[CQ-Contest] SDR Mythbusters - ADC Overload myths debunked...

Barry N1EU n1eu.barry at gmail.com
Tue Nov 10 13:22:55 EST 2015


"There are many very nice things about SDRs, but they have two Achillies'
Heels -- 1) dynamic range of their input stage is not great enough for
most contesting . . .

"#1 can be eliminated for overload by out of band signals by a
preselector front end, or by RX bandpass filters. But that does NOTHING
for in-band overload, like 40M SSB in EU and AS, or at a M/M with two TX
on the same band."

Not sure if 40M SSB in EU and AS, plus M/M with two TX on the same
band add up to "most contesting."  For the rest of us, the ANAN and
Flex 6K DDC receivers can be used now without ever experiencing ADC
overload (at least I never do and that seems to be the experience of
other users).  My ANAN simply sounds vastly better (cleaner, less
fatiguing - fill in your favorite non-technical adjective here)  in
the toughest band condx and much less prone to pileup mush compared to
my K3 and Orion.  Ergonomics is of course another story and Flex seems
to be aggressively pursuing improvements in that area.

73, Barry N1EU


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