VMA Simple Spectrum Analyser – New version with support to render pre-definied transponder names

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Hi,

I just uploaded a new version that will show transponder names.

When a file named “transponder names.txt” is present in the same folder as the executable and if the checkbox to “Show transponder names” is enabled in the Settings tab, then the spectrum will show the transponder names.

The format of the “transponder names.txt” file is very simple:

Frequency, Name

Example:

754.000 MHz, Porto DVB-T
97.7 MHz, Radio Comercial
104.1 MHz, RFM
105.3 MHz, TSF

Please note that the frequencies have to be entered in MHz.

You can put as many items in the file as you want and the software will render the ones that are within the frequency range. Here the above four entries in action:

This image shows my local FM radio stations.
This images shows the local DVB-T transponder, using the same “transponder names.txt” file. Note that only the names of transponders within the selected frequency range are shown.

There is no further “intelligence” built in! The names are shown in absence of signal, too! And if you show the whole supported frequency range, all set transponder names will be shown, which may look confusing. Yet, I think this is the correct way to do it.

 Don’t forget to activate or deactivate this new function as needed in the Setup tab. This setting will be stored in the Registry.

You can use the Recognize Transponder funcion to create the template for the “transponder names.txt” file.

Here I am getting the transponders of the NOS CATV digital transponders:

In order to increase the quality of the recognition algorithm, I reduzed the frequency range in order to first scan 250MHz-500MHz and then 500MHz-750MHz. I exported both transponder lists separately and then merged them together in Notepad++:

This gave me a full digital transponder list in seconds – none of my field meter is able to do such a quick scan!

I could now add a comma and a description for each transponder frequency, for instance the name of the main channels contained in each transponder.

If you add the frequency, but don’t add the comma and the name, the software will just show the freqeuncy value:

Again, if you create a big transponder names list and render the whole freqeuncy range, things will look a bot chaotic:

In this case it is better to turn of the display of transponder names in the Settings tab.

Other changes of this new version include:

  • Bug fix: the transponder list is now saved correctly with three decimal places. It can be used as a template for the “transponder names.txt” file
  • Improvement: all pop-up windows now appear in the middle of the main application form
  • Improvement: frequencies could already be entered with the keyboard, but now you can accept the form with the m/M (MHz) or k/K (KHz) keys. In case of the percentage input form, you can use a/A (Accept)
Cheers,
Vitor

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