CODE300-32 P
Control for Perseus HF SDR Receiver
© 2010 HOKA Electronic NL
CODE300-32 P - Perseus Receiver Control
Additional info for the optional receiver control form
Please note: this optional SDR mode will not replace the original supplied receiver
control software which comes with Perseus. For some purposes this maybe the
better choice. Also here CODE300-32 can be connected very easy, with a Virtual
Audio Device program or also with a real existing sound device, via mixer input.
Our SDR control does use own demodulators as well and is mainly made for data
communication purposes.
The interactivity between decoder and scanning entries of the database was a main
part of this integrated receiver control. These functions will be increased in the next
time. In MIL188-141, ALE, it is possible to open the ALE decoder and scan through
the ALE database (adjust dwell time to at least 1700 msec). Press the ‘Fx’ button and
select the requested function, stop in this case. Scanning wiil be stopped
as soon a signal appears.
The supplied data base is property of Roland Proesch, www.frequencymanager.de
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The free available program part ‘BDE’, ( Borland Database Engine) must be installed
on the PC or notebook running CODE300-32 with Perseus control. The setup part
will ask you to install this part or not in case it is installed by another program before
Switch between PERSEUS receiver and a normal sound device:
a) select SETUP, choose sound device . This way is the most easy way, but keep in
mind that the decoder must be started with Perseus control enabled! Only in this way
the Perseus input is shown as sound device in the selection menu.
b) open the CODE300W.CFG file with an editor and remove the first line,
AUDIO_SOURCE_PERSEUS=YES, change into 'NO'. Start CODE300-32 again, it
will work without the Perseus part as normal decoder analyzer. In case of a new start
of CODE300-32 with receiver control the above setting in the CODE300W.CFG file is
requested, because the Perseus is not in the Windows list of present sound devices.
Basic Setup
When running the Perseus SDR as input for CODE300-32, please change a few
settings in the CODE300W.CFG file:
AUDIO_SOURCE_PERSEUS=YES
must be set, this will start CODE300-32 with receiver control as default. If started in
this way, one can switch to normal decoder with sound card input by selecting
another audio source, i.e. the default PC sound device. If started in this way, one can
return to the Perseus setting again by selecting the Perseus input as sound input
from setup.
The following settings maybe changed to increase the decoder performance and
handling:
CENTER_FREQUENCY=1700
sets the decoder center frequency equal to the receiver BFO setting (1700 Hz in this
case)
CENTER_FX_MEASURED_AS_DEFAULT=NO
AUTO_TUNING=NO
These two settings are useable in offline modus, the decoder will ‘auto tune‘ into all
audio signals with different setting of center frequency. With a receiver input these
values can be better fixed to the receiver settings.
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Receiver Tuning Control
The receiver control form shows a main fft window, which can also be used for
receiver control:
The following tuning methods are available:
1. FFT window of Perseus form:
The frequency control of the PERSEUS can be performed directly in the spectrum
window. By pressing the left mouse button and dragging to the left or right the receive
frequency can be changed. In the lower part of the fft window the changes are small
as low as 1 Hz, in the upper part larger changes, up to 1 MHz, are possible. All other
steps are possible between these top and bottom lines.
2. Double click any signal in the fft will tune this signal into the fft center
3. Frequency Display
a) Click any decade in tuning display with the left mouse button.
Will tune up or low if the upper or lower part of display is selected (same as in all
C300-32 fields.
b) Select a decade and use the mouse wheel to scroll in any speed (very fast tuning)
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Moving the mouse in the fft window (without key pressed) will show
the actual frequency of the cursor in the right lower part of the screen, also the
calculated offset from the center line in khz, up to 1 hz.
4. Database
Double click an entry in both databases will tune the receiver to the stored setting.
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5. Up and Down
Press left ALT key and use CURSOR UP / DOWN or CURSOR LEFT / RIGHT to
scroll through the main data base entries. The receiver tuning will follow these entries
immediately without confirmation by ENTER. Please note: the database part must
have the focus in this case!
