sabato 5 dicembre 2015

VOA Radiogram, 5-6 December 2015: UTF-8 QR codes and Xenokeryx amidalae

This weekend on VOA Radiogram, we will conduct one more (for now) QR code experiments. The VOA Radiogram URL will be transmitted as 1) plain text, 2) as a QR code via MFSK32 image, 3) as UTF-8 block elements – those things that look like this:

A QR code transmitted this way will benefit from the error correction inherent in any MFSK text transmission. You will need the UTF-8 character set (Fldigi: Configure > Colors & Fonts > Rx/Tx Character set).

The transmission of the QR code as UTF-8 in MFSK32 is slow, so after the MFSK32, the QR code will be sent in MFSK64 for increased speed.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 140, 5-6 December 2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

1:31 Program preview

2:58 Experiments with QR codes **

7:13 MFSK64: QR code ***

8:31 MFSK32: Court ruling on Turkey’s blocking of YouTube *

12:44 Solar-powered plane will resume flight *

18:53 Prehistoric beast looks like Star Wars queen *

24:55 Closing announcements ****

* With image

** The QR codes using block element require the UTF-8 character set. In Fldigi: Configure > Colors & Fonts > Rx/Tx Character set - set to UTF-8.

*** After the MFSK64 RSID, there will be 10 seconds of silence in case the mode must be changed manually.

**** After the closing announcement, a custom QR code made by Robert in Ontario.

Please send reception reports to radiogram@voanews.com .

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule

(all days and times UTC):

Sat 0930-1000 5865 kHz

Sat 1600-1630 17580 kHz

Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz

Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz

All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK32 Sunday at 0130 UTC (Saturday 8:30 pm EST) on 7395 kHz, via Germany. Reports for this KBC reception to Eric: themightykbc (at) gmail.com .

VOA Radiogram is a Voice of America program experimenting with digital text and images via shortwave broadcasting. It is produced and presented by Dr. Kim Andrew Elliott.