[Premium-Rx] Software Defined Radio

[Steve Hajducek]

Hi Frank,

I had an RFSpace SDR-14 here on loan for a while and compared it to 
my TCI-8174. The features available with the SDR-14 for spectrum 
monitoring are something that I wish the TCI had, the ability to 
demodulate with the SDR-14 as it provides is also great, you can 
easily set it up for ISB as well (supported on the TCI-8174 standard 
) but the SDR-14 does leave quite a bit to be desired for 
communications use, spectrum monitoring is more its cup of tea, it 
provides a wonderful color spectrum display with a fair amount of versatility.

After having that SDR-14 here I moved my Motorola R2002D/HS 
communications analyzer (not really communications receiver but don't 
tell anyone) into my station and started using it more for my 
monitoring. Its specifications are guaranteed down to 1Mhz and does 
quite well much below that. External audio is available from a mic 
port pin and it has the GPIB interface for PC control but although I 
have never been able to get the GPIB control information to code for 
PC control. The one thing that it does not do is demodulate when in 
Spectrum Analyzer mode, I really wish it did, but it's a 20 year old 
classic so you can't have it all. However with its TXCO, it a very 
accurate all mode classic piece of test gear good through 1Ghz for 
all my needs I put it too, to include its main intent of servicing 
and repairing radio equipments when the need and spirit moves me.

/s/ Steve, N2CKH

At 01:06 PM 7/31/2006, you wrote:
>  Blair,
>Last winter I built a module to plug into my RA6830 that converts the 455
>KHz IF to 7.6 KHz I/Q IF. Then I down loaded I2PHD software to run SDR
>demodulation with a spectrum display. It works great.
>There is a guy Tony Parks selling "Soft Rock 6" than can be converted with a
>simple crystal change to almost any IF.
>My TCI 8174 radio does the same thing but the operation is fixed. I2PHD
>software is very user friendly and variable bandwidth.
>Then there are the HPSDR guys who want to advance the state of the art.
>They are going to sell kits in the future. gfz