Vibe coding: producing software by describing it in plain English.
With the new SDRPlay module support, I asked an AI to write an automatic RDS logger that talks to SDRPlay through SDR Connect.
The prompt:
#RDS Logger for SDRPlay SDRconnect
Create RDS Logging programme using the SDRconnect websocket interface based on the details below:
#Main prompt:
Using the PDF specification here: .\SDRconnect_WebSocket_API.pdf and the C# example code here: .\SDRconnectWebSocketAPI and JavaScript here .\SDRconnect_WebSocket_JS create me a python programme that cycles through "87.5 MHz","87.6 MHz","87.7 MHz","87.8 MHz", "88.3 MHz" with a 5 second wait on each frequency log any PI code that is received as long as it's not been received in the last 1 hour. Write the output into a date format text yyyy-mm-dd.txt following the format detailed below
The python needs to be cross platform, more specifically it needs to run on windows 11 and Raspberry Pi
#File Format:
CSV file with the following header:
DateTimeReceived|Frequency|PI Code|PS
e.g.
2026-02-09 16:27|88.3|C202|BBC R2
The tool generated an asynchronous Python client that managed the radio, read RDS, logged stations locally, and applied a one-hour grace period. I built it on Windows in VS Code with GitHub Copilot Chat, copied it to the Raspberry Pi, installed two dependencies from the generated README, and it ran. Apart from minor debugging via Copilot using log output, it was automatic.
17 August 2025
Tropospheric ducting from France and Germany.
2025 a bit improved for SpE FM DX
Subjectively, SpE in 2025 was more intense, with notable DX on FM (87.5 MHz) and 2m (144 MHz).
2024 is a bad year for SpE FM DX
From Telford, 2024 was a poor Sporadic-E season. The MUF struggled to get much above 6m (50 MHz).
8–9 June 2023 · Tropo
After a gap since 2019, some FM DX to report. Not the greatest event ever, but good to see the duct working again, with Denmark and Germany into Telford.
Classic tropospheric sandwich: warm air on top, radio signal filling aloft a cold North Sea.
Sunday 11 July 2021
Very intense Sporadic E to Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland. The MUF reached 2m (144 MHz), so FM DX was excellent.
Saturday 3 July 2021
Sporadic-E enhanced meteor scatter
This MS appeared (03:59z) a few hours before a very strong FM DX opening to Italy.
The opening peaked around 08:25z with the MUF into 2m. Several 2m FT8 stations were also heard.
Tropo · December 2019
The year ended with excellent tropospheric ducting and a superb crop of DAB DX from France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.
Belgium [5A VLAA…], France [8A LILLE] and Holland [9D Zuidwest] were heard on a portable radio.
From a local high spot (Long Mynd, 1700 ft ASL) the same portable also produced:
Country
Block
Multiplex
France
6A
RNT PARIS 2
Belgium
6C
NAM-LUX 2
France
9B
RNT PARIS 5
France
9C
Rouen-Local 1
France
10A
Rouen-Etendu
2m (144.174 MHz USB) FT8 view of the same tropo.
DX!
Until 18 June the MUF struggled to get much above 4m (70 MHz). On the 18th, normal SpE service resumed. The lack of FM DX Es may have been the solar minimum and/or non-seasonal weather around the UK (a low anchored over the country).
It is often said noctilucent clouds and SpE correlate. Given the exceptionally good NLC season that June, that theory looks weaker.
June 2019 · 404 Sporadic E
DX not found.
FM & DAB DX · 29–30 June 2018
The UK heatwave plus a chilly North Sea (10 °C) produced excellent short-range tropo. Continental DAB multiplexes from Holland and Germany were heard in Telford.
Slightly off-topic: what modest gear can do with FT8 and WSPR. First screenshot: stations received 3–24 June 2018 via Sporadic E on 6m FT8. I use 6m FT8 (and PSK Reporter) as a heads-up for Band II openings.
Next: received distances on 30m WSPR relative to the UK, with this station in black.
Finally, distance from a 200 mW WSPRlite Classic and a 20m dipole, plotted against UK min/max/average.
Maps and graphs from R in RStudio, using data from WSPRnet and PSK Reporter. A conditions dashboard:
Stats app updated
The online stats app now includes 2016 and 2017 data.
Ping ping ping…
A superb multi-TX meteor-scatter event during the Leonids.
Good tropo · Oct/Nov 2017
Late October into early November: a duct first to Ireland, then northern France and Belgium. Plenty of new stations here, plus the regulars at impressive levels.
The band was packed:
Norway still on FM · 22 July 2017
Via Sporadic E I logged NRK P1 from Oslo. After asking on SkywavesDX it seems not all high-power transmitters had been switched off for DAB yet. The next tranche was due September 2017.
…so this may have been my last NRK P1.
June 2017 · 1000+ stations logged
After 2016’s atrocious June (just 200+), I was not ready for this. June 2017 beat the previous best of 933 (June 2013) Sporadic-E stations logged.
Stations logged per day through June 2017.
11 consecutive days of Sporadic E and a double hop
A run from 30 May to 9 June, including a rare double hop to Israel.
A narrow but intense duct between southern UK and north-west Spain on Tuesday night. Spain finally appeared (almost RDS) here at 03:25 GMT Wednesday: RNE-CLAS 88.2 and RNE-5 92.8 from O Páramo.
The duct then pivoted towards the Netherlands and Germany.
