Some of you have been contemplating upgrading to a serious tabletop
receiver, like the NRD 545D, AOR7030+ or even an Icom 756 PRO III.
But I must tell you that in the MW DX circles that I am active in very
many of my co-DXer's have moved to the RFspace SDR-IQ in the last
eighteen months and quite rave about it. These fella's are the top
DXer's in the world and are getting amazing results from this modestly
priced computer receiver.

Apart from being a highly adequate receiver it has the huge advantage
that you can record a 190 Khz spectrum of the band. This has enormous
advantages for DXer's as stations usually only ID identify at the TOH
top of the hour, so listening on a conventional receiver you are
limited as to how many stations you may catch and record for QSL
purposes in such a brief time.

But with the SDR-IQ you record a whole segment for a few minutes
before the hour and then play it back later and analyse it and get a
whole bunch of ID's that was never possible before = amazing!

For more details on this SDR receiver see:
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0106.html
http://www.rfspace.com/sdriq.html

There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

Have fun and good DX

John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8 & ERGO software
Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A.
GE circa 50's radiogram
Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270
Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whip
http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx

On Nov 2, 10:54 am, wrote:
There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

The biggest drawback, I think, is its use of a 14-bit A/D, which will
severely limit dynamic range. As a point of reference, 1st gen DSP
receivers, such as the WJ HF-1000 and TenTec RX-340 use 16-bit A/D
converters. The JRC NRD-545 uses an 18-bit A/D and the latest DSP
receivers, such as the Icom IC-756Pro-III use a 24-bit A/D.

On Nov 2, 1:54 pm, wrote:
Some of you have been contemplating upgrading to a serious tabletop
receiver, like the NRD 545D, AOR7030+ or even an Icom 756 PRO III.
But I must tell you that in the MW DX circles that I am active in very
many of my co-DXer's have moved to the RFspace SDR-IQ in the last
eighteen months and quite rave about it. These fella's are the top
DXer's in the world and are getting amazing results from this modestly
priced computer receiver.

Apart from being a highly adequate receiver it has the huge advantage
that you can record a 190 Khz spectrum of the band. This has enormous
advantages for DXer's as stations usually only ID identify at the TOH
top of the hour, so listening on a conventional receiver you are
limited as to how many stations you may catch and record for QSL
purposes in such a brief time.

But with the SDR-IQ you record a whole segment for a few minutes
before the hour and then play it back later and analyse it and get a
whole bunch of ID's that was never possible before = amazing!

For more details on this SDR receiver see:http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...com/sdriq.html

There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

Have fun and good DX

John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8 & ERGO software
Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A.
GE circa 50's radiogram
Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270
Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whiphttp://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx

Maybe I'm old fashioned. I have a Ten Tec RX-320D and I love it. I
think it's a great value. But I could never reconcile myself to having
my primary receiver be a black box. I appreciate the advantages of the
black box approach and frequently enjoy them, but it can only be an
occasional thing for me.

Why do I feel this way? I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. It might
be because I work with computers all the time and don't want them to
be so integral to my hobby. Even more, though, I think it has to do
with audio that's coming off a computer's sound card. I've used my
320D with some crappy sound cards and with some really nice ones, too,
and even the good ones just don't sound "right" to me. Over time they
produce a kind of fatigue that's hard to describe, despite the fact
that they offer you more control over the audio properties than any
other kind of rig. It's not the 320D's fault either. I borrowed a
Winradio from my cousin and had the same reaction. Maybe I just don't
like the amplified speakers that they make for use with computers. I
don't know.

Back to the R8B now...

On Nov 2, 10:54 am, wrote:
Some of you have been contemplating upgrading to a serious tabletop
receiver, like the NRD 545D, AOR7030+ or even an Icom 756 PRO III.
But I must tell you that in the MW DX circles that I am active in very
many of my co-DXer's have moved to the RFspace SDR-IQ in the last
eighteen months and quite rave about it. These fella's are the top
DXer's in the world and are getting amazing results from this modestly
priced computer receiver.

Apart from being a highly adequate receiver it has the huge advantage
that you can record a 190 Khz spectrum of the band. This has enormous
advantages for DXer's as stations usually only ID identify at the TOH
top of the hour, so listening on a conventional receiver you are
limited as to how many stations you may catch and record for QSL
purposes in such a brief time.

