[TenTec] [Orion] "Technical Correspondence", August 2007 issue

[Merle Bone]

I thought Frank did a nice job of pointing out some distinctions between the software on the SDR-1000 and SDR-5000 and the Orions. He made the clear point that the DSP software - known as DttSP - is available to be used on any hardware or to be modified and used on any hardware (Open source available for modification).  He also pointed out that there may be different "driving forces" for the SDR-1000/SDR-5000 systems and the DttSP software. Other users and uses of DttSP may drive the functionality available in the software. He cited the multi-watch operation that hasn't yet been "fully" implemented in the SDR-1000/SDR-5000 hardware. From my own previous email questions to Frank, I know that there are still other features available in DttSP that haven't yet been implemented in the SDR-1000/SDR-5000 hardware - many new features/functions are expected with the SDR-5000 platform in the future. He also pointed out that knobs and buttons, while being familiar for use, can "restrain" future software capability.

In all I thought Franks comments were useful as people try to understand what this new "software defined radio technology" is about. I have mentioned to a few friends that you can "lose capability" as well as gain capability with "software defined radio technology." I use the change in the Orion Manual and Automatic Notch functionality between the V1 code and the V2 code as an example. In the V1 code the offending signal carrier was notched out so it did not impact the AGC while in V2 the impact of the offending signal carrier on the AGC remains - even though the audio tone is notched out. I think it is good for people to understand the new "dynamics" in "software defined radio technology."  With this technology the DSP software skills and motivation may be equally - or more -  important then the hardware skills - particularly when considering future changes/capabilities of a software defined radio.
73, Merle - W0EWM