Good Post Paul, and it sums up what we have all been trying to say but
didn't know quite how to say it. Toby W4CAK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Christensen" <w9ac@arrl.net>
To: "Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2006 2:46 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] "End of an Era"
> > IC7800. I have the SDR-1000 and it keeps getting better all the
> > time, but there are still some hardware limitations that the
> > developers have not come up with software work-arounds for.
>
> The primary limitation is their use of a single PC microprocessor to
> accomplish many parallel tasks. It's a commendable start -- but when Flex
> and other manufacturers develop an SDR architecture that distributes tasks
> across multiple processors, they will have a serious product for the mass
> market.
>
> Adding a good front panel user interface is also going to be necessary in
> order to attract a large market share. I suspect that as successful as
the
> Pegasus was, Ten-Tec's decision to add a front panel to it and call it a
> Jupiter was the direct result of customer feedback in order to seek
> continued growth in revenue.
>
> My understanding is that Flex's new concept radio will shift a large
portion
> of the processing function away from the PC and include it within the
radio
> hardware. Since so much of the performance depends on the quality of the
> audio interface to the sound card device, any slight abnormally in hum,
> buzz, ground loops, etc., can have a profound effect on basic performance.
> Before I would try a Flex, I would want to see them incorporate a
> differential, 3-stage instrumentation input (for high CMRR immunity) so
that
> it can better adapt to some of the unknown powering and grounding
conditions
> around the shack.
>
> SDR holds great promise for the future, especially as the A-D function
> gradually moves from AF, to IF, and finally to RF. But at the end of the
> day, the product has to feel like a radio and not a computer. It also has
> to quickly respond to what we want, when we want it -- whether its fast
> band-changing during a contest, or ultra fast CW QSK. Otherwise, we may
as
> well just make Echlolink contacts all day long.
>
> Paul, W9AC
>
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