I agree with Don. A high sample rate and large dynamic range are
important for a panadapter but not for digital modes via the audio
in/out of a transceiver.
Even a 16-bit sound card theoretically has 96 dB dynamic range. True, it
is probably not that good in practice, but it's hard to imagine the
noise would be high enough to affect decoding the digital signal. For
example, if the signal is S9 and the noise is S2, that's only (9-2) * 6
= 42 dB signal to noise ratio (assuming 6 dB per S-unit).
Another factor is that 192 ksamples/sec sound cards need custom drivers
that you have to install. The standard USB audio device driver that is
built into Windows is only good to 48 ksamples/sec (stereo) as I recall.
Alan N1AL
On 11/11/2014 06:08 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
David,
A regular 16 bit soundcard will do well when being used for digital
modes. Yes, the better soundcards have a lower noise floor which can
help, but great bandwidth and bit rates are not required for those
applications.
OTOH, if you are looking at panadapter applications, a good soundcard
is important to get 192 kHz span width with low noise, and you sill
want to use it at the higher bit rates unless you are satisfied with a
96 kHz span.
Select your needs and then select the soundcard that will fulfill
those needs. Even the lowly 16 bit cards are adequate for data mode
applications.
73,
Don W3FPR
On 11/11/2014 8:51 PM, [email protected] wrote:
Im just curious
I can see the bit depth making a difference 16 bit will have poor
dynamic range compared to 24 or 32 bit and this is important for
some modes like wspr or JTXX, but is there any advantage to high
bit rates in digital modes even a 44khz card has a bandwidth way
beond what any digital mode on HF needs. or is it that to get
a 32bit adapter just by default it will have high bit rates.
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