четверг, 27 августа 2009 г.

Analysis of QAM-16.

The example of analysis of the real signal.
Analysis of the record of QAM-16 signal.
The example of analysis of the real signal 2008_21_12_fm.wav

The video clip to this article is attached!

The first mandatory step is the testing of the record on suitability for analysis. This step does not guarantee exact diagnostics, and the main objective of the test is the tentative estimation of chances of success. If will be found out, that the record is made with rough disturbances, has strong distortions or was exposed to a compression, then the chances of carrying out of the qualitative analysis are extremely small.

In generall, the there are no big problems, and it is possible to hope that the efforts spent for the analysis will be not vain. The record seems to has a notable blockage/obstruction of level on the low frequencies, but it is not the reason for refusal of the analysis.
We get, where possible, the preliminary "measures" from the signal, at the same time we are marking that the blockage/obstruction is really present. When we say "Measures" here, we mean:
  • preliminary, and rough enough estimates, of the spectrum's centre of the signal
  • presence and direction of distortion/defect of the spectrum, of spectrum's width and etc
All that can be useful further for specification conclusions and summarys.
We receive clock frequency of manipulation, through two methods, both methods give identical results. The line of the clock frequency is clear and bright enough, that gives grounds to consider the received value relieble.

We check the version that it is FSK, MFSK or something like that. The version does not prove to be true, the histogram does not show any obvious allocation of frequencies.

There are two not so clear lines, with frequencies of ~1667 and ~1336 Hz, In the module of obtaining of harmonics, in the fourth degree. The standard error in this case, that, usually, an analyst does not check the following higher harmonics, in this case there is a risk to skip brighter and correct/clear enough picture. However on this signal, the higher harmonics do not give any lines at all.

Usually, the purpose in the exponentation module in a degree of harmonic's getting, the is to get any possible lines, in case when lines are gotten, the chances to open the signal are very great. Not always quality of the signal or modulation allows to make it, but in our case there are hooks. It is necessary, starting with Suppositions that it is a PSK-like signal to prove a choice of one of frequencies as carrier frequency. Of course, in hard cases, it is necessary to sort out simply all variants, but that does not forbid to prove the first variant somehow. On preliminary "measures" taking, Fc - is defined at level of 1320-1350 Hz, it is logical to make the first, and probably not correct supposition that carrier will be will be somewhere in this area and the choice falls on frequency ~1336.

Lanuch Phase Plane module and specify the fourth degree, that degree, in which the lines were detected. Please Pay attention that the preliminary "not proved" carrier, has much bigger amplitude, and looks as real carrier much more convincingly. But it is also necessary to pay attention that the common tendency of the non-uniform spectrum is saved and approximately conform to initial non-uniformity. It means that ,easily, at the expense of the distorted frequency characteristic such non-uniformity in levels of the lines can be objective, and is not mandatory that the strongest line is really carrier, that is is possible that a preliminary choice and was not wrong, but correct.

We start the process of constellation's mapping, after some time of capturing and synchronisation of the internal generators, the picture is more or less stabilised, and it will be possible to take advantage of the corrector for attempts to restore the signal.

The corrector successfully copes with the task, and it becomes absolutely clear that the researched signal is QAM-16, but it has some features. On the lines of the external big square, the positions, which do not coincide with positions of standard constellation QAM-16 are used. It is desirable to understand somehow what these positions are andd how they are related with the signal.

By having included mapping of transitions in the constellation, It is possible to notice that constellation's points produce the square in the main constellation QAM-16. If to look on the mapping transitions more attentive, then it is possible to notice that this additional square, is not linked by transitions to the main constellation. It is typical sort of constellation for QAM modulation, with so-called re-trainings. Re-trainings are injected into the signal specially, with the purpose to provide qualitative work of the adaptive corrector in the demodulator. It solves tasks of the qualitative demodulation of a signal in very hard and difficult conditions of reception, since re-trainings are known in advance to the receiving side, and the very effective tuning by time and setup of the adaptive corrector of the receiver are realized by re-trainings.

Having played with the semiautomatic corrector, and having selected more correct degree (12th) it is possible to receive the final signal with high quality enough. For the control this signal can be saved and cheked up for how should look the record with the absence of distortions or at their minimum value.

Much more regular allocation of the spectrum is visible, and besides, the signals of such quality, as a rule, do not call difficulties at the analysis, because practically at once in 12th degree, it is possible to recive value of the carrier, and the ideal constellation on phase plane. But in practice such signals are rare exception, than a rule.

The small video clip is attached to the article. The video clip, where the main course of process of getting of parametres of the signal and its correction is showed.

Good Luck!

вторник, 25 августа 2009 г.

An example of the signal from UDXF forum's discussion


Unfortunately, the record is not qualitative: or the receiver is RX, or the recording devices are distorting the signal.

