This week, Surfin’ considers two initialisms that are on the cutting edge of Amateur Radio.

At WebSDR on 20, 40 and 80 meters, you can remotely control a Software-Defined Radio (SDR) receiver.

WebSDR

In tandem, Dennis Silage, K3DS, and Jacques Culot, ON5MJ, contacted me about WebSDR on 20, 40 and 80 meters, "a site that is really innovative." Located at University of Twente in Enschede, The Netherlands, this is Web site allows you to remotely listen to and control a shortwave receiver located at the University's Amateur Radio club ETGD (Experimentele Telecommunicatie Groep Drienerlo) PI4THT. In contrast to other Web-controlled receivers, this receiver can be tuned by multiple users simultaneously, thanks to the use of Software-Defined Radio (SDR).

Note that the Web page requires that Java be plugged-in and running on your Web browser. Also, "note that the setup is rather experimental, and neither continuous service, nor good performance is guaranteed."

GPS Bad

Meanwhile, if you are scratching your noggin wondering why your GPS receiver does not seem to be in the same spot as you, consider reading these interesting articles about GPS performance (or lack thereof) that Bob Koblish, N3HAT, passed along:

Can We Trust Our GPS Devices? by Roland Piquepaille
Interfering with the Global Positioning System by the American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Space Weather and the Global Positioning System by Anthea Coster and Attila Komjathy

Until next time, keep on surfin'!

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, has GPS, but needs SDR. To communicate with Stan, send him e-mail  or add comments to his blog. By the way, every installment of Surfin' is indexed here, so go look it up.

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