PC Based HF

[USAPatriot]

Bseides the Winradio cards and external receivers, are there any other (and current) PC based HF or wide band receivers out there? I loved my old WR1000i... I'd likely go external this time though. -Rod-

 

[ka3jjz]

You can still find Icom PCR1000s out there; still very popular, and lots of software for it, too (including Moto analog trunking). You gotta be somewhat careful with it, tho - I've heard of too many stories where people have tried to do something with software and the operating system for the radio got hosed. Its dynamic range isn't all that great on HF; it can overload.

However, if we're talking just HF coverage, the RX320 is a difficult act to follow. Yes the Winradio units are better performers in some respects, but the 320 makes up for that somewhat by having a WIDE range of software available to run it.

73s Mike

 

[n2pqq]

There is also something new out there called Elad FDM77.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/commrxvr/0077.html


Fred

 

[USAPatriot]

There is also something new out there called Elad FDM77.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/commrxvr/0077.html


Fred

Thanks Fred. I hadn't heard of that one. I gave it a quick glance but will delve into it further.

 

[USAPatriot]

You can still find Icom PCR1000s out there; still very popular, and lots of software for it, too (including Moto analog trunking). You gotta be somewhat careful with it, tho - I've heard of too many stories where people have tried to do something with software and the operating system for the radio got hosed. Its dynamic range isn't all that great on HF; it can overload.

However, if we're talking just HF coverage, the RX320 is a difficult act to follow. Yes the Winradio units are better performers in some respects, but the 320 makes up for that somewhat by having a WIDE range of software available to run it.

73s Mike

Yeah. I think I could live with a TenTec. They've been around quite a long time if I recall. 70's at least?

I'm curious too about an antenna for it. I suppose I'd have to hoist another longwire? I've got a Scantenna for VHF/UHF. -Rod-

 

[ka3jjz]

Before we get into antennas and such, I suppose, to be fair, that other HF PC based options should be mentioned;

- The now-discontinued Icom PCR100; a scaled down version of the 1000, lacks SSB capability - These next 2 are hold-onto-your-wallet priced software driven radios; the SDR1000 and the SDR14, both mentioned in some articles John Catalano wrote in MT. If you're interested in looking these 2; here are the URLs;

Flex Radio; markets the SDR1000
RFSPACE; markets the SDR14

Before I discuss the RX320, you have a little homework to do. They will save you a little grief later on...

- Assume that any cable can pick up stray RF from your PC and throw it back as noise. At the very least, coil up any loose cables (audio, USB, ect.) and tie them off with wire ties; this alone might help cut down some of the noise. Chokes and ferrite beads will be your friends

- If memory serves (my RX320 is buried in some wires at the moment), both the audio jacks (speaker and line out) are 1/8 inch mono. You will need the appropriate cable to connect to your soundcard. Make sure that you can hear something from this connection; sometimes, in some systems, the input to the soundcard is muted (check your controls in Control Panel, or in your System Tray).

- The WallWart that powers the RX320 is rather large; insure you have space for it on your power strip; or, as I'm sure many people did (I did), I have mine running off an old Astron 3Amp supply. Runs like a champ.

- The antenna connection is not a PL259 - I've forgotten what the heck that style connector (Motorola?) that is, but you will need some of those. Go to the Universal website; I'm almost positive they show the back of the RX320D. This is important - the longer the barrel the better. There is a connection that disconnects the whip when an antenna is plugged in, but not every manufacturer's barrels are long enough to make sure that connection is tripped. It's a common complaint that new folks think the 320 is insensitive, until they realize that plug's barrel is not quite long enough to trip the whip disconnection.

- Some have found that the RS232 cable that TenTec (used to?) supply wasn't well shielded; you will need a DB9 male cable to connect to the 320.

The RX320 is a black box; it has no knobs of any kind. Software provides all the controls; and here's where the fun begins...

