As someone else who owns an ICOM R-7000 receiver, I've never been impressed by its receive specs. I used mine in the receive chain for AO-40, with a 30" BBQ Grill, Drake 2880 downconverter, and Khune preamp on the roof, and seldom ever got the S-meter to move off the left-hand peg. Still made plenty of contacts, but it was never arm-chair copy.
I haven't seen the specs on the FCD, but I bet it's the better receiver. Couldn't possibly be worse... Greg KO6TH > From: [email protected] > Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2011 10:07:06 -0500 > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Need Advice for SDR choice > > 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 _______________________________________________ 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
