[TenTec] Ten Tec rig I'd like to have.

[Martin AA6E]

I've been plugging for this kind of extensible
architecture myself, but let me play devil's advocate.

>From the manufacturer's point of view, you would be
jumping into a wilderness.  In the extreme, your
hardware might become just another PCI plug-in card,
like the various TV tuners you can buy. You would have
to offer a standard software package for basic rig
interaction, but the user could write his own, or he
could buy from 3rd parties. (We've seen this will
older computer-based radios.)

For one thing, the vendor has a support problem.  What
is being supported?  Right now, TT supports a big
black box with a front panel and antenna jacks.  There
is a limited "API" (application programming interface)
provided through the serial port.  In the "PCI" world,
the API to the cards is just as important to support
as the end-user interface (standard software package).
 TT must expose many more of its secrets and/or dirty
laundry.  (We see hints of this in the ongoing
evolution of the firmware!)

Another problem is economics: Making rigs into
computer peripherals is attractive to some of us
geeks, but for the vendor, it may look like they're
going from a high-value (closed/proprietary) product
to a commodity - just another DSP card with a 100 watt
power amp.  (The difference between Apple and Acer.)

So I expect the "extreme" SDR radio business is going
to be driven by the hobby projects & garage businesses
more than by the established vendors.  Seems to be
going that way.

73, Martin AA6E


--- Duane - N9DG <n9dg at yahoo.com> wrote:

> --- Barry N1EU <n1eu at netscape.net> wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> 
>  My second pipe dream would be
> > for it to feature an intentionally
> pluggable/upgradeable
> > architecture that will accept future faster CPU's
> and DSP
> > processors.
> > 
> > 73 & H2K5,
> > Barry N1EU
> 
> That "plug in" architecture would be called the PC
> PCI bus
> that's already here. In fact there are hundreds of
> millions
> of devices already using it, just not many radios
> (yet) ;).
> 
> This weekend I have been playing around some more
> with the
> Flex radio SDR-1000, all in all a very impressive
> performing
> RX. It handily outperforms the Pegasus in most
> respects.
> 
> Have also been playing around with the Time Machine
> and LO1
> boards from Expanded Spectrum Systems. Just feed the
> board a
> LO signal from my signal generator and a antenna
> lead then
> feed its I/Q output to a sound card, then run
> SDRadio from
> I2PHD and viola,... instant SDR RX :). The RX is
> complete
> with 48 kHz panadapter nearly infinitely adjustable
> IF filter
> bandwidths and PBT. I'm sure it is a bit limited in
> dynamic
> range performance but sure is tons of fun to
> experiment with.
> Haven't had this much fun with new piece of radio
> gear since
> I bought the first Pegasus.
> 
> I really wish Ten Tec would start designing radios
> built
> around the ubiquitous PC PCI bus. It is a relatively
> easy and
> very economical way to have lots of CPU power for
> control and
> graphical displays plus it is a natural for building
> SDR
> radio without all of the limitations of the typical
> embedded
> processor like the Dragon Ball. 
> 
> Duane
> N9DG
> 
> 
> 
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