The Ultimate Radio

[scannerfreak]

Looks like the Gov is attempting to make a radio that "does it all" Check this out:

potential solution—under development by military contractors in conjunction with a multitude of electronics companies—has been dubbed software-defined radio (SDR). Unlike the traditional radios used by military and civilian emergency personnel, which are limited to a few frequencies and protocols, software-defined radio is designed to operate over broad spectrum swaths and multiple protocols. For example, the military wants its SDR radios to operate across a spectrum from 2 MHz to 2 GHz—and beyond—and handle all of its protocols. SDR devices will accomplish these feats by replacing fixed-function silicon with software or software-driven silicon, including digital signal processing (DSP) chips and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Whereas hardwired circuitry "interprets" protocols in today's radios, software

SDR, in its ultimate form, promises a universal communicator—a device that will work anywhere, anytime, no matter what protocol standards and frequency allocations are in local use. But fulfilling that promise demands enormous processing capabilities, both in the back-end, digital signal processing part of a radio and in the front-end, radio frequency part. These functions are handled today by hardware, but doing so in tomorrow's world will be difficult, because of the wide variety of protocols on the horizon, constant protocol standards changes and the need to regularly update wireless devices. Accommodating tomorrow's wireless protocol and frequency environment in hardware means that every time there's a change, hardware must change too. If some or all of these tasks can be addressed through software, then hardware changes will be reduced or eliminated. Radios will last much longer and be far more adaptable

http://www.reed-electronics.com/eb-mag/article/CA421007?industryid=2116

 

[Pro-95]

Looks like the Gov is attempting to make a radio that "does it all" Check this out:

Encryption Du Jour.

I wonder if this much flexibility will create better operations or just more headaches. Since it's gubment, I vote for confusion and CF's.

 

[RFphreeq]

Here's more to read on the subject; http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/News_Releases/2000/nret0004.html

One of the biggest obstacles to making a SDR is the limitations of receiver selectivity/ sensitivity, and how broadband you can make a transmitter.
The other problem is an antenna that will cover all these frequencies.
The signalling formats are the "easy" part.....once they get all the licensing legalities ironed out....that could be the hardest thing of all.

 

[N_Jay]

Here's more to read on the subject; http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/News_Releases/2000/nret0004.html

One of the biggest obstacles to making a SDR is . . . .that could be the hardest thing of all.

IMHO the biggest obsticle to SDR is deciding what they want it to be.

The technology exists to do all the wonderfull things SDR promisses in either hardware or software today.

The limitations are COST, SIZE, and POWER (both consumption and output).

Software implementations do not solve these fundemental issues.
In some cases software implementations are worse than hardward implementations.

In almost all cases focusing on a "Software" implementation increases the obsticle of klnowing what it is you want to do!

 

[RFphreeq]

Here's more to read on the subject; http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Engineering_Technology/News_Releases/2000/nret0004.html

One of the biggest obstacles to making a SDR is . . . .that could be the hardest thing of all.

IMHO the biggest obsticle to SDR is deciding what they want it to be.

The technology exists to do all the wonderfull things SDR promisses in either hardware or software today.

The limitations are COST, SIZE, and POWER (both consumption and output).

Software implementations do not solve these fundemental issues.
In some cases software implementations are worse than hardward implementations.

In almost all cases focusing on a "Software" implementation increases the obsticle of klnowing what it is you want to do!

Good points for sure. Mostly what I was saying was that if a radio were to have the ability to work in multiple formats (SmartNet/Zone, LTR, EDACS, etc.) the technology exists to make a radio do all those formats. The problem is having the companies that have the rights to the formats agree to let them be in a radio together with the other formats.

Add to that the issues regarding size etc, it will probably be a cold day in heck when they get one to market.

Put in "sofware defined radio" in Google, you'll find pages of links. Plenty to read if you wish.

 

[N_Jay]

Put in "sofware defined radio" in Google, you'll find pages of links. Plenty to read if you wish.

Been there done that!

Been looking at SDR for 4 years now! :roll:

 

[scannerfreak]

The First Commercial SDR

Put in "sofware defined radio" in Google, you'll find pages of links. Plenty to read if you wish.

Been there done that!

Been looking at SDR for 4 years now! :roll:

BUT, until now they haven't really been commerically available.


https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=989044&fcc_id='HNL-G3E'

 

[N_Jay]

Re: The First Commercial SDR

Put in "sofware defined radio" in Google, you'll find pages of links. Plenty to read if you wish.

