Interests and experiences
PLEASE READ -ALL- THE RELEASE NOTES BELOW FOR INFORMATION ON NEW FEATURES ETC!
----------------------------------- NEWS -----------------------------------
Suggestions for Working Rare Stations on GreenCube IO-117
New PDF file describing test of congestion on a "quiet" Greencube pass
----------------------------------- NEWS -----------------------------------
Please read this excellent document made by Jeffrey Schwartz KI0KB/WC7WB about using the "Multi callsign" messages in Terminal:
Understanding and using the multi call rare activation mode.pdf
NOTE: Terminal now also supports the CUBEBEL-2, ISS and LEDSAT satellites, please see the release notes below!
Greencube / IO-117 is a small satellite that caries a UHF (435.310 MHz) Digipeater. As the satellite has a large footprint (satellite is around 5800 Km above the earth) it is a effective way of contacting "far away" places. The footprint (coverage) of the satellite is around 13.000 Km.
Andy, UZ7HO makes a very nice "Soundmodem" for Greencube, it decodes and encodes the digital traffic using the soundcard of a PC.
Andy also make a "terminal program" for sending and receiving messages from Greencube (via the "Soundmodem").
I had the idea to make a new terminal program that would give me a couple extra features, and that also would allow me to discover "not worked before" stations, new grids etc. The terminal program interfaces with N3FJP logprogram, ACLog as well as various "TCP and UDP enabled loggers" such as N1MM, Ham Radio Delux, Swisslog, Cloudlog, DXKeeper etc. If you don't have a logprogram that can be externally interfaced, you can direct all your logging to a local ADIF file. ACLog, Cloudlog or a local ADIF file can be searched for callsigns and grids to show if they have already been worked before.
The Terminal program uses one of these possibilities to check if a received callsign has already been worked or not. If the station has included a (maybe temporary) grid in his CQ call, the Terminal program sees this and will also check if this grid already has been confirmed or not. If the station has not been worked before, or if the grid the station broadcasts in its CQ call, has been confirmed before or not. These stations are clearly marked in the "Dupelist" list, using color codes. Voice messages will be emitted (can be configured).
The Terminal program can also log QSO's local in a ADIF file, this file can then later be imported into your favorite logging program.
The newest version (from 1.0.0.35) can also use the ADIF file for checking if a grid and/or a callsign has been worked before. This makes it independent of ACLog/Cloudlog for callsign/grid checking!
PLEASE NOTE: some of the screenshots on this page are from "older" versions of the terminal program, so they might not be 100% accurate (more features are added to the program once in a while)
Thanks to Andy, UZ7HO for his soundmodem and original terminal program.
Also big thanks to my good friend, Paolo, IK3ITB for testing, suggestions and bug finding :)
PLEASE READ -ALL- THE RELEASE NOTES BELOW FOR INFORMATION ON NEW FEATURES ETC!
Video of how to setup and use most of the features in Terminal
Using additional features in Terminal
Logging contacts in GreenCube Terminal
Great video on setting up for Greencube/LEDSAT by Frank WA2NDV, please have a look, will answer lots of your questions.
LWV - Live QSO Viewer
Terminal has a LQV window, the "Live QSO Viewer". This is a totally new way of looking at the traffic for a digital satellite. Instead of (only) the traditional "Traffic window", you can also view the QSOs as a graphical view. Using small boxes with callsigns and colored connecting lines, you can get a graphical view of whats going on. The view will update dynamic, when you open the window it will show the traffic until now, and when packets arrives from the satellite, the view will be updated. The contents of the view follows the lines in the Traffic window. If you clear the traffic window, the view will also be cleared (the view is just another way of showing the traffic).
Each callsign is shown in a bubble. If bubble is red, it is "MyCall". If bubble is blue, the staion has not yet been received (but has been called by one of the other stations heard).
Black lines shows transmissions between stations, the arrows shows the direction. Orange lines, only one of the stations has sent "73" to the other. Green lines, both stations has sent "73" to each other.
Using the small menuline at the top left in the LQV viewer, you can adjust various settings, the origanisation, zoom factor will be reset as long as packets come in though!
