Please understand this notice first. Do not purchase this application
if you feel you can't fulfill the above. Thanks
Charles Bolland
This is a visual of the DX Radio Database screen. Notice the two entry fields in the top left corner with green background. This is where you would enter the
time in UTC and the language that you want to view from the database.
To the right top corner you will notice the Alternate Frequencies six fields. These
fields display the Broadcast station's parallel frequencies for that scheduled
time. For example, many times VOA broadcasts on a number of frequencies each hour.
If this were true for the record you just pulled up, the alternate frequencies fields
would should those frequecies. Next to each frequecy is a button which you could
press with your mouse and that would send the frequency to your reciever. As you
check each assigned alternate frequency, you could click on the VFO frequency to
take you back.
This visual shows the bottom of the DX Radio Database screen where are located a
number of buttons that change the settings on the NRD525. You can change the
Mode, the bandwidth, AGC etc.
Near the middle of the screen on the left is another entry field for sending a
frequency to your receiver. To send the frequency, type it in the required five(5)
figure format i.e. 09445 or 15190 and press the F7 key or click on the button.
The frequency is setup on your receiver.
Next to the Send data button is the "Send a Record" button. Each time this button
is pressed the highlighted record's frequency is sent to the receiver for setup. The
highlight bar automatically descends to the next record on the screen.
Echelon: Notice below the Time and Language green fields, there's two Aqua'd
background fields. These fields are available to program you browse screen
to highlight certain records as you browse the records up or down. If you
are curious to find all the stations that are from Peru and the language spoken is
Spanish, you would type in Peru (capitalized) and the language Spanish (capitalized).
Each time you bowsed a record with either of those or both, the screen fields would
change colors to Aqua. Nice.
Sometimes a radio Station dominates a frequency. If as the editor of your database,
you wanted to keep track of this, you would enter "Yes" in the record's field
that notates this. Then when you are browsing the database and you come to a
record that dominates, the Radio Stations name field would appear with a
yellow back groud.
At the base of the browse window there is the "Time Line Bar" which represents the
Radio Stations schedule in a graphic bar image. This bar corresponds to the actual
start and end time for the highlighted record. If the schedule does not encompass the
current UTC, then the time bar appears as a GRAY color, but if the schedule
encompasses the current UTC in your computer's record, the time line bar
appears light blue or Aqua.
The remote control application allows the user to program the browse screen. In
this screen shot notice the fields in the browse that are highlighted. The user
programmed the application to highlight all stations broadcasting in "Spanish" and
from the Country of "Peru". This is the Echelon feature. There are so many radio
station sometimes assigned to certain frequencies. With the Echelon feature, you
can program the browse to highlight certain fields when a particular language or
radio station gains focus in the database. It's like some one handing you a
reference book full of radio stations schedules and all of the ones your are
interested in are highlighted so you can thumb the entire book in a minute.
In this screen shot notice the six extra fields located in the upper right hand
corner of the screen. This area represents the Alternate Frequencies area. You
have probably noticed in your listening to shortwave, that many of the larger radio
stations broadcast on more than one frequency for a particular time. So, if you
have kept your database current (it comes to you current), you can click on one or
all of the alternate frequencies to see if one of them has better reception than
the one your are listening to presently. Each click retunes your receiver to the
alternate (one to six) frequency. After checking, you can click back to your VFO
if you desire?
This screen shot shows the HFCC database for B04 (Fall and Winter 2004/2005). The
browse functions and buttons are generally the same as the DX database with a
few exceptions. First there's not alternate frequencies listed. Second, the
browse screen does not indicate different characteristics by changing colors.
However, the HFCC database is very comprehensive. It shows Radio Stations schedules,
where they are beaming their transmissions, what days of the week they broadcast,
how much power they are using, languages and other information.
The NRD525 is also controlable from this database. The record's frequency can
be sent to the receiver for setup which makes for easy searching for a good
reception frequency.
The above screen shot shows the gray bar because the highlighted radio station's
schedule did not encompass the current UTC time.
This screen shot shows the input form. With this form the user will input or change
records in the database. As you may have noticed, the records can be edited and
new records added. Usually, other database applications don't allow the user this
privilege.
The NRD525 Application has a spectrum type analyser included.
This program is user friendly. A HELP file and Transmitter Site database are
included with this application. Although the NRD525 has been around for a
number of years, it is still one of better receivers around. Controlling the
receiver remotely makes it more interesting to use. Click on the buy button
below for details.
The above screen is the for setting up the computer and receiver. Since the program
was tested here using an NRD525, the settings should be ready for you to start.
Once you have the settings correct, just click on "Connect".
In the screen shot above, you probably noticed that there's an option of selecting
one of eight(8) comm ports. Some other programs don't even give more than one
comm port option. This program allows you to streamline your computer and receiver.
If you would rather not use the "Buy Button", you can send a check or
Money Order for $45.00 to the address below:
CHARLES BOLLAND
355 SOUTH ROMERO STREET
CLEWISTON, FLORIDA, 33440
USA
