[Orion] [TenTec] "Technical Correspondence", August 2007 issue

[Martin AA6E]

Dr. Gerald N. Johnson wrote:

> There is a fundamental difference between the TenTec and the various ham
> SDR that have open source software. The many SDR use PC audio cards for
> the A/D and then do ALL the computation in the PC external to the radio.
> Sometimes only a certain few audio cards will work fast enough. TenTec
> radios use a special purpose collection of micro and DSP chips IN the
> radio where the needed compilers are not necessarily available on the
> consumer computer market.
> 

Each to his own, but the difference is mainly packaging.

Packaging is important.  It's really useful to have your radio in one 
box that can be carried around without a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and 
PC.  Those big knobs are convenient, too.

In terms of the block diagram and signal processing, there is not much 
difference.  They are both SDR's, but TT has locked up the code so users 
can't help improve the product, except by sending testy emails to each 
other...

73 Martin AA6E