Go join the RX320 Yahoo group; in the 'Files' section you will find an entry called 'Controllers'. They are exactly as it is named; This is where you can find lots of third party packages that run the 320. The TenTec software that's also on that site is like a demo; it only scratches the surface of what's available on the DSP. For example, if memory serves, the TenTec software only gives you 5 filters; the 320 is capable of 32 different filters. The TenTec software will run without actually having the radio; some of the third party offerings can, too, but not all of them. Some of the hot ones you will find there include (in no particular order) RXPlus, SWLog, Clifton Turner's RX320 Controller and Scan320. There are many of them, each presenting different things the DSP can do in different orders. There are many other accessory-type packages that the 320 will handle, along with digital and other utilities as well.

Go to the SWL Broadcast Wiki and check out the user comments on EHam, as well as a fairly indepth review by Alan Johnson N4LUS written for NASWA (it can be found on the 2nd RadioIntel link, on the left of the page under the section for 'RX Reviews').

As for antennas; I'd recommend running a seperate wire, yes, just for isolation's sake. You can try the one you have now (I'm assuming from your comment that you do have one). but keep in mind that a simple wire lead in can be a conduit for noise. You might want to read up a little about antennas on the Antennas Wiki; I've heard of some cases where folks have used a coax lead in and grounded the braid seperately to good effect, but there are other options as well. In fact, there's a thread just starting out on the 320 Yahoo group on antennas now, tho I don't know how well it's going to get developed. There's also a shortwave antennas Yahoo group that might be worth investigating (that link is also on the Antennas wiki).

I'd also take a look at the AMANDX website, as well as this very interesting page from the Boston Area DXers for more antennas ideas...

Boston Area DXers Antennas page

...both of which belong on the wiki, for sure...

73s and enjoy the new toy (I know I do- I've had one for many years, now...) Mike

 

[USAPatriot]

ka3jzz,

Thanks for the info! Money's not an issue. I have none, would have to do a lot of saving up (months, years, living on SSDI) but I buy what fits my need, not what fits my wallet, know what I mean? So I'm in no hurry. I don't currently have a longwire, no. Back home I had a Winradio 1000i and a 300' wire. Worked great but I no longer have the card. Or the wire. I seem to be looking for a replacement though. If anyone happens to have a WR card laying around, I'm sure I could see my way into trading one of my systems for it. I have a few extra computers
I'll check your links out. -Rod-

 

[ka3jjz]

I know the feeling; I've been out of work for over a year now, and the job I just got isn't paying the bills. I guess you could call me 'working poor'.

Anyway, to save yourself some green, watch places like EBay (and the 320 list) to see if someone is selling theirs. You might see the radio named the RX320 and the RX320D - the 'D' is a slightly newer version that includes a tap to enable digital reception on the SWBC bands (referred to as DRM or Digitale Radio Mondiale). TenTec can upgrade older units for this (I've had mine done), so it's not that big a deal. There's also a link on the Wiki that shows you how to do it yourself.
If you happen to see a RX321 - that's an upgraded version of the 320. It's actual creation is something of a mystery. To give you the short version; Globe Wireless (a major maritime service provider, also very big in the HF market) evidently modified several 320s in an attempt to use them as dedicated receivers; thought to be used for the NAVTEX or GMDSS services. For some unknown reason, they discontinued the project, and several of the 321s found their way onto the market, including on EBay.
Clever folks have gone ahead and opened them up to see what was done. A better shielded power supply, a true PL259 jack replaced that crummy antenna jack that was there, other jacks have been replaced with RS232 style jacks, and several other circuit improvements has shown that the 321 is an even somewhat better performer than the 320. The serial protocol is the same, so there's no trouble with the controllers - at least none that I've seen any reports about.

The only catch is that the 321 is not supported by TenTec or Globe Wireless. You buy one of those, you are basically on your own. If that doesn't bother you, and you find one, go for it.

73s and GL...Mike

 

[USAPatriot]

At this point I guess I'm leaning towards a Winradio since I already have experience with the company. The Elad seemed a bit strange and even stranger was a 14 bit SDR. I guess I'm accustomed to thinking in multiples of 8. Maybe I'm a bigot Still have no dinero so it's all academic unless I can work a trade with someone. Will check out that antenna page too. Thx. -Rod-

 

[ka3jjz]

You might also take a look at the SWL Broadcast page - there's a link for HF control software, and I think one or two of those packages are Winradio compatible.
Much of what I wrote earlier still applies, particularly about getting your PC - whichever one you decide to use with this - cleaned up. Do it now, and you won't have to worry about it later.
And speaking of groups and such, I see that both Yahoo and QTH.net have Winradio groups. The Yahoo one is by far the busier of the two. That might also be a source of used rxs...

