DIGITAL SSTV tips & questions

[hookedon6]

there seems to be some interest in digital sstv. EASYPAL software seems to be the most commonly used.
there is very little (ie: none) written instructions for the program. but there are some "beta testers" that are very familiar with it and give help if needed .

first of all EASYPAL is not really an SSTV program, yes it "does" sstv, but that isn't what it really is. it really is a "file transfer program". it doesn't really care what type of file either. it can transfer any type file (including COM/ EXE, extensions) so JPG, JPEG, or any other picture extensions will work.

basic info:

you must be running at least XP (or higher) and the faster the cpu, the better.

download EASYPAL from Welcome To KC1CS Home Page and install the software

basic set up:
click setup and on the popup menu:

enter callsign

select ptt: rts/dtr or cat (most of you will use rts/dtr) for TX put a "dot" in the rts on dtr on circle and for RX put a dot in the rts dtr(off always) circle and then enter the comm port number

rx input, select either line in or mike and adjust sliders to about halfway (these can be fine tuned later)

there are many other options on the setup menu, but , unless you already understand them, just leave them alone and use the program DEFAULTS for now.

this should get the software up and talking to your computer.

 

[hookedon6]

what is a "BSR"?

with analog sstv sometimes the signal faded during a transmission and you only got some of the picture. with EASYPAL that doesn't happen. you either get it all or you get nothing. in fact, you get the actual digital file exactly as it was on the digital camera, this is why the pictures look so good.

EASYPAL has a feature that is similar to the FEC feature of packet. if (say) a picture is 300 sections and you get 275 sections, rather than having the sending station resend all 300 sections, you can tell it to ONLY resend the 25 sections you didn't get (saving time and bandwidth). this is called a BSR (bad section repair).

if you don't get all the image, then click on the BSR icon on the main screen , and a second screen will popup with the callsign and the name/number of the sent pic. click "send selected request" and your rig will automaticlly xmit and ask for only the bad sections to be resent.

 

[hookedon6]

what is RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4?
the software can be adjusted to compensate for good or bad propagation. it will add some redundency(RS) in the xmitted image depending on the value after the RS

above the waterfall display there is a box (next to RS). put a check mark in the box by LEFT clicking on it. (this tells the software to encode a redundancy factor during the xmission)

on the number to the right of RS, RIGHT click on the number and it will cycle from 1 to 4, i usually use RS2 or RS3, it depends on the band conditions. lower number are for good conditions (less redundency and shorter xmit time) and higher numbers for poorer propagation (more rendudency and longer xmit time).

 

[hookedon6]

general use:

on the main screen there is a red verticle bar from the bottom up it reads:
IO
TIME
FRAME
FAC
MSC
i won't go into what they all mean for now, but, they will all start out red (except for I/O) and as the signal is received they will change to green. ALL must be green or you will not process any received information and you will get a "failed to decode" warning.

the sound card INPUT should be adjusted so that the "RX slider bar" (above the SNR icon) should start out a dark green, then as the signal is recieved, the slider should change to a bright green. adjust the sound card input so that the bright green bar stays in the LOWER third of the box or the sound card will be overdriven.

 

[N9RZD]

thanks for this "hookedon"
im planning on giving this a shot soon

need to repair my interface first

 

[hookedon6]

some other software that i think is really great. all 4 of these programs will run from within EASYPAL and can be launched via the EASYPAL "action" menu or they can be run as a "stand alone" program.

go to sstvPics by W3WVG

dick has written SSTV PICS, EASYLOG, EASYCALLS, and DIGISITES.

the EASYCALLS mapping is awesome, do a call sign search and then go to the "street level" view. WOW!

 

[Moleculo]

Hookedn6,

This is great stuff. I downloaded this software last week but haven't had a chance to play with it yet. You probably just saved me a few hours of research. I can't wait to try this.

Are there some common frequencies where people hang out that use this, or is 14.300 still the "default"?

 

[Sonwatcher]

Mole I believe the freq mostly used are
14.233 USB and 7.173
LSB

 

[SR385]

Not to forget about Ham Radio Deluxe either. Totally free and does a whole crap ton of things. Rig control, logging and DM780 for digital modes.

Digital Master 780

 

[Sonwatcher]

What would be the problem if I can't receive a picture ? I can hear it fine and the waterfall works but no pic . I had this problem before with EasyPal. I can do SSTV fine but this one I have a problem with .

 

[Sonwatcher]

Anyone else have this problem ?

 

[SR385]

Are there some common frequencies where people hang out that use this, or is 14.300 still the "default"?

14.230 is what I hope you meant ;-) .300 is the maritime mobile net

Sonwatcher..

Is it possible that you have it in the wrong SSTV mode? There are a pile of them now. I forget what the 'normal' one is off hand, but you find people using a few different ones from time to time and though you can hear and see the signal well, it won't sync unless you have the right mode selected.

It's either DM780 or MixW, one or both have an automatic mode detect option to make life simple.

 

[Sonwatcher]

Are you talking analog or digital modes ? If I use my MSSTV for anolog it works great . But using EasyPal for digital leaves me perplexed as to why I don't receive the picture. I've not been able to figure it out. Thanks for responding !

 

[SR385]

Oh man, all this time I thought this was about SSTV (slow scan TV) and I just looked and EasyPal is DRM (digital radio mondiale) RDFT. Sorry, it's a whole different animal.

Here's a bunch more info on it.

CQ SSTV de KB4YZ updated 1/12/2009

My guess is that you are seeing non-DRM modes being transmitted.

The frequency range is the same for the old SSTV, 14.230-245 or so. There are some very active regulars parked on .230 doing the old analog SSTV so I'd try up a bit from there.

The other apps I was babbling about do the old analog SSTV formats.

 

[hookedon6]

If I use my MSSTV for anolog it works great . But using EasyPal for digital leaves me perplexed as to why I don't receive the picture. I've not been able to figure it out. Thanks for responding !

sorry for the delay in answering, (i just got out of the hospital after some major surgery.)

freqs where EASYPAL are commonly used: 7.173, 14.233

as far as not receiving a pic, could be a lot of reasons. right now the band is pretty poor.... is the receive "stick" turning completly green? if it's not completly green ,then the signal is just too weak.