But with the SDR-IQ you record a whole segment for a few minutes
before the hour and then play it back later and analyse it and get a
whole bunch of ID's that was never possible before = amazing!

For more details on this SDR receiver see:http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...com/sdriq.html

There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

Have fun and good DX

John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8 & ERGO software
Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A.
GE circa 50's radiogram
Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270
Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whiphttp://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx

JP - Thank you for the Post and Heads-Up on the
RFspace SDR-IQ which appears to be a Big Giant
in a Small Box of a Shortwave Radio. ~ RHF

For One and Alll - The Question Becomes . . .

Which is the Better Technical "PC Based" and
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Shortwave Receiver ?
-?- Which Would You Rank As The Top Three ?

* Elad FDM77 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0077.html

* Ten-Tec RX-320D - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0321.html

* RFspace SDR-14 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0014.html

* RFspace SDR-IQ - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0106.html

* Icom PCR1500 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/1501.html

* Icom PCR2500 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/2501.html

* WinRadio G-303 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.grove-ent.com/wrg303i.html

* WR G-313I - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.grove-ent.com/WRG313I.html

* FlexRadio SDR-1000 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.flex-radio.com/Products.a...sdr1k_features

-OR- Add a "PC Based" and Software Defined Radio (SDR)
Shortwave Receiver to this 'List'.

- - - Second 'Different' Question - - -
Which is the Better VALUE "PC Based" and
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Shortwave Receiver ?
-?- Which Would You Rank As The Top Three Values ?

fact -or- opinion - what do you have to say ~ RHF

On Nov 2, 10:54 am, wrote:
Some of you have been contemplating upgrading to a serious tabletop
receiver, like the NRD 545D, AOR7030+ or even an Icom 756 PRO III.
But I must tell you that in the MW DX circles that I am active in very
many of my co-DXer's have moved to the RFspace SDR-IQ in the last
eighteen months and quite rave about it. These fella's are the top
DXer's in the world and are getting amazing results from this modestly
priced computer receiver.

Apart from being a highly adequate receiver it has the huge advantage
that you can record a 190 Khz spectrum of the band. This has enormous
advantages for DXer's as stations usually only ID identify at the TOH
top of the hour, so listening on a conventional receiver you are
limited as to how many stations you may catch and record for QSL
purposes in such a brief time.

But with the SDR-IQ you record a whole segment for a few minutes
before the hour and then play it back later and analyse it and get a
whole bunch of ID's that was never possible before = amazing!

For more details on this SDR receiver see:http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...com/sdriq.html

There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

Have fun and good DX

John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa
South 33 d 47 m 32 s, East 20 d 07 m 32 s
RX Icom IC-756 PRO III with MW mods
Drake SW8 & ERGO software
Sony 7600D, GE SRIII, Redsun RP2100
BW XCR 30, Sangean 803A.
GE circa 50's radiogram
Antenna's RF Systems DX 1 Pro Mk II, Datong AD-270
Kiwa MW Loop, PAORDT Roelof mini-whiphttp://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx

JP - Thank you for the Post and Heads-Up on the
RFspace SDR-IQ which appears to be a Big Giant
in a Small Box of a Shortwave Radio. ~ RHF

For One and Alll - The Question Becomes . . .

Which is the Better Technical "PC Based" and
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Shortwave Receiver ?
-?- Which Would You Rank As The Top Three ?

* Elad FDM77 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0077.html

* Ten-Tec RX-320D - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0321.html

* RFspace SDR-14 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0014.html

* RFspace SDR-IQ - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0106.html

* Icom PCR1500 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/1501.html

* Icom PCR2500 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/2501.html

* WinRadio G-303 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.grove-ent.com/wrg303i.html

* WR G-313I - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.grove-ent.com/WRG313I.html

* FlexRadio SDR-1000 - Shortwave Receiver
http://www.flex-radio.com/Products.a...sdr1k_features

-OR- Add a "PC Based" and Software Defined Radio (SDR)
Shortwave Receiver to this 'List'.

