[TenTec] "End of an Era"

[Tod Glenn]

> I've been looking at the Software Defined Radios. The SDR 1000  
> transceiver looks good. Some circuitry for a DC receiver feeding an  
> analog to digital chip and an RF amplifier. Every thing else is  
> software. Pretty impressive numbers. Cost with a new sound card is  
> less than $2,000.
>
> Then there is the SDR 14, basically a spectrum analyzer that can  
> function as a general coverage receiver to 30MHz. The antenna is  
> connected directly to the analog to digital chip. Might be nice to  
> have some front end filters, but basically no RF parts. I'm not  
> sure what the receiver's numbers are but I suspect with some  
> tweaking of the software they would be better than anything on the  
> market.

I've looked at software defined radios and was not impressed.  In my  
opinion most transceivers are already too complex  for most users,  
and only a small percentage use them to their capacity.  And when you  
add the cost of the computer (and it's size) SDR aren't really all  
that impressive.  The way most computers are built nowadays, they're  
noise generators too.

While I own an Orion, I find that I enjoy using my Corsair II almost  
as much:  No menus, simple operation.  I can spend my time on QSOs,  
not fiddling around with the radio.


----
Tod Glenn
N7WD
NAQCC #1283
SKCC #1444
FISTS #12134
ARCI #12420
n7wd at cordite.com