[Premium-Rx] Of general interest- "Virtual Spectrum"

[Carcia, Frank A. HS]

    I have wanted to build a spark gap transmitter since I was about 10. The
thought of watching that spinning disk arcing to my CW key seems Flash
Gordon.
    I wonder if I can PDM modulate a spark gap. fc

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg W. Bailey [mailto:gbailey at mail.sdsu.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 1:33 PM
To: premium-rx at ml.skirrow.org
Subject: [Premium-Rx] Of general interest- "Virtual Spectrum"


Fellow Members:
 
Jan recently bounced this article to me.  I thought it may be of interest to
some of our membership-  
 
Greg
San Diego
 
__________________________
 
From: David Stinson < arc5 at ix.netcom.com <mailto:arc5 at ix.netcom.com> >

 
I have today submitted an article to QST magazine entitled "Virtual
Spectrum: Beating BPL at its own game," detailing a concept that can greatly
impact our radio hobby.  I wanted to "put down a marker" to date the
introduction of a new ham-radio innovation, and to officially place the idea
in the public domain, so the maximum amount of "tinkering" with it can
happen.

This concept uses the bandwidth available on the Internet and some simple
circuitry to create a replica of a segment of the radio spectrum, stream it
live or prerecorded to another internet-connected computer and reconstruct
that radio spectrum at your location.  *Any* radio equipment you wish to use
(given an Internet connection with sufficient bandwidth)- from modern PSK-31
rigs, SSB nets, WW-II modulated oscillators all the way back to ancient
spark transmitters with crystal receivers; all can legally communicate just
as though you were on-the-air.  The system is bi-directional, allowing QSOs
between stations that normally could not communicate.
 
If you can't hear weak signals because of noise in your area, the concept
allows you to build a "remote front end" and transport the radio spectrum in
a quiet area right to your rig, bypassing the problems in your location.  
 
I believe this concept can be the answer to BPL, "noise holes," antenna
restrictions, HF "jammers" and many other obstacles to using our radios.
There is great potential for many uses, and a possible niche market for
someone with the resources to develop the equipment.  I have already built
prototype equipment to prove the concept and it works splendidly.  The
article includes construction details.  The circuits are simple and you can
get 95% of the parts at Radio Shack.  By the time QST publishes (assume they
accept the work), we should have completed the first Virtual Spectrum QSO:
two World War 2 BC-611 handie-talkies (output: about 60 milliwatts) will
communicate over a path of about 2000 miles.
 
If QST does not publish the concept, I will publish it myself on the web
immediately after hearing from them.  I am indebted to Mike Hanz,
aafradio at cox.net <mailto:aafradio at cox.net>  for invaluable suggestions and
encouragement.
 
TNX ES 73 DE Dave Stinson AB5S


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