>
> Greetings,
>
> I agree. Get it thought our before you begin to write code. Most of the
> time and work will be in the thinking stage.
>
> Perry W1COW
>
>
> What I would like to see is an open process for writing a detailed
> description of all the various ways a radio might be used as the basis
> for a concept of operation ("operation" in terms of the user, not the
> system), and then a set of explicitly traceable functional
> requirements for software. This is where openly involving volunteers
> is most helpful and positive. Then, if one of those desired activities
> cannot be accommodated in the design, at least we know it's a real
> limitation and not an accident. It would also help Ten Tec avoid
> spending too much accommodating activities around which the user
> community has no concensus.
>
> Rick, KR9D
Perry & Rick,
I suppose "requirements -- specifications -- coding -- testing --
release" would be a good model for software. This methodology works
nicely with simpler non-SDR rigs. The firmware of my IC-R8500 (for
example) just works.
SDR is different because many if not most of the capabilities of the rig
are determined by software, and users' requirements (interests) change
over time. New features and modes pop up all the time. They're limited
mainly by your imagination and your programming budget.
If you take the attitude that there is an Orion Specification and the
programming job is finished once that spec is met, you will be missing a
lot of the potential of SDR.
All that to one side, I'm not sure there ever was an Orion
Specification, at least not a public one. Where does it say what the
NR, Notch, NB buttons are specified to do? (A technical specification,
not just "reduce noise".) What is the spec on SSB audio response,
distortion, etc.? These features were probably engineered just to the
point of being "good enough" for the market. (And they are mostly good
enough for me!)
If you have doubts about Open Source programming, you can compare
Firefox, Apache, and Linux to Internet Explorer, IIS, and Windows
(Vista?). Politics aside, which products show the best design methodology?
73 Martin AA6E
--
Martin Ewing, AA6E
aa6e@ewing.homedns.org
+1-203-315-5160
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