[TenTec] TenTec Digest, Vol 156, Issue 4

[Barry N1EU]

Rick, the latency on the latest SDR offerings has come WAY down, especially
on the Flex 6000 series.  They ARE contest capable.

I agree on the knobs.  I applaud the Flex Maestro interface panel - I think
it's a harbinger of products to come in the future, where many vendors can
offer various front panels that can be interfaced to many different SDR
types.  Or someone could write the code to use an Orion front panel to
control an SDR, etc.

For me, the draw of the direct sampling SDR radios (ANAN, Flex 6K) is that
their receivers simply sound better than the best superhet/dsp i.f. radios.

With the introduction of the not-overly-impressive IC-7300, perhaps we'll
be seeing several direct sampling (DDC/DUC) bundled in a fully knobbed
self-contained box in the next 1-3 years.

73, Barry N1EU

On Mon, Dec 7, 2015 at 7:24 AM, rick at dj0ip.de <Rick at dj0ip.de> wrote:

> EXCEPT . . .  for latency and lack of affordable knobs.
>
> Last reviews I saw still had turnaround latency between TX and RX at 350
> mS.
> If both ops are running SDR, and trying to run full QSK, that's 0.7
> seconds.
> It's gonna sound like "Chop Phooey" on the air!
>
> The set of knobs (Maestro) for the lowest cost $2000 Flex Radio (in the
> class that interests most of us) is $1200 or so.  OR...the big single knob
> from Flex will set you back $200 if you are willing to wait long enough to
> get one.
>
> A decent 3rd party set of knobs, such as the Wood Box Radio T-MATE-2
> probably has enough knobs for most of us, but it will set you back $300 AND
> Flex software won't support it.  You need a 3rd party software (i.e. N4PY
> Radio Control Software) to use it with your Flex.  Get it all set up and
> working with your WIN7 computer, then upgrade to WIN10 and watch the "real"
> fun begin.
>
> Other than that, there's not much wrong with the current crop of SDR
> radios...
>
> 73 - Rick, DJ0IP
> (Nr. Frankfurt, Germany)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TenTec [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Kim
> Elmore
> Sent: Monday, December 07, 2015 2:40 AM
>
> There's absolutely nothing wrong with SDR; I don't fully understand why so
> many people complain about it
>
>
> -------
>
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