Are SDR radios worth it or is it all hype?

[Tallman]

I have funding available and will be allowed to invest in another radio. I want to be sure I get the most bang for my money so I do a lot of research before I let my hard earned cash go. I would appreciate any feed back on SDR I do not get to spend a lot of time reading for pleasure. It seems most of my reading these days is about medications, side effects, and interactions.

Thanks in advance,
TALLMAN

 

[Robb]

If you don't mind hooking up your desktop to your radio, then you will get a wealth of functions and visual aids that just can't be beat - IMHO.

 

[fourstringburn]

The eye candy is great but the jury is still out if a SDR chip is still better than a more complex superheterodyne. It seems the future of HF rigs is going SDR because it is cheaper to manufacture and consumers like all these color displays with touch screens.

Elecraft will be coming out with a K4HD which will combine a superheterodyne with a SDR.This will be a high dollar rig though.

Things I hear about going all SDR is when the band is full the SDR can overload more reducing the dynamic range.

I prefer using my TS590SG with a SDRPlay and the free SDRUNO software. This gives me all the eye candy on a large monitor and the radio is interfaced with my computer so I can mouse click the waterfall and my radio follows it plus the software follows my radio. Don't have to worry about the radio screen going out and I don't like touch screens!

I can setup as many virtual receivers and use 1 as a sub receiver to listen to the TX frequency on a DX station calling on a wide split to hear which frequency is being picked up more. This does require using headphones into the computer though and you will experience a slight latency. You won't notice this much and less you using your desktop radio and SDR interface with both volumes up at the same time.

The All in one radio is nice, but I would consider using a modern Heterodyne rig and using a SDR interface like SDR Play. This way you get the best of both words, a hands on radio with knobs, and some on screen mouse click control. You can get quite elaborate with these SDR interfaces or you can just play it simple like I mostly do and just use it for the waterfall display.

If you can afford one, I would go with the Kenwood TS890S. This one has good results from Sherwood engineering.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

 

[Slowmover]

The eye candy is great but the jury is still out if a SDR chip is still better than a more complex superheterodyne. It seems the future of HF rigs is going SDR because it is cheaper to manufacture and consumers like all these color displays with touch screens.

Elecraft will be coming out with a K4HD which will combine a superheterodyne with a SDR.This will be a high dollar rig though.

Things I hear about going all SDR is when the band is full the SDR can overload more reducing the dynamic range.

I prefer using my TS590SG with a SDRPlay and the free SDRUNO software. This gives me all the eye candy on a large monitor and the radio is interfaced with my computer so I can mouse click the waterfall and my radio follows it plus the software follows my radio. Don't have to worry about the radio screen going out and I don't like touch screens!

I can setup as many virtual receivers and use 1 as a sub receiver to listen to the TX frequency on a DX station calling on a wide split to hear which frequency is being picked up more. This does require using headphones into the computer though and you will experience a slight latency. You won't notice this much and less you using your desktop radio and SDR interface with both volumes up at the same time.

The All in one radio is nice, but I would consider using a modern Heterodyne rig and using a SDR interface like SDR Play. This way you get the best of both words, a hands on radio with knobs, and some on screen mouse click control. You can get quite elaborate with these SDR interfaces or you can just play it simple like I mostly do and just use it for the waterfall display.

If you can afford one, I would go with the Kenwood TS890S. This one has good results from Sherwood engineering.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

I’ve wondered also, but without enough animation to research it.

Great post. Thx!

.

 

[Slowmover]

I have funding available and will be allowed to invest in another radio. I want to be sure I get the most bang for my money so I do a lot of research before I let my hard earned cash go. I would appreciate any feed back on SDR I do not get to spend a lot of time reading for pleasure. It seems most of my reading these days is about medications, side effects, and interactions.

Thanks in advance,
TALLMAN

I’ve done that reading. Used to be much easier before all was monetized online.

Family was daunted by the vocabulary acquisition required (using the dreaded dictionary) to read papers published.

Gee, I thought I’d printed or linked the general purpose overview.

The ones where chemistry and physics took turns whacking the tetherball were quite something else.

IMO, junior wanna-be millionaires are in the pharmaceutical business to get rich. Medical researchers. We think of this group as “doctors”. They are certified to use a vocabulary, and THAT is the meaning of their sheepskin. Legal cover. The ones who write most of what you’re reading.

The Replication Crisis, is the topic.

Still others believe that sharing information is anathema. You didn’t pay, you can’t play.

The less-scrupulous less-intelligent cousins are in the aftermarket. Barjan, to Motorola relationship. “Natural” cures and palliatives. Herbs and spices and extracts.

FDA (etc) is in the business of protecting profit. Not protecting patients. Not news to you, I’m sure.

The seminar materials for attorneys pursuing cases against pharmaceutical companies are what you want. The, “how to judge statements-made”, stuff.

Boilerplate, is most of what one comes across. A constant. Not exactly useful. Just, sorta useful.

