Re: Virtual barrel organ
Program for virtual communication on the type of "free operators"
About the program
The "Virtual barrel organ" program is designed for voice communication via the Internet, similar to the communication of "organ grinders", or the so-called free operators. Users are in the virtual shortwave band, with selectable band (3.5, 7, 10 and 14 MHz) and frequency tuning in 10 kHz steps.
The 3.5 MHz range is tuned from 2 to 4 MHz, 7 - from 6 to 8 MHz, 10 - from 9 to 11 MHz, 14 - from 13 to 15 MHz.
The audio stream is transmitted using a special codec that has high sound quality when transmitted over the Internet.
It is possible to work with digital modes of communication, install repeaters, gateways, create conferences between program users and radio amateurs working in real air.
Added the ability to transfer images from a WEB camera, as well as demonstrate images from a computer screen.
For beginner radio amateurs, there is a great opportunity to learn the Morze alphabet (CW).
The project has already found thousands of its regular users and continues to develop successfully. We invite you to join our team.
*The program is experimental, works in test mode, errors are possible.
Program features
A block diagram of the program features that are available to all users. Radio amateurs with licenses get the opportunity to work in special areas.
Computer resources: RAM 128Mb, HDD space no more than 1Mb, CPU 800MHz. Operating system: Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 (8.1), Windows 10, Linux with Wine
Internet connection: speed of at least 1Mbps. Suitable wireless networks: WI-FI, 3G, 4G, 5G.
*You need to allow the program access to the network through an external firewall (if installed).
*Resources and traffic consumed by the program directly depend on the codec you choose. The GSM codec requires minimal resources.
Frequency plan in "Street organ"
In the program "Virtual Barrel Organ" there are sections for strictly defined purposes. Users of the program must know and observe these areas:
× for political discussions
- you can not go beyond the brown sector when talking about politics.
× for all
- the largest (blue) section, for all categories of users.
× for round tables
- in the center of each band, the frequencies 3000, 10000 and 14000 kHz are used for explaining the rules, answering questions, communicating with program users and short announcements. This frequency is not highlighted in a different color.
× for radio amateurs
- only radio amateurs can transmit in the green area. Other users can listen. This is the only site where registration is required and order 184 of the Russian Ministry of Communications is in force. You can sign a frequency if you install an automatic system (link, gateway, repeater, etc.).
× for ads buy/sell
- the frequency is inside the amateur band, but available to everyone. Here you can voice your announcements about the purchase / sale of equipment. Conversations on other topics are prohibited.
× for quality signals
(HI-FI) - a site for connoisseurs of high-quality sound. Talk and music are allowed here.
× for digital communications
- use the light green area to exchange in RTTY, PSK, FSK, MFSK, SSTV, CW, PacketRadio, AMTOR, CLOVER, PACTOR, etc. modes. Do not use the designated area for voice communication and broadcasting of music programs.
*CW mode can be used in all parts of the range except brown.
Program settings
Selecting audio devices
Sound devices are selected by pressing the right mouse button in the left or right part of the program window.
The input device is selected on the left side of the window, and the output device is selected on the right side. The same functions can be selected through the program menu: "Settings" →
"Sound In" (or "Sound Out").
You can call up the standard mixers (for Windows XP) with the hurdy-gurdy window active by pressing the keys on the keyboard 0 And 1 : key 0 the master volume mixer is called up, and 1 - input mixer.
Audio signal quality
Your transmission depends on the parameter you choose. This setting has no effect on reception.
One channel can host and broadcast several correspondents with different transmission modes. Accordingly, you will hear them with different quality, and they will hear you with the sound transmission quality that you have chosen for yourself.
*Attention! If the quality of your Internet connection is unimportant, it is not recommended to select the maximum settings. You can select the "GSM band 4000 Hz" mode. In this case, the frequency response of the audio signal is greatly narrowed, high speed is not required, but this is quite enough for communication.
PS/ Upon reaching 45 listeners in the channel, the restriction is automatically turned on - "G711 band 7300 Hz".
When reaching 90 listeners in the channel, the limitation is automatically turned on - "G711 band 5500 Hz".
