[Premium-Rx] Looking for comments on TCI/BR Model 8174 receiv ers

[John]

Hi,

You've got the RF technical review of the 8174 via Frank C.  I'll just agree 
with Frank.  As for the software, the factory software works fine under 
Windows XP;  there's a new 3rd party program (search on DXTRA, WS34 and/or 
WS40.  This is a small company, probably with relatively few 8174's on line. 
I am DXTRA user, but my PC crashed of unrelated causes...have not rebuilt 
yet, thus I cannot offer much 1st hand experience.  DXTRA has a mail list 
you can join.

If there is a specific detail re the 8174, I may be able to help you.

It's worth noting that the control protocol for the 8174 is straightforward 
and anyone with beginner-level experience with BASIC or C+ should be able to 
whip up a controller.  The tough part is finding the time.

regards

John Collins
_____________________________________________
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carcia, Francis A HS" <francis.carcia at hs.utc.com>
To: <premium-rx at ml.skirrow.org>
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 11:38 AM
Subject: RE: [Premium-Rx] Looking for comments on TCI/BR Model 8174 receiv 
ers


>
> I'm using XP Pro with no problems. The 95s1 is a little different it
> converts to a 52 mhz IF then to base band I/Q. The 8174 goes to 40.455 
> then
> to 455 then to 5 KHz. The DSP samples the 5 khz at 20 KHz and does I/Q
> internal to the DSP. The 8174 took the conventional thinking of a good
> analog design and hung a dsp off the low frequency IF. I measured the mds 
> at
> -130 dBM but have not done and dynamic range checks yet. fc
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: premium-rx-bounces at ml.skirrow.org
> [mailto:premium-rx-bounces at ml.skirrow.org] On Behalf Of 
> Sig346 at netscape.net
> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 2:03 PM
> To: wwatson5 at cox.net; premium-rx at ml.skirrow.org
> Subject: Re: [Premium-Rx] Looking for comments on TCI/BR Model 8174
> receivers
>
> TCI makes equipment for professionals. PCR1000 is designed, approved by 
> FCC
> (and similar regulatory agencies in other countries) and sold as a toy.
> It is a toy indeed, needless to say a zero performer below 30 MHz.
>
> 8174 is rather a conventional receiver employing DSP IF processing,
> contrary to, say 95S-1A. Below 30 MHz 95S-1A is not much different,
> though. I suppose many 8174s are retired now and being replaced
> by so called software defined radios with RF preselection. They are
> not better than 8174 on any  analog mode, where they really
> outperform conventional DSP receivers are digital mode signal
> acquisition, correlative direction finding and parallel multifrequency
> intercept. Interesting enough, the hardware of some new professional SDRs
> is much more complicated as compared with older DSP receivers.
>
> Anyway, 8174 is a great receiver, I tried one several years ago before
> buying 95S-1A. The only point one must consider buying such piece
> of equipment is control software. I will not necessarily work
> properly under Win XP, for instance.
> Regards
> AW
>
> "joe.watson" <wwatson5 at cox.net> wrote:
>
>>Correction:  PCR-1000.
>>
>>Joe
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: joe.watson
>>  To: premium-rx at ml.skirrow.org
>>  Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 8:33 AM
>>  Subject: [Premium-Rx] Looking for comments on TCI/BR Model 8174 
>> receivers
>>
>>
>>  I have seen some of the TCI/BR Model 8174 and similar receivers on eB
> recently.  I have a growing interest in software defined radios and was
> wondering how good these receivers really are.  Have any of you had any
> experience with them?  How do they compare with Icom PRC-1000?
>>
>>  Would appreciate any feedback.
>>
>>  Joe Watson
>>  Edmond, OK
>>
>>
>>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---
>>
>>
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>>
>
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