Wyatt - The Sheriff
In version 1.0.0.71 of the Terminal program, I introduced the "AMSAT Sheriff" Wyatt :) Sheriff Wyatt monitors some of the users activity, and comes up with a gentle reminder if the user is doing something that might not be optimal in the usage of the satellite(s). For example doing rapid transmits after each other without waiting to see if the satellite in fact did digipeat the message, sending too long messages, sending your own callsign as part of the message etc. Basically things that we all do/did at some point without thinking too much about it. The things is that the satellite has a VERY limited bandwidth (Greencube/LEDSAT is only 1200 Baud, thats 0.0012 Mbit/s or 0.0000012 GBit/s for you youngsters ;)
Thanks to Hambadges 2.0 for the nice Sheriff badge!
Sheriff Wyatt currently looks out for these "violations", he might pick up on more in the future, but these are the ones on his short list at the moment (there might be other things he watches out for that he has not told me about!):
The program contains also an "Inject" window. Using this window it is possible to "inject" messages into Terminal as if they came from Soundmodem (the satellite). This way you can experiment with the many features of the program in a controlled manner. Click anywhere in the traffic window, and press the key "j" on the keyboard. This will bring up the "Inject" window. Use that to inject different messages into Terminal.
The program contains three windows:
The large one to the left is called the "Traffic window". The one on the right at the bottom is called "Dupelist". Top right one is the "CallingMe" window.
The Traffic windows shows all incoming and outgoing messages. Different types of messages are shown in different colors. These colors can be changed by clicking on the small colored reactangles below the traffic window.
The "Normal" color is for ordinary traffic, messages from other stations.
"To me" colored messages are messages that has my callsign in the "To" field of the messges.
"CQ" colored messages are messages that contains the text "CQ" in either the "To" field or inside the actual message.
"My TX" color is messages that have been transmitted via the Terminal program.
The bottom window on the right, the "Dupelist" is a list of all callsigns that have been received (callsigns in "From" field in the traffic window (excluding any messages from my own callsign). The different callsigns in the dupelist are colored in different colors depending on the status of the callsign.
The "Dupe" color is callsigns that have already been worked and confirmed in ACLog (f.ex by LoTW etc).
"Grid" coloroed callsigns are callsigns that are in a grid that has not yet been confirmed (or worked).
"COSI" is a callsign that exists in the "COSI list" of callsigns, this list can be maintained by pressing the button "Edit COSI" just above the dupelist window. The COSI (Callsign Of Special Interest) can be used to mark certain callsigns that you want to look out for, it can be a rare DX station, a buddy etc. You can select if the callsign will be searched in the From, To and/or message. Any combination of these can be selected in the COSI dialog.
As already explained, all these colors can be defined by clicking on each of the colored rectangles below the two windows.
Stations that uses the Greencube Terminal program will be shown in bold (this means that these station will be able to receive messages with multiple callsigns in the "To" field!). You will also find status for each station and if they are uploading to LoTW or not (and how long time it is since they last uploaded).
The top window on the right, the "CallingMe" list, shows callsigns, their grids, current elevation, and most importantly, the time until each stations looses view of the satellite ("LOS", Loss Of Signal). If a station calls you, the callsign of that station will be added to this list. When you at some point, right-click on that line and selects "Log callsign xxxx", this line will be removed from the list. If the station at some point calls you again, it will NOT be added to the list again,as you already have logged it. When you press "Clear list" above the "CallingMe" list, the knowledge of the calling stations will be cleared. This list is sorted so that the station(s) calling you with the shortest time to LOS will be placed at the top always. This enables you to work stations more efficient if you are a rare DXCC, a roving station etc. In this window, you can select multiple callsigns.
Multiple callsigns
If more than one line is selected, and you press one of the "macro" buttons (F1..F10), the specific message will be sent to all the callsigns selected. The messages are either sent as individual messages, or as a single message with multiple callsigns. The choice between the two transmission types is done in "Settings" menu, checkbox named "Multiple callsigns in single message". You can also delete line(s) from the list if you need to, select the lines to delete and press DEL. Stations that uses the Greencube Terminal program will be shown in bold (this means that these station will be able to receive messages with multiple callsigns in the "To" field!).
Please read this excellent document made by Jeffrey Schwartz KI0KB/WC7WB about the "Multi callsign" messages:
Understanding and using the multi call rare activation mode.pdf
The top of the screen contains some simple statistics. The number of unique calls in the Dupelist window, statistics for the number of transmissions, number of times "my own" transmissions has been digipeated from the satellite (and that my station actually has received), number of times I have succesfully sent a "CQ" message, number of stations in the Dupelist that uses the Greencube Terminal program etc.
