[AMRadio] Off AM topic inquiry

[Brett Gazdzinski]

I do not limit myself.
Most of my stuff is home brew (tubes) of my own design.
I could say if you don't build your rig, its pointless to operate, but I 
have had vintage rigs, modern rigs, and sdr rigs.
I would say the vintage stuff is mostly junk, as is most modern stuff, and 
some sdr stuff is quite good and fun to play with.

The sdr software is very complex for non geeks, and way over what I feel 
like learning about, but I can enjoy using it, same as I can enjoy cars and 
motorcycles without having to cast my own pistons and so on.

What I really like about the sdr stuff is the RX display, lots of info 
there, and you get to see all the poor operating that goes on (the bad part 
of sdr), but you can be sure that your operating is good.
I now think operating without an sdr running is like operating a big complex 
transmitter without it having any meters, you have no idea what is going on 
at all.

The transmitters can be great, but there is not much fun in operating them 
as a radio for me.


Brett
N2DTS



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob Atkinson" <ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
To: "CL in NC" <mjcal77 at yahoo.com>
Cc: <amradio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 9:20 PM
Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Off AM topic inquiry


> My impression is most SDR ops don't write or modify any code.  If they
> don't like something they P&M about it and one of a minority of hams
> who have the knowledge and computing resources needed, will make a
> change if the P&Ming is loud enough.   This usually happens on one of
> the manufacturer fan club email lists.
>
> Two reasons I don't do any SDR operating--I have no interest in
> software (unless I'm being paid for it and it would take a lot for me
> to spend my free time on it) and I doubt if I could troubleshoot
> anything with pc cards holding black cubes having 100 leads.
>
> This is why I have quit buying anything new and don't even know
> anything about the new rigs.  I can't work on them so I don't want
> them.   The latest snazziest hottest ham rig today will only do what a
> SX28 and BC610 will do:  let you have a QSO with someone.  But as I
> have said before, if a ham can fix the new gear fine have at it.
> Every time I ask a SDR op if he can fix it if it breaks, he doesn't
> bother to answer the question.  And everyone I know (I include myself
> on this one) with a plastic radio loaded with 100 buttons, only uses
> maybe 1/10 the functions of the rig.
>
> 73
>
> Rob
> K5UJ
>
>