The CQ100 Transceiver

Right, lets see what activity there is today.  Hmm, fairly quiet on 80m with just a couple of Scandinavian stations at the moment.  40m is dead, but 20m is much more active with about 15 “spikes” showing on the frequency spectrum display.  The 2 CW practice beacons are sending groups and repeated words at 15 and 20 wpm and there is a QSO between a southern USA station and a G4 a bit further down the band. Listening in to the voice transmissions reveals a good cross-section of stations, some of which I've worked before. There are a good sprinkling of Americans, a couple of Australians and the chap in Hawaii I spoke to the other day.  The signals are all crystal clear with no QRM or QSB. As I tune through 14.200 Mhz I hear a CQ from a G0 and as I'm not chasing DX today, I press the PTT and reply to his call.  It's John in North Yorkshire who suggests that we QSO to 14.195.  We exchange the usual pleasantries and John picks up that I'm a RAFARS member.  He's RSARS so we have a bit of a chat about the activity in our respective societies then it's 73's and hope to work you again. I sit back and grab my now cold cup of coffee and gaze out of the window at the shack, it looks cold and wet out there and my G5RV is lashing around in the wind.  It's nice and warm though inside in front of the computer and the HF bands were unuseable yesterday, especially for the RAFARS 80m net at 1830 hrs. Good job that I had the CQ100 here on the computer as I was able to join in a mini-RAFARS net when I came back inside last night.

So, what is all this about and is it “radio?”.  The easy answer first, no it's not radio because I'm not using a transmitter or antenna, although you might argue this point if I was sitting downstairs at the breakfast table working a JA station via my wireless laptop!  Why am I using my computer and not the radio?  I'm lucky really, I have a big garden, a nice big shed and a very understanding XYL.  However, I don't have mains power to the shed (shack?) and my G5RV is a bit of a temporary affair which is not permanently connected to the radio.  So, by the time that I've run the mains cable out to the shack and connected up the antenna, half an hour of my operating “window” has gone. If I'm doing this in the dark and the rain in the winter at 1800 hrs ready for the RAFARS net and conditions turn out to be poor, I'm spitting feathers as I take the station down.  Of course, all this is more than worth it if the band is good and there are 18 or so people on the net (all being kept in order by Sam GI4SAM or Jack G4HWQ – thank you chaps!)  I spend about 45 minutes listening to the news and filling in the rest of the chaps on what I've been doing since I was last on and I smile as I tidy up in the dark and the cold.  Radio is good and I enjoy using it.  It's never lost its magic and I really get a great deal of pleasure from the worldwide contacts that I make with my simple set-up (Icom IC706) and 100 watts.

What if you are not as lucky as I am?  Your garden is the size of a postage stamp or your neighbours vintage TV can pick up every transmission within 100 yards.  Maybe your days of tree-climbing are behind you, or the XYL has finally decided that the aesthetic look of the garden is not enhanced by the collection of scaffolding poles and birdcage of wires that you spent years lovingly crafting into the perfect recreation of Daventry! If you have a computer, or access to a friends computer, then the world can be your oyster.  VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol is not new and many people use it to make “phone calls” to other computer users using programmes such as Skype or BT Softphone, but if you wanted to speak to somebody on the phone you would just do it wouldn't you?  The amateur radio world has used VoIP to simulate radio for a number of years using the highly adaptable Echolink programme.  Echolink allows you to talk to other amateurs just as if you were using a radio, and in fact can act as a link to a live radio transmitter or receiver so you are using RF at some stage of the process.  The downside of Echolink is that the interface used on the computer does not resemble a radio and the programme itself can be difficult to set up in this age of computer firewalls and virus checkers. Also, it can be intimidating to start a QSO if you do not personally know the amateur at the other end as there is no real way to listen in to see how the system is being used.  I have used Echolink (once I managed to get it up and running – and I consider myself a computer geek), but I can count the number of contacts I've actually made on the fingers of one hand.

About 2 months ago, I happened upon a new amateur radio VoIP programme called QsoNet (see below for Internet links) which promised just what I was looking for as an alternative to radio when conditions were poor.

What is QsoNet?

QsoNet uses the Internet to receive audio signals from a ham radio transmitting station using the CQ100 virtual transceiver, then instantly reflects the audio back to all stations listening on that frequency. There is no RF. Everything is done over the Internet The result is a simulated ionosphere for worldwide amateur radio communication. Stations can use either voice or CW modulation.  There is also experimentation with various data modes including SSTV, but I'm not entirely sure that it is best suited to these modes.

 How does it work?

QsoNet works with dialup, DSL(Broadband) and cable Internet connections. There is no need to configure router ports. The network consists of an array of Internet servers which provide streaming VoIP audio between stations. After installing the CQ100 transceiver software, QsoNet stations are connected to a central server by a single, outbound TCP connection.  That all sounds very complicated, but you don't really need to know how it works in order to use it.