"Alignment" of the sound
If you have good but unstable internet, or for some reason your computer can't handle the incoming/outgoing traffic, try enabling the "Alligment WAVE" feature.
To do this, move the cursor to the upper right corner of the working field of the shawl (shown in yellow in the screenshot) and press the right mouse button - a small window will pop up with two modes: select "On Alignment WAVE".
After enabling this mode, in the upper right corner, in numbers, the stream buffering level will be displayed.
To disable this mode, also point the mouse to the upper right corner of the working area of the barrel organ and select "Off Alignment WAVE" using the right mouse button.
Entering your name/nickname/callsign
Clicking on the item "Your name" allows you to enter a name/call sign by which correspondents can identify you.
Select this item - a window will open with a field for entering a name. Enter your nickname in this field and click the "OK" button.
Channel signing
For registered users, it is possible to sign a frequency. To do this, you need to open the name editor and there are additional settings under the name / nickname input field. Check the box next to "Subscribe to the chat", make sure that the bandwidth limit slider is in the extreme left position (OFF Band limit) and click the "OK" button
Attention! The signature is possible only on a free channel.
Band restriction is intended only for those who connect the radio station to the barrel organ, and only if necessary... For abuse of this function, the moderator has the right to block you both for a day and for an indefinite time.
Signing a frequency in the sector "For political disputes" makes it possible to be a moderator in your channel. You can read more about this.
Frequency/channel hopping
Channel tuning is performed by pressing the left mouse button by hovering the cursor over the triangles at the edges opposite the frequency indicator, or by using the scroller (mouse wheel) by hovering the cursor over the frequency indicator.
Instant movement through the channels is carried out by placing the cursor on the lane (in the "panoramic indicator") occupied by the correspondent, and clicking on the lane with the left mouse button. When you hover over the green bars, you can see exactly who is working on a particular part of the range.
Changing the frequency / channel is only possible in receive mode (RX)
The brown sector of the range is for political discussions
Dark green sector - a range of increased communication culture
The last two sectors are for lovers of high-quality sound and for digital modes of communication
You can switch the range by clicking on one of the available frequency ranges/channels.
You can see how many users are currently connected to the server by looking at the indicator in the lower left corner. The first number shows how many users are connected to the server, and the second - how many people are listening to the channel where you are.
You can show/hide the transmit/receive speed by pressing the F12 key. The first digit is the transmit speed, the second is the receive speed.
Editing the program window
To edit the appearance of the program window as you like, you need to select the "Edit window" item in the program settings. After selecting this item, asterisks will appear next to each element of the window. By moving them you can move the selected element wherever you like.
By hovering over the star and right-clicking, you can change the color of the element.
You can change the font by pressing the middle mouse button (mouse wheel) on the star.
The "up", "down", "left", "right" keys change the size of the window.
The length of the "scale" changes when you hover over the corresponding star and rotate the scroller (mouse wheel).
To save the set window view, you need to select the item "Save editing settings" in the program settings. To hide the editor, you also need to select "Edit window" from the menu. If the save is not made, then the next time you start the program, the window will take its previous form.
There are also "hot" keys for editing the program window: Show/hide editor function - F4 key, for saving - F2.
Window Size Templates
By selecting the desired template, you can change the program window to the desired size. The view configured and saved by you earlier, when you select this item, will be deleted. The window will take the form that was originally laid by the developer of the program.
Program installation
The program for download is provided in the archive.
I installed a program and it doesn't work
Often users ask why the program does not work. There may be several reasons for this:
Hotkeys don't work
Hotkeys work only when the program window is active. Hover the mouse over the title bar of the "hurdy-gurdy" window and click on it with the left mouse button, this will make the window active.
Installing and configuring "Virtual Cable"
Virtual cable is a third-party program and has nothing to do with the author of "Virtual barrel organ". Installed at the request of users.
Some Windows operating systems only have sound drivers installed (no mixers or sound card input manager). This application allows you to switch the microphone and other sound devices and connect them to the "Virtual barrel organ". On installing and configuring the "Virtual cable" is video lesson
You can download VAC (Virtual Audio Cable). This program is paid, but this version (without payment) allows you to redirect one stream to the sound map.
