[Premium-Rx] The new R&S EM510 Direct-Sampling HF Receiver

[John Miles]

> >The SDR-14 has a DR3 of *34*dB for 500HZ BW (ARRL) which sounds absurd
> >(like the whole comparison) compared to 105dB.

I don't see how that could possibly be correct.

> >The EM510 can process realtime I/Q data with a BW of 10MHz, the SDR14
> >max.150kHz.

Not much call for 10-MHz-wide signal processing on the HF bands, although
that's a very useful attribute for VHF/UHF receivers (see the various Ettus
Research designs for that).

> >The ADC of the SDR14 overloads at -23dBm,the EM510's IP3 is tested with
> >2x-7dBm.

What ADC does it use?  There simply aren't that many choices on the market
unless R&S is making their own chips.

> >The EM510 is fully LAN controllable.
> >It's also interesting to have a look at the filter specs (there are none
> >with the SDR-14).

Again, that's all just commodity software (waves hand).

> >The preamp of the EM510 delivers an output of +16dBm into the ADC with a
> >SFDR of >96dB.
> >It was not easy even for the R&S engineers to design such a preamp.

What does the term 'SFDR' mean with regard to a preamp?

> >So there's a LOT more than buying an off the shelf  16bit ADC to
> design a
> >digital radio with
> >those specs.
> >And therefore I think the whole package inside the case IS exciting.

I don't disagree -- I sure wouldn't throw one off of my bench. :-)  But I
also don't think the competitive margin is quite as big as you're saying.

-- john, KE5FX