[hpsdr] Hermes II

[Joe Martin (k5so at k5so.com)]

Hi Glen, 

No, you’re incorrect in stating that I had anything to do with Minerva; I’ve never seen one of those boards and have never worked on any code for it.  Nor have I recently done very much in the way of HPSDR development.  But I’m not doing nothing on anything, I’m quite busy in fact!

Here I have been working along the lines of adapting the Orion board to do wideband/high-data-rate radio astronomy (RA) but have not been very successful with my Orion work in that regard to date.  I sometimes try to assist in the HPSDR projects if there’s a particular problem with an existing HPSDR/ANAN platform but not too often anymore as I am focused on solving the high data rate issues for my RA project.  One of the fundamental problems I have with high data rates and Orion is that the Windows environment appears to drop ethernet packets occasionally and that is not acceptable to my RA project.  Thus, I have recently moved to Debian Linux as my computer operating system for my radio astronomy project.  Indeed, at present I’m somewhat doubtful that I can ever make the Orion board do what I need it to do and therefore I will likely move to the Ettus hardware platforms anyway, which have been designed to do wide bandwidth acquisitions.  

My understanding is that Phil has been the principal developer in the Minerva arena (pursuing the Direct Fourier Conversion approach) with occasional help from Warren I think and perhaps also from Doug and perhaps others of which I am not aware.  I am not in the loop on any Minerva nor Hermes II development effort so I personally have no idea where those suggested projects lie today. 

I send this note simply to clarify my personal involvement and efforts.  Maybe someone can give an update on the thinking/status of the Minerva and Hermes II projects relative to the HPSDR community.  

73, Joe K5SO


> On Nov 25, 2018, at 7:05 AM, K4KV <k4kv at k4kv.com> wrote:
> 
> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
> 
> Well, I am going to have to put my flame suit on for this email...
> 
> I really have NO room to complain, because I have no experience in Verilog, and do
> 
> not do much in PC program development.  I have done C for twenty years, but mostly on
> 
> microprocessor-based boards.  I also have done hundreds of circuit boards for various customers
> 
> and my own use.  But, do not have the software tools that are used in the Hermes and up board
> 
> development.
> 
> So, I have no room for complaining that NOTHING of any consequence has happened in HPSDR for
> 
> a long time, since I have not contributed.
> 
> Look at the last time anything has been released.  If I am not mistaken, it was March 2018.  "They"
> 
> said many months ago that Protocol II was nearing release, just had to go through BETA.  Nothing
> 
> has been reported since then.
> 
> 
> Then we have Hermes II with all it's promise.  Including dual-channel rx and 2M capability.  The project
> 
> got cancelled, IMHO, by Apache Labs, or perhaps by in fighting among the developers.
> 
> 
> Then Minerva with all it's promise.  I think that Joe got his working.  The progress is at a snail's pace.
> 
> I have an I2C filter board pretty much if ready that card if it EVER gets made.  And, we have been told that
> 
> ONLY Apache is going to make it, no longer a TAPR or HPSDR project apparently.
> 
> 
> I am pointing this out with my great admiration for Phil, Joe, Warren, and the others!  It seems like
> 
> there is no focus to the group, no boss, distraction seems to be the name of the game.
> 
> The only way we have of knowing anything is to listen to Teamspeak.  Perhaps there are tons of
> 
> things getting done, but never released.
> 
> 
> But, really, thanks for all your hard work.  I would be willing to contribute($) if it would help get things
> 
> moving...
> 
> 73 and have a great holiday season.
> 
> Glen K4KV
> 
> Moultrie, GA
> 
> ex. Paccomm owner, ex MDS owner
>