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Panadapters - need for bandmap capability

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Barry N1EU

Panadapters - need for bandmap capability

I'm offering this as food for thought. It seems that one important feature
that panadapters (SDR, LP-PAN, P3, etc) lack is the inability to tag a
spectral trace with a callsign to mark its identity. For example, check
this mockup: http://n1eu.com/bndmp_spec.jpg

If I qsy to a trace I see on a busy band, I want to be able to ID that trace
so I don't keep coming back to it. And those ID'd callsigns by trace
frequency would constitute a bandmap. Ultimately, this bandmap could have
the same functionality as the bandmap in a contest logger (e.g., N1MM).
It's just rotated 90 degrees and has freq interval spacing aligned with the
panadapter waterfall display. This ID'd panadapter functionality would be
immensely useful in both unassisted and assisted contesting. I realize that
development of this capability might require unique collaboration between
several software/hardware vendors but it would fundamentally enhance
panadapter-centric operating.

(CW Skimmer provides some of this capability, but it's totally limited to
callsigns decoded by Skimmer, not by the operator, etc.)

73,
Barry N1EU
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Jon Kåre Hellan

Re: Panadapters - need for bandmap capability

On 11/08/2010 03:10 PM, Barry N1EU wrote:

> I'm offering this as food for thought. It seems that one important feature
> that panadapters (SDR, LP-PAN, P3, etc) lack is the inability to tag a
> spectral trace with a callsign to mark its identity. For example, check
> this mockup: http://n1eu.com/bndmp_spec.jpg
>
> If I qsy to a trace I see on a busy band, I want to be able to ID that trace
> so I don't keep coming back to it. And those ID'd callsigns by trace
> frequency would constitute a bandmap. Ultimately, this bandmap could have
> the same functionality as the bandmap in a contest logger (e.g., N1MM).
> It's just rotated 90 degrees and has freq interval spacing aligned with the
> panadapter waterfall display. This ID'd panadapter functionality would be
> immensely useful in both unassisted and assisted contesting. I realize that
> development of this capability might require unique collaboration between
> several software/hardware vendors but it would fundamentally enhance
> panadapter-centric operating.
>
> (CW Skimmer provides some of this capability, but it's totally limited to
> callsigns decoded by Skimmer, not by the operator, etc.)

Me too!

For the unassisted operator, it could be used to show stations worked, and stations identified
but skipped over. The assisted operator might want to include dx spots and skimmer spots.

Different operators would have different preferences for timing out marks, etc. So the panadapter should
provide a mechanism, and software on the computer implement the policy.

73
Jon LA4RT, Trondheim, Norway
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Pete Connors F5VNB

Re: Panadapters - need for bandmap capability

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

N5GE

Re: Panadapters - need for bandmap capability

In reply to this post by Barry N1EU

On Mon, 8 Nov 2010 14:10:50 +0000, Barry N1EU <[hidden email]> wrote:

Software that displays callsign data that I am aware of use clusters (Telnet or
web connections) to get the information displayed. I can see how some software
might record QSO data in a way that would allow the sort of tagging you suggest,
but that would not be something I would want in a panadapter.

I don't think equipment designers would want to use the CPU cycles required to
provide that functionality in their products. It's one thing to use an external
computer to store data and display it, because most of them are capable of
storing large amounts of data in memory or in a data store (database) without
reducing the user experience, which is an important consideration when designing
software.

Perhaps you could suggest that functionality to one of the many contest and
logging software providers.

Speaking of contests; When a contest category is "Unassisted" does that infer
that the use of cluster spots, etc. is prohibited? I'm not a contester, so I
don't know the answer to that question.

Tom
Radio Amateur N5GE

>I'm offering this as food for thought. It seems that one important feature
>that panadapters (SDR, LP-PAN, P3, etc) lack is the inability to tag a
>spectral trace with a callsign to mark its identity. For example, check
>this mockup: http://n1eu.com/bndmp_spec.jpg
>
>If I qsy to a trace I see on a busy band, I want to be able to ID that trace
>so I don't keep coming back to it. And those ID'd callsigns by trace
>frequency would constitute a bandmap. Ultimately, this bandmap could have
>the same functionality as the bandmap in a contest logger (e.g., N1MM).
>It's just rotated 90 degrees and has freq interval spacing aligned with the
>panadapter waterfall display. This ID'd panadapter functionality would be
>immensely useful in both unassisted and assisted contesting. I realize that
>development of this capability might require unique collaboration between
>several software/hardware vendors but it would fundamentally enhance
>panadapter-centric operating.
>
>(CW Skimmer provides some of this capability, but it's totally limited to
>callsigns decoded by Skimmer, not by the operator, etc.)
>
>73,
>Barry N1EU
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Amateur Radio Operator N5GE

Rex Lint

Re: Panadapters - need for bandmap capability

>Software that displays callsign data that I am aware of use clusters
(Telnet or
>web connections) to get the information displayed.

Both CT and N1MM let the user enter calls on the band map which is very
useful when searching and pouncing so you don't spend time waiting for a
station you already worked. As you say, they CAN take input from packet
cluster too, is "assisted" classes.

> Speaking of contests; When a contest category is "Unassisted" does that
infer
>that the use of cluster spots, etc. is prohibited?

Yes.

-Rex-

K1HI
Rex Lint
Merrimack, NH
WWW.QRZ.COM/db/k1hi

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Amateur Radio
Operator N5GE
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2010 11:59 AM
To: elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Panadapters - need for bandmap capability

On Mon, 8 Nov 2010 14:10:50 +0000, Barry N1EU <[hidden email]> wrote:

Software that displays callsign data that I am aware of use clusters
(Telnet or
web connections) to get the information displayed. I can see how some
software
might record QSO data in a way that would allow the sort of tagging you
suggest,
but that would not be something I would want in a panadapter.

I don't think equipment designers would want to use the CPU cycles required
to
provide that functionality in their products. It's one thing to use an
external
computer to store data and display it, because most of them are capable of
storing large amounts of data in memory or in a data store (database)
without
reducing the user experience, which is an important consideration when
designing
software.

Perhaps you could suggest that functionality to one of the many contest and
logging software providers.

Speaking of contests; When a contest category is "Unassisted" does that
infer
that the use of cluster spots, etc. is prohibited? I'm not a contester, so
I
don't know the answer to that question.

Tom
Radio Amateur N5GE

>I'm offering this as food for thought. It seems that one important feature
>that panadapters (SDR, LP-PAN, P3, etc) lack is the inability to tag a
>spectral trace with a callsign to mark its identity. For example, check
>this mockup: http://n1eu.com/bndmp_spec.jpg
>
>If I qsy to a trace I see on a busy band, I want to be able to ID that
trace
>so I don't keep coming back to it. And those ID'd callsigns by trace
>frequency would constitute a bandmap. Ultimately, this bandmap could have
>the same functionality as the bandmap in a contest logger (e.g., N1MM).
>It's just rotated 90 degrees and has freq interval spacing aligned with the
>panadapter waterfall display. This ID'd panadapter functionality would be
>immensely useful in both unassisted and assisted contesting. I realize
that

>development of this capability might require unique collaboration between
>several software/hardware vendors but it would fundamentally enhance
>panadapter-centric operating.
>
>(CW Skimmer provides some of this capability, but it's totally limited to
>callsigns decoded by Skimmer, not by the operator, etc.)
>
>73,
>Barry N1EU
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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