But nevertheless.



8 frequency channels with space between frequencies 300 Hz and speed of manipulation (Baud rate) in the channel 100 Hz.

Ofcourse, it is possible to spend deeper analysis, but we already have enough data(including width of the spectrum), what is enough for a reliable identification of the signal.

It is classed as Japanese Military 8 freq. The description of this signal is in our signal's base http://signals.radioscanner.ru/base/signal159/ .




понедельник, 24 августа 2009 г.

The small example: the signal from discussion in UDFX Group.

The marker of free channel of the sea coastal station SITOR from Turkey.

суббота, 22 августа 2009 г.

SA Update 6.0.6.3 version.

SA Updateing to 6.0.6.3 version.

We have added two fields in the window of results.


  • Br - it is the last (it is importent) measured value by Measurement of Freq function in the working/operating window
  • Sc - it is the last (it is importent) measured value by Measurement of Freq function in the exponnantion in degree/reciveneing of harmonics Module.
It allows to automate a little operation with the program, or at least to make it easier.

The remembered values are used as a default settings, everywhere where it is possible. The Function of values storage is built in for a long time already, but now it is simply visualised. As for a long time, the mechanism of usage of these remembered values was described also, nevertheless, it is considered completely not superfluous to repeat, where and how these values are used.


  • Br - is used as value of the frequency of the cut LPF after phase/frequency detector (it can't be specified lesser then 30 Hrz)



  • Br - is used as value of the clock frequency of synchronization (clock of synchro) for Phase Plane module
  • Sc - is used as value of carrier frequency for Phase Plane module.
In this case, after Phase Plane module launching, it is necessary to load only an initial file, to put out n-ary and to press button Start.
The last measured value of time interval (dT) in WF module is used by default (if it possible depends of situation) for VMW unit. The order of operations can be any, it is only important to remember that measurement of all listed parametres, for their usage as by default, should be the last. That is any other new measurement will automatically re-write the previous one. It is also necessary to understand that initialization by these values occurs only by call/launching of those or other modules. In the already launched modules, these values are not vary automatically.

The ability to change all these values in regular order in any time is ramained, in limits of the usual work with the program.

Reset of all values occurs only at closing of current session of the analysis. If you close files manually, then all remembered values are saved, it is also necessary to remember. The number of minor problems, which were detected is removed and the problems are solved.

Special Thanks to everyone who have time to inform us about problems and help us to solve them.

Good luck!

среда, 19 августа 2009 г.

Signals analyzer version 6.0.6.0/6.0.6.1

SA updating to 6.0.6.1 version.

(screenshots are made in 6.0.6.0 version and it is not error, 6.0.6.1 version does not have little errors, which were detected after 6.0.6.0 version was published).

It was decided to take out results of operative measurements in the semi-transparent window in the right upper corner of the form, it will allow to increase easily quantity of derivable parametres if it is necessary. For example: FC value is added, FC - it is the central frequency between horizontal markers. This addition seems more convenient and modern to us.


On the sonogram:

  • Fu - approximate value of frequency of the upper horizontal marker.
  • Fc - central frequency between upper and lower horizontal marker.
  • Fl - approximate value of frequency of the lower horizontal marker.
  • dF - frequency band, which is limited by horizontal markers.
  • t1 - time position of the left vertical marker in the file.
  • t2 - time position of the right vertical marker in the file.
  • dT - time fragment, which is limited by vertical markers.
  • S - 1/dT time fragment which is limited by vertical markers and which is re-calculated into frequency.
Generally, names of parametres are standard, and there is no sense to repeat them. In the mode of measurements, after the phase/frequency detector the value Hz/Pixel is showing up in addition.
In the waveform browse mode, the horizontal markers do not carry any usefull work, that is why the values of horizontal markers are not outputed/displayed at all.


In VMW mode the next values are displayed/outputed:

  • dT - value of the time interval between vertical markers.
  • S - 1/dT inverse value, which is equal to frequency.
  • TSs - 1/TS inverse value of the decomposition line. This value is also equal to the frequency.
In the exponentiation module standard values are outputed/displayed. But, it is very important to understand that in this module all values, which are linked with direct frequency measurements are not
real! These measurements are wrongly interpreted often by many people. For example from the represented image, it does not follow that there are frequencies Fu = 2854 Hz, Fc = 446 Hz and Fl = -1962 Hz in the signal, these are frequencies of the complex signal, that is raised to a power in the eighth degree. There are also no obvious frequencies 2100 Hz, 1800 Hz and 1500 Hz in this signal, these are the complex frequencies enumerated/re-calculated for Phase Plane module after exponentation in the eighth degree.


Warning: be attentive, do not confuse measurements on the complex signal in this
module with the real signal.

