v1.470: EiBi database as a second source of DX labels
v1.470 October 15, 2021
EiBi database now used as a second source of (read-only) DX labels.
For details shift-click in an empty spot of the DX label area above the frequency scale. Or use the first few entries in the right-click menu (two-finger tap on mobile) or use the keyboard shortcut "|". Then click the help button at upper right of the DX label edit panel.
Since the EiBi database does not provide a definitive signal category for each station a custom heuristic was developed to classify each station into one of the 12 categories shown. Some stations are still misclassified, notably "out-of-band" broadcast stations. If you notice specific problems, or can think of better solutions, please let us know. The goal is not to resort to a list of specific exceptions as we want a heuristic that can be applied to the twice-yearly EiBi database updates, no matter how they change.
Comments
Another awesome addition to KiwiSDR, specially using the heuristic approach in classifying the type of station out of a total of 13000 plus.
Just having a quick look only for now I noticed that:
1/ The Fax category could use a lowering of the (usb) frequency by 1.9 Khz when calling up the fax extension via using shift click.
2/ FSK category: the user may want to adjust the bandwidth for proper decoding since the EIBI database does not have that detail of information.
3/ The time/date filter works very well
The DX EIBI addition certainly deserves quite bit more time to appreciate before giving further feedback...
PS: The database itself has some shortcomings (e.g. very few maritime stations listed), but that is beside the point and with a free database no reason to complain. It was originally intended for shortwave broadcast stations and grew over the years to include an increasing selection of utility stations as well.
Hi John,
Thanks for this latest enhancement it is a significant development, especially for us who enjoy finding utility stations.
I think you have done a great job with the initial sorting. Having dome a lot of this myself when trying to combine incomparable data sources I know it is not an easy task.
Some initial observations and thoughts, I'm sure you have already considered many of these, but here goes anyway, as it may stimulate further discussion.
Could the new tag categories and colours be added to the dropdown list on the local DX editor so that both can use the same convention.
Could we also define the tag colour on the local list, maybe as a HEX value ?
Should the colours used by the tags follow the convention of the band markers ?
Could you add the Aero, Marine & Utility bands to the bands menu and banner as a default ?
Some other stations like G4DYA have already done this.
http://kiwisdr.lamont.me.uk:8073/
The keyboard shortcut "|" that allows a quick swap between local and EBI displays is VERY useful when quickly checking what you have heard vs. the EBI list.
When editing the local DX list would it be possible to somehow have the option to select an entry from the EBI list to be added to the local list and then allow it to be edited as normal. This would avoid duplicating entries on both lists, but the local list could then be personalised. I tend to use the local DX list as a logbook of stations I've heard, so it would be nice to be able to add entries directly from the EBI list as a starting point for edits. This would also help maintain consistency between the EBI and local tags.
Thinking ahead, but one point I mentioned a long time ago. Could local DX tags have an automatically generated time, date and KiWi ID added to the entry (but only visible in the edit box or JSON file.) when edited by admins, or maybe eventually even users.
This would maybe allow, at some future stage, the export of DX lists into a centralised database (similar to EBI) that could be shared by all KiWi's, but with the tag originator credited for their contribution. The time, date and KiWI ID, would be useful sort criteria when validating entries such as where geographically the signal was heard, and maybe even provide a link to the KiW it was heard with.
The EBI list also contains a list of transmitter sites along with their co-ordinates. Could these be added as an additional selectable overlay on the TDoA map ?
Maybe a further extension could present a map like the TDoA extension, showing the KiWi's and transmitter locations and when a transmitter site was selected, just the transmissions from that site listed in the EBI database could be displayed on the banner.
If a transmission was selected in this way, then maybe clicking on a KiWi on the map could bring up the specific KiWi in another browser tab, and tune it to that frequency, again very much like the TDoA function. I use the TDoA map in this way fairly frequently, even if I'm not actually performing a TDoA, it just allows me to quickly choose between KiWi's in a particular vicinity and check to see which ones are performing the best for a specific signal.
Once again, thanks for this brilliant addition and all your other hard work bringing these 'goodies' to us so frequently.
Regards,
Martin
Wow, terrific. Really increases the fun. One thing that is super, that I didn't see at first is that each of the markers has 'hover' help showing really useful information for broadcast stations. Thing like language and target.
One *really small* suggestion is that I think the database contains the transmitter site, which would be great to have in the hover, If space constrained, perhaps more useful than home country, but of course, I want it all.
This is a huge development. Thank you
Yea... Transmitter Site Lat & Long and Distance in KM and Miles Selectable & angle from North and Propagation like Number of hops F1, F2, E layer, Sporadic-E and D Absorption.
Wow Man Boy what more would you want ?
Shane,
If you want some things, it'd be better to create a local table on your own that the kiwi could then access.
Layers and Absorptions... suggest how you might do that on a one off TX. I find it to be hard to do and get any meaningful data. VOACAP is inviting, but not reliable on much of its output data for real-time (nor was it intended to be)
John
Thanks for adding the pass band lock function on this revision. It works exactly how I like now that I can shift the filter and save the shifted skirts with a fixed CW offset.
Kudos to you and best regards...Joe
oops I spoke too soon! When I click on a carrier it places that signal in the passband center rather than placing it at the chosen CW offset.
Shane....
Here is some work I did a year ago that that I just made a bit more generic.
I run it on linux, you would need to install James Watson's voacapl
And likely modify some of the file locations for your own system. The provides DX list is ITU zones. The output includes the predicted muf and time offset for the date/time you run it.
it may or may not be what you want or useful as it, but is an example of how to make related data files for what you wanted. The dx.lst can be any entity. The output could be in json.
etc etc
WARNING beware of the the FORTRAN card format used by voacap, it's fussy