[Elecraft] SDRs and embedded processors

[Jim Lowman]

Just a thought - I agree completely about the harm that software
updates can do.

But isn't there another problem lurking with passing time?
I refer to the obsolescence of some dedicated processors that
are no longer available from their source.

Will Elecraft be able to support these embedded processors
well into the future?  It's been mentioned that the older, tube-based
radios of 50 years ago work just fine today (as long as one can
still obtain the required tubes).  I don't expect to be around when
any of my Elecraft transceivers hit the 50-year mark, but I'd like
to think that they'll be good to go 20-30 years from now.

One other note on software:  I have some software for receivers
and transceivers that are currently on the shelf (example: a Ten-Tec
Pegasus) that were designed back in the days of DOS or Windows 95.
It will be interesting to see if they will still work with Windows 7.

72/73 de Jim - AD6CW

On 5/22/2012 7:53 AM, Lu Romero wrote:
> Some "final" comments while watching this thread progress:
>
> I agree with Lyle... SDR does not mean "processing by PC".
> Our K3's and KX3's are fully qualified Software Defined
> Radios with processing on embedded processors.  Sort of like
> what Flex is looking to build now.  It doesnt matter where
> the code runs, folks, just because it doesnt run on external
> Intel silicon does not mean it aint an SDR!
>
> The Embedded Systems approach is a safer path than trusting
> your device (perhipheral?) to the vagarities of personal
> computer OS and hardware "progress".  At least you have SOME
> control of the environment!  Professional applications have
> to be more resilient to the whims of software and hardware
> changes that will rear their ugly heads at the worst
> possible times.  The big push for Elecraft to embrace USB
> instead of serial comms comes directly to mind... RS232 is
> well defined and robust.  I certainly do not want to be left
> to the whims of USB driver code with my computer to radio
> comms.  I get enough of this stuff at work to have to deal
> with it when Im trying to relax on the radio.
>
>
> Lu - w4lt-
> K3 #3192
>
>