SDRs - Software Defined Receivers

Before I get going with the subject of this blog entry, I will start by saying it is not a series of reviews!

I am relatively inexperienced with using SDRs, although I owned an ELAD FDM-S2 for around 6 months. I liked the ELAD, but found the software rather fussy and over complicated. That of course, is a personal opinion. I have also tried a Colibri DDC SDR, which I found great above 2 mHz, but I expect I was doing something wrong because it overloaded on Medium Wave frequencies.

  

I have been recommended a Microtelecom Perseus SDR, but the dealer I use was out of stock and the price was expected to increase because of the fall in value of the pound sterling by around 15% (after a recent referendum). £660 is a lot of money for a product that is effectively old technology.

So what now? There is the SDRplay, an inexpensive SDR (around (£120), but I read that overload is a possibility in the LF spectrum, and the Cross Country Wireless SDR-4+ (around £200), but I know nothing about this box (It does not cover the LF part of MW or LW either). Also it is hard to find unbiased reviews on the Internet, apart from ones I have read in RadCom or Radio User.

So the requirements are: 

1. a SDR that will receive Medium Wave (at the HF end especially), 

2. work well on the 48 metre band and 

3. not overload with a Wellbrook loop antenna!

I shall carry out further research. More to follow .... and comments are, of course, welcome.

GB5RC

Friday 5th August to Monday 8th August 2016

Just a reminder that GB5RC is operating from the Ross Revenge this weekend until Monday.

Signals were heard here yesterday evening in the 40 and 80 metre bands with good strength. 

Details here: martellotowergroup.com/gb5rc.html