System Settings Dialog Box

Contents:

• General Settings
• Alarm Settings
• Directory Settings
• TCP/IP Server / Client Settings
• Log File Settings
• VolksMeter Settings

Additional Information

• Time Adjustment Information

General Settings:

This tab of the System Settings dialog box is used to set the number of channels to record, sample rate and other system wide settings. 

System Group Box:

Comm Port Select Box:

Sets the RS-232 communication port that will be used to communicate to the ADC board.  If set to None - Replay Only Mode, WinSDR will go into a Replay Only mode. In this mode WinSDR can only be used to Replay daily record files generated by another WinSDR system located on a LAN.

BAUD Rate Select Box:

Sets the RS-232 communication port speed. WinSDR will display an error message if you select a baud rate that is too slow for the number of channels being recorded and the sample rate.

System Number Select Box:

Used if you are running more then one copy of WinSDR. Each WinSDR system, either running on the same computer or on another system located on a LAN, should have a unique system number.

Purge Record Files Edit Box:

Controls how many days worth of data to save. Data from the ADC board is saved in a daily record file. WinSDR uses the data in the record files to create PSN formatted event files and for Replay and Real-time window display. The value in this field should be based on how much disk space you would like WinSDR to use. Depending on the sample rate and number of channels you are recording, the daily record file can be anywhere from a few megabytes to over 80 MB if you run all 8 channels at 100 SPS.  

Check Computer Time Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will check the local computer time with the time on the ADC board. The time difference will be written to the winsdr.log file and displayed in the Log File Display window every 5 minutes. The line below is an example of the time difference message:

DLL: Time difference between A/D Board and Host Computer=0.026 seconds

Set Computer Time Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will set the local computer time if the time difference between the A/D board and WinSDR gets larger then 250 milliseconds. This check box should be checked if you are using GPS or WWV references. This check box will be disabled if you use the Local computer as the time reference.

A/D Board Group Box:

Board Type List Box:

This list box controls or displays the ADC board type. This list box will be grayed out once WinSDR knows what type of ADC board is connected to the Comm port. If the board type is unknown you can force WinSDR to use either ADC board.

Sample Rate Select Box:

Sets the sample rate that the will be used to convert the incoming analog signal to digital data. This field can be set to 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 or 200 SPS. Note: Version I boards can only record up to 4 channels at 200 SPS.

Channels to Record Select Box:

Sets the number of channels that the A/D board will record. This field can be set to 1 through 8. Note: Version I boards can only record up to 4 channels at 200 SPS.

Time Reference Type Select Box:

Controls the time reference source that the A/D board should use for time keeping. Current options are: Computer Time, WWV, GPS Garmin 16/18, ONCORE Binary or ONCORE NMEA.   

The Computer Time option uses the time of the system that is running WinSDR as the time reference. The WinSDR system should be connected to some type of time reference source. This could be a GPS system or a NTP (Network Time Protocol) program. To use NTP, you must have a full time Internet connection. 

To use the WWV mode you must have the WWV timing option on your A/D board and a short-wave receiver tuned to one of the WWV frequencies. See this page for more information. 

The Garmin 16/18 option uses a Garmin GPS 16 or 18 OEM antenna/receiver combination for time keeping. See this page for more information. 

The GPS ONCORE Binary and NMEA options uses a Motorola ONCORE receiver for time keeping. See this page for more information. 

Note: The Computer Time option should be selected if no timing reference source is available.  

Reference Offset Edit Box:

Used to compensate for the travel time of the radio waves of the WWV/WWVB time standard transmissions and the tone detector's capture time. This number is in milliseconds. The tone detector has a capture time around 20 to 25 ms. You should add 1 ms for every 300km (186 miles) between you and the transmitting station. GPS users should place a 0 in this field.

Add/Drop Interval Edit Box:

Time Adjust Add/Drop Interval time. See below for more information on this setting.

Time Add/Drop Mode List Box:

Time Adjust Add/Drop Interval mode. See below for more information on this setting.

Save Button:

This button saves the new Add/Drop Time Interval and Mode to the time.dat file.

High to Low PPS Signal Check Box:

This check box set the direction of the GPS 1 PPS signal applied to the ADC board. The Garmin GPS 16/18 models supply a positive signal at the top of the second. The ONCORE receiver with the Webtronics ONCORE Interface board supplies a negative going  signal, so this check box should be checked when using this timing system.   