Mouse as cursor:
Moving the mouse in the fft window (without key pressed) will show the actual
frequency of the cursor in the right lower part of the screen, also the calculated offset
from the center line in khz, up to 1 hz.
Database follows frequency:
If a hook is set to Main database follow tuning the database is following the
frequency changes.
BTW: Griffin Technology offers a very nice USB tuning wheel!
Our Perseus control window has a few different types of ‘fast‘ memory:
a) Select the tuning window with left mouse button and 'move' it into the temporary
database below the tuning window. The frequency is stored, you can write your own
comment hereafter. This setting is stored in the 'own ' database called ‘observed
frequencies.db' Note that also all receiver settings are stored!
b) There are 16 “pen nails” below the tuning window.
If nothing is stored, these 16 nails are blue without the yellow paper.
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Move a receiver setting (left mouse pressed+move) in the same way as above
into one of these pen nails. The blue pen gets an additional yellow paper now.
Moving the mouse without any key pressed, shows the selected frequency.
Press the left mouse button once, will set the receiver temporarely to this stored
setting, you can short listen into this frequency. Double click left to keep this setting.
Pressing right mouse button empties this memory setting!
IF Bandwidth choice:
Every mode (except AM and FM) do have a free choice of bandfilters, but comes with
a default setting. Changing i.e. the USB filter is possible in two ways:
a) Pressing the left or right small button in the filter field will decrease or increase the
filter width.
Value is shown in filter field and also in C300-32 fft window as grey shadow in the
total audio spectrum.
b) Select within this audio fft the begin of a free definiable filter with the left mouse
button pressed and left CTRL key of keyboard pressed, now move the mouse until
the defined higher end of the IF filter. The grey shadow follows this line.
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Unpressing the left mouse button selects this filter width, it will also stored for this
frequency setting if it should be stored into one of the memories.
SCANNING modes:
Frequency range scanning:
Select the scanning parameters and input start-, stop - frequency and increment. The
dwell time can be selected and changed during scanning, settings are in msec. Press
the left of the 3 small scan buttons to start, middle for pause, right one to stop
scanning.
Selected database entries:
Press left keyboard SHIFT and CTRL button, keep pressed and select with mouse or
upper / lower keys the entries in the main database, they should colour blue.
All these entries will be scanned now with the chosen dwell time.
Selected scan database:
It is possible to use as many own databases as you need, i.e for a special mode or
user. In case you create or convert your own databases, please add the requested
fields for the receiver setting, with preset for each mode. (simply copy these settings
from one existing database).
Open the scan database selector and load the new scan database. The field with 3
scan buttons is changed, two more buttons are visible now. These two will scroll
manually through all entries (up and down), the receiver is tuned immediately.
An automatic scroll is possible with the 'normal' buttons (start, pause, stop) within the
selected dwell time.
This pause setting is also available as remote control command!
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Main database:
One can select on CALLSIGN, STATION, COUNTRY, SYSTEM and DETAILS:
Select with the mouse the field you want to select on, i.e. Country.
After a short delay a window appears showing all stored countries in this database.
Choose one and dubbelclick with the left mouse button, the database will show only
entries from this country now. You can handle these details in same way as the
complete database, tune into each setting, select for scanning etc.
To return to the full database, open the selection window again and click with the
RIGHT mouse button, full database is shown again, which is always sorted on
frequency entries.
Zoom into the Main FFT:
Move the mouse cursor into this window to give it the focus, than scroll with the
mouse wheel. The scale should change, the shown frequency range in this window,
the receiver span, is changed and can be set up to a few khz wide only.
A span of 10 khz wide will allow to see all possible details around a selected
frequency.
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Switch between PERSEUS receiver and a normal sound device
From main menu select SETUP, choose sound device .
This way is the most easy way, but keep in mind that the decoder must be started
with Perseus control enabled! Only in this way the Perseus input is shown as sound
device in the selection menu.