How to set up the broadcast of music programs?
This is the most common question that arises from users who want to turn on a music program through a "virtual hurdy-gurdy".
Perhaps one of the following will help you.
How to "embellish" the sound signal from the microphone?
Cyrillic display problem
Some users have a problem with displaying Cyrillic in the program. Instead of letters, "krakozybra" is displayed.
In most cases, this occurs due to the lack of Russian-language fonts in Windows, and regional standards are not configured.
If using the Internet Explorer browser, the Cyrillic alphabet is displayed correctly, then the fonts are available in your OS. You need to do the following:
In the "Start" menu, open the "Control Panel", select "Date, Time, Language and Regional Standards" in it. In the window that opens, select "Regional and Language Options" - the settings window will open. Switch to the "Advanced" tab and in the drop-down menu, for programs that do not support Unicode, select Russian.
Below, find the encoding "1251 (ANSI - Cyrillic)" in the list, check the box next to it and click the "OK" button
Restart Sharmanka. If the Cyrillic display is not set, you may have to restart your computer.
PS/ You may need to check the box for the encoding "20866 (Russian KOI8)".
If your OS does not have a Russian keyboard, enable it. You can do this in the following way:
In the taskbar (near the clock) there is a keyboard layout switcher - right-click on it and select "Settings". The settings window will open. Click the "Add" button, in the window that opens, in the drop-down list (Input language), select "Russian", click "OK" and save the settings.
I received a registration key. How to install it?
Download the archive sent to you by e-mail and open it
Press the "Wizard" button - a dialog box will open. Select a location on your hard drive where you will extract the contents of the archive (by default, most often, "Desktop" is selected) and click the "Finish" button. The archive can be closed. Find the folder "key" that you extracted from the archive, open it and you will see two files in it: "read_my.txt" and "ham.pswd".
(read_my.txt - short description, ham.pswd - key file)
Users of the program seem to be in the range of 3 megahertz with the possibility of frequency tuning from 2 MHz to 4 MHz in 10 kilohertz increments. Initially, there was an idea to make the emulation as close as possible to the real air, with two types of modulation AM and WB. And that there would be features of these modulations with characteristic distortions of the voice. On a test, non-network version, this turned out to be more or less plausible. But for now, this idea has been shelved, since the network version of the exchange of high-volume audio streams has not yet been sufficiently tested.
Features of this program:
Exchange of uncompressed audio stream in the following modes in one of the channels that have a frequency name, as on the air.
Reception does not depend on the mode you select, but depends on the selected mode of the correspondent you are listening to. One channel can host and broadcast several correspondents with different transmission modes. And accordingly you will hear them with different quality. And they will hear you with the sound quality that you have chosen for yourself.
It is possible to control your transmission, and at the same time set the sound level you need. For example, let's say you're streaming music, and you're listening to reverse control at a muted level. Hear exactly what is being transmitted to the channel. If someone calls you in this channel, then you will hear it with the volume level that you have set for reception.
Adjusting the level of your transmission
Adjust the level of your reception when you transmit.
This may be necessary for more comfortable communication with the correspondent not in the headset, but when his voice sounds from the speakers. You hear it during your transmission, that is, you can be interrupted, but quieter than the usual level, and there is no self-excitation effect.
Controlling the transmission / reception mode with the mouse, for this you need to click on the transmission inscription, press the space bar (it must be active in the program), or use the left Ctrl key. This mode is optional.
In this case, the program window may not be active. To transmit, you must hold this key. Convenient for operational negotiations.
Appearance of the program 
The required levels are set with the mouse. The red sector indicates a decrease in the signal relative to its original quality. The green sector indicates gain. But the compression AGC works, and it will automatically lower the signal if its level is too high.
For intrigue, emulation of work on the air, users do not see who is currently present in the channel. A correspondent can identify himself only by voice. 
The program itself can be downloaded from the link.
The idea of creating this program was suggested by the users of my program in this project. People lacked sound quality. Their Internet is fast and there is a desire to exchange sound recordings.
