[TenTec] What's an SDR?

Tue Dec 14 11:15:04 EST 2004

So a rig with an A/D convertor for transmit and receive qualifies it as 
SDR. The first ham rig I can recall having those features would be the 
TS-870. Being upgradable and having encoders for controls doesn't seem 
to matter. 
N4LQ

-----Original Message-----
From: "Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales" <sales at tentec.com>
To: tentec at contesting.com
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:53:15 -0500
Subject: Re: [TenTec] What's an SDR?

> 
> The Orion and Jupiter are SDR's.
> 
> This discussion comes up every several months or so here on the 
> reflector.  I'll refer back to a post I made here in June 2004 when it
> came 
> up last time, which in turn referenced the discussion on the same of 
> November 2003.
> 
> http://lists.contesting.com/_tentec/2004-06/msg00250.html
> 
> Back in November of 2003, I posted a definition of SDR in response to
> another discussion that went on here about "What's an SDR?"
> 
> The original post was titled "SDR vs. SDR" and is located at URL:
> http://lists.contesting.com/archives/html/TenTec/2003-11/msg00547.html
> 
> Here it is repeated:
> --------------------------------
> "What's an SDR?"
> 
> I'll take the U.S. government's opinion, as they - more than any other 
> entity - have been vitally interested in the topic. There is endless 
> reading available by surfing the Internet. One of the better
> explanations 
> I've read recently that anyone can understand is located on the NTIA 
> website at this URL:
> 
> http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/newsletr/fall01/SDR.html
> 
> Excerpt:
> 
> "While there are differing opinions as to what an SDR actually is, a
> good 
> general definition of an SDR is found in the recently adopted American 
> National Standard, Telecom Glossary 2000. An SDR consists of a receiver
> and/or transmitter with the following properties: (a) the received
> signal 
> is digitized and then processed using software-programmable digital
> signal 
> processing techniques (digitization may occur at the RF, IF, or
> baseband); 
> and (b) the modulated signal to be transmitted is generated as a
> digital 
> signal using software-programmable digital signal processing
> techniques. 
> The digital signal is then converted to an analog signal for
> transmission 
> (the conversion to analog may occur at baseband, IF, or RF)."
> --------------------------
> 
> The key being the statement "software-programmable" - that software 
> (firmware) is used to change
> modulation characteristics.
> 
> SDR is the future of all radio services - amateur, commercial,
> military. 
> For some really interesting reading
> on the possibilities for SDR's in the future, have a look at some of
> the 
> discussion on cognitive radio.
> A sample is here: http://www.fcc.gov/oet/cognitiveradio/ - the
> applications 
> for amateur radio are a
> question mark at the moment, but this is clearly where the future of 
> two-way radio is headed.
> A Google search on "cognitive radio" may also be instructive.
> 
> 73
> Scott Robbins W4PA
> Amateur Radio Product Manager, Ten-Tec, Inc.
> 
> 
> At 09:14 PM 12/13/04 -0800, you wrote:
> >OK, I'll bite.  BQF says Orion is not an "SDR", but
> >many other people do use that term for our favorite
> >big black box.  I have wondered about this.
> >
> >A "software defined radio", we are told, is one where
> >the analog signal is sampled as close to the antenna
> >input as practical.  From then on, filtering and
> >detection are done in software - or firmware or DSPs
> >if you like.
> >
> >The Orion uses conventional local oscillators and IF
> >filters.  The third IF, at 14 kHz, is sampled, and
> >filtering and detection are "software".  So we have a
> >14 kHz SDR, at least.
> >
> >Whether the Orion is really an "SDR" is a semantic
> >issue.  It's probably not yet quite practical
> >(economical) to sample at the antenna input jack.
> >Some analog filtering, amplification, and conversion
> >is needed.  Orion has quite a bit.
> >
> >Whatever else it is, Orion is enough of an SDR to be
> >totally reliant on its Sharc DSPs, its Dragonball, and
> >its firmware, for better or worse.
> >
> >I still have my TS-520S, just in case.
> >
> >73, Martin AA6E
> >
> >
> >--- Tommy <aldermant at alltel.net> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > I'm not sure why John is referring to the Orion and
> > > Jupiter as an
> > > SDR, as they certainly are not.
> > >
> > > Tom - W4BQF
> 
> 
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