- - - Second 'Different' Question - - -
Which is the Better VALUE "PC Based" and
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Shortwave Receiver ?
-?- Which Would You Rank As The Top Three Values ?

fact -or- opinion - what do you have to say ~ RHF

On 2 Nov, 19:12, wrote:
On Nov 2, 10:54 am, wrote:

There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

The biggest drawback, I think, is its use of a 14-bit A/D, which will
severely limit dynamic range. As a point of reference, 1st gen DSP
receivers, such as the WJ HF-1000 and TenTec RX-340 use 16-bit A/D
converters. The JRC NRD-545 uses an 18-bit A/D and the latest DSP
receivers, such as the Icom IC-756Pro-III use a 24-bit A/D.

True in a sense, but it's a "paper" difference more than a practical
difference. I and friends have run SDR-IQs back to back with
excellent receivers like the 746Pro, HF-1000, R&S EKD-895, NRD-525 etc
with relatively high signal levels without problems and with
comparable results. A potential problem with a receiver which
demodulates a 190 kHz wide spectrum (and wider spectra is available)
is that manual or tracking preselectors can't be used. The IQ has
bandpass filters to partly help this. But of course, in certain
settings an IQ-type SDR will get in trouble. Also, the IQ is somewhat
less sensitive than I'd prefer (2 uV). That said: For me as a MW DX-
er the SDR-IQ has not evolutionised but revolutionised my listening
post. Although I will keep the standard receivers I have, I will never
go back to DX with standard receivers only.
BM

In article . com,
bm wrote:

On 2 Nov, 19:12, wrote:
On Nov 2, 10:54 am, wrote:

There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

The biggest drawback, I think, is its use of a 14-bit A/D, which will
severely limit dynamic range. As a point of reference, 1st gen DSP
receivers, such as the WJ HF-1000 and TenTec RX-340 use 16-bit A/D
converters. The JRC NRD-545 uses an 18-bit A/D and the latest DSP
receivers, such as the Icom IC-756Pro-III use a 24-bit A/D.

True in a sense, but it's a "paper" difference more than a practical
difference. I and friends have run SDR-IQs back to back with
excellent receivers like the 746Pro, HF-1000, R&S EKD-895, NRD-525 etc
with relatively high signal levels without problems and with
comparable results. A potential problem with a receiver which
demodulates a 190 kHz wide spectrum (and wider spectra is available)
is that manual or tracking preselectors can't be used. The IQ has
bandpass filters to partly help this. But of course, in certain
settings an IQ-type SDR will get in trouble. Also, the IQ is somewhat
less sensitive than I'd prefer (2 uV). That said: For me as a MW DX-
er the SDR-IQ has not evolutionised but revolutionised my listening
post. Although I will keep the standard receivers I have, I will never
go back to DX with standard receivers only.
BM

When receiving digital modes make sure the radio you pick can turn the
AGC off or at least have the option to change the attack and delay
values. You might want to do this depending on conditions and the radio.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Nov 3, 7:47 am, bm wrote:
On 2 Nov, 19:12, wrote:

On Nov 2, 10:54 am, wrote:

There are drawbacks though - you need a decent PC/laptop plus a
massive 500Gb hardisk as the recordings are huge.

The biggest drawback, I think, is its use of a 14-bit A/D, which will
severely limit dynamic range. As a point of reference, 1st gen DSP
receivers, such as the WJ HF-1000 and TenTec RX-340 use 16-bit A/D
converters. The JRC NRD-545 uses an 18-bit A/D and the latest DSP
receivers, such as the Icom IC-756Pro-III use a 24-bit A/D.

True in a sense, but it's a "paper" difference more than a practical
difference. I and friends have run SDR-IQs back to back with
excellent receivers like the 746Pro, HF-1000, R&S EKD-895, NRD-525 etc
with relatively high signal levels without problems and with
comparable results. A potential problem with a receiver which
demodulates a 190 kHz wide spectrum (and wider spectra is available)
is that manual or tracking preselectors can't be used. The IQ has
bandpass filters to partly help this. But of course, in certain
settings an IQ-type SDR will get in trouble. Also, the IQ is somewhat
less sensitive than I'd prefer (2 uV). That said: For me as a MW DX-
er the SDR-IQ has not evolutionised but revolutionised my listening
post. Although I will keep the standard receivers I have, I will never
go back to DX with standard receivers only.
BM

BM,

I think the Side-by-Side approach is a good idea. {multi-tasking}

After all you can only 'actively' Listen to one Radio at a Time.

But then you can go back to the SDR Radio Recording and
selectively 're-listen' to any one frequency at a time . . .
time and time again.

~ RHF