Since its introduction a generation ago, this concept is the tool of choice used worldwide by forces, diplomatic services, emergency agencies, police, militia, UN missions, drug enforcement, border control and even amateur radio.
#Dx toolbox black cat systems software
To establish communications, one just has to press the PTT key: the software looks for the best channel, switching to it, and you can speak or do some other type of communications. After a while, it builds up a table of channels with each of its reception quality. If the scanner identifies an ALE signal, it decodes it and saves some results like the quality of reception. The length of the transmission must be a bit longer than the number of channels, multiplied with the hold time of the scanner, at least ten seconds in the case of ten channels. Each receiver of the net is scanning through all channels, listening on each channel for about one second. It transmits a short message in a very robust, redundant mode (8-FSK) with forward-error correction. The headquarters then cycles through all the channels all 30 minutes, or so. This set of channels is programmed into the transceivers of all participants of a network. This information is used to develop a set of, say, ten channels of which at least one or, better, two will provide communications under all given circumstances. It starts with planning a network, defining the locations (regional, continental, worldwide) and the main times of traffic (daylight, dusk, night). With ALE, the knowledge of an expert simply slipped into software. HF Communications via ALE: Just press the (PTT) button With the advent of ALE, this number jumped to about 90%, re-vitalizing HF as a reliable tool of communications. Only 30% of first attempts to establish communications were successful. In the days before the MIL-STD-188-141-standard HF communications needed some knowledge about propagation and interference. Since its development in the late 1980s’, Automatic Link Establishment, or ALE, has made HF communications as easy as just pressing the PTT key of a transceiver. Get your copy of DX Toolbox now, and you’ll always be up to date on current radio propagation conditions.Here shown with 13 decoders only, Black Cat ALE decoder will read up to 24 different channels in parallel.
#Dx toolbox black cat systems how to
In addition, 21 maps of current D Layer Absorption levels are available for display.įull documentation on how to use the app is available here: The following radio propagation reports and forecasts are available: Graphs of x-ray flux readings from the GOES satellites may also be displayed. The MUF and skip zone can be calculated based on foF2 and hmF2 values.Īurora prediction maps for the northern and southern hemisphere are available.ĭX Toolbox displays the following important solar and geomagnetic readings:
Maps showing ionosonde plots of foF2, foEs, and hmF2 data from various locations around the world are available.
The propagation map displays the areas of the world where your signal can be heard (or a signal can be heard from), based on the frequency, transmitter power, and current solar flux, date, and time. The location of the currently transmitting NCDXF/IARU beacon can be displayed on the map as well. A plot the great circle (both short and long) path between your location and another station is also displayed, as well as the beam heading and distance. Grayline propagation has been used by expert radio operators and DXers for years to catch elusive stations. DX Toolbox's grayline map makes it easy for you to determine where those locations are. Radio propagation between locations within the grayline region of the world is often greatly enhanced. Graphs of these conditions can be generated for a given frequency or time, and MUF/LUF graphs can also be displayed.Ī grayline map of the world is also available. Radio propagation conditions can also be estimated between any two points on the Earth. Are you a ham radio operator or shortwave listener, in need of up to date propagation information and solar conditions? DX Toolbox features several propagation forecasting tools, allowing you to quickly and easily estimate current HF (Shortwave) propagation conditions between any two locations in the world, and is ideal for the ham radio operator, shortwave listener, or other radio enthusiast.