The dupelist contains a list of all callsigns heard (since Terminal program was started, or the list cleared by pressing "Clear list" button).
Each line shows the callsign, elapsed time since the call was heard transmitting, the number of CQ calls the station has made and the current satellite elevation based on the grid the station reports. Lines in bold shows that the stations uses this Terminal program.
Each line will be shown in a color. These colors can be defined by clicking on the 4 colored rectangles below the dupelist.
In this list, we can see that all of the callsigns are with white backgrund. This means they are "dupe", callsigns that have already been worked and confirmed.
If a callsigns is green ("Initial") it is a callsign that has not been worked before. Any red callsign with the "Grid" color, is a station that is in a grid that has not been confirmed (the grid included in the message from the station). The station can actually very well have been worked before, but the terminal program has detected that the station is in a new (not confirmed) grid.
It does so by looking in the messages from the station, checking if a grid locator is in there. If there is a grid locator in the message, this is being checked in the selected log program (in Settings), if not already confirmed, the line will be colored in "Grid" color (red in this case).
Lets say the callsign MY1CAL is listed on QRZ.COM as located in JO45. And lets also say that I already worked this station and that the QSO was confirmed.
Lets also say that MY1CAL send out a CQ like this:
"MY1CALL CQ JO44 looking for NA"
The terminal program detects that "JO44" in the message is a grid, it checks ACLog (or ADIF file / TCP Log) if JO44 has already been confirmed, if not, it will paint the line in "Grid" color (red) signaling to the user that this callsign needs to be worked (for a new grid).
Please also note, that if a callsign has already been worked (in a new grid) but the station has for some reason not confirmed the QSO (if using ACLog), the next time the terminal program is running and it sees this callsign (or another callsign from the same grid), it will alert you by painting the line in "Grid" color. This will continue until someone of your QSO partners confirms this grid.
Whenever a new call, a new grid or a callsign in the COSI list is detected, a voice message will be played (can be disabled in Settings).
The settings should be pretty easy to understand. You can set the IP address of the PC for both the UZ7HO soundmodem and for the various logging options. The port number for the Soundmodem must match the one set in Soundmodem program (default port 8100). The settings for ACLog are pretty simple, just remember to enable "API server" for ACLog (see the configuration section for my SatPC32 to ACLog program). If you set "Grid" to your current grid, the main screen will show the Az/El of the satellite from your position. The TLE data box is data for Greencube/IO-117 so that the current elevation for each callsign in the Dupelist can be shown.
Note:
if you want the notification of "not worked callsign" and "not worked grid", you can export an ADIF file from your logging program (you just need to do thisone time ever), set that ADIF file in Settings menu of Terminal, and enable the "Search ADIF for callsign/grid" and at the same time also enable "Enable Logging to ADIF file", the you will get notifications and all callsigns you log from within Terminal will be sent to Log4OM (or any other log program chosen) and also be saved in the ADIF file. That way the check for initials/new grids will function even though there is no check using Log4OM.
This goes for many other logging programs.
If you use ACLog or TCP Log (specifically Cloudlog) you can let the Terminal "ask" the logging program for initials/grids instead of using the ADIF file for this.
Below is a typical view. The light blue lines are for IK3ITB, that callsign is in the COSI list and will be highlighted in both the traffic window and the dupelist.
The pink lines are from stations calling CQ (CQ in "To" or "Message" fields). In the dupelist, EA7KI is in green ("Initial"). That is a station that I have not worked before, but his grid has already been confirmed by another station I have worked. SP6IWQ is in a grid that I is not yet confirmed, in this case I have already worked the station, but no confirmation yet from the station. All the "dark gray" lines in the dupelist ("Dupe") is stations that have already been worked (and confirmed)
Double clicking the "To" field will send the callsign to ACLog so it is ready for logging.
Pressing "Escape" when the "To" field is active will clear the entryfields of ACLog.
Double clicking a callsign in the Dupelist will copy the callsign to the "To" entryfield.
Double clicking a line in the traffic window will copy the "From" callsign to the "To" entryfield.
Right click on a selected line in the traffic window OR on a callsign in the Dupelist, will bring up a context menu where you can send the callsign to ACLog (just as if you entered the callsign in the "Call" field in ACLog.
The program can be downloaded below, BUT!
