HB3YAQLucerne
EXPLORE & UNDERSTAND
Radio meets software.
Swiss-SDR, this website and my planned experiments: explore what I’m working on and what I’d like to try next.
Turning an equipment collection into a place to learn.
This website connects my radio equipment with the knowledge behind it. A product dossier explains the device, an article explains the principle, and a calculator makes it testable. Guided paths connect these parts into an exercise with a result you can understand.
Explore the learning section →Three questions for the workbench.
These are developed project proposals. The experiments have not been performed; results, measurement plots and experience reports will follow actual testing. Open an idea to read its experiment plan.
01 · PROJECT IDEA · NOT STARTEDTwo SDRs. One signal. A fair comparison.
Project idea: compare the SDRplay RSP1B and Nooelec NESDR SMArt v5 at the same receiving site. The question is which settings help with weak signals and strong neighbouring signals, rather than which receiver is universally better.
The experiment plan
- Choose a receivable test frequency within both receivers’ coverage. Record antenna, cable, location, mode and filter width. Measure sequentially using the same antenna and note the time gap; changing propagation limits comparability.
- Disable automatic gain where the software permits. Record sensible gain settings for each receiver; equal slider numbers do not mean equal gain. Look for overload and change only one parameter at a time.
- Log UTC time, frequency, filter, gain, intelligibility and interference observations. Do not treat dBFS displays from different programs as calibrated signal levels. Repeat the trial and explain its limits.
Planned output: a reproducible reception report with original settings, excerpts and a table of observations. No measurements exist yet.
02 · PROJECT IDEA · NOT STARTEDThe 2 m dipole: from calculation to measurement.
Project idea: plan a simple dipole initially for reception and investigate mounting height, feed line and surroundings. The calculator gives the starting point; later tuning supplies the measurements.
The experiment plan
- Use the antenna learning path to choose a target frequency and calculate the initial length of both arms. Sketch the material, feed point, cable and intended mounting. This is a plan, not a completed or tuned antenna.
- Arrange a suitable instrument for later tuning; ownership of one is not assumed here. Document the setup and reference measurement before trimming. Keep measurement conditions consistent.
- Trim both arms symmetrically in small steps and log the changes. Consider resonance, SWR and usable bandwidth separately. Then compare reception observations at a different height or with different cable routing.
Planned output: an illustrated construction and measurement record with actual dimensions, mounting and measurement limitations. Construction and measurement have not started.
03 · PROJECT IDEA · NOT STARTEDTrace DMR from handheld to network.
Project idea: develop a repeatable check procedure using the AnyTone AT-D890UV and MMDVM/Pi-Star hotspot. The existing public BrandMeister network report provides one observation point; the local RF link is checked separately.
The experiment plan
- Record the parameters from your own valid configuration: channel, permitted frequency, colour code, slot and destination. Exclude access keys and private network details from the later report.
- Check the local radio configuration first, then the network report on the live page. A recent network timestamp does not confirm received RF packets. Observations from the local dashboard would need to be added manually.
- Perform an actual connection test only with the required authorisation and an agreed destination. Document outgoing and return paths separately. If a fault occurs, use the existing DMR troubleshooting flow and record the decisive check.
Planned output: a practical check report with observed states and clear fault isolation. No hardware test or contact report has been completed yet.