Tecsun pl-680 Questions
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Not sure how to check actual firmware in the PL-680 however the latest revisions do allow one to calibrate the receiver to zero beat. So that's something to note.
As for filters, wide is 6kHz and narrow is 3kHz.
As for filters, wide is 6kHz and narrow is 3kHz.
I got the same "215" on my 680 also.
Honestly, I don't fully understand the narrow/ wide filters on the Tecsuns with that feature.
FWIW I tend to mostly use the narrow filter, estimated at 3 KHz. The wide is maybe 6 KHz. I may be wrong.
My Tecsun 880 has filter choices that seem to be more useful. Digital? Plus precise fine tuning which really helps sideband.
I wish someone would chime in with a simple explanation of filters. You know who you are.
My new 680 and a newer 660 can be calibrated.
My 10 year old 660 cannot be calibrated, so I tune up or down to get the best signal reception.
Honestly, I don't fully understand the narrow/ wide filters on the Tecsuns with that feature.
FWIW I tend to mostly use the narrow filter, estimated at 3 KHz. The wide is maybe 6 KHz. I may be wrong.
My Tecsun 880 has filter choices that seem to be more useful. Digital? Plus precise fine tuning which really helps sideband.
I wish someone would chime in with a simple explanation of filters. You know who you are.
My new 680 and a newer 660 can be calibrated.
My 10 year old 660 cannot be calibrated, so I tune up or down to get the best signal reception.
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RE filters: I'm not sure what you wanted to know, but in DSP chipped radios, the digital filters operate similarly to analog filters, at least in effect. The DSP chip software narrows the width of the 'channel' you are listening to -- to reduce interference, mainly.
Most DSP chips (at least the SiLabs chips which datasheets I've looked at) have multi bandwidth capabilities. You can see that on the chip's datasheets. The radio's firmware, however -- the radio's "operating system", as it were -- is what determines, ultimately, which of the DSP chip's bandwidths are used. The firmware determines whether the radio will be one bandwidth, or have several bandwidths available to the user.
My Sangean PR-D5 AM-FM radio, for example, has one bandwidth -- it seems to be around 4 khz. The chip inside the radio is capable of maybe 5 different bandwidths. The firmware in the PR-D5's microprocessor isn't programmed to take advantage of that bandwidth switching feature. The ability to switch bandwidths, available on the chip itself, is not available to the radio user (me) because the radio's firmware ignores that feature on the DSP chip.
Hope this helps in some way.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
You may not know this but there is a mailing list for this radio on the popular groups.io server. Not particularly active, but their files area (if they have one) might still have the list of hidden features and other useful tips for this radio....
Mike
Mike
Thanks Boombox for taking the time to explain the DSP chip filter function and the relationship to the radio's firmware.
It is helpful.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
My bad - I thought he was talking about the 880, not the 680. My mistakeYou may not know this but there is a mailing list for this radio on the popular groups.io server. Not particularly active, but their files area (if they have one) might still have the list of hidden features and other useful tips for this radio....
Mike
Mike
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