Disable PPS Led Blinking Check Box:

When checked, the LED on the ADC board will not blink at the top of the seconds. This feature was added because the 1 PPS signal can show up in the version I A/D boards event files with high gain Amp/Filter channels. This is not a problem with the version II boards.

Alarm Settings:

This tab of the System Settings dialog box is used to control the alarm settings. 

General Settings Group Box:

Channels Needed Edit Box:

The number of channels that must be in a triggered state for the alarm to sound and auto save event to occur.

Length

Min Edit Box:

Minimum time, in seconds, to sound the alarm when an event is detected. WinSDR has a proportional alarm feature. Small events will sound the alarm for a short period of time. Larger events will sound the alarm for a longer period of time. 

Max Edit Box:

Maximum time, in seconds, to sound the alarm when an event is detected. 

Sound Check Boxes:

Controls what sound device to use or to disable all alarm sounds. Select the Sound Card option if you have a sound card in the system or select Speaker to use the internal speaker. Select None to disable all alarm sounds.

Sensitivity Edit Box:

Used to control the proportional alarm feature. This sets the sensitivity of the alarm tone and length change based on the size of the event. The larger the number the larger the event must be before the sound length will change and the alarm tone to proportionally change.

Alarm Log File Directory:

If a directory is placed in this field, WinSDR will create a file called ALARM.LOG in the directory whenever WinSDR goes into an alarm state. In the ALARM.LOG file WinSDR will place the time that the alarm occurred. The application using the alarm log file may delete the file after using it. If the file is already in the directory, WinSDR will append the new alarm time to the end of the file. A typical line in the ALARM.LOG file will look like this:

TRIGGER=12/01/2001 15:04:14

Event File System Number Select Box:

Used to trigger another WinSDR system on the same computer or a computer on a network. Enter the WinSDR system number to trigger in this field. When WinSDR goes into an alarm state it will use the Event Log File Directory field to create a ALARM.LOG file that another WinSDR system can use to save event files.

Auto Save Time Setting Group Box:

Before Event Edit Box:

Sets how many minutes to save before the event trigger time when WinSDR auto saves event file(s). Number maybe entered as a fraction. Example: 1.5 = 90 seconds.

After Edit Box:

Sets how many minutes will be saved after the event trigger time. Number maybe entered as a fraction.

System Errors Group Box:

Low Disk Space Edit Box:

Used to set the number, in megabytes, to test for low disk space. If the free disk space of the drive used to save the daily record files gets below this number WinSDR will sound an alarm. If you enter 0 (zero), no low disk test will take place.

Teleseismic Alarm Settings Group Box:

Save Before Edit Box:

Sets how many minutes to save before the event trigger time when WinSDR auto saves event file(s). 

Save After Edit Box:

Sets how many minutes will be saved after the teleseismic event trigger time.

Reset:

The edit box controls how long WinSDR should wait after a teleseismic event to reset and begin looking for new events.

Channels Needed Control:

This is the number of channels that must be in a teleseismic event alarm condition before WinSDR will save event files and sound the alarm. 

Directory Settings:

This tab of the System Settings dialog box is used to set various directories locations. 

Event Files:

Sets the root directory where the PSN formatted event files will be places. The event file, either created automatically or with the Real-time or Replay windows, will be placed in a sub directory based on the year and month (drive:\Root_Directory\YYMM\). Use the Browse button to change or create the new directory. The directory can be located on another computer system by using a LAN and remote drive sharing. PSN formatted event files can be viewed and analyzed with WinQuake. 

Event Log File:

If a directory is placed in this field, WinSDR will create a file called EVENT.LOG in the directory whenever WinSDR saves event files. In the EVENT.LOG file, WinSDR will place the UTC time that the files were saved, the number of files saved, the directory where the files were saved, and then the event file name(s). Fields are delimited by a coma. The application using the event log file may delete the file after using it. If the file is already in the directory, WinSDR will append the new event information to the end of the file. A typical line in the EVENT.LOG file will look like this:

03/17/02 00:38:06,2,c:\tmp\0203\,lcv.psn,lc8.psn

Record Files:

Sets the directory location for the daily record file. The daily record file holds the raw data from the A/D board. A new record file is created each day at 00:00 UTC. The directory holding the record files should be a drive on the same system that is running WinSDR. Using a LAN network and disk sharing, it is possible to place the record files on another system. The problem with this arrangement is your LAN and remote computer must be working all of the time. If the WinSDR system can not save data to the remote drive, do to the LAN not working or the remote system being down, data will be lost. It will also take longer for the Replay and Real-time windows to read the data from the remote disk. Use the Browse button to change or create the new directory.

