New SDR CommRadio CR-1 - Page 4

nickcarr · #61 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 3:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WB2KTG

Looking at the display in the images and right in front of me, I think you're right. The left side appears to be a bit higher than the right side. The index line is sloping downward when going left to right. I presume that's just a matter of adjustment at the factory. I have noted it and submitted the question to the higher authorities... Thanks for your keen observation, I hadn't noticed it until you mentioned it!

Sure, thanks for noting it. IMHO, one of my biggest pet peeves is the fit & finish of a product. I can understand if there's a firmware bug, but the F&F is something the factory can control and stuff like that drives me nuts.

For work, I get to play with the newest cell phones and [only just recently] has the F&F become consistent. Some MFGs are better than others but in general the QC has gone up.

ka3jjz · #62 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 5:31 PM

I can't make any definitive promises, but I have suggested to the powers that be that run the Winterfest in Pennsylvania (Mar 1/2, if anyone's interested...) to invite this guy. It would give him a captive audience to show off this radio, even if you really can't use it inside a steel building (where the fest is held)...

Mike

carmelof · #63 (**permalink**) 02-01-2013, 8:26 PM

CommRadio website is up but cannot see if the internal battery is available for the CR-1..

Regards Lino..

nickcarr · #64 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 4:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmelof

CommRadio website is up but cannot see if the internal battery is available for the CR-1..

Yeah I asked about this in my order comments. It might be delayed a bit.

FYI, the final price is $512 with shipping. Only one shipping option at the moment.

carmelof · #65 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 4:09 AM

Hi nick well i checked whats going to cost me to australia with shipping and its $512 US dollars thats strange..

Regards Lino..

nickcarr · #66 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 4:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmelof

Hi nick well i checked whats going to cost me to australia with shipping and its $512 US dollars thats strange..

Regards Lino..

Not sure you can order yet Lino. They say INTL orders are not available until May 1st due to certifications, etc.

corbintechboy · #67 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 4:23 AM

Got my order in. Can't wait to see how this thing performs

.

carmelof · #68 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 4:24 AM

Hi realized that when i went on my home computer was looking forward putting in my order by May the price will probably go up..

Regards Lino..

zl2taw · #69 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 6:09 AM

Lino send the money to Nick then Nick can post it to you

WB2KTG · #70 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 12:29 PM

Today I decided to explore the other side of the CR-1. Removal of the four feet / legs only requires the removal of four screws. Twelve more allow the bottom cover to be removed. The speaker is mounted to the inside of the bottom cover on four studs. In the specific unit I have, the speaker wires are soldered to the circuit card. The circuit card has no components on this side! Good job for whomever designed the board! There are markings and connections for the Li Ion battery, and a set of foil connectors (J7) for future expansion??? I'll see what I can find out about that!

One of my goals for this afternoon will be to connect up an antenna or two and see how it behaves!

corbintechboy · #71 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 1:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WB2KTG

One of my goals for this afternoon will be to connect up an antenna or two and see how it behaves!

Looking forward to this. Thank you for taking the time to do all this.

WB2KTG · #72 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 2:38 PM

First RF Test-

Just to get something, I grabbed my ICOM IC-R20 handheld receiver and Diamond RH-77 antenna, put the BNC telescopic whip I got originally with the R-20 on the CR-1. Tuned around 40M CW and found a weak but easily copyable signal on 7.00314. I then tuned the R-20 to the same frequency. No signal detected! The ICOM is generally regarded a VERY sensitive, but easily overloaded with a normal sized (e.g. dipole) antenna. In this case, the CR-1 had no problem copying a signal the ICOM couldn't even hear. I include an iPad picture of my highly sophisticated setup. Just as a sanity check, I later tested the receivers one at a time, and went to several different windows. Same results. There must be a contest going on 'cause this one guy has been pounding at about 20 WPM for the past hour or so. So far I'm impressed with the CR-1!

zl2taw · #73 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 4:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WB2KTG

First RF Test-

Just to get something, I grabbed my ICOM IC-R20 handheld receiver and Diamond RH-77 antenna, put the BNC telescopic whip I got originally with the R-20 on the CR-1. Tuned around 40M CW and found a weak but easily copyable signal on 7.00314. I then tuned the R-20 to the same frequency. No signal detected! The ICOM is generally regarded a VERY sensitive, but easily overloaded with a normal sized (e.g. dipole) antenna. In this case, the CR-1 had no problem copying a signal the ICOM couldn't even hear. I include an iPad picture of my highly sophisticated setup. Just as a sanity check, I later tested the receivers one at a time, and went to several different windows. Same results. There must be a contest going on 'cause this one guy has been pounding at about 20 WPM for the past hour or so. So far I'm impressed with the CR-1!

thats great my friend, I too am interested in the real world rx capabilities to this radio.

