Been more than a year since I started using SDR# - SDR Sharp software. I find it quite powerful, with many features but lacking proper documentation and being demanding of CPU resources. Nevertheless I would still recommend it for use with RTL-SDR and AirSpy medium level receivers in VUF & UHF bands.
Having these mentioned, I made my receptions particularly to Athens - Greece area VU ham radio allocated band regions. That is 144-146MHz and 430-440MHz respectively. What I found missing in SDR# is a more descriptive BandPlan and set of standard frequencies - QRGs for IARU region 1 (e.g. repeater outputs).
Out of the box SDR# already provides a basic BandPlan feature, quite adequate to my requirements. No need to reinvent the wheel! This is properly provisioned by the use of a descriptor file object named BandPlan.xml in root directory of SDR Sharp. Decided to spend some effort and commission this file. Input was taken from RSGB bandpland[1] and file resulted is attached at the end of this page.
Download it, rename file already in SDR Sharp root directory and move downloaded one to this directory. Start SDR# and tune to any frequency within ham bands. Provided that Band Plan plugin has Show on spectrum checked, information in color shall appear at the bottom of spectrum window.
Should you decide to keep your version of file, then open the one downloaded with a text editor and copy text starting from line <!-- VHF BandPlan, version 1.01--> up to <!-- end of UHF BandPlan --> one. Paste it at the end of your file, but before </ArrayOfRangeEntry> line!
Notice that in case you have made any modifications for VU bands to the original SDR# BandPlan, you have to either combine or remove them. In the file provided below, original entries for VU bands have been commented (look for "<!--" string). Thank you Meduzi Jellyfish!
Amount of visualization given by bandplan of SDR# is fine business for a first level type of information, but is not granular enough. When tuned to a specific frequency allocated for example to FM VOICE, couldn't be sure if it is the output of a repeater or else.
Frequency manager core plugin had nearly all fields to characterize a specific QRG but displaying this on spectrum was mediocre! On the other hand, well known and established Frequency Manager + Scanner suite-plugin provided this as needed.
So another effort had to be spent in order to provision VUF & UHF frequencies for IARU region 1, to an FMS database. Input for this task was taken from a colleague in DL land. He has made a huge list of FM Repeater & Simplex channels for quick programming of Kenwood transceiver's memory channels[2].
Combing his list along with information from RSGB bandplan resulted in a FMS database file which can be downloaded at the end of this page. Using this is out of the scope, refer to http://www.freqmgrsuite.com/ page of developer.
Screenshots of both contributions to SDR# can be found further down the page.
BandPlan & frequency information provided is not to be used for any professional / safety activities and operations. Ham radio is actually a good old hobby! I would welcome anyone contributing further to this action or even promoting it.
73 de SV1CDN, Dennis!
Having these mentioned, I made my receptions particularly to Athens - Greece area VU ham radio allocated band regions. That is 144-146MHz and 430-440MHz respectively. What I found missing in SDR# is a more descriptive BandPlan and set of standard frequencies - QRGs for IARU region 1 (e.g. repeater outputs).
Out of the box SDR# already provides a basic BandPlan feature, quite adequate to my requirements. No need to reinvent the wheel! This is properly provisioned by the use of a descriptor file object named BandPlan.xml in root directory of SDR Sharp. Decided to spend some effort and commission this file. Input was taken from RSGB bandpland[1] and file resulted is attached at the end of this page.
Download it, rename file already in SDR Sharp root directory and move downloaded one to this directory. Start SDR# and tune to any frequency within ham bands. Provided that Band Plan plugin has Show on spectrum checked, information in color shall appear at the bottom of spectrum window.
Should you decide to keep your version of file, then open the one downloaded with a text editor and copy text starting from line <!-- VHF BandPlan, version 1.01--> up to <!-- end of UHF BandPlan --> one. Paste it at the end of your file, but before </ArrayOfRangeEntry> line!
Notice that in case you have made any modifications for VU bands to the original SDR# BandPlan, you have to either combine or remove them. In the file provided below, original entries for VU bands have been commented (look for "<!--" string). Thank you Meduzi Jellyfish!
Amount of visualization given by bandplan of SDR# is fine business for a first level type of information, but is not granular enough. When tuned to a specific frequency allocated for example to FM VOICE, couldn't be sure if it is the output of a repeater or else.
Frequency manager core plugin had nearly all fields to characterize a specific QRG but displaying this on spectrum was mediocre! On the other hand, well known and established Frequency Manager + Scanner suite-plugin provided this as needed.
So another effort had to be spent in order to provision VUF & UHF frequencies for IARU region 1, to an FMS database. Input for this task was taken from a colleague in DL land. He has made a huge list of FM Repeater & Simplex channels for quick programming of Kenwood transceiver's memory channels[2].
Combing his list along with information from RSGB bandplan resulted in a FMS database file which can be downloaded at the end of this page. Using this is out of the scope, refer to http://www.freqmgrsuite.com/ page of developer.
Screenshots of both contributions to SDR# can be found further down the page.
BandPlan & frequency information provided is not to be used for any professional / safety activities and operations. Ham radio is actually a good old hobby! I would welcome anyone contributing further to this action or even promoting it.
73 de SV1CDN, Dennis!
| bandplan.xml |
| standardFrequenciesVU_SV1CDN_v1.0.db |
SDR# with BandPlan & FMS provisioned for ham VU bands.
FMS database entries list.