Request Control File:

Sets the directory that WinSDR will use to monitor for a request file. See Request Event File documentation for more information on this option. Use the Browse button to change or create the new directory or the Clear button to clear this field.

TCP/IP Server/Client Settings:

This tab of the System Settings dialog box is used to control the Server/Client TCP/IP settings. 

TCP/IP Server Group:

Enable Check Box:

This check box enables the TCP/IP Server feature.

Listen Port Edit Box:

The TCP/IP listen port is the port that WinSDR will listen on for client connections. This number can be in the range of 1 to 65535. 

MiniSeed Network ID:

This two character string will be used when WinSDR saves MiniSeed event files or sends MiniSeed packets to a TCP/IP Client. 

TCP/IP Client Group:

Enable Check Box:

This check box enables the TCP/IP Client feature.

Server Host Name or IP Address Edit Box:

This edit box is used to enter the host name (Example: data.mydomain.com) or the IP address (Example: 10.0.0.3) of the WinSDR server system.

Connection Port Edit Box:

The connection port is the TCP/IP port that will be used to connect to the WinSDR server system. This number must match the Listen Port number in the Server settings group. This number can be in the range of 1 to 65535. 

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Log File Settings:

This tab of the System Settings dialog box is used to control the location of the winsdr.log file and what information will be saved in the log file and viewed in the Log File Viewer window. 

Log File Directory: 

Sets the directory where the debug log file (winsdr.log) will be located. This directory can be located on a local or remote drive. Use the Browse button to change or create the new directory.

Log GIF File Save Information Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will save more GIF file generation messages in the log file. 

Log GIF File Upload Information Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will save more GIF file upload information messages in the log file. 

Log FTP Upload Information Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will save FTP upload information messages in the log file for both GIF file and event file uploads.

Log Teleseismic STA/LTA Check Box:

Displays and saves teleseismic trigger information in the log file. 

Filter Good Time Information Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will filter out normal time reference information messages generated by the A/D board. Time error messages will not be filter out..

Filter Alarm / Event Information Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will filter out messages from the alarm / event detection process. 

Filter Remote Log Messages:

Used when WinSDR is running in the TCP/IP Client mode. If checked, log messages generated at the WinSDR server system will be filtered from the local client's log file and display window. 

Display Viewer Title Bar Check Box:

Toggles the Log File Viewer title bar on or off. By turning the title bar off, the viewer occupies less room on the desktop. When the title bar is turned off, the viewer can be moved by placing the mouse on the frame window and pressing and holding the left button. The title bar can also be toggled by double clicking on the window frame.

Lock Viewer Location Check Box:

If checked, the Log File Viewer will move with the main WinSDR window. If not checked, the viewer is stay in the same location on the desktop when the main WinSDR window is moved.

Clear File at Startup Check Box:

If checked, WinSDR will delete the current log file at program startup.

Log Data Average:

If checked, WinSDR will calculate the average ADC or CDC (VolksMeter) counts over a one minute period for each channel and save this information to a file named DataAverage.log. This information is also displayed in the Log File Viewer. The average is the raw data from the ADC or VolksMeter Interface board before any digital filtering. The DataAverage.log file is located in the WinSDR directory.

A typical entry in the log file looks like this:

12/27/06,04:52:42,LCTST,-1123784

The line contains the Date, Time, Sensor ID and data average in ADC or CDC counts.

Display Lines at Startup Edit Box:

This edit box controls how many lines of the log file that will be displayed in the Log File Viewer at program startup. This edit box will only be enabled if the Clear File at Startup check box is disabled.

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VolksMeter Settings:

This tab of the System Settings dialog box is used to enable integration of the VolksMeter data. Integration of the data produces a velocity channel to better display and detect teleseismic events. This tab of the dialog box will only be accessible if WinSDR is collecting data from a VolksMeter sensor. 

Integrate Channel 1:

Enables integration of channel 1 data. If 1 channel recording is specified in System Settings / General, Channels to Record, the integrated channel will be channel 2. If Channels to Record is set to 2, the integrated channel (for channel 1) will be channel 3.

Integrate Channel 2:

Enables integration of physical channel 2 data. If data integration for channel 1 is enabled the integrated channel 2 data will be on channel 4. If integration for channel 1 is not enabled the integrated channel 2 data will be on channel 3.

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Additional Information

Time Adjust Mode and Time Adjust Interval Information:

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