adding comments

satschedule.py

@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ import time
 import datetime
 
 
-ppmshift = '1'			
-name = sys.argv[1].upper()
-input_sample_rate = '48000'
-output_sample_rate = '11025'
-gain = '40'
-gain_lower_pass = gain
+ppmshift = '1' #adjust this if you don't have a TCXO equipped RTLSDR	
+name = sys.argv[1].upper() #what satellite we're using
+input_sample_rate = '48000' #actually the bandwidth of the audio sample we're taking from the RTLSDR
+output_sample_rate = '11025' #what we downconvert to to play nicely with wxtoimg
+gain = '40' #software gain
+gain_lower_pass = gain #we can add more or less gain if a satellite is at a lower elevation, currently disabled
 gain_lower_pass_requirement = 40
 
 data = json.load(open('satpredict.txt'))
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@ data = json.load(open('satpredict.txt'))
 af_folder = '/tmp/'
 output_folder = '~/sat_output/'
 
-wxtoimg_options = ['HVCT', 'MCIR', 'NO'] #['ZA', 'HVCT', 'therm']
+#this line is depreciated, make it a zero element array to do rtl_power surveys of the downline band
+wxtoimg_options = ['HVCT', 'MCIR', 'NO']
 
+#set options for various to-bash lines
+#I don't recommend touching any of these
 rtl_fm_options = {	'-f':data[name]['frequency'],
 			'-M':'fm',
 			'-p':ppmshift,
@@ -29,13 +32,14 @@ rtl_fm_options = {	'-f':data[name]['frequency'],
 			'-E': 'dc',
 			'-A': 'fast' }
 
-rtl_power_options = {	'-f':'137M:138M:4k',
+rtl_power_options = {	'-f':'136.9M:138.1M:4k',
 			'-g':gain,
 			'-i':'1s',
 			'-e':str(data[name]['duration_seconds']) + 's',
 			'-p':ppmshift,
 			'-c':'0.2' }
 
+#I REALLY don't recommend touching these, stuff breaks without it and I can't explain why
 sox_options = [		'-b16',
 			'-c1',
 			'-V1',
@@ -43,6 +47,7 @@ sox_options = [		'-b16',
 			'-r ' + input_sample_rate,
 			'-t raw' ]
 
+#depreciated
 def filename(satname, part):
 	if(part != ''):
 		return satname + '_' + part + '.wav'
@@ -58,12 +63,16 @@ def convert_time( unixtime ):
         int(unixtime)
     ).strftime('%H:%M %Y-%m-%d')
 
+#gain adjustment based on pass elevationg
 if( data[name]['elevation'] < gain_lower_pass_requirement ):
 	gain = gain_lower_pass
 
+#a bash line
 timeoutstr = 'timeout ' + str(data[name]['duration_seconds'])
+#a filename
 filename = datestamp(data[name]['start_unix']) + name + '_' + str(int(data[name]['elevation']))
 
+#I may or may not have forgotten to specify you need the heatmap.py from the rtl_power page on keenerd.
 if( len(wxtoimg_options) == 0 ):
 
 	rtlpower = 'rtl_power -f 137M:138M:4k -g ' + gain + ' -i 1s -e ' + str(data[name]['duration_seconds']) + 's -p ' + ppmshift + ' -c 0.2 ' + output_folder + filename + '.csv'
@@ -88,7 +97,7 @@ else:
 	print timeoutstr, rtlstr, af_folder + filename + '.raw'
 	print soxstr, af_folder + filename + '.raw', af_folder + filename + '.wav', 'rate 11025'
 	print 'touch -r', af_folder + filename + '.raw', af_folder + filename + '.wav'
-	print 'bash', 'render.sh', af_folder + filename + '.wav', data[name]['start_unix']+60 #+60 is just for wxmap to work properly
+	print 'bash', 'render.sh', af_folder + filename + '.wav'
 		
 f = open(name + '_sched.txt', 'w')
 f.write(convert_time(data[name]['start_unix']))