BEACONS.BAS a program for scanning the NCDXF/IARU beacons on the HF-bands.

It is recommended to print a hardcopy of this file before running the program.




1) Files in this package:

        a) BEACONS.BAS, the control-program for the transceiver (8.3 kByte)

        b) BEACON.PAR contains parameters used by BEACONS.BAS like frequen-
           cies, locations etc. Default parameters are for the Kenwood TS 870
           and for time set by time signals from phone or radio. (0.7 kByte)

        c) SETPAR.BAS can be used to modify BEACON.PAR if other than the
           default parameters shall be used.

        d) BEACON.PLT is a program that can generate a graphic display of
           the results on a line-printer.

        e) This README.TXT file



 
2) Hardware preparations:

        a) The transceiver TS870 must be connected to serial port COM2 of a
           personal computer (at least 386, MS DOS 5.0) by a modem-cable
           with RXD/TXD, RTS/CTS, signal-ground and shielding lines. Do not
           use a null-modem cable!!!

        b) Switch on the TS870 and set its menu No.54 to "TRANSFER ON" and
           menu No.56 to "9600 Baud, 1 stop-bit, no parity-check" and store
           these settings to make them available permanently.

        c) Power on at TS870 and PC.




3) Loading the software:

        a) Copy the files 1) a,b,c,d,e to the fixed disk of the PC

        b) If you want to change parameters, for example COM 2 to COM 1,
           run the self-explanatory dialog program by typing:
           C:\QBASIC/RUN SETPAR.BAS

        c) You can now change call-signs, frequencies and locations of the
           beacons, if this should become necessary. Serial port number
           (default is COM2), antenna number (default is ANT1) and filter-
           bandwidth (default, and strongly recommended, is 50 Hz) can be
           modified. 
           You can also choose the method of result's output. Results are 
           printed to screen, one line per received beacon. If an ASCII-file
           of this pattern is wanted , you can fill out the appropriate option
           in the dialog. In this case insert a formatted disk into drive a:\
           that has approximately 7 kByte of free space. A file "BEACON.TXT"
           will be generated at the end of program.
           If you choose the option "Hardcopy", the printer must be connected 
           to LPT1.

        d) Time-synchronization

           BEACONS.BAS contains three subprograms for setting the PC's 
           seconds timer. No.1, TIMESET is for use with a DCF77 time signal
           receiver installed in the computer. (Europe only).   No.2, MY-
           TIMESET is a dummy subprogram. Here you can insert code for
           an automatic timeset by GPS, WWVB or whatever might be available
           to you. No.3, PHONETIMESET (default) shows the normal DOS-prompt
           for setting the PC's clock and can be set to the time and syn-
           chronized by "ENTER" at the tone of a time signal coming from 
           phone or radio.

        e) Leaving SETPAR.BAS

           Leaving SETPAR.BAS, parameters are saved to BEACON.PAR. Modi-
           fied data will overwrite old or default settings. Non-modified
           data are not affected. BEACON.PAR is an ASCII-file and ca be read
           by use of MS-DOS EDIT-program.




4) Running the program:     

        a) Type QBASIC/RUN BEACONS.BAS  . On screen will appear the message
           "transceiver identified" and, if you use the default method for 
           time synchronisation, the DOS prompt "Time" appears. Type HH:MM:SS 
           and hit  "ENTER" at the correct time ( +/- 0.1 seconds).
           The program will now wait until the next modulo 3 minute has been
           reached, while the remainig seconds appear on the display.

        b) Four seconds after synchronization has been reached the first 
           line of results will appear showing S-Meter-units of the signal
           in the third second of transmission. In the 8 th. second the line
           is completed by reporting S-Meter-units of the noise within the
           7 th. second. S-Meter- units are units of the transceivers
           digital S-Meter running from 00 to 30, not S-values!!




5) Troubleshooting:

        a) Sometimes, if the transceivers' processor is very busy, it will 
           respond to the ID-question by a "?;" instead of "ID15;"
           In this case the message "missing or wrong transceiver" appears.
           The same message is printed if the cable between transceiver
           and PC is incomplete or in case of a power-failure. Abolish
           any possible failure and start the program again.







6) Other transceivers (receivers) than Kenwood TS870:

           The program has never been tested with other rig than a 1995
           TS 870. So hardware-connections and/or software commands may
           be different from TS 870's even with other Kenwood rigs. In such
           a case it is necessary to verify or to change commands in the
           QBASIC-files and the parameter file according to the informations
           given in the rig's manual. To allow this is the main reason why
           the programs have been written in the easy to understand
           QBASIC-language with detailed comments.




7) Graphic presentation of results:

           If a graphic chart is wanted the option for the ASCII-file must
           have been chosen. This way the file BEACON.TXT is generated on 
           diskette. This file is read by BEACON.PLT, a plotting-program
           for the line printer LPT1. Type "QBASIC/RUN BEACON.PLT" and
           make shure that the disk with the file BEACON.TXT is available
           in drive A:\




8) Author:

           The programs are written by Helmut Zrneck, DL4FBI. 
           Ritterstrasse 26, 64807 Dieburg, Germany.