Features and Specifications

It just works right "out of the box" with no need to configure ports (unlike the sometimes more complicated set-up of Echolink), although initially you might need to allow the CQ100 to connect to the Internet by telling your firewall software that it is OK. This means it can be used from hotel rooms, airports, public libraries, Internet cafes (usually at an additional cost in the UK!).  The CQ100 “transceiver” covers 5 HF radio bands - 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands and the computer microphone provides voice modulation.  There is a simple built in CW keyer which works from the keyboard.  Simply type on the keyboard to send perfect CW, although you can use programmes such as CwType and CwGet with the CQ100 if you wish.  Whilst you can't connect a morse key directly to the PC at present, people have got around this by using a practice key and feeding the audio into the computer line-in socket.  A spectrum graph shows radio activity within an adjustable sweep range of 50, 100, 200 and 500 kHz. Callsign, name, QTH, etc are automatically displayed for current transmitting station. Keyboard "Hot Keys" provide a simple interface for vision impaired operators and voice frequency readout is available as a selectable option.  "Round-Table” or net QSO's are possible because any frequency may have a large number of listeners.  Only one person can transmit on a frequency at a time, but it's quite possible to have QSO's on adjacent frequencies without interference (i.e. 14.194 and 14.195 can be used by different stations without interference).

The CQ100 requires Windows 2000 or XP with sound card, microphone and speakers (or headset). A reliable Internet connection is required with a speed of at least 33.6k dialup.

What are the rules?

The use of QsoNet is restricted to licensed amateur radio stations and operators are expected to use normal radio procedure.  I find that almost without exception, amateurs are using proper radio protocol, as the CQ100 has the “look and feel” of a real radio. Any licenced amateur can use any of the “bands” (the bandplan is based on the North American model so you might find yourself on unfamiliar “frequencies”).  The CW portion of the bands is clearly shown on the display when you tune.  The nominal voice calling frequency is 14.200 Mhz which was originally instituted so that the users could find each other.  You can call CQ where you like and get an answer as your “spike” will be seen on the frequency spectrum display allowing people to tune to your frequency quickly and easily.

What does it cost?

The author of the programme (Doug VE3EFC) has invested a considerable amount of time and effort into developing QsoNet, so there is a subscription fee.  When you register via the web site, you get access to the system free for 90 days which gives you more that enough time to decide if you want to continue and pay the subscription.  The QsoNet server subscription costs $32 (USD) per year, starting at the end of the free trial.  There are currently around 6000 registered users, but we are all still on our 90 free days so it will be interesting to see how this settles down once the subscriptions become due.  Echolink is free, so it does depend on which system suits you best.  I will be subscribing to QsoNet at the end of my 90 days.

Is it radio?

I still find it mildly amusing how much venom the discussion of “non-radio” communication generates within the amateur community (only a close second to the CW, non-CW discussion).  When Echolink first appeared, it was slated as being the spawn of the devil and one more nail in the coffin of amateur radio as we know it. Now Echolink has evolved into a semi-radio programme (although it can be used computer to computer with no RF at all), it has been begrudgingly accepted as another facet to our hobby.  QsoNet and the CQ100 has opened this whole tired debate again and if you listen to the detractors, every user of QsoNet is another amateur lost to the airwaves and another reason for the powers that be to steal our radio spectrum.   I am lucky, I have the choice when I go home tonight to either belt out 100 watts into the ionosphere and enjoy the “chase” that is a successful QSO, or I can use the CQ100 to work some exotic DX and speak to another amateur in a location that I couldn't hope to work with my modest station.  I will not be selling my IC706, but neither will I remove the CQ100 from my computer.

Is it for you?

Whether you are a supporter or a critic of alternative methods of communication, all I would ask is that you register for the free 90 day trial and just listen to a few QSO's.  If it's not for you, then uninstall it and continue with your normal RF operations or sit in silence if you don't have access to a transmitting station.  If that sounds harsh, it is the reality that  many amateurs face particularly in their later years.  How many times have I heard comments on the CQ100 such as “I haven't operated for years”, “I'm a white stick operator and this works well for me”, “I can't believe how clear the signal is”, “I'm 91 years old and I don't have a station any more”, “I'm brand new to this so bear with me”.  Just listen to fellow operators slipping into the normal routine “You're a good 5 and 9 with me here, QSL via the bureau, errr... maybe not on the CQ100, but you are a really good signal........”

Before you ask, I'm not on a commission from Doug for “advertising” QsoNet, but I do think that it is a beautifully elegant and simple programme that allows amateurs to talk to each other and brings many “lapsed” amateurs back onto the air.  Don't condemn it (or me!) but consider pursuing the “experimental” ethos which has got us where we are today.

Gary

G0DNI RAFARS 3968

QsoNet Website

http://qsonet.com

QsoNet Discussion Forum

http://www.qsonet.com/qbb

Doug VE3EFC Website

http://ve3efc.ca

Echolink Website

http://www.echolink.org