For someone who already owns an Icom R-7000, a $20 Softrock kit with the appropriate crystal for 10.7 MHz, connected to the IF output and a good sound card, will be able to display a 96 kHz bandwidth. The Softrock in this case would basically be a slave to the R-7000, whatever mode or frequency the R-7000 can use, the Softrock would display on a monitor and output the audio. A very inexpensive, yet very desirable addition to a station.
There will soon (in a matter of weeks) be a UHFSDR available, which is a low power TRANSCEIVER, at about the same price as the FCD, however that won't be as simple as a plug and play USB device. There is also a $74 Softrock HF 1 watt transceiver available; I have one on my bench which will be my next project. And there are also inexpensive (under $100) kits for amplifiers with around 20 watts output available from TAPR. Using these inexpensive devices, along with free software such as SDR-Radio (by the same author of Ham Radio Deluxe) is an eye opening experience when compared with many of today's expensive HF rigs. There are also 'beta' Softrocks that cover up to 144 MHz. The near future certainly holds a lot of promise for even better inexpensive SDR transceivers. The FCD looks like a great deal, and I plan to order one when they become available again. 73 de Sebastian, W4AS On Jan 4, 2011, at 7:21 AM, Mark L. Hammond wrote: > I think the most significant difference between the FCD and the Softrocks is > FREQUENCY, isn't it? Are there Softrocks that will do 64-1700 MHz? > > I don't remember for sure, but I thought the Softrocks are good only up to 30 > or 50 MHz. The FCD is from 60-ish to 1.7GHz. That makes them apples to > oranges in comparison. > > So, if I have this right, I would need a Softrock and what---two or three > downconverters?--to cover just 2M, 70cm, and 23 cm. Oh, add a sound card. > That's more than the cost of a FCD shipped to the US... > > If you're using an IF of a receiver, you need the receiver!! and the > Softrock. And a sound card. > > I have three Softrock kits sitting on the bench right now, for those exact > reasons above. The FCD is a one piece, plug and play solution for the bands > I wanted to work (VHF, UHF). There really isn't a better option, far as I > can tell... > > 73, > > Mark N8MH > > > > > > At 05:19 AM 1/4/2011 +0000, you wrote: >> He could go with a 10.7 MHz fixed IF Softrock for about $30 (with the >> special crystal) instead of $175 for the FCD and maybe have a chance at >> getting one sooner than later if he really wanted to use it with the ICOM. >> >> A soundcard is needed for a softrock, but I have used a $50 USB one in the >> past from China no problem if he can't use the built in one (like on a >> laptop). >> >> Fred >> >> Jan 3, 2011 06:26:01 PM, [email protected] wrote: >> >> =========================================== >> >> >> >> >>> Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011 14:26:55 -0700 >>> To: [email protected] >>> From: [email protected] >>> Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Need Advice for SDR choice >>> >>> At 06:25 PM 1/2/2011 -0500, [email protected] wrote: >>> >>> I'm going to look into SDR. My Icom r-7100 has an IF out jack I could feed >>> into a unit. >>> >> >> That was my first thought too, but R-7000 receiver's IF is at 10.7 MHz and >> the FCD only goes down to 64 MHz. >> >> On the other hand, the R7000's tuning range isn't that different from the >> FCD, and I bet the FCD has better specs, so why bother with the receiver? >> >> Greg KO6TH _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