Open the CODE300W.CFG file with an editor and remove the first line,
AUDIO_SOURCE_PERSEUS=YES, change into 'NO';
Start CODE300-32 again, it will work without the Perseus part as normal decoder
analyzer.
Recording band segments of Perseus:
Press the upper button 'SAVE bandsegments to disk'
Will now open the Save As window
On File Name write your favourite name and click on Save, now your recording start
Be aware this recording will fill your hard disk in a short time !
For “Stop” the recording press again the upper button “Save bandsegment to disk”
Selecting the Replay bandsegment from disk button for loads a file and allows 'offline'
tuning of the receiver.
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Selecting the PLAY button loads a file into memory and allows also 'offline' tuning of
the receiver within the recorded bandwidth (span), in this example 110 KHz.
The chosen name of the recorded file gets the extension *.PDR, it is a 24bit binary
file and contains also the actual center frequency and span of the receiver.
During playback operation a bar under the waterfall display shows the position of the
playback point. For “Stop” the playback press again the upper button “Replay
bandsegment from disk”
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CODE300-32P - Perseus – Edit modify the database
Additional info for the optional receiver control form
This short guide describes how to modify the primary database and secondary
database of Code300-32P, using the same instructions can also create new
database with your personal data.
Before making any changes you should make a copy of the database files for use of
Code300-32P.
The main database consists of the following files
•
•
•
•
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.DB
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.PX
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.XG0
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.YG0
Secondary database
•
Observed frequencies.DB
Accessories database
•
•
File with extension. DB
File with extension. PX
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Databases Structure
The digital receiver makes use of 2 databases. These databases are loaded the if
the receiver starts operating.
The first and main paradox 7/8 type of database is
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.DB
This database or a user database must provide at least the following fields:
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE
Fieldname
Frequency
Station
Fieldsize
32-bit signed integer
50 position printable ASCII
Callsign
15 position printable ASCII
Country
3
System
100 position printable ASCII
Details
255 position printable ASCII
position printable ASCII
BFOFrequency 16-bit signed integer
Mode
Filter
16-bit signed integer
32-bit signed integer
AGC
16-bit signed integer
Description
The RX frequency in Hz.
Station name
in printable ASCII characters
CallSign
in printable ASCII characters
Country
in printable ASCII characters
System name
in printable ASCII characters
Details
describing system or station
in printable ASCII characters
BFO frequency in FSK or CW
mode in Hz.
RX mode(1)
Value defining the upper and
lower BP filter frequencies(2)
Value defining the AGC
speed.(3)
(1) Valid mode entries are : 0 = AM 1 = FM 2 = USB 3 = LSB 4 = FSK 5 = CW
(2) The value is calculated according to (HighCutOff Freq << 16) ||
LowCutOffFreq.
E.g. 3300 << 16 || 300 = 216269100.
3300 (high frequency) x 65536 (2 ^16) + 300 (low frequency) = 216269100
(3) Valid AGC entries are : 1 = fast, 2 = medium, 3 = slow.
The Database is sorted on frequency and maintains a secondary index on the field
frequency. User defined fields are allowed, provided the don’t conflict with the fields
define above. These user defined fields will not show up in de receiver display
however.
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OBSERVED FREQUENCIES.DB is the second database used.
The main purpose is to store frequencies and short comments of potentially
interesting frequencies observed while monitoring. New entries are created manually
or by means of dragging and dropping the frequency display.
After ending a monitoring session the user can retrieve the collected data, for storage
and processing in the users database.
OBSERVED FREQUENCIES
Fieldname
Fieldsize
Frequency
32-bit signed integer
BFOFrequency 16-bit signed integer
Mode
Filter
16-bit signed integer
32-bit signed integer
AGC
16-bit signed integer
Code300Mode 128 position printable
ASCII
Description
The RX frequency in Hz.
BFO frequency in FSK or CW mode in
Hz.
