IF_Ave Rev 2.8

[Alex P]

What's useful about using SDR# & IF_Ave is:

1) it is a proven set of acq / averaging / file saving tools.

2) It stores easily readable CSV files ( use Excel, etc )

3) The conversion of the CSV data to units of dB has been verified

dB = 20*LOG10( data value )

4) It is is used by a number of amateurs so data can be interchanged.

I have plotted data from others.

5) It is the only software of which I am aware that allows the acquisition of  a pre-test background calibration to remove slopes and M curves to allow you to see in Real Time Details in the Data as it is being recorded.

6) IF_Ave  Ver 2.8 allows Saving and Recalling  named Background Correction Files

Full Installation of SDR#  & IF_Ave 2.7

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2f67lyu6qgt2cp98rg9kp/SDR-2.ZIP?rlkey=y82yv6jzjyu7e92sap3x8ewm7&st=tcil7w3s&dl=0

replace the above with this * DLL

IF_Ave Version 2.8

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/aitn8xtookwwxm6mvybkp/SDRSharp.Average.dll?rlkey=667f4a83958krn77ie2862jxf&dl=0

Alex

[Marcus D. Leech]

On 20/06/2024 20:07, 'Alex P' via Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers wrote:

What's useful about using SDR# & IF_Ave is:

1) it is a proven set of acq / averaging / file saving tools.

So do a lot of other RA and RA-friendly tools out there.

2) It stores easily readable CSV files ( use Excel, etc )

baa_seminar and spectro_radiometer both store as CSV files.

3) The conversion of the CSV data to units of dB has been verified

dB = 20*LOG10( data value )

What does this even mean?   The conversion of ANY data value can be converted into some kind of dB value using
  a k*log10(value).  Do you perhaps mean *dBm*??   Which is not particularly useful, since any calibration tables within
  SDR# are only going to apply to the *receiver*, and not, necessarily, to the system as a whole.   The only "honest"
  way of doing this is to use an actual calibration source as close to the head of the receiver chain as possible.  Without
  *that*, comparing dB values between friends isn't terribly enlightening, other than perhaps exercises like "I have the
  same setup as Fred, and Fred and I get different dB-above-background values for object <foo>". 

4) It is is used by a number of amateurs so data can be interchanged.

That's definitely a useful thing.  The "pros" use data-exchange formats like FITS and PSRFITS that I have yet to
  wrap my programming mind around.

I have plotted data from others.

5) It is the only software of which I am aware that allows the acquisition of  a pre-test background calibration to remove slopes and M curves to allow you to see in Real Time Details in the Data as it is being recorded.

baa_seminar and spectro_radiometer, and I recall, simple_ra also have provision for that.   The "simple_ra" tool has been
  around for around a decade now, and its predecessor, "IRA" even longer.

6) IF_Ave  Ver 2.8 allows Saving and Recalling  named Background Correction Files

A couple of my tools have had that for quite some time.  I don't think we ever got around to adding that to
  baa_seminar during one of the two seminar sessions.

[b alex pettit jr]

 

3) The conversion of the CSV data to units of dB has been verified

dB = 20*LOG10( data value )

What does this even mean?   The conversion of ANY data value can be converted into some kind of dB value using
  a k*log10(value).  Do you perhaps mean *dBm*??   Which is not particularly useful, since any calibration tables within
  SDR# are only going to apply to the *receiver*, and not, necessarily, to the system as a whole.   The only "honest"
  way of doing this is to use an actual calibration source as close to the head of the receiver chain as possible.  Without
  *that*, comparing dB values between friends isn't terribly enlightening, other than perhaps exercises like "I have the

  same setup as Fred, and Fred and I get different dB-above-background values for object <foo>". 

I verified the  "k"  for IF_Ave data

A somewhat  "honest way" is to use Cold Sky as the Reference .

  the Utility in having Calibrated Data is to compare and improve  system performance : antennas,  electronics, etc.

 5) It is the only software of which I am aware that allows the acquisition of  a pre-test background calibration to remove slopes and M curves to allow you to see in Real Time Details in the Data as it is being recorded.

baa_seminar and spectro_radiometer, and I recall, simple_ra also have provision for that.   The "simple_ra" tool has been

  around for around a decade now, and its predecessor, "IRA" even longer.

  I prefer watching the plot on the left for 24 hrs/day vs the ones on the right

From that, I was able to observe the SDR thermal spectral response shift ..

6) IF_Ave  Ver 2.8 allows Saving and Recalling  named Background Correction Files

A couple of my tools have had that for quite some time.  I don't think we ever got around to adding that to
  baa_seminar during one of the two seminar sessions.

.

[b alex pettit jr]

SDR# & IF_Ave are more like an extension to the SDR hardware module.

They would certainly not  be appropriate for larger systems.

With university and research level radio  telescopes, being able to

control ( program ) all aspects of the acquisition and analysis process is mandatory.

For beginner level educational and hardware development, 

having a fixed set of acquisition and file saving software is a significant advantage.

Virtually every file saved over the past 3 years can be compared. This would not

be the case if I had, in addition to testing hardware variations,  been 'adjusting'

the acquisition process software.

Analysis : that's another topic, but the data acquisition process by a standard set of tools is quite useful.

Alex