Author Archives: 9h1lo

MySQL Connector and Web-Interface for DX Spider

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DXSpider is Copyright © 1998-2007 by Dirk Koopman G1TLH. http://www.dxcluster.org

Download Scripts

Purpose:

The propose of the script is to extract the DXSpots from the DXSpider data files and write them into a MySQL database. This gives the facility of interfacing to the spots in many ways, mainly from a web interface, which was the main reason for developing this script.

MySQL offers a fast and query based database which can also be accessing from log book programs ect.

Prerequisites:

  • Linux Operating System (Will probably work on Windows also)
  • DXSpider
  • Apache 2.2
  • MySQL 5
  • PHP5

Create the database schema:

mysql> CREATE DATABASE `dxcluster` ;

Create the tables:

CREATE TABLE `dxcluster`.`spots` (

`freq` DOUBLE( 12, 3 ) UNSIGNED NOT NULL ,
`dxcall` VARCHAR( 85 ) NOT NULL ,
`datetime` VARCHAR( 85 ) NOT NULL ,
`commets` VARCHAR( 100 ) NULL ,
`spotter` VARCHAR( 85 ) NOT NULL

) ENGINE = MYISAM

Now we create the scripts for datacollection:

Create a file called start.txt and newspots.dat

touch start.txt

touch newspots.dat

Now create a file called dxmysql.sh and insert the following:

i=$(cat /spider/data/spots/2008/start.txt)

doy=`date +%j`

v=`cat /spider/data/spots/2008/$doy.dat |wc -l`

sed -n "$i,$v p" /spider/data/spots/2008/$doy.dat > /spider/data/spots/2008/newspots.dat

let "v++"

echo $v > /spider/data/spots/2008/start.txt

mysql -u <mysqlusername> -p<mysqlpassword> -e "load data infile '/spider/data/spots/2008/newspots.dat' into table dxcluster.spots fields terminated by '^' lines terminated by '\n';"

Now create a cron job (/etc/crontab) as follows:

0 0 * * * root echo "1" > /spider/data/spots/2008/start.txt

* * * * * root /spider/data/spots/2008/dxmysql.sh > /dev/null

Please ensure that the DXSpider server is set to use UTC as timezone.

Upload the PHP scripts to your /var/www directory

You only need to edit the file clusterdb.inc.php to set your MySQL user and pass.

Now access http://your_site/cluster.php

This software is provided as-is and comes with no guarantees. It is provided under the Creative Commons licence. Please visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/GPL/2.0/ for more details.

Please leave the “Powered by 9H1LO DX Engine” and link to www.9h1lo.net on the html pages.

New update for 2010. The dxmysql.sh script has been updated to support auto year change:

#!/bin/bash
year=`date +%Y`
i=$(cat /spider/data/spots/$year/start.txt)
doy=`date +%j`
v=`cat /spider/data/spots/$year/$doy.dat |wc -l`
sed -n "$i,$v p" /spider/data/spots/$year/$doy.dat > /spider/data/spots/$year/newspots.dat
let "v++"
echo $v > /spider/data/spots/$year/start.txt
mysql -u <USER> -p<PASS> -h <HOST> -e "load data local infile '/spider/data/spots/$year/newspots.dat' into table dxcluster.spots fields terminated by '^' lines terminated by '\n';"

12GHz Division by 8 prescaler

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This design uses the Hittie HMC363 prescaler chip.

It divides the input by 8 so if 10GHz is put in the input the output is 1.25GHz.

Component assy:
To fit the ERA-1, (or NBB-310 for higher frequency performance)
Drill a hole to allow the body of the device to drop down thru the pcb
so the leads are level with the tracks
Snip off the leads to make them about 1mm long
Fit “u” shaped copper strips thru the hole to connect the ground pads to the back plane
Then fit the device, white dot/angled lead is input. I used silver loaded solder paste

To fit the Hittite prescaler
Put a small blob of solder/solder paste under the device and align it.
Solder one corner lead to its pad to locate the device
Apply heat to the adjacent ground pad to melt the solder under the device
Ensure that it has settled down on the ground pad before removing heat.
(I applied heat alternately each end to ensure that it was firmly stuck.)
Solder the rest of the leads to the pads.

When you’re testing it, just apply a finger (grounded, of course) to the top of the package to check the temperature – if it feels hot – it probably isn’t grounded properly. It will be dissipating around 360mW and the ground pad will be a useful mechanism for dissipating the heat.

30m QRSS Beacon Transmitter

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This beacon puts out about 0.5W on 10.140MHz. It is intended to be used for Slow Morse (QRSS) operation.
The actual design is by Colin G6AVK and PCB by 9H1LO.
The varicap is a normal 3mm red LED. Transistors can be 2N2222 or 2N3904, PA final 2N3866 or 2N4427.

Download PCB Layout in PDFDownload
Oscillator Components Placement
PA Components Placement