Re: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC
At 08:21 AM 5/7/2009, Tom Anderson wrote: Any suggestions what I need to look for as far as extras, like a video card, etc? I would go to your local computer shop--the neighborhood type who will build you what you want from scratch. Tell they you want a fairly fast machine (2+GHz) with a reasonable amount of memory (2+GB). You want: (4) RS-232 serial ports (4+) USB-2 Ports (2+) Firewire Ports (2) decent 16-bit sound cards (2) decent video cards. Ideally both with analog and digital outputs or one with analog and one with digital. (2+) SATA disk drives (2+) external SATA ports Windows XP Pro (small shops aren't stuck with Vista) Let the shop decide which video and sound cards to actually get. Tell them you are doing real-time data sampling, so you need good stuff but nothing near the best. They know the market and what will get you the most bang for your buck. Specify SATA drives and ports as they are faster and more reliable. If you have room on your operating desk, get two LCD flat-panel displays. It's always nice to be able to have your radio control on one screen and your program control on the other. A general rule of thumb is you can't have too much speed, too much memory, too much disk space or too many I/O ports. This setup will probably cost you $1500 by the time you factor in the displays. If the price comes in too high, just tell the shop you need to dial everything back a notch to the next cost point until you find a system you are comfortable with. I can't emphasize enough the need to avoid the big box stores. Go to your local computer shop that services local businesses. They usually run around in a little car or truck with their name blazoned on it and are hard to miss. Standard disclaimers apply. Batteries not included. Dick -- Dick Flanagan K7VC d...@k7vc.com --- To unsubscribe or subscribe to this list. Please send a message to imail...@njdxa.org In the message body put either unsubscribe dx-chat or subscribe dx-chat This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org ---
RE: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC
A dual-core CPU is worthwhile for amateur ops; as Gerry says, Windows will exploit it, so you end up with Windows running on one core and your applications sharing the other. RAM is inexpensive these days, and is often the bottleneck on performance when running multiple applications. Multi-tabbed web browsers consume a lot of RAM, as do the members of Microsoft's Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook). The database engines used by logging applications will run faster if more RAM is available. So I'd recommend 2 or even 3 GB of RAM. Standard (32-bit) Windows versions can only utilize 3.5 GB or RAM. I would add overclocked CPUs, high-end video cards optimized for gaming, and fancy transparent cabinets to Gerry's list of expensive things to avoid. $600-$700 (excluding a monitor) should get you a good system. One option to consider, especially if you want Windows XP (which I also recommend), is to assemble your own PC from components. Basically, you would buy a CPU, a motherboard, a CPU cooler, a hard drive, an optical (DVD/CD) drive, a power supply, and a case. The motherboard will include video, sound, and networking capabilities, but you might want to add a video card for higher resolution or multiple monitors. Assembling a PC the first time will take you a couple of hours; there are web sites and books that walk you through it step-by-step. If you don't want to do this yourself, check around for local computer shops that will do it for you, at a cost of $50-$100. You'll still end up with a less expensive PC tuned to your exact needs, without a pile of manufacturer-installed startup bloatware to remove. And you'll have the option to incrementally upgrade it over time. After a decade of buying desktops from Dell, I've assembled 3 PCs using components purchased from MicroCenter; I'll never buy a prefab desktop again. I just helped my parents upgrade to a new PC. I suggested the major components (Intel E7300 dual-core CPU, 2GB, 250GB SATA hard drive, mid-tower case, Windows XP), and arranged for a local computer shop to acquire the components, assemble the system, harvest some components from the old system (DVD/CD reader/writer, soundcard), and move all applications and data to the new system; total cost was $650. 73, Dave, AA6YQ -Original Message- From: kf...@njdxa.org [mailto:kf...