[Icom] White Paper on Software Defined Radio

[Davies, Doug A FOR:EX]

>>Future radios will probably be repairable down to a board or module level,
as are computers nowadays. The BITE (built-in test equipment) will flash up
a malfunction alarm [DDC UNIT A1A2 FAILED], and the repairer will open the
case and change out the board. But operating will be just as much fun!<<


That technology is already at hand in the LMR service here.  I don't recall
the manufacturer at the moment but a tech at the local radio shop showed me
how it works.  He plugs a computer/analyzer into a DB25 connector on the
back of the radio.  A few key strokes later and the computer tells him which
board is malfunctioning.  He changes out the appropriate board and Voila,
all is working well again.  He told me that, with today's emphasis on SMT
components and minimal downtime, no one will pay the $60.00/hr shop rate for
him to troubleshoot their radios.  He has to get them out as fast as
possible.  Also, he says trying to replace one SMT part usually results in
the destruction of a couple of the adjacent ones so it's simply not worth
the effort.  Tomorrow's techs won't have to know much about radio theory,
just how to use the diagnostic software.

'Tis the way of the future, I guess.  May as well get used to it :-(

I know, I know, this off-topic so this is my last word on this subject over
the list.

Doug  VA7DD