SETI League Technical Manual -- SoftwareK6STI's new $100 DSP Blaster(TM) provides DSP filtering without DSP hardware. DSP Blaster is software that uses your PC and a 16-bit Creative Labs sound card to replace DSP boxes costing hundreds of dollars.
DSP Blaster provides high- and low-pass SSB filters, CW/DATA bandpass filters, CW peaking filters, adaptive noise reduction, automatic notch filtering, and automatic gain control. The DSP filters provide sharp cutoffs and low stopbands to eliminate adjacent-frequency QRM. Adaptive LMS noise reduction minimizes background hiss, power-line noise, and audio distortion to make listening much more pleasant.
DSP Blaster displays the received-audio spectrum. Use the display to select filter cutoffs and to obtain insight about the signals you're hearing. It's fascinating to correlate spectral features with the sound of a voice. Use the scope-like waveform display to investigate audio-distortion problems. DSP Blaster draws a system block diagram. Move the mouse cursor over a filter block to display its properties. Click to alter them or to activate the filter.
You can run DSP Blaster by itself, pop it up over another application like a logging program, or hot-key a new filter configuration without switching to it. DSP Blaster requires a 486 or better, math coprocessor, VGA, mouse, and Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16, Vibra 16, or AWE32 sound card ("compatible" cards won't work). The faster your computer, the more filters you can cascade, the sharper their cutoffs, and the lower their stopbands. But even a 486/33 can provide highly effective filtering.
DSP Blaster is $100. Add $5 overseas. I accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, U.S. checks, cash, and money orders. E-mail your order to k6sti @ n2.net and I'll e-mail a copy of DSP Blaster right back using uuencode, MIME, or BinHex.
November 1997 Update:
Just a note to let you know that DSP Blaster 2.0 is now available. It features a new processor for coherent reception of CW signals. This processor provides a 3-dB S/N gain for phase-stable signals. You'll find a writeup about it in Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU,'s column in the October 1997 issue of QST. A demo version of DSP Blaster 2.0 which includes the user manual is available at www.megalink.net/~n1rct. DSP Blaster 2.0 costs $125.
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