Thankyou thus far

molay · #74 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 4:21 PM

I really would like to see something like CR-1 but with an open source firmware or at least a public SDK.

Something not locked to the manufacturer with risk of no updates or costly upgrades.

A radio receiver that can port and run DSD , open source mpt1327 tronquito decoder. USB flash drive as mp3 vox recorder or USB keyboard for data entry.

prcguy · #75 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 5:27 PM

How many IF BWs are available? Is it just a few selected or infinitely variable? Anyone want to loan theirs out to Rob Sherwood for evaluation and publication of performance?
prcguy

ka3jjz · #76 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 6:41 PM

While I applaud WB2KTG's experimentation, it's no substitute for a real world comparison. Comparing a wide band portable to a desktop receiver is comparing apples to oranges, and you come out with grapefruits.

Now if someone were to compare against the R75, the Palstar or the Alinco R8T - now we have something that's a bit closer to a true test. Even comparing it against the general coverage receivers that are, for the most part, included with many amateur HF transceivers would be a better comparison. Of course, both receivers must be tested on the same antenna.

Mike

ka3jjz · #77 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 6:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prcguy

How many IF BWs are available? Is it just a few selected or infinitely variable? Anyone want to loan theirs out to Rob Sherwood for evaluation and publication of performance?
prcguy

For specifications, see message 44 of this thread...Mike

prcguy · #78 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 7:25 PM

I read that and it only mentions 4 different BW, I would expect more and especially narrower for CW mode.
prcguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

For specifications, see message 44 of this thread...Mike

ka3jjz · #79 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 8:48 PM

I think that's a bit of overreaching, frankly. You're expecting entirely too much out of this radio.

Its price point, and specs, tends to suggest a very basic radio, possibly aimed at the newcomer market. Look at the lack of advanced capabilities - no ECSS, passband tuning, no IQ output, no AGC adjustment or 12 khz output for DRM - I suspect (without having actually talked to Don about it) that this radio is meant to be a competitor to the Palstar. It would still be useful to see how it would stack up against a R8T or R75 in terms of performance.

I would like to see specs on the shape factors of the filter(s) (even if they are being generated via DSP), how well it is able to pull a weak station out of the slop when there's a strong one nearby, how well does it hear down in the tropical bands - let's see some real-world comparisons. I wouldn't plunk down a nickel until we hear some of this.

Mike

[edit] I forgot to mention that there's no discriminator tap, either, for the VHF/UHF side. This is going to be a hassle for folks wanting to run apps like UniTrunker or similar. It's such a small thing to add, and not for much money, either...

prcguy · #80 (**permalink**) 02-02-2013, 11:03 PM

I like high performance and I'm hoping the CR-1 is at least an entry level high performance receiver. I already have an Elecraft KX3 with all the trimmings and its (only) around $900 for the basic version, which is still a world class receiver.

The CR-1 looks very intriguing and I can always find room for another tiny radio if the performance and price are at reasonable levels. If this is simply a basic radio that happens to be SDR then I'll pass on this one.
prcguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

I think that's a bit of overreaching, frankly. You're expecting entirely too much out of this radio.

Its price point, and specs, tends to suggest a very basic radio, possibly aimed at the newcomer market. Look at the lack of advanced capabilities - no ECSS, passband tuning, no IQ output, no AGC adjustment or 12 khz output for DRM - I suspect (without having actually talked to Don about it) that this radio is meant to be a competitor to the Palstar. It would still be useful to see how it would stack up against a R8T or R75 in terms of performance.

I would like to see specs on the shape factors of the filter(s) (even if they are being generated via DSP), how well it is able to pull a weak station out of the slop when there's a strong one nearby, how well does it hear down in the tropical bands - let's see some real-world comparisons. I wouldn't plunk down a nickel until we hear some of this.

Mike

[edit] I forgot to mention that there's no discriminator tap, either, for the VHF/UHF side. This is going to be a hassle for folks wanting to run apps like UniTrunker or similar. It's such a small thing to add, and not for much money, either...