[TenTec] More on a modern version of the Corsair ('Corsair III)

[Steve Ireland]

G'day

Thanks for all the interesting contributions. Hope TT Sales, Marketing and R 
& D are keeping a close eye on this thread. ;-) I'd really like to be a beta 
tester...

The 30th anniversary ‘Corsair III’ definitely  needs some modern 
refinements – a DDS VFO with dual functions, CAT port (thanks, Barry N1EU) 
and band stacking registers, etc, plus RS232/USB and IF (for a panadaptor) 
outputs. An active low pass filter to clean up any residual audio hiss after 
the OPA1234 op amps would be nice.  So would a modernised Kenwood TS-830S 
type analogue noise blanker.

In order to sell well, the key to a Corsair III is retro-chic, purely 
analogue signal path but with state of the art (Elecraft K3 level) 
connectivity to digital devices.  It should be the same size and shape as 
the original.

The new generation of young computer-type radio amateurs I know here buy 
Apple because of the cool way their products look and operate – and the same 
blokes drool over the good looks and simplicity of aesthetically 
well-designed old radios such as the Corsair. Let's face it, the LCD 
displays used on modern radios do look ugly.  The newbies love 'old school' 
analogue meters and LED alphanumeric frequency readouts and want to add 
their own PCs/LCD screens for rig control/panadaptors - and, in my 
experience, don't think much of the internal LCD displays that even the 
top-level transceivers have.

Being for some reason considered as one of the cooler, older radio amateurs 
here, I get visited/approached from time to time by the new generation who 
like to talk to me (and try and convince me to sell some of my older HF 
equipment to them). What I've learnt from this is they are really influenced 
by stylish ‘look and feel’ of all technology – and would rather have 
something they consider to be well designed in all aspects than something 
that is purely functional.

For the last ten years or so, I’ve used and written extensively about 
digital and SDR technology, inspired by and with my friend Phil 
VK6APH/VK6PH. He is the clever one – I am ‘Igor’ to his ‘Dr Frankenstein’ – 
but this friendship/collaboration has meant that I’ve become familiar with 
many of the DSP back-end and SDR radios.

With the amazing shape factors of digital filters and the way they treat 
noise, SDR radios can sometimes pull out the very weakest of signals that 
analogue radios (even with DSP back-ends) can’t.  However, this is an 
ability that comes into play on fairly rare occasions and at a high price in 
terms of complexity, latency and 'listenability' for the rest of the time. 
My conclusion is that most humans' ears (and brains) are happiest with an 
analogue signal path from antenna to speaker - and, apart from some great 
little QRP radios, there is nothing currently to satisfy this happiness.

PS Barry N1EU's idea of a redesign/modernization of individual Corsair 
circuit boards that could be done as a community project is a great parallel 
idea for all of those out there who are technically able - rather like the 
OpenHPSDR project in fact.  Anyone interested in having a crack at the IF/AF 
board? ;-)


Vy 73

Steve, VK6VZ 


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