[ARDF] ARDF - an app for that? Getting there!

[Charles Scharlau]

In case others are interested in my reply to Tony, I've copied it below.

Hello Tony,

Thank you for the note. Yes, the SoftRocks seem to work reasonably well with
this app. Pictured on the home page of digitalconfections.com is a SoftRock
v6.2 <http://www.wb5rvz.com/sdr/> Lite 80m connected to an iPod touch. (The
signals shown are recorded however, since it would have been difficult to
get a nice spectrum display with such a simple set-up.)

There is not currently any way to make adjustments for tweaking phase
difference between I and Q. And iSDR does not currently do it automatically.
So there will be some "image signal" issues with some detectors, I'm sure. I
haven't found them to be an issue with my simple setup.

Regarding suitability for ARDF, I think that eventually ARDF will need to
enter the 21st century. It won't be long before SDR receivers will be the
norm, and a cheaper option to boot, I predict. I think there will be
technological solutions to address concerns about using built-in GPS, maps,
etc. For instance, with iPhone OS 4.0, and Android (both support
multitasking), you could have a "monitor" application required to run
continuously in the background. The monitor app could provide a report to
the organizers following the competition, indicating whether the cell phone,
GPS, or other disallowed technologies were enabled or accessed during the
time span of the competition. The monitor program could actually utilize the
GPS to record the user's track, which could then be downloaded after the
event, and used to check for "following", or entering out-of-bounds areas.
In that way computer radios might someday help bring more fairness back into
the sport of ARDF. But the rules committee will need some serious
convincing, I'm sure.

Thanks for trying out the app. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know if
you have ideas for improving it.

73,
Charles
NZ0I

  2. Re: ARDF - an app for that? Getting there! (Tony Langdon)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:00:02 +1000
> From: Tony Langdon <vk3jed at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [ARDF] ARDF - an app for that? Getting there!
> To: Charles Scharlau <charles.scharlau at gmail.com>,ardf at kkn.net
> Message-ID: <4c0b012d.1d588c0a.12a7.ffff9a29 at mx.google.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
> At 09:48 AM 6/6/2010, Charles Scharlau wrote:
> >For those interested in using their iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad as a radio
> >receiver there is now a free app available on the iTunes App Store: <
> >http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/isdr/id375603584?mt=8> Or you can read
> more
> >about it here: <http://isdr.digitalconfections.com>
>
> Interesting app.  I presume the QSD style of front ends such as a
> Softrock would work with this app?
>
>
> >I intend to add features and functionality that will make the application
> >suitable for ARDF use. Right now it is mostly good for experimentation,
> and
> >getting a feel for what a good feature set and user interface would be for
> >an iPod/iPhone ARDF receiver.
>
> Only problem I see is the capabilities of the iPhone (GPS, mapping,
> etc) might make them inappropriate for serious competition
> use.  You'd probably get away with an iPod Touch or a wifi iPad,
> since these don't have the GPS, and typical ARDF aourses would be out
> of wifi range (which is how these devices do Geolocation).
>
>
> >The app is totally free, and contains no advertising. It is a universal
> app
> >that also runs very nicely on the iPad... but I'm guessing most folks will
> >find the iPad a bit cumbersome to attach to their ARDF antenna :-)
>
> Looks nice, just downloaded it.  Now I have to build up that
> Softrock, so I can try it with live signals! :)
>
> 73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL
> http://vkradio.com
>
>