SuperSID Receiver Observing Notes

16/6/2012-21/6/2012

160612 @ 1817

Running on Hannah's red Dell laptop with Windows 7.

Screenshot from SuperSID monitoring programme

Several peaks visible consistently - I have managed to locate most of the peaks to their originating transmitters =

23408 - this must be 23400 = DH038 Ramsloh transmitter

22062 - this must be 22100 = GQD Anthorn (UK, NATO)

21732 - GYA London

20905 - Rosnay France, HWU

20504 - Possibly Tavolara in Italy

19583 - this must be 19580 = GBZ Anthorn

18048 - ?? Russia Matotchkinchar

15970 - ?? Russia Vladivostok

5744 = probably local interference

The highest peak relative to its noise baseline on the right is DH038 - demonstrates why the BAA RAG/UKRAA have chosen this frequency for their VLF receiver.

Map showing Ramsloh (DH038) relative to my observing location in Lichfield

Hence DL038 is almost directly east from my observing location and approx 350-400 miles away.

At 00:49 following morning, screenshot looked like this:

The peaks still exist and are quite prominent for 19583khz, 20905khz, 21708khz, 22086khz, and 23385khz, although peak power is significantly lower than the reading during the day. Interestingly the signals of the transmitters are clearly seen as different from background at night as well as during the day. From my reading of material supplied with BAA VLF transmitter I had got impression that signal was not detectable at night – however on reflection I realise that they did not actually say that!

According to the SuperSID manual the SuperSID program should have saved data files as 0000 – but it hasn’t – not sure why? Up to that point data is saved in memory – so can’t be plotted across time. As this was Hannah’s computer I decided to shut it down as I am worried that prolonged use might damage it (laptop) – I will try the SuperSID next on my desktop upstairs – that one can easily be left turned on long term.

170612 @ 0834

Running on desktop computer upstairs with ASUS Xonar DG Audio sound card.

Screenshot with SuperSID Config file set to 48000Hz sample rate:

Screenshot with SuperSID Config file set to 96000Hz sample rate:

This sound card samples at 96KHz and is therefore able to accept the higher setting in the configuration file. I have left it set at this higher level. Interestingly the same peaks are shown and the higher frequency transmitters listed on SIDStation online VLF monitoring website do not

appear as significant peaks in my data - so probably using 96KHz rather than 48KHz does not really matter. I wonder why background noise level drops off dramatically after 24KHz? Is it due to real differences in background noise or is it due to my aerial response being poor at these higher frequencies?

CURRENT SUPERSID CONFIG FILE IN USE 17/6/12 @ 0845:- may need modification of frequencies I use for stations in light of frequencies on peaks shown above - however in first instance I will record 24-48 hours data and see what plots look like.

[PARAMETERS]

site_name = StMichaels

longitude = 1.8

latitude = 52.5

utc_offset = 0

time_zone = GMT

monitor_id = 0313

audio_sampling_rate = 96000

log_interval = 5

log_type = filtered

scaling_factor = 1.0

automatic_upload = no

ftp_server = sid-ftp.stanford.edu

ftp_directory = /incoming/SuperSID/

number_of_stations = 5

[STATION_1]

call_sign = GBZ

color = r

frequency = 19580

[STATION_2]

call_sign = ICV

color = b

frequency = 20270

[STATION_3]

call_sign = GQD

color = g

frequency = 22100

[STATION_4]

call_sign = DH038

color = c

frequency = 23400

[STATION_5]

call_sign = NAA

color = y

frequency = 24000

17/6/12 @ 1600

The following is today's trace from the BAA RAG receiver @ 23.4kHz. It demonstrates considerable variability in signal strength through night, the period in early morning just after 0800 when the transmitter is turned off and a period after 1300 when there is man-made interference:-

Here is a close-up of the man-made interference:-

and:

18/6/12 @ 06:36

SuperSID plot shows:-

Data has been recorded for yesterday on SuperSID:

Plotting the 5 charts shows:-

None of these is the type of plot I get with the BAA RAG receiver suggesting that the frequencies I have set in the config file are incorrect = this fits with fact that frequencies I measured on peaks were different from theoretical frequencies of transmitters by few hertz - perhaps atmosphere modifies frequencies as signals travel long distances?

