[R-390] (no subject)

[Perry Sandeen]

Yo Again Dudes,
My Learned Friens Wrote:
Well, the ?gotcha? is that the alternative is no longer a $9,000+ super duper box. There are a lot
of sub $300 SDR alternatives out there. 
Yes the SDR can be sub $300.  The "gotcha" is that you also need a 27" monitor (minimum) $175, a good PC for $450, a better video card $185, Rb or GPS $200. A good backlighted keyboard $125 and a wireless mouse $30.  Less see Ahum...$1465 + tax.
You forgot the XYL factor.
XYL  What's that?
You:  That's my new SDR radio.
XYL:  What's that funny screen?
You: That's a water fall disply of the radio frequencies I'm looking at.
XYL:  Can I watch re-runs of I Love Lucy on it?
You: Uh no, not really.
XYL:  Well that doesn't seem like a good deal.
You: Well it is as it's the latest technology.
XYL: OK, Whatever
You:Locked to something good (an Rb or a GPSDO) they are way better than any of the ?old stuff?. Selectivity wise ? yup ? Dynamic range ? gulp ? take a look at the numbers. Sensitivity keeps getting better. If you live on planet Earth with normal noise levels and antennas, not much wrong with SDR sensitivity wise. Want to demodulate this or that weird signal? ? not a problem. 
Me: Yes but that's only if you need it. My point was maybe 90% don't
You: Something new comes out next week? Download new software.
Me.  If they are still in business and will it rus when MS does a forced update on Win 10?
You: Price wise, less money than an R-390 on eBay. Yes, you will do a bit of this and that. You also will
poke a bit at than 390 ?

Me: I just proved that is incorrect.
Now, I'm not trying to sell anybody a SDR board or get them to toss out their R-390. Far from it actually.

You: One is very much not the same as the other. Both are projects, they have different ends and stops on the way. 

Me: My original point.
You: I?m just pointing out that there has been a lot of change in how you do a radio, even in the last 
decade or so. If you are going to decide ?best? by the numbers (which I happen to think misses 
a lot of stuff), it?s really hard to beat the newer SDR boards ?..

Me: It depends.  You can't move a mouse as fast as you can twiddle the knobs.
Me: You're forgetting the $9K ricebox and the XYL.
Wife: What's that?
You: That's my YIK 9000 Limited edition receiver.
Wife: It seems to have a lot of buttons.
You: Yes.  I think I counted 33, not including the multi-function ones.
XYL: What do they all do?
You:  They allow one to maximize the best possibility to hear the other guy.
XYL:  Gee, and I thought my micro-wave was complicated.  Well good luck with it.
Boat anchor scenario:
XYL: What's that your doing?
You: I'm restoring this antique R390A to it's original condition.
XYL:  Wow, there's a lot of gears in there. Is is like a cars manual transmission?
You:  That exactly describes what it does to the radio signals.  It was break-through marvel in it's time. Unfortunately there will never be another type of that radio again.  That's why I'm preserving it so our kids and grand-kids can see how far we've come.
XYL: Gee, that's neat.  Good luck with your project.
You: Thanks, I think it's going to be worth the effort.
XYL leaves to watch TV and you get to do your radio stuff with her blessing.
Regards,
Perrier