This is an interesting decision. I personally will probably not be purchasing the Excalibur Pro (or another Excalibur) until WinRadio addresses a couple of issues in the software. Specifically things like the ability to schedule DDC record events like you can AF record events, clock based time ticks on the waterfall displays, remote access, and the ability to trim DDC RF recordings. I can get all of these features with several other SDRs on the market, and I use these features a lot. I am looking to add a seventh SDR to the shack here, but right now the Excalibur Pro is not at the top of the list I am considering. Yes, it is on the list, but not at the top.
Technically the G33DDC Excalibur Pro looks like a fair upgrade from the G31DDC Excalibur. The G31DDC already has very good numbers in most measurable areas, and the G33DDC takes many of them up a notch. However, you have to remember that the average user will never notice the 4 to 5 dB sensitivity increase, their locations are simply not going to be quite enough to use that extra sensitivity and the G31DDC is very good to begin with. The added demodulation width below 10 Hz is another feature that might work great for measurements but will probably not mean a thing to 99% of the users. The 10 dB improvement of the image rejection, from 90 dB with the G31DDC to the 100 dB of the G31DDC is excellent, but again the G31DDC was already so good most users will never see the change. For most other numbers the G31DDC and the G33DDC are similar if not the same.
So, what does the G33DDC bring to the table that the average user might really notice? The user configurable preselector will probably be a very good thing. The 4 MHz DDC bandwidth is twice the DDC BW of the G31DDC, but when combined with the three demodulator channels (3 individual receivers) it means you can use those three receivers over twice the simultaneous range that you can with the G31DDC (remember all three have to be inside the selected DDC bandwidth) . And the G33DDC brings software enhancements to the table that could be applied to the G31DDC, but might never be, for example, DSB and ISB reception. I have heard, but not been able to confirm, that the G33DDC software will support scheduled DDC record events.
Basically, to me, the difference between the two is a very good World class receiver in the G31DDC to a potentially World leading receiver in the G33DDC, and the question is will it be worth the price delta. I think the hardware will be worth it, but I think the software needs a little more finishing to equal the hardware. The software looks wonderful and works very well, but lacks a few features that other SDRs, and SDR software, have (basing this opinion on my experience with the Excalibur software, I have never used the Excalibur Pro software).
With all of that said, I find my G31DDC to be my most used SDR when I am setting at the radio desk. It is the easiest radio I have ever used to find new, short duration, transient signals with. It is an extremely good receiver just as a basic receiver, even if not quite top of the heap. But I almost never record DDC with the Excalibur. To record DDC, playback those recordings, and archive those intercepts other SDRs just do it better, and this is strictly a software limitation.
T!
