Extra decodes in the ALE extension [fixed in v1.622]
Some days ago I reported hearing BAS on ALE on multiple frequencies, to the UDXF group. here's the example of what I was seeing:
[2023-08-20 07:46:41 6981.00] [MSG] [AMD: "THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG"] [His BER: 3] [2023-08-20 07:46:43 6981.00] [Sounding THIS WAS] [From: BAS] [His BER: 0]:
I got a note from Bernd DK9FI I have received exactly the same on various frequencies of wellknown ALE Networks (USAF,USCG,MINUSMA,SONATRACH,UN Africa,Australian Police,...) in USB and LSB via various KIWI SDR receivers in Europe, North-America, Asia and Australia. No such signals via my own receivers here at home.
I ran a conventional decoder system (Perseus and Sorceror) on the same antenna and frequency as the KIWI ALE decoder for the last few days to test out Bernd's comments. Again the KIWI picked up multiple calls from "BAS", always with that Quick Brown Fox test.... But nothing on the other system, not even any traffic at that time. So there is something definitely up with the KIWI system reporting more than it should... Thanks Bernd for that suggestion! Looking in the extension I see this is the test function. So somehow the "test" button is being implemented when it isn't....
73 Don
Comments
I guess there was never a forum post about this, only an email exchange and entry in the CHANGE_LOG file (July 5 2023).
There has been a long standing issue where the ALE extension stops scanning after many hours (8 - 14). This was never resolved as it is extremely difficult to debug. It was observed by a Kiwi user that running the self test function restored scanning. So as a quick fix I now simply run a self test every 4 hours.
That fixes the scanning problem. But what I failed to do was disable the logging of the self test data. Or at least mark it as such. So that's what you're seeing.
Ah ha, that explains it. Not a problem now that we know what is going on! Overall, it works very well and sure is handy for some of our MARS/CFARS exercises. I even use it with the volume for voice scanning too. Thanks for all the effort you have put in to make the KIWI such a great device!
Okay, fixed for the next release.