[Elecraft] SDR processing delays, Flex 5000

[Mike Scott]

Brian,
Is the Flex 5000 any good on CW? My understanding is that the delays through
the processing chain make it impossible to use QSK.

Mike Scott - AE6WA
Tarzana, CA (DM04 / near LA)
K3-100 #508/ KX1  #1311

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:30:52 -0700
From: Brian Lloyd <brian-wb6rqn at lloyd.com>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] SDR Adapter
To: David Woolley (E.L) <forums at david-woolley.me.uk>
Cc: Elecraft Reflector <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Message-ID: <3AB5479D-4913-480C-BB0D-C6067302C607 at lloyd.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

> As I understand it, the difficulty is not in feeding the IF into a  
> Softrock, but in preventing the Softrock feeding its local  
> oscillator into the K3 and compromising that's performance.

Two words: "buffer amp."
>
>
> Incidentally, the K3 *is* an SDR!

Somewhat. It may be on the inside but to those of us on the outside it  
is still a monolithic radio. It is also locked into the processing  
power that it now has. It is difficult to take advantage of Moore's  
Law the way it is currently designed.

(Moore's Law says that computing power per dollar doubles every 18  
months. Anyone buying a PC understands this.)

Also, we can't make changes. We are dependent on Lyle and Wayne to  
have the same interest we do in the features we want and we need them  
to do the work. This is the disadvantage of a closed environment.

I have been on the fence for quite some time and have finally decided  
to go the route of a Flex 5000 instead of a K3. Even tho' I think that  
the K3 has a better receiver for traditional modes, I believe that the  
open software of the Flex and other hardware like the SoftRock will  
end up offering me more in the long run. Yes I give up some in BDR and  
IP3 but I get back huge flexibility and expandability with new  
modulation schemes. I can even hack the code if I want. So it is more  
appealing to the engineer/hacker in me.

But I plan to stick with the K2 as a portable rig. I still really like  
that little radio. I would love to see Elecraft open up the code for  
the K2.

--

73 de Brian, WB6RQN
Brian Lloyd - brian HYPHEN wb6rqn AT lloyd DOT com