Been there done that!

Been looking at SDR for 4 years now! :roll:

BUT, until now they haven't really been commerically available.


https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=989044&fcc_id='HNL-G3E'

You tell me what you call SDR, and I will show you one that existed more than a year ago.

No, they don't do it all, but each does what it was designed for.

 

[scannerfreak]

I define SDR as a receiver that soley depends on software to run it. Not a receiver that can use software, but has to have it. No buttons, knobs, etc.. just a standard receiver fully dependent upon software.

 

[N_Jay]

I define SDR as a receiver that soley depends on software to run it. Not a receiver that can use software, but has to have it. No buttons, knobs, etc.. just a standard receiver fully dependent upon software.

That would define almost all the radios built in the last 5 or more years, almost all the cell phones, definetly all the iDEN products, most every scanner, and even a few home entertainment receivers.

 

[scannerfreak]

My response:


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll:

 

[Voyager]

I define SDR as a receiver that soley depends on software to run it. Not a receiver that can use software, but has to have it. No buttons, knobs, etc.. just a standard receiver fully dependent upon software.

No buttons or knobs? How would you adjust the volume or change channels?

The GE MPD was made in the 80s and used ramp controls (essentially push buttons) for these, and was run by firmware (and programmed using software). But, I would not call it SDR.

Joe M.

 

[scannerfreak]

I define SDR as a receiver that soley depends on software to run it. Not a receiver that can use software, but has to have it. No buttons, knobs, etc.. just a standard receiver fully dependent upon software.

No buttons or knobs? How would you adjust the volume or change channels?

Joe M.

How about through the software :? Take a look at the link I provided in this thread and look at the pictures. See any buttons? Knobs? It is FULLY dependent on the software. It is useless without it. A hunk of metal.

 

[Voyager]

I define SDR as a receiver that soley depends on software to run it. Not a receiver that can use software, but has to have it. No buttons, knobs, etc.. just a standard receiver fully dependent upon software.

No buttons or knobs? How would you adjust the volume or change channels?

Joe M.

How about through the software :? Take a look at the link I provided in this thread and look at the pictures. See any buttons? Knobs? It is FULLY dependent on the software. It is useless without it. A hunk of metal.

OK. I was thinking of a portable field unit, not a base station that requires other hardware to make it work. (A PC)

If you call that SDR, I guess so were the 80s cellphones (which looked nearly identical).

A big problem with a scanner such as that is ensuring that the Cellular range is not restorable. Thus, true SDR is not possible in a scanner. There HAS to be some firmware in the unit evaluating the software commands.

Last, WinRadio has been making units for years. That is nothing new.

For those who didn't look at the link, it's the FCC Type Acceptance for the WinRadio G303 Shortwave Receiver.

Joe M.

 

[scannerfreak]

I define SDR as a receiver that soley depends on software to run it. Not a receiver that can use software, but has to have it. No buttons, knobs, etc.. just a standard receiver fully dependent upon software.

No buttons or knobs? How would you adjust the volume or change channels?

Joe M.

How about through the software :? Take a look at the link I provided in this thread and look at the pictures. See any buttons? Knobs? It is FULLY dependent on the software. It is useless without it. A hunk of metal.

OK. I was thinking of a portable field unit, not a base station that requires other hardware to make it work. (A PC)

If you call that SDR, I guess so were the 80s cellphones (which looked nearly identical).

A big problem with a scanner such as that is ensuring that the Cellular range is not restorable. Thus, true SDR is not possible in a scanner. There HAS to be some firmware in the unit evaluating the software commands.

Last, WinRadio has been making units for years. That is nothing new.

For those who didn't look at the link, it's the FCC Type Acceptance for the WinRadio G303 Shortwave Receiver.

Joe M.

Yep, they sure have. But this is the first time they have been "commercially" available as I stated from the get-go.

 

[STiMULi]

Based on my reading software defined radios are not software controlled radios

The system can be customized to support required standards or to work within existing infrastructure.

A standard luggable interoperability configuration includes the following:

Support for UHF/VHF/800 FM, APCO Project 25, GSM


20MHz to 3.0GHz frequency coverage


Linux OS


Off-the-shelf VMEbus hardware platform with embedded Pentium-class single-board computer


PSTN connectivity

Here is more info...


http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,118691,00.asp

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-254463A1.pdf

http://www.vanu.com/pressreleases_041511.html

http://www.vanu.com/handheld.html