RX mode(1)
Value defining the upper and lower BP
filter frequencies(2)
Value defining the AGC speed.(3)
Details in printable ASCII characters
describing observed mode or
transmission
(1) Valid mode entries are : 0 = AM 1 = FM 2 = USB 3 = LSB 4 = FSK 5 = CW
(2) The value is calculated according to
(HighCutOff Freq << 16) || LowCutOffFreq
E.g. 3300 << 16 || 300 = 216269100
3300 (high frequency) x 65536 (2 ^16) + 300 (low frequency) = 216269100
(3) Valid AGC entries are : 1 = fast, 2 = medium, 3 = slow.
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How to modify the existing database
Open Access
From main menu -> File -> New -> Blank Dtabase
Select from Save in: the same folder where Code300-32p are installed, in this
example the folder is called Code300-32p
File name : as the filename used for convenience
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.DB
Save as type : Microsoft Office Access Database (as per default)
Click "Create"
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Will now open the window controls and functions for the new database that was
created MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.DB
Click "New"
select from the "Import Table"
Click "OK"
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Will now open the Import window
From Files of type select Paradox
Now select from the list of files MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE
Click on "Import"
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Now on MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.DB appear on the new table that was
imported MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE
Double click on MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE to open the new table
Now you can make changes to the database
After making the necessary changes click the Save icon in the main of Access, or
menu File -> Save so you save your changes to the file format
MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE.DB MDB (Access)
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To obtain the new Paradox database compatible with the program Code300-32p is
necessary a next step to export the MDB file format to DB Paradox
From the main menu click on "File" then click "Export"
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Export table box appears named as "MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE"
From Saves as Type select from the list from Paradox 7-8
Click on the file "MAIN_RX_LOCAL_DATABASE" already listed
Click "Export All"
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Will now appear a warning
Click "Yes"
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CODE300-32P - Perseus – Notes
Please read these notes carefully before you install CODE300-32-P!
Note about installation of BDE Engine
At the end of the installation Code300-32P automatically starts the installation of the
BDE Engine. The installation program asks for some confirmation see example
below:
leave unchanged the path as default and confirm by clicking “OK”
to this request confirmed with a click “Yes”
This error message is not true ! do not worry, but the old BDE does not recognize the
size of some new, larger hard disks and generates a warning message. Please
ignore the message (in case you are sure you have the requested few MB’s of free
disk space!) and continue the installation.
confirm with a click on “Yes”
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Possible error about Clock Correction
In countries with a different decimator, there may appear an error message, if an
older clock correction file is used. Please check that all clockcorr.txt files contain a
‘1’only, no decimals. Please remove also the first LASTSETTINGS file in the
CODE300-32P main directory, if this was created in another PC or in another country
before.
Possible error “Floating Point division by zero”
In case you get this error message at the start, you can press ‘OK’ and the program
will start, but parts of the main fft will not run correctly. So please remove the file
LASTSETTINGS in the CODE300-32P main directory and start again, the last
settings of the receiver (frequency, mode etc) are written into a new file called
‘Lastsettings’ each time you close the program.
Drivers
Do not update or change the supplied DLL’s of the Perseus receiver in the
CODE300-32P main directory, some of them are not the latest ones. There are
problems possible while EXIT the CODE300-32-P program with Perseus chosen as
input device. We do not have the possibility to change these files, they are property
of Microtelecom s.r.l. in Italy. Some new DLL’s may not be closed properly after
closing the program, on some PC’s this may happen very seldom and randomly, only
if Perseus is enabled.
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Bugfixes:
08 July 2010
fixed
fixed
MIL110-141, ALE could not be opened
Auto Classification in Perseus mode got a wrong center frequency
sometimes and the result was wrong or with a delay
15 July 2010
fixed
all modes with fsk demod started and 'ATC on' without real signal would
never start
solved problems in the operation without Persesu
fixed
fixed
audio channel R
select audio sample format
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