The world of QRSS

THE WORLD OF QRSSBy David R. Hassall WA5DJJ

What we are doing? We are transmitting our Amateur Radio Calls usingvarious modulation schemes at very low power tosee how far it travels with the existing radio wavepropagation. Most QRSS transmitters are built from scratch or kits The transmitter power rarely exceeds 1 watt andmost run about 200 milliwatts. Reception of the signals is done with a stablereceiver connected to a computer running aspectrum analyzer program.

Who is doing it? Radio Amateurs from all over the world who enjoyseeing just how far their tiny signal will travel andalso enjoy studying Radio Wave Propagation. They come from all walks of life and are innovativeexperimenters. We are loosely banded together through theinternet email reflector run by the KNIGHTS OF THEQRSS.

How are we doing it? Building little QRPp transmitters from plans or kits. Putting them on the air with an available antenna. Watching for the signal to appear on one of theestablished QRSS GRABBER stations or wait for anemail from someone who copied our signal. We modify our station’s transmitter or Antenna to see ifwe can make our signal go farther than we did the lasttime. This is not an “instant gratification” form of AmateurRadio operation, In some ways it is like watching Grassgrow.

What the signals look like.

QRSS TRANSMITTERS – The model 1This is a “Homebrewed” 140mW QRSStransmitter. It was built from Junkboxparts. It operates on 10,140,050 Hz(30M Amateur Band). It is easy toduplicate and was built using the“Manhattan Style” of construction. TheKeyer IC was purchased from K1EL forabout $6. The Crystal Oscillator ismounted in a foam box for temperaturestability. It usually maintains it’sfrequency +/- 3 Hz over a 24 hourperiod. I call this transmitter my Model 1and there were about 3 of themconstructed by me. This was my firstQRSS Transmitter.

QRSS Transmitters – The model 2Taking what I had learned fromthe model 1 transmitter… Icreated the Model 2. It has a300mW Power Amplifier stage,Crystal heater for betterfrequency control and a multiplemessage K1EL keyer. It’sfrequency stability was +/- 2Hzover a 24 hour period. It had afine frequency control knob so Icould move the frequency slightlyif I was colliding with someone.The schematics were posted onmy website and there were manycopies of this transmitter built.

QRSS Transmitters – Model 3This is a picture of my Model 3transmitter. It was a radical departurefrom the model 2. It used a DirectDigital Synthesis Oscillator that wassoftware controlled by an ArdunioProcessor. It worked great. Thesoftware for it was written by ourMesilla Valley Radio Club BuildersGroup. It could cover all the amateurRadio Bands and could be programmedto do different transmitter modes. Nowmy signals were stable and movablewithout buying more hard to findcrystals. This was my prototype, I laterrepackaged this transmitter into a moreusable form.

QRSS Transmitters – Model 5This is my model 5 transmitter. It was supposed to bethe “Ultimate QRSS Transmitter”. It has an Arduniocontrolled Direct Digital Synthesis oscillator modeledafter a design from Russ KB1KGA, A multibandswitchable output filter, a 170mW output powerfinal amplifier and Dial in frequency. I later addedGPS disciplined Oscillator stability which makes itsfrequency stability close to that of WWV. But it stillisn’t the “Ultimate”. So, I keep studying andtinkering in my little workshop . Trying to come upwith the NEXT simple transmitter that is going to letme go around the world on 1 microwatt.

NU7Z’S MEPT TRANSMITTER:Here are pictures of Rick Beatty NU7Z’s transmitter.It is an excellent example of a “HOMEBREWED” MEPT Transmitter. It was built fromindividual modules that are available on the internet from various sources and thenassembled into a working Manned Experimental Propagation Transmitter (MEPT). It isdigitally synthesized and works on all the Amateur Radio Bands. Rick did an excellent jobof building this transmitter.

QRP labs Transmitter Kit:This QRPLabs MEPT Transmitter wasdesigned and produced by Hans SommersG0UPL and Steve Farthing G0XAR. This kithas really increased the number of QRSSsignals on the air. There have been manysold and a lot of them made it to theairways. It costs about $17 includingpostage from England.These transmitters come in three models for80M, 40M and 30M bands.

QRP labs Ultimate MEPT KITThis is a front and back view of QRP Labslatest creation. It does all the common CWmodes, Hellscriber, and some limited graphicscapabilities. It is easy to assemble and aftergetting used to using 2 switches to set all themenu parameters it is easy to put on the air. Itcomes as a 80M, 40M or 30M version. Cost isabout $24 USD at last order. (It comes fromEngland and price depends on currentexchange rate) I have only had mine forabout 5 days. It puts out 160mW and hasalready been to Australia, New Zealand andTasmania for DX and Pensacola, FL, Austin, TXand Hawaii. This one is going to be fun tolearn as there are a lot of software functionsto explore.

ETHERKIT QRSS Transmitter KitThis is one of the latest Kit QRSS Transmittersfrom EtherKit. It has just been on the market fora few months and has added some really nicemodulation and keying features that were notavailable in the other kits. This one is still intesting at my station. It is the only US made kitavailable. I think there will be more popping upas the QRSS mode becomes more popular.

KB5UEW’s Transmitter KitThis is Earl KB5UEW’s Surface mountQRSS Transmitter that he built and istrying to develop into a Kit. It is atemperature stabilized crystaloscillator and has various keyingmodes. He makes his own PC Boardsand His unique cabinet structure is adiscarded Tin Can. You will see isvery distinctive signal on thegrabbers. There are two of thesetransmitters on the air. RichardKC5EVR also has one going. Itsunique DFCW modulation with atriangle at the front and back isdistinctive.

