[Boatanchors] [Glowbugs] ARRL level of construction articles - SDR disappointments

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi Bob,

I have discovered disappointments with "SDR" too. I have backed away to 
consider how we might take advantage of whatever good features are there 
and avoid the disappointments. I don't see how letting a computer do all 
the heavy lifting is ever going to cut the mustard. I have a vacuum tube 
regen that outperforms the SDR gear I have seen so far (two regens in 
fact). But that is using the SDR gear "as intended", "as designed", and 
"as promoted". I have started "abusing" SDR and there are some benefits. 
But not with SDR as publicized.

In the meantime I AM using DSP and computer software to wring more out 
of my legacy gear. I have also used some of the SDR software (namely 
quisk) in the same kind of role. When I try to use is as publicized it 
fails miserably. But it can be adapted to a real radio with benefits. 
And it is mostly *free*.

I have no immediate plans to try transmitting with SDR. I see the 
signals generated by SDRs and - no thank you. Perhaps later we can find 
a way to adapt SDR TX features to legacy gear for benefit - if we can 
find any benefit.

Having said all of that - and SDR really IS disappointing - I am not 
ready to poor-mouth SDR enthusiasts. Maybe we can find a way to "improve 
the breed". More later.

73,

Bill  KU8H

On 01/05/2018 09:51 PM, K5MYJ wrote:
> I got a SDR to see how they worked. It does work but it's no like using
> a real radio!
>
> Bob Macklin
> K5MYJ
> Seattle, Wa.
> "Real Radios Glow In The Dark"
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Atkinson" <ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
> To: "Howie WA3MCK" <wa3mck at gmail.com>
> Cc: "Boatanchor group" <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>; "Hubert Miller"
> <Kargo_cult at msn.com>
> Sent: Friday, January 05, 2018 5:21 PM
> Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] [Glowbugs] ARRL level of construction articles
>
>
>> It's become very apparent over the past several years that there are
>> two ham radios:  the ham radio we all know and love which you could
>> call flea market ham radio, and the plug and play, no code,
>> entertainment center ham radio, which you could call the indoor
>> commercial vendor ham radio.
>>
>> I don't think anyone homebrews to sell (okay I guess a few do), but
>> rather for the satisfaction and also to get something that's just the
>> way they like it.
>>
>> I guess the commercial rig level of sophistication with bells and
>> whistles and the SDR stuff is making the distinction between my kind
>> of ham radio and the indoor vendor ham radio more obvious.
>>
>> 73
>>
>> Rob
>> K5UJ
>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jan 5, 2018 at 16:07 Hubert Miller <Kargo_cult at msn.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The edition I have, 1967, says it is less expensive, in the
>>>> longterm, to
>>>> buy commercial manufactured equipment than to build HB - because, get
>>>> this,  the trade-in value will be higher. Now who expects HB gear to
>>>> have
>>>> any substantial trade-in value at all ?
>>>> It also says that when you build the 2 tube regen receiver, "...most of
>>>> the parts can be used later in other equipment."
>>>> Like you are going to do all that metal work, assembling the coils
>>>> and so
>>>> on, and in a year or so, take it apart. Hmmm, makes good sense to me.
>>>> -Hue
>>>
>>>>
>>>> My copy of that booklet contains the following regarding component
>>>> values
>>>> for a regen receiver: "...There is no need to buy new parts either. A
>>>> considerable saving might be made by using parts from a discarded TV
>>>> set,
>>>> or from items picked up at a ham auction or swap-shop..."
>>>>
>>>> There are three major categories of hams: Appliance operators, kit
>>>> builders*, and build-from-scratch folks (with overlap between these
>>>> groups). The ARRL pubs had to contain articles that appealed to all
>>>> three
>>>> -- quite a challenge.
>>>>
>>>> *Kit-builders can include those who build from schematics but want
>>>> to use
>>>> factory-made components -- they won't wind an inductor.
>>>
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-- 
bark less - wag more