Topband: SDR-IQ experience during CQ 160 contest

[Pete Smith]

A couple of comments.  The SDR-IQ has some available options so far as 
front-end and IF attenuators, which may be useful on Topband.  It's 
frustrating how little information is published about the receiver - you 
really need to prowl the SDR-IQ menu in Spectravue to get a grasp of 
what it can do. Also note that Skimmer's DSP filtering is audio, and 
only really affects what you can hear through the SDR-IQ, not the 
decoding  The Skimmer uses thousands of discrete 50-Hz channels, 
skipping through them 5 micro-seconds at a time.  Yep, micro-seconds.  
Amazing!

73, Pete N4ZR
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On 2/6/2010 2:06 PM, Art wrote:
> I use K3 and 765 in my setup. Like Tree and others I've recently added
> SDR-IQ. It has two great advantages that I can see. with CW Skimmer it
> copies calls, and it copies them all over the band at once. Secondarily,
> it spots them in my logger for me through Skimmer telnet server.
>
> What it isn't is a great receiver. True, it has a DSP filter window. It
> moves around the band quick. But its no feature rich receiver by any
> means, even a modest one. It does have decent dynamic range and a bit of
> filter adjustability.
>
> I see it as a very useful adjunct to a great setup like the K3 with 2nd
> receiver. On the other hand I haven't had it long, perhaps not long
> enough to make more use of it.
>
> 73 Art
>
> Björn Mohr wrote:
>    
>> On 31 jan 2010, at 19.00, Tree wrote:
>>
>>
>>      
>>> A few days before the CQ 160 CW contest, I received my new SDR-IQ "receiver"
>>> from HRO.  It is a small box - with a USB cable and a BNC connector for
>>> the antenna.  The power for it comes from the computer via the USB cable.
>>>
>>>
>>>        
>> Hi Tree and TB'ers,
>>
>> I have been considering a SDR RX just for monitoring the band, but also as a remote second RX. How do you find the performance of the SDR-IQ compared to your K3 or other high end RX?
>>
>> I am curious to hear feedback from anyone who has an SDR RX, would it make a good second RX for DX work?
>>
>> Björn Mohr | bm at broadcast.se | Facebook
>> Telephone | +46-8-559 25 745 | Skype
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>>
>>
>>      
> _______________________________________________
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