FreeDV Sunday net - conducted with C client

I've been working on my C port of the FreeDV app's main functionality over recent weeks. It's really just a proof of concept but yesterday I got reporting to qso.freedv.org working which made it practical to run today's net. That feature, combined with a minimal implementation of Hamlib, just enough to read transceiver status and turn transmit on and off, has made the app quite usable.

The app worked smoothly and the following stations were seen: VK5RT, VK5LN, VK5LO, VK5KVA, VK5AG, VK5ABE, VK3ZUM, VK3XCI, VK3UBK, VK3PCC, VK3KEZ, VK3GTP, VK3CDH, VK3BAL, VK2KO, VK2DWG, VK2CJB, VK2BLQ, VK2AWY, VK2TTL and me, VK3TPM.

Tech Talk on ABC Radio - Software that kills and AI boom crashes tech stocks

This week on ABC Nightlife, I discuss the final removal of the truly evil UK Post Office Horizon software system that led to 13 suicides among innocent sub postmasters, job offers for the OpenClaw developer, and the latest video creation models that are rocking movie producers - or is it just an evolution of the Computer Generated Images we've had for decades. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/actors-to-be-sacked-for-ai/106382876

FreeDV Sunday net - a new record

A very well attended Sunday FreeDV net on 7045 this morning from 10:30 eastern time. Stations on frequency were: VK2AWJ, VK2BX, VK2UMZ, VK3BAL, VK3CDH, VK3DJB, VK3FC, VK3GTP, VK3ID, VK3KEZ, VK3PCC, VK3PTR, VK3SRC, VK5ABE, VK5AG, VK5KHZ, VK5KVA, VK5MH, VK7DMH, VK2KO, VK2KNC, VK2YW, VK2CJB and me VK3TPM. 24 stations!

 

Generating sideband to transmit on a HackRF

While working on my C port of FreeDV RADE1 I wanted a reliable radio signal to test with. While I have off air recordings from the FreeDV GUI app I thought it would be nice to generate my own files to transmit with the HackRF Portapack Mayhem which can record to C16 files and play them back. There's a TXT file with each recording that specifies the sample rate and output frequency.

I've made a python utility that can read a WAV file recording and produce C16 sideband. Here's how it sounds.

The code is pretty short so I've published it as a gist on GitHub.

The HackRF is a wonderful tool for radio experimentation. I'm using the standalone Mayhem but it works just as well from a computer via USB with hackrf_transfer.

FreeDV Sunday net - 23 stations

An excellent FreeDV RADE1 net here in South East Australia with 23 stations on frequency. Some for the first time. Stations: VK5KHZ, VK5KFG, VK5AG, VK3ZUM, VK5KVA, VK3UBK, VK3SRC, VK3KEZ, VK3JCO, VK3GTP, VK3FC, VK3DJB, VK3CDH, VK3BQO, VK3BAL, VK2YW, VK2XOR, VK2UMZ, VK2KNC, VK2DWG, VK2AWJ, VK5HM and me VK3TPM. 

Normally I call in stations in alphabetical order but today I thought I'd trick Jack VK5KVA, by going in reverse.

 

C port of FreeDV RADE going well - transmit working today

Today marked a milestone in my investigation into using Claude Code with a complex codebase. I had a FreeDV RADE contact with another station using code it wrote under my instruction in just one week - very much part time. Here's a receive demo:

My thanks as always to Joe, VK3SRC, for assistance in testing and feedback. Also thanks to Britt, VK3AOB who responded to my first call which I really expected to not be decodable.

Here's how Claude Code looks while working on a bug in the code (click to enlarge):

 I'm developing on Linux Mint. The app is C++ using GTK and Claude seems very knowledgable in this scenario. I suspect that the large amount of open source software around is a great advantage for this sort of thing.

The code is here: https://github.com/peterbmarks/radae_decoder As you can see the name of the project is no longer correct as it encodes as well.

Tech talk on ABC Radio - Is OpenClaw the future?

Have you heard of a tool called OpenClaw? Apparently, you install it on your computer and it acts like your personal assistant. it's generating a lot of buzz and users are saying it's like they're 'finally getting a glimpse of the future'. 

Tech Talk takes a look at this and how the big four tech companies are faring after they've spent big on AI. 

Peter Marks, mobile software developer and technology commentator from Access Informatics, joined Philip Clark and listeners to Nightlife with the latest tech news. Listen here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/nightlife-tech-talk-with-peter-marks/106328266 

FreeDV Sunday net - excellent conditions

An excellent Sunday FreeDV net this morning with VK2, VK3 and VK5 stations all with good SNRs. 

Some interest was expressed in the C port of the RADAE python code which is encouraging. On the frequency, (not everyone transmitted), VK2AMF, VK2AWJ, VK2DWG, VK2GMH, VK2YE, VK3DJB, VK3FC, VK3GTP, VK3JCO, VK3KEZ, VK3XCI, VK3YV, VK3ZUM, VK4TEW, VK5ABE, VK5KHZ, VK5KVA, VK5LN, VK5ST, VK6YR, VK3BAL (running three copies of FreeDV!), VK3AOB, and me VK3TPM.