Hello Lee and all - I don't understand your comment on Dxing and contesting
on CW. The SDR has only one RX which makes split operation MUCH more
difficult especially when all the controls are on the screen. Having all the
controls on a great screen looks good but when you are in a hurry to adjust
the RIT when someone answers your CQ TEST the knob on the Orion is MUCH
easier and faster. I know there is a remote pod with a knob and another with
a knob and a bunch of push buttons. The Pegasus had that also but it was a
pain during contests.
I was interested from a technical point in the SDR and read the manual. It
has a lot of nice features but it DOES not work full break in CW and it has
only on receiver. I find that full break-in is a must for Dxing and
Contesting. This may be fixed in the future but the SDR is and will always
be a WORK IN PROGRESS - which is not all bad.
I found that here in Florida the lightning crashes can quickly kill any
incentive to operate weak signal stuff on 40 meters and lower. I use the AGC
OFF position in order to get 1000 dB/sec AGC decay and lower the RF gain to
minimize the noise. Lightning crashes are all but gone and it is easy to
copy S1 signals. I saw that there is some adjustment of AGC decay in the SDR
but don't know it is as good as the Orion II.
I have a file folder full of contesting awards, have been a ham for 52
years, used to be an electrical engineer and with my operating needs for
Dxing (311 countries in the last 7 years and 9 band DXCC - minus 10
countries on 160 and 20 on 12), contesting and rag chewing I have not
encountered any of the problems stated on this reflector. I wish the NR
would be a little better but my audio is so good - strong and clear - that
in the middle of a contest many DX stations stop to comment on the excellent
audio. One does have to use the internal equalizer and speech processor to
obtain this benefit but once set it is outstanding. I have NEVER had anyone
comment on my audio with any other rig I have ever owned.
Final comment is the use of a computer screen for all the controls. I have
and use N4PY's excellent software but when I get in the thick of it all the
controls on the screen just become frustrating and slow me down. I think
this is the reason the Pegasus and the Kachina died. For casual listening or
use of special features the screen on the SDR is great but when operating
split with the DX station in one ear and his listening frequency in the
other, one hand on the key and the other on the second RX there is no
comparison to knobs and two receivers.
73, Tom, W7QF
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lee A Crocker" <lee_crocker@yahoo.com>
> To: <tentec@contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 7:46 PM
> Subject: [TenTec] SDR-1000
>
>
because the SDR is better at weak
> > signal work, contesting and DXing especially on CW.
_______________________________________________
TenTec mailing list
TenTec@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
|