[TenTec]software defined radio, was "audio"

[ac5e at comcast.net]

I have been looking at this thread for quite a while, starting with Yuri's 'plaint about Orion's keying and through the "audio" comments. 

Since we have gotten down to that, I rather suspect the model of a "software defined radio" as a black box into which one loads code to do whatever one might choose to do will be a very long time coming. 

One need only look at computers - certainly about as much a  "software defined box" as we are likely to see in the near future - to see hardwired inputs and outputs are still required. If they weren't you could hook your speaker to any jack on the sound card, run audio to and from any other jack or jacks, connect the keyboard to any connector, or none, and so on and so forth and the box would automatically or manually recognize your configuration and work. So far I have not seen anything close to that. 

Now, like the Windoze box I am typing this on, the Orion also has some hardware connections that cannot readily be changed. Being adaptable I choose to work around those "problems." 

For example, I have used a accessory port keyer, schematic included with the WR9R logging program, ever since my Paragon I hit the shack. I still do, from the DOS box under the desk to a Y adapter between the acccessory keyer and the Orion. No problem - I can send code from the keyboard with TR, use any of the accessory keyers I keep around the shack, or use the Orion's built in keyer. Giving me the option of three CW speeds with the shift of a hand. Which is for me both quicker and more convenient. Although someone else may not find it so. 

For that matter, I can plug a second keyboard into a couple of my keyers and have two keyboards and two keys on one rig. And that's about as much complication as I care to burden my already cluttered mind with. 

73  Pete Allen  AC5E