It can seem that these values, in general, are conditional/relative and
they do not have great importance, however it not so, and sometimes it is very useful and very necessary. Just remember that these are not real frequencies, and sense of these frequencies is a bit different, than usually.

Good luck!

воскресенье, 16 августа 2009 г.

SA update to 6.0.5.8 version

SA update to 6.0.5.8 version.

In the previous version
6.0.5.6, the filter LPF operation in WF module, at various frequency measurements was recognised as unsatisfactory.


The difficulties are linked with that usage of double filtering circuits, which is strongly displaces the frequency of filter's cut, and it causes some difficulties with choosing and setup of filter's parametres.


In the most of cases, it is necessary to take frequency of the filter's cut considerably above the measured frequency of manipulation, and as result it remains vague: how much it is possible to trust to the histogram. In general, these problems are standard, because it is depends on signal's quality of how much strong it is necessary to process initial signal by the filter, after the phase/frequency detector, for reception of reliable histogram of the frequencies allocation.

But, in the previous version, this problem was expressed too obvious. We have removed the double circuit.

As a result we have:

  • the filtering is became much accurate
  • the frequency of filtrum's cut corresponds to the value, which is specified manually or selected from the list,
  • results of filtering allow to reach an excellent quality of the histograms even on the signals with the very strong and high level of noise.

In hard cases there several cycles of filtering can be demanded, however as practice shows: two cycles are quite enough. Ofcourse, it demands some skills and experience, but current implementation of LPF, in any case gives considerably best results, than former one.


This update also contains a lot of hardly noticeable, but the important improvements.

Good Luck!

среда, 5 августа 2009 г.

New: Update to version 6.0.5.6

Updating of SA to 6.0.5.6 version.

The general changes and additions:


1) Separating of the waveform into colours. The colour shows where it is possible to spend frequency
measurements and where it is impossible. Simple call of WF module does not assume any measurements, in this case the colour of the graphic is light blue, and the colour of the histogram is green.


2) WF unit call, after operation of phase detecting, is intended and allows to spend frequency measurements: in this case colour of the schedule of waveform is green, and the histograms color is yellow. It allows to be oriented easily, what functions are accessible, and what are not present. Also in this mode the value Hz/Pixel is deduced, that allows to estimate and operatively to pick up the
necessary accuracy/presicion. Basically accuracy in 1-2 hertz is enough. The necessary accuracy is provided automatically in some sence, on the narrow-band signals the accuracy is higher, than on
broadband signals, in any case, the more the size of a working window and the more scale of the graphic the better and more exact results.


3) AOF module is blocked, this module is liquidated. All functions of AOF module are completely fulfilled in Expanded WF module with much more high speed, and with much better quality and efficiency. The About window is modified, now there are direct links on appropriate resources, it does look much better.

4) The number of problems, which I was informed about is solved. The part from them were serious enough, these are various incidents within very intensive work with several signals in the program.
Thanks to everyone who informed me about that problem.

5) There is the temp folder for temporary files in the working directory of the program. This folder is needed because, as it has appeared in the course of active operation with SA - the various files of sort 123323214890.wav are accumulating, and the result size of these temporary files can reach the impressive value. One of users has informed us that for week of work he got about 200 mbytes of such temprorary garbage. It is not good. From version 6.0.5.6 this folder is automatically cleared after work with SA is finished.

Good luck!

суббота, 1 августа 2009 г.

The Famous Russian Mazielka: X02, Mazielka 2 tone

X02, Mazielka 2 tone
SelCall(?) and/or tuning(?) system for CROWD-36

The signal is here

Author: SergUA6

Band Width: ~1000 Hz
Low Range: ~300 Hz
Baud Rate: 1 Hz
Count of Carriers: 2
Step between carriers: 500 Гц
RX mode: AM

Sonograms:

pic.1 The general look and consecution after frequency detector



pic.2 Parameters of trasmitted consecution



pic.3 Manipulation frequency spacing


Mazielka is the very bright and characteristic signal. The mixed modulation is used. The signal is transferred in AM mode, and represents the frequency modulation, in which the multi-tone sequence is trasmitted with speed of manipulation in 1 Hz, in the resulted signal from five frequencies.
Such transmission in AM mode of FM signal, which represents the multi-tone sequence, in result, basically is not forbidden, and pursues the aims of the guaranteed position of the resulting signal on the frequency axis.

The problem with similar signals - is that on the records they are look very different and vary, depending of mode of their reception АМ or SSB, and thats why these signals have absolutly different appearance from different sources, and that fact brings some mess.

As it was established, the name Mazielka 2 tone has gotten from foreign observers and co-called analysts-by-ear, because in reality these two tones are not transferred in the signal.


Maria from MSM Group