Monthly Archives: September 2023

BeaconBlaster

Beacon Blaster 6 errata

My apologies, but the help file for the “Schedule” command is in error.  Here is the corrected one:

Schedule [channel] [transmit slot] [sequence length] ([morse ID interval]) 
channel: 1-6
transmit slot : transmit on slot # 
sequence length : repeat every # timeslots 
morse ID interval : send morse ID rather than beacon every # transmissions. 
Examples: 
Sched 1 1 1 : channel 1, transmit every timeslot. 
Sched 1 1 2 : channel 1, transmit every two timeslots, starting with timeslot 1. 
Sched 6 3 3 : channel 6, transmit every three timeslots, starting with timeslot 3. 
Sched 4 1 1 5 : channel 4, transmit every timeslot, sending morse message every five transmissions. 

BeaconBlaster, FST4W

BB-6 goes to Antarctica!

The first build of the Beacon Blaster 6 transmitters is being deployed, and I am very excited to announce that one of these is on the way to the remote Neumayer Station III in Antarctica.

Some of the researchers there are radio amateurs and have been operating from this remote location using WSPR and other modes. The BB-6 will provide FST4W capability, and the frequency stability and “spreading” resolution of this mode (and this polar location) will greatly enhance the ability to study ionospheric propagation. Neumayer Station III operates under the callsign DP0GVN.

Neumayer Station III is operated by the Alfred Wegener institute, which is a center for polar and marine research, with particular focus on the cold and temperate regions of the world.

DE: Neumayer Station III in Polar Nacht. EN: Neumayer Station III in polar night.

The Alfred Wegener institute is not limited to this one Antarctic base — for more information please see:

https://www.awi.de/en/about-us.html

https://www.awi.de/en/expedition.html

https://www.awi.de/en/expedition/stations/neumayer-station-iii.html

Of particular amateur radio interest, the Alfred Wegener institute ship Polarstern was very recently operating in the vicinity of the North Pole, and has been transmitting WSPR, call sign DP0POL:

https://follow-polarstern.awi.de/?lang=en#main-menu