This morning the peak signals appearing on the SuperSID monitor are at following

frequencies:-

23283Hz

22177Hz

20812Hz

19641Hz

18145Hz

16064Hz

11772Hz

6178Hz

The peaks I found on 16/6/12 and transmitters I thought they related to are listed below:-

23408 - this must be 23400 = DH038 Ramsloh transmitter

22062 - this must be 22100 = GQD Anthorn (UK, NATO)

21732 - GYA London

20905 - Rosnay France, HWU

20504 - Possibly Tavolara in Italy

19583 - this must be 19580 = GBZ Anthorn

18048 - ?? Russia Matotchkinchar

15970 - ?? Russia Vladivostok

5744 = probably local interference

Not sure why peak frequencies have changed slightly over these few days nor why DH038 no longer appears on my SuperSID monitor since I moved the radio telescope upstairs from dining room to spare bedroom.....

I have rechecked the SuperSID monitoring programme and the peak frequencies I listed for today are correct for peaks currently (all in Hz below):-

23283

22177

20812

19641

18145

16064

11772

6178

I will put these into the config settings file to see if I record better data sets.

Modified config file 18/6/12 @ 07:16

[PARAMETERS]

site_name = StMichaels

longitude = 1.8

latitude = 52.5

utc_offset = 0

time_zone = GMT

monitor_id = 0313

audio_sampling_rate = 96000

log_interval = 5

log_type = filtered

scaling_factor = 1.0

automatic_upload = no

ftp_server = sid-ftp.stanford.edu

ftp_directory = /incoming/SuperSID/

number_of_stations = 6

[STATION_1]

call_sign = AAA

color = r

frequency = 23283

[STATION_2]

call_sign = BBB

color = b

frequency = 22177

[STATION_3]

call_sign = CCC

color = g

frequency = 20812

[STATION_4]

call_sign = DDD

color = c

frequency = 19641

[STATION_5]

call_sign = EEE

color = y

frequency = 18145

[STATION_6]

call_sign = FFF

color = p

frequency = 16064

The plot above shows that the SuperSID monitoring programme has accepted the config file and is now listing my new stations ("AAA" etc) - they are listed on bottom of screenshot. I have opted temporarily to callstations as "AAA", "BBB", "CCC", etc - I will identify them later once I get good plots.

18/6/12 @ 23:05

Timings on computer

A sudden flash of inspiration - I suddenly realised why I had previously thought timings

on Radio Sky Pipe were wrong and switched off daylight saving time - it is because the programmes save their traces in UT (Universal Time = GMT) rather than BST (British Summer Time)! So, of course times on the charts will be 1 hour different from time of day SID occurred - I need to change it back.

What clocks on computer say now:-

What clocks say after changing back:-

19/6/12 @ 07:00

Below are plots from yesterday 18/6/12 on SuperSID - using new frequencies I had

entered into config files. They all start around 7am as this was when I changed frequencies in config file and restarted the SuperSID monitoring program.

Station AAA

Station BBB

Station CCC

Station DDD

Station FFF

The stations were set the the following frequencies in the config file:

number_of_stations = 6

[STATION_1]

call_sign = AAA

color = r

frequency = 23283

[STATION_2]

call_sign = BBB

color = b

frequency = 22177

[STATION_3]

call_sign = CCC

color = g

frequency = 20812

[STATION_4]

call_sign = DDD

color = c

frequency = 19641

[STATION_5]

call_sign = EEE

color = y

frequency = 18145

[STATION_6]

call_sign = FFF

color = p

frequency = 16064

Station CCC's plot (pasted again below) looks very similar to that obtained using BAA RAG (UKRAA) Receiver - particularly as yesterday there were two dropouts during day as on this trace - so perhaps my BAA RAG receiver is tuned into 20812Hz. However, that signal is meant to be at 23.4KHz - how can there be such a difference? I know that it

is the Ramsloh transmitter because it switches off for an hour in the morning and the BAA RAG traces show that effect.

19/6/12 @ 23:34 (BST)

Peak signals on SuperSID plot are at:- (all in Hz)

22480

21825

19657

18901

18196

12046

10534

5696

Small afternoon SID shown on SIDSTATION online VLF monitoring data which does not show up on my BAA RAG receiver (see plot below) so I am not expecting my SuperSID data to show it either:-