It’s the mask of authority. Only. The rest is carefully-worded advertising. Approved phrasing to avoid questions.

Intellectual Property. It’s a Constitutional question. Wholly subservient to money. Not society’s good. Yet society underwrites nearly all if it.

“Foundations” are in place as the the cut-out. Everyone’s beloved NGO’s. Where the evidence trail is stone-walled by truly gigantic private resources brought to bear.

1. The entire point of their existence is to have legal-standing. Wrench in the works
2. We took your money, now it is ours (no accountability via legal means)
3. What is produced can’t be pried loose.

Whatever radio gets your vote, well, I hope it’s one is fully-engrossing. That it’s the node to the other side where imagination can stretch and play till Mom rings the dinner bell to come indoors.

.

.

 

[Crambone]

i played a little with the SDR and it is a learning curve but has tons of options to play with. All considered my next radio is a FLEX.

 

[543_Dallas]

I've had 2 Apache Labs Anan rigs and love them both. I sold the old one to a friend and he's having a blast with it. I don't even use my ftdx1200 anymore.

Flex and Anan are like iPhone vs Android....the Anan being the far superior Android device.

I like the Anan because it's open source. I can try different firmware and software for free. I understand flex charges for upgrades.

The downside to the anan is that there is very little customer support. If you have a problem go to the Apache Labs forum and work through it. It comes with nothing. You get a box, the radio and a power cord. You have to download the manual and figure out what you want to use for a mic.

 

[Mudfoot]

I started with a FLEX 1500 years ago. It was interesting, but I don't like being married to a PC like that. I also had an ANAN 10e, which I really enjoyed using. Presently, I'm using an ELAD FDM-DUO. It's qrp, but I'm using an RM Italy HLA-300v for umph. I just purchased an Ameritron ALS-600, which I'll be using after my shack rearrangement is finished.

The ELAD can be used in standalone mode. This is how I'm currently operating it. It's a very nice radio and extremely capable and customizable. It's currently, my main rig. I'm preparing to hook it to my computer and give that a whirl. I'm torn between it and my IC-7610.

Everything is going this way. Guess I'm getting my foot in the door.

 

[Mudfoot]

Maybe pick up a little cheap SDR dongle and experiment with it. The SDRPlay RSP1a is an excellent choice. When I got my first one, is when the SDR bug got me.

After I purchased my SDR Transceivers, I relegated the SDRPlay to listing to AM/FM radio and local EMS/Fire. I put up outside antennas and it's very enjoyable.

This particular model is popular amongst ham for panadapter use. They have an upgraded model with 2 antenna inputs. They hold value well and easily sold if not interested.

Icom has obviously jumped on the SDR train. Just a matter of time before the others catch up. Soon, we'll have extreme high performance radios, that are much more affordable than superhets. Actually, were already there.

 

[AndrewGS]

I had a psuedo-SDR Icom 7300 for a while and it was awesome, until I got a Flex 5000a a year ago. That was an eye opening experience in how much you can do for your audio and receive. I recently got rid of the 5000 and replaced it with a used Flex 6500. With this SmartSDR software and remotablilty, I'm in love. In fact, I just ordered a brand new 6600 so that I can run two antennas/transverter at once. I'll be able to monitor 2M and whichever HF band I want to at the same time without more radios on the desk.

 

[seedkey]

I started with a FLEX 1500 years ago. It was interesting, but I don't like being married to a PC like that. I also had an ANAN 10e, which I really enjoyed using. Presently, I'm using an ELAD FDM-DUO. It's qrp, but I'm using an RM Italy HLA-300v for umph. I just purchased an Ameritron ALS-600, which I'll be using after my shack rearrangement is finished.

The ELAD can be used in standalone mode. This is how I'm currently operating it. It's a very nice radio and extremely capable and customizable. It's currently, my main rig. I'm preparing to hook it to my computer and give that a whirl. I'm torn between it and my IC-7610.

Everything is going this way. Guess I'm getting my foot in the door.

That radio is no more QRP than my Cobra. Great radio though. I have one

 

[Mudfoot]

That radio is no more QRP than my Cobra. Great radio though. I have one

The DUO?

 

[seedkey]

The DUO?

yes,
I get almost 10 watts from mine on AM pairs up nicely with my messenger amp.

 

[Mudfoot]

Mine varies according to band. The only way I see 10 watts, is when output power is set to max. I believe it has 20 watt finals. Running it on max, is not an issue according to the designer. I'm running an RM Italy and typically see 250-280 watts, but usually run around 200.

 

[groundwire]

Unfortunately sdr based radios and touch screens is the future of radio. I dont like touch screens at all, screen doesnt work, cant operate the rig. Dumb, plus they always fail eventually. Just wait, im sure it will get even worse like using an app for rig control, or voice commands. Lol. Like the alexa thing. Hahaha, wait that would be kinda cool, "icom, 27.385 lsb please"