[Elecraft] Flex Radio - is it real?

[John J. McDonough]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lee Buller" <k0wa at swbell.net>
Subject: [Elecraft] Flex Radio - is it real?


> I am just curious about what you guys think about this interesting piece
> of technology?  I am really interested in the DDS VFO because you
> could use one of those on old boat anchors that are crystal bound.

DDS stuff is pretty widely available and pretty cheap.  Take a look at the
DDS Daughtercard from the NJQRP club.  Practically the same thing with the
logic on board so you don't need an external processor is available from Far
Circuits on a bare board.  For those a little less adventuresome, every few
months someone else comes out with a DDS VFO that is somewhat less flexible,
but more complete (and more expensive).  These are typically club kits or
some ndividual making his project available, so they tend to have runs of
just a few months, but the whole DDS thing is startlingly simple these days,
so there is no need to be afraid of a little bit of roll your own.

>  But, I am impressed with the technology and the "numbers" they are
> giving for receive figures.  Is this the future of HF?

Digital stuff roughly halves in price (or doubles in capability) every year.
Meanwhile, analog technology is gradually getting more expensive.  You do
the math.

>  I am not sure I want to have to haul a computer along with me
> when I go portable or mobile.

That certainly isn't a permanent situation.  Back in the 80's if you wanted
DSP filtering at a reasonable price you plugged the rig into the PC.  Today
almost every rig has the DSP on a chip.  The type of processing you need to
eliminate the PC on a software radio is available today, but it's not all
that flexible.  As we are learning and poking around, being able to download
another algorithm is a big win.  You can do that internal to the radio, but
it's a little clumsy just yet.  But, every year that same dollar buys twice
as much processing, so it won't be long.  And as we learn how to play radio
in software, the changes won't come quite as fast and furious.

72/73 de WB8RCR    http://www.qsl.net/wb8rcr
didileydadidah     QRP-L #1446 Code Warriors #35