[TenTec] Open Source - an alternative proposal

[Mark Erbaugh]

> Since the firmware controls the frequency selection
> and is tied in with filter and mode selection your
> sound card software would have to be integrated with
> the firmware control. Could get kind of complex.

The computer would need to use the firmware for some control aspects on
receive and all of them on transmit. It would be nice if the user could also
operate the radio in a non-DSP mode, so the software will have to include
rig control.  However, that's not terribly difficult. I have code that I
wrote for a QEX article a couple of years ago that does all that.

But I think the advantages outweigh the problems, besides hams have always
been willing to experiment.

Some of the features that I envision:

Adjustable noise blanking
Manual notch
Sharper filter skirts and narrower filter widths (as on the RX-340)
Receive equalization (tone control)
Limited width (20 kHz) real-time bandscope
Smoother, quicker non-real-time bandscope (don't have to deal with DSP agc)
Syncronous AM reception for SWL

73,
Mark