I ONLY ASK, THAT IF YOU LIKE AND USE MY PROGRAM, PLEASE donate whatever amount you see fit
to Andy, UZ7HO (see his website for info). I don't want anything, send it to Andy instead !!
NOTE: You can have both this terminal program as well as the original UZ7HO Client program running at the same time in parallel!
The terminal program is built on .NET Framework 4.8!
REMEMBER to download at least version 7.0.8 of ACLog on the "Beta" page of N3JFP page if you use ACLog as your logging program!
Current version:
PLEASE - READ RELEASE NOTES FOR THE PREVIOUS VERSIONS - PLEASE !!!
2023-11-18 Greencube Terminal program (Windows), Version 1.0.0.81
Older versions:
Release notes:
Please read this excellent document made by Jeffrey Schwartz KI0KB/WC7WB about the "Multi callsign" messages:
Understanding and using the multi call rare activation mode.pdf
20231118 Version 1.0.0.81
20231115 Version 1.0.0.80
20231024 Version 1.0.0.78
20231021 Version 1.0.0.77
20230921 Version 1.0.0.75
20230908 Version 1.0.0.74
20230908 Version 1.0.0.73
20230907 Version 1.0.0.72
20230902 Version 1.0.0.71
20230902 Version 1.0.0.70
20230828 Version 1.0.0.69
20230825 Version 1.0.0.68
https://shop.qrz.com/products/xml-logbook-data-subscription-1-year
20230816 Version 1.0.0.67
20230815 Version 1.0.0.66
20230805 Version 1.0.0.65
20230803 Version 1.0.0.64
20230723 Version 1.0.0.63
Added the ability to write [MYLOS] or [MYLOSSHORT] in messages/macros, this will insert the time until your LOS as either hh:mm:ss or ss/mm:ss/hh:mm:ss in a message.
You can write [MYCALL], [MYGRID4] or [MYGRID] in messages (both in the "Message" on mainscreen and in Macros), your callsign and grid (or first 4 characters) will be inserted then (Thanks DF2ET/JK2XXK)
your callsign and grid will be inserted then (Thanks DF2ET)Also [MYELE] and [MYELEn] (where n=0 to 2) works. Inserts your current elevation with n number of decimals ([MYELE] inserts it with 1 decimal) (Thanks N9ZTS)
20230722 Version 1.0.0.62
20230720 Version 1.0.0.61
20230712 Version 1.0.0.60
20230710 Version 1.0.0.59
20230706 Version 1.0.0.58
20230705 Version 1.0.0.57
20230703 Version 1.0.0.56
20230630 Version 1.0.0.55
20230628 Version 1.0.0.54
20230624 Version 1.0.0.52
20230619 Version 1.0.0.51
20230617 Version 1.0.0.50
20230524 Version 1.0.0.49
20230518 Version 1.0.0.48
20230509 Version 1.0.0.47
20230506 Version 1.0.0.46
20230504 Version 1.0.0.45
20230430 Version 1.0.0.44
20230419 Version 1.0.0.43
20230418 Version 1.0.0.42
20230418 Version 1.0.0.41
Added support for sending messages to multiple callsigns. Multi select calls in the CallingMe list (top right) and press a macro key, message is sent to all callsigns selected.
20230409 Version 1.0.0.38
20230329 Version 1.0.0.37
20230326 Version 1.0.0.36
20230319 Version 1.0.0.34
20230317 Version 1.0.0.33
20230315 Version 1.0.0.32
20230314 Version 1.0.0.31
20230312 Version 1.0.0.30
20230305 Version 1.0.0.29
20230301 Version 1.0.0.27
20230224 Version 1.0.0.24
20230222 Version 1.0.0.22
20230221 Version 1.0.0.21
20230221 Version 1.0.0.20
20230220 Version 1.0.0.19
When sending a callsign to ACLog, the following fields are also set (thanks to N7BT):
PROPMODE = SAT
SATNAME = IO-117
BAND = 70
MODE = PKT
RSTS = 599
RSTR = 599
20230218 Version 1.0.0.18
Better handling of Text-To-Speech errors
20230211 Version 1.0.0.15
Added context menu in traffic and dupelist with "add callsign to COSI list"
Changed the "Normal" default color on traffic list to true white (was 0,0,0,0 before)
TXDelay can not be set higher than 10 seconds (to remove possibility of "store and forward" QSO's)
20230210 Version 1.0.0.14
First test version