[time-nuts] WWVB BPSK Receiver Project? (fwd)

Marek Peca marek at duch.cz
Thu Mar 15 19:02:31 UTC 2012


Forgot to Cc: the maillist, sorry. So, FYI:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:31:14 +0100 (CET)
From: Marek Peca <marek at duch.cz>
To: David J Taylor <david-taylor at blueyonder.co.uk>
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] WWVB BPSK Receiver Project?

Hello,

> I would perhaps be interested in something which would pick up our local 60 
> KHz transmissions, and having a USB interface would be OK.  However, all my 
> systems are Windows, so whatever software was produced would have to work on 
> Windows.

Of course I mean it should pick your 60kHz, as well as other systems known to 
me: Japanese 40kHz, 60kHz, Swiss 75kHz, British 60kHz and possibly others. 
Highly unsure about Russian 25kHz, even do not know, whether it is still on 
air.

Yes, it should work on any USB audio capable OS, ie. Linux, Windows, MacOS etc.

> I take it that you are thinking of all the detection and processing in the 
> PC?  I would prefer as much processing as possible to be in the device, and 
> that it perhaps output serial data over the USB port, looking like a GPS.  Is 
> that too much to ask?

Well, I will tell you, what I would like to do in larger picture:

1. first, deliver simple USB audio sampling unit with 77.5kHz-proven ferrite 
rod preamplifier, ready to work with 40..80kHz signals at least;
every processing within PC / Gnuradio framework;

BUT

2. be ready to upgrade a firmware of the board to do all the PRBS BPSK tracking 
etc. within the board's MCU and deliver at least 1pps output, preferably also 
sinewave LF-locked output (range 100kHz..1MHz) for further processing.

So, I mean, the board will work in PC-based SDR mode in first iteration, and 
after all the processing will be proven by multiple users, we can then switch 
to better firmware, which will do basic tasks even without the PC.


I think I can provide basic firmware by myself, for more elaborate things it 
seems to me the best solution is to start our common open-source project.

However, the board's MCU will accept anyone's firmware, anyway.


Please, tell me your oppinion.
I would like to know, whether to put some time into development,
so if there are really some people, who would appreciate such a
LF-SDR-USB kit.


Best regards,
Marek



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