Internet must be fast enough. Significant buffering has been introduced to combat delays in network flows. In this case, the sound delay is about a second. If the delay is increased to more than 3 seconds, the speed leveling mode is activated. This manifests itself in a faster playback tempo. The greater the delay, the faster the audio stream is played.
Forgot to say about the choice of sound devices. The right mouse click brings up the sound device selection menu.
On the left side of the program, click to select the entrance, on the right to exit.
The author of the program: Kolotusha Vasily Mikhailovich RN6LIQ.
Related content:
Greetings comrades. I present to you a computer program for radio amateurs -:
The program is designed to communicate the so-called "organ grinders" via the Internet. The program has four bands 3.5, 7, 10 and 14 kHz. The tuning step in each of the ranges is 10 kHz. Sound exchange is performed in streaming mode with different quality characteristics:
In the "settings" tab there are modes for the quality of your speech / sound transmission. This is the quality of the sound transmitted to your opponents, but you will hear them in the same quality in which they set it for themselves. The program also has a function to display the name of the transmitter, call sign, name or other textual information:
There is a choice of input and output devices - microphone, line-in and others, headphones, speakers, etc. Frequency tuning is done using red triangles or the mouse (over the entire frequency band). There is an opportunity to control the level of your transmission. If you broadcast sound and for testing, listen to what you broadcast. If someone transmits on your channel, you will hear at the level that you set for audio reception. (RX for TX). There is an adjustment of the level of its transmission and reception (RX, TX), to remove self-excitation. For example, your interlocutor does not use headphones, but desktop or other acoustics, so that there is no feedback and the quality of communication improves. Reception and transmission is done using the CTRL or spacebar and the mouse. Space and mouse - to press and hold the button, and CTRL - to transfer without holding - pressed, said, pressed. Also, this key (CTRL) works when the program window is inactive, rather than the spacebar or the mouse - very convenient for quick answers.
Information scales, adjustments, etc. can be set in convenient places within the window (Edit window):
At the same time, red asterisks appear for elements that can be swapped. In this mode, you can change the background to another desired color. To do this, in the "Edit window" mode, right-click on the background of the program. Then you need to save the settings in the "modes" tab. Red and green fields - for cultural communication, green and red - for political topics. When your interlocutor goes into transmission mode, you are shown his transmission quality and the call sign that he indicated.
Download the program "VIRTUAL hurdy-gurdy"
LIST OF BLOCKED USERS
The program is intended for voice communication via the Internet, similar to the communication of "organ grinders", or the so-called free operators. Users of the program seem to be in the range of 3 megahertz with the possibility of frequency tuning from 2 MHz to 4 MHz in 10 kilohertz increments. Initially, there was an idea to make the emulation as close as possible to the real air, with two types of modulation AM and WB. And that there would be features of these modulations with characteristic distortions of the voice. On a test, non-network version, this turned out to be more or less plausible. But for the time being, this idea has been shelved, since the network version of the exchange of high-volume audio streams has not yet been sufficiently tested.
Features of this program:
Reception does not depend on the mode you select, but depends on the selected mode of the correspondent you are listening to. One channel can host and broadcast several correspondents with different transmission modes. And accordingly you will hear them with different quality. And they will hear you with the sound quality that you have chosen for yourself.
- It is possible to control your transmission, and at the same time set the sound level you need. For example, let's say you're streaming music, and you're listening to reverse control at a muted level. Hear exactly what is being transmitted to the channel. If someone calls you in this channel, then you will hear it with the volume level that you have set for reception.
- Adjusting the level of your transmission
-Adjust your reception level
-Adjusting the level of your reception during your transmission. This is necessary for more comfortable communication with the correspondent not in the headset, but when his voice sounds from the speakers. You hear it during your transmission, that is, you can be interrupted, but quieter than the usual level, and there is no self-excitation effect.
- control of the transmit / receive mode with the mouse, for this you need to click on the inscription transmit, with the space bar (it must be active in the program), or with the left Ctrl key. This mode is optional.
Right-clicking the mouse calls up the menu for selecting a sound device. In the left part of the program, click to select the input, in the right to exit.
