[CQ-Contest] Skimmer DR

[Bill Tippett]

I wrote:

 >       The DSP's DR will depend on the specific sound card,
but should be in the order of 100 dB (without external AGC),
assuming a 24-bit sound card.  This is similar to the DSP
in Orion, K3, Flex, etc.  These rigs all extend their DR by
using analog AGC to limit over-driving their ADC.  ~100 dB
should cover most receiving situations excluding overload
problems from local transmitters (i.e. the BDR problem
mentioned previously).

         Indeed I was very close with my estimates!

Here is an expanded list of features...

* Optimized for K3
* Up to 192 kHz display on PC, sound card dependent
* 8.215 MHz center frequency for centered display
* Switching quadrature detector for 100dB dynamic range
*  -130dBm noise floor
* Buffer amp with very high LO isolation.
* Fully isolated inputs / outputs with high quality audio xfmrs
* Works with many SDR programs... custom application planned
* Point and click frequency control with 
<http://www.flex-radio.com/>PowerSDR and 
<http://hrd.ham-radio.ch/>HRD
* Shielded metal enclosure in development
* Will be available for other common IF frequencies in the HF region.
* Image rejection of 40-50dB with PowerSDR,  up to 70dB with 
<http://www.dxatlas.com/rocky/>VE3NEA's Rocky software.

Note: Specifications are dependent on sound card. Measurement details 
are included in the following discussion.

More info and photos here:

http://telepostinc.com/K3pan.html

         Since this is using VE3NEA's Rocky software,
I expect it will be a very simple step to add Skimmer.

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV