried to see how long I could get with the antenna outside today (see last 2 photos) and was able to get up to 4 segments max on top of the tripod. Each segment being 2' and tripod about 4' when fully extended it was a total of about 12'.
I have another 4x 2' segments but things were starting to get really wobbly after 12' and so there is no way I'll be able to stay stable and safe at 20' just sliding the pieces together. Maybe I could push it to 14' if I really anchor one into another but by 16' it's bent over to the point of collapse or going to rip the base out of the tripod mount. Tripod is very heavy, no concern that it will topple over. If I want anything higher I'll have to go out and buy something but I'm not sure I care to at the moment.
I'm using the bias T that came with the MLA-30. Next step is to try to activate the RTL-SDR dongle bias T and see if it make sense any difference. AM and FM reception nice, but I'm getting spotty reception in the SW bands (2400-14000 kHz). But I'm downstairs inside with my laptop. I should bring it upstairs and bring up the laptop or run it out to the top of a hill somewhere and see if I have any better luck.
I jokingly called it "Alien Signal Telescoping Receiver Antenna" or A.S.T.R.A.
Friends all think I'm crazy, they never heard of HAM before.
-
The loop doesn't have to be round, It may be a Square/diamond, a pentagon/octagon... so willing to make It bigger just use some plastic pipes and slide insulated wire inside them, connect the wire ends to the antenna posts and there you go
-
The loop doesn't have to be round, It may be a Square/diamond, a pentagon/octagon...
Yes, but the goal is to have more area of shape. For a fixed wire length, area of circle shape has the largest value than square, diamond, pentagon, etc.
-
Agreed, but a Square Is easier to build, and example; pick two pipes of say 1 mt each, build a cross and use It to support a diamond shaped loop
[Edit]
See http://www.kk5jy.net/rx-loop/
-
I opened up my MLA-30 loop and it does not have an LED light in it. Also it says on the box input voltage 5-12V whereas others I've seen reviewed show an LED inside the box under the black conformal coating clearly visible when powered, and have voltage 4-14V written on outer box. Any idea if this is normal or some fake copy?
I did turn on the bias-Tee on my RTL-SDRv3 and confirmed with a multimeter that 4.95V was output. As well it does make a difference when I use the MLA (with and without power). So I'm sure it's doing something but I wonder if this is simply a design change or many places are making copies of copies at this point with various PCB designs and trying to just cheapen out on parts (the LED is normally not even visible as it is inside the box).