I have been looking at this thread for quite a while, starting with Yuri's
'plaint about Orion's keying and through the "audio" comments.
Since we have gotten down to that, I rather suspect the model of a "software
defined radio" as a black box into which one loads code to do whatever one
might choose to do will be a very long time coming.
One need only look at computers - certainly about as much a "software defined
box" as we are likely to see in the near future - to see hardwired inputs and
outputs are still required. If they weren't you could hook your speaker to any
jack on the sound card, run audio to and from any other jack or jacks, connect
the keyboard to any connector, or none, and so on and so forth and the box
would automatically or manually recognize your configuration and work. So far I
have not seen anything close to that.
Now, like the Windoze box I am typing this on, the Orion also has some hardware
connections that cannot readily be changed. Being adaptable I choose to work
around those "problems."
For example, I have used a accessory port keyer, schematic included with the
WR9R logging program, ever since my Paragon I hit the shack. I still do, from
the DOS box under the desk to a Y adapter between the acccessory keyer and the
Orion. No problem - I can send code from the keyboard with TR, use any of the
accessory keyers I keep around the shack, or use the Orion's built in keyer.
Giving me the option of three CW speeds with the shift of a hand. Which is for
me both quicker and more convenient. Although someone else may not find it so.
For that matter, I can plug a second keyboard into a couple of my keyers and
have two keyboards and two keys on one rig. And that's about as much
complication as I care to burden my already cluttered mind with.
73 Pete Allen AC5E
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
|