Receiving QRSS SignalsThis is all you need to receive QRSS Signals from around the world. A antenna, agood stable receiver and a computer that can run the Spectrum Analyzer Software.The software that most of us use is FREEWARE available on the internet.

QRSS Frequency Bands: QRSS is operated in a100Hz or 200Hz narrowfrequency section on all the common AmateurRadio Bands:160M – 1,843,000 to 1,843,100 Hz80M – 3,500,800 to 3,500,900 Hz40M – 7,000,800 to 7,000,900 Hz30M – 10,139,900 to 10,140,100 Hz20M – 14,000,800 to 14,000,800 Hz17M – 18,068,800 to 18,068,900 Hz15M – 21,000,800 to 21,000,900 Hz12M – 24,890,800 to 24,890,900 Hz10M – 28,332,800 to 28,332, 900 Hz

SPECTRUM ANALYZER SOFTWARE: ARGO Software is the easiest to use and configurefor the first time user. SPECTRUM LAB is more difficult to setup but offersmore analytical features. There are other Audio Spectrum Analyzers you canuse but the above programs have special QRSSSetups built in. You can use the same setup that you would use forPSK-31 or SSTV except your just receiving QRSS.

BECOMING A GRABBER: The only thing you have to add to the basic QRSSreceiving system is a internet connection and awebsite to be a Grabber. We are in dire need of more 24/7 automatedGrabbers on all of the QRSS Frequency bandsaround the world on the Internet. If radio wavepropagation could be studied on all of the AmateurRadio frequencies at the same time, It may give usvaluable clues as to what is REALLY happening.

Present QRSS “GRABBER” Locations:The Red dots show the existing operating QRSS 24/7 Grabbers. Most of them are onthe 30M frequency band 10,140,000 Hz +/- 100Hz. WE COULD USE MANY MORE.

QRSS is a Learning Experience: Just getting a QRSS transmitter on the air is a reallearning experience. Even if you’re an ”Expert”! Then getting your QRSS transmitter to stay onFrequency is another Lesson. Antenna building and installation is another learningexperience. Watching what the atmospheric conditions does to yourtransmitted signal is another learning experience. There are many things you learned about propagationas an experienced Amateur Radio Operator that will,somehow, turn out to be DIFFERENT, when you startworking with QRSS.

Propagation of my Signal:In this grabber screen shot, My signal is at the bottom of the screen. It should be a clear line withthe up and down shifts. Instead the Ionosphere is modulating my signal so it appears as a broadline at the top and bottom of the shifts. What is interesting is the two signals at the top of thescreen are hardly being modulated at all. One is coming from Mc Kinney, Texas and the W is fromConcord, MA. Why is this happening?

Effects of Solar Flares:This was the effects of a Solar Storm from Last year. My transmitter was puttingout 100mW and was received in Pensacola, Florida. My transmitter was GPSStabilized and was only transmitting 1 frequency, Yet the spectrum capture showmultiple frequencies. I have no explanation as to what is happening in this screen shot.

QRSS Aircraft Reflections:This is an Aircraft Echo of my 100mW transmitted Signal as received by Chris WB5FKC inEl Paso, Texas. He was able to receive both my direct signal and a reflection off of anAircraft either leaving or arriving at El Paso Airport. The upper signal on this screen shotcomes from a transmitter that is less than a half mile from mine. Yet, there is no reflectionon his signal.

Very Weak Signal Tests:This was the test setup for my mostsuccessful weak signal test. It consistsof a Modified QRP labs 30Mtransmitter. A switched attenuator andmy M cubed frequency counter/powermeter. My antenna was a 30/17/12meter inverted Vee antenna with theapex at 40 feet off the side of mytower. The test was done over aperiod of about 6 weeks. I started at1mW and decreased the power by ½(3dB) each time it was copied. Myreceiving end was W4HBK in GulfBreeze, FL a distance of 1,163.7 miles.The next few slides show the results ofthis test.

Las Cruces, NM to Pensacola, FL:My Signal WA5DJJ is at the bottom of this Grabber screen shot. Mypower level at my transmitter was 8.51 uW or .00000851Watts. It wasdone on July 28, 2011.

Las Cruces to Pensacola Florida:Close but no Cigar!This was another attempt thatcame close, But no cigar.W4HBK only copied 4 of my 6call letters and this attempt wasat a power level of 3.89uW.(.00000389 Watts) We use amethod of Stacking thescreenshots to gain somesensitivity. The original imagesthat were stacked did not showany signals at all, Yet when theywere processed, My signal andthose of P29ZL and WB5FKCpopped out of the noise

WALL PAPER:

I am always looking for new converts: I am the “GODFATHER” of the Las Cruces QRSS Mafia.There are more QRSS Operators within 100 miles ofLas Cruces, New Mexico than anywhere else in theworld. We total 20 at last count. Four years agothere was only ONE. There is always room for MORE. If you have grown tired of the YADAA, YADAA, YADAAof Amateur Radio Operations, Come join us. It will grabyour soul and won’t let go. To get started, Check out “MY QRSS ADVENTURE” onthe web at: http://www.zianet.com/dhassall/

Questions? We have some time for Questions and answers. My website’s “MY QRSS ADVENTURE” Email me at my QRZ.COM address. Join the KNIGHTS OF THE QRSS. SEEK out OTHERS who would be interested in doingQRSS Operation and learn together. Blaze a new trail, There is always room for moreinnovation.