Winradio Yahoo group

Winradio list on QTH.net

73s and GL..Mike

 

[USAPatriot]

How about the R75? It seems to be able to do double duty.

 

[ka3jjz]

Yep, that radio has been very popular lately, now that Icom has released it with the DSP that was optional) installed. A fair amount of software, a dedicated Yahoo group and a couple of dedicated web pages, too. See the HF software link and the RadioIntel link I mentioned in an earlier message on this thread that exists on the Wiki. You'll learn a lot from that. 73s and GL..Mike

 

[Buckskinner33]

Hey Mike (ka3jjz)

I was just rolling thru the topic here and I was wondering if you recall of a small cigarett pack size reciever that was PC Interfaced and used the sound card of the pc to do all the work including filtering? It was introduce a few years back and i also seem to recall its reception was far superior then most test equipment like Honeywell or IFR. Do you remember anything like that about the year 2000 or 2002?

I guess what got me was its size, the reception and how it was all pulled together by the PC.

Thanks
JD

Oh BTW... Was you on 20m (14.225) friday night?

 

[ka3jjz]

Not off the top of my head; maybe some commercial model? And no, I have no HF transmitting equipment right now at all due to a serious lack of funds (and space; I live in a condo) 73s Mike

 

[Buckskinner33]

Not off the top of my head; maybe some commercial model? And no, I have no HF transmitting equipment right now at all due to a serious lack of funds (and space; I live in a condo) 73s Mike

Nah... I wasnt commercial as of that time frame. I was at our local "Candy store" an I heard about from some HAMs talking about it being showed off at Dayton. They even pulled up a web site to show off the sencitivity. It used USB and/or serial port confiuration to interface with the PC. It also had a BNC connector for any antenna to connect to it. Now mind you it is just a reciever but they was able to use a transciever with the reciver to pound out code to a station in australia who was working off 1 watt. Pretty impressive story for a reciever.

As of that time Ive never heard of it anymore.

 

[USAPatriot]

Well, I seem to have narrowed the field to 3:

Icom R75 and the software
WR 1550e and software
WR-G303EP

Thoughts? If I went with the 1550e, how much would I be missing below the 150khz lower limit?
Besides general SWL I also want to be able to catch the military SSB. Then there's a VHF/UHF SSB that I can't get with the 796D. It sure was easier with the WR1000's. Gotta do something in my retirement, right? -Rod-

 

[digitaljim6]

Rod,

Just curious - what VHF/UHF SSB are you trying to monitor?

 

[ka3jjz]

The only V/UHF SSB I know of - with the exception of hams - are some links on the milair satellite band. The R75 doesn't go up that high. That range is right around 250-270 mhz or thereabouts. There's very little use of sideband in the V/UHF ranges apart from those.
The few folks I know that monitor that segment of the band use Icom R7000s, 7100s or 8500s - all, I'm pretty sure, are now out of current production. I know that the AOR8600 and Yaesu VR5000 also cover this, but their HF performance, from what little I've read on the subject, is less than inspiring.

As for going below 150 khz- there's very little use - apart from aeronatuical beacons, certain VLF/LF military and low power experimenters - here in North America below 500 khz or so. What mil users
there are in this range run heavily encrypted RTTY, from what I understand. There are some Euro broadcasters that make it to North America during our wintertimes, but that's quite a feat if you do catch them.

73s Mike

 

[Buckskinner33]

Has WiNRaDiO introduced there digital reciever yet? There was talk of it hitting in june or july of 05.

Most of the Millitary action Ive been hearing about has been in the Hi GHz range... At least that the talk lately.

 

[USAPatriot]

As in P25? I haven't seen anything like that on their website, no. -Rod-