[TenTec] Re: The "What is SDR?" question (Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales)

[Edward A. Feustel]

> Subject:
> [TenTec] The "What is SDR?" question
> From:
> "Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales" <sales at tentec.com>
> Date:
> Thu, 10 Jun 2004 10:40:54 -0400
> To:
> tentec at contesting.com
> 
> To:
> tentec at contesting.com
> 
> 
> 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.
> 
Scott,
Thanks for the definition and especially the references.
Ed, N5EI