"Reg Edwards" wrote in message
...
Receivers of the future will be digital signal processors from the antenna
onwards.


Hi,

That looks fine, all the more that DSP are today included even in the low-
and mid-ranges RX.
But IMHO we can go still further, on both interfacing and VLSI.

I wonder for example if optical circuits could not replace some old fashion
printed circuits of RTX too. Many computers and telecom companies
(Microsoft, IBM, AT&T, etc) work on optical systems today. That could speed
the system, keep it colder, it is free of RFI and that should be also a good
support to any connexion with Internet and other telecommunication tools.

A modern RTX could in fact include many external ports, including USB, LAN
card, Flash memory interface, Push-to-Talk GSM, as well as DivX drivers to
easy interface the RTX with any tool of assistance (computer, Internet,
digital TV, video, and more) so that we can work it in all possible mode of
traffic.
At the price of new computers (you have a 4 GHz PC with all possible ports
for less than 700 euros now, 2004), such upgrade should not really cost
much. Thanks to the VLSI you can even built-in all these devices in a single
interface card.

But personally I am unable to foresee to what could look like the future
"Mark 5++".

73
Thierry, ON4SKY
http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry/menu-qsl.htm