@njdxa.org]on Behalf Of Gerry Hohn Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 2:33 PM To: DX CHAT Subject: Re: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC Tom, Most logging software support digital mode, packet, QSLing, LoTW, etc. There are 2 very good ones, DXLabs Suite and Logger32. The good news here is they are free. You'll likely want a USB digital interface (CW and rig) like a MicroHam. I find a dual monitor video card a must. One display for the logging program and the other for email and other things like DX chat rooms or propagation programs. As long as you have the dual card, you can add another monitor later. The only radio applications that stress a PC are the digital modes but any new machine today is plenty fast and a gig. of memory is the minimum you'd need. Don't get too obsessed with dual, triple or quad core machine, there are few applications that currently use the multithread capability other than the PC's OS. You may want to wait for Windows 7 on the new machine unless you can get XP on it. Vista is a pain for radio (and everything else). Gerry VE6LB - Original Message - From: Tom Anderson To: DX CHAT Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 9:21 AM Subject: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC Fellow DXers: Fixing to finally upgrade the shack with a logging and spotting, RTTY, PSK31 etc. PC. Any suggestions what I need to look for as far as extras, like a video card, etc? My experience has been mainly with PCs and laptops that do word processing and similar type work attached to a printer. Do I need to get one loaded to the hilt. or I've seen some Dells, HPs, etc. that are way less than $500. Others loaded to the hilt are $1,000+ 73 de Tom, WW5L PS: For anyone who worked my as FS/WW5L and PJ7/WW5L recently I'm trying to get the received cards answered before the postage increase. However, if you sent an SASE and I don't get it out before the 2 cent increase I'll absorb the postage increase myself for my procrastination, but my main home PC crashed as did the one I took to Saint Martin, but never fear the logs are safe for all 1,000+ of you in the log as I was able to have the HD copied onto an external HD that just has to be plugged into a PC or Laptop and the labels run. --- To unsubscribe or subscribe to this list. Please send a message to imail...@njdxa.org In the message body put either unsubscribe dx-chat or subscribe dx-chat This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC
And if you DO decide to build a system from scratch, don't buy Windows at your local big box store. Find an OEM copy on the 'net and you'll save many bucks. I have been buying mine from newegg.com, which is also a good source of components. One of the PC magazines (maybe PC World) occasionally has build-your-own system articles. They usually have three levels depending on pocketbook and performance - student, home office, gamer. That might be a good place to start. 73 - Jim -- Jim Reisert AD1C/Ø, jjreis...@alum.mit.edu, http://www.ad1c.us --- To unsubscribe or subscribe to this list. Please send a message to imail...@njdxa.org In the message body put either unsubscribe dx-chat or subscribe dx-chat This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org ---
RE: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC
Logger 32 runs fine on a 800Mhz PIII running XP. Doesn't take much horsepower to run a logger, spotter, and keying machine along with casual web browsing. I paid $50 for the PC. John K5MO --- To unsubscribe or subscribe to this list. Please send a message to imail...@njdxa.org In the message body put either unsubscribe dx-chat or subscribe dx-chat This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org ---
Re: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC
You might find that you don't have quite enough horsepower to run a full set of L32 applications and digital modes. Gerry VE6LB - Original Message - From: john To: aa...@ambersoft.com ; telw...@telusplanet.net ; DX CHAT Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 3:45 PM Subject: RE: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC Logger 32 runs fine on a 800Mhz PIII running XP. Doesn't take much horsepower to run a logger, spotter, and keying machine along with casual web browsing. I paid $50 for the PC. John K5MO --- To unsubscribe or subscribe to this list. Please send a message to imail...@njdxa.org In the message body put either unsubscribe dx-chat or subscribe dx-chat This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org ---
RE: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC
Check the thrift shops and such as well. I'm serious. My company just donated ~100 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 machines to Goodwill and one of the local YMCA's. The machines are going to be cleaned, fixed up (most are OK, a few need some TLC... like the one I dropped during the move, oops) and then sold to the public. ...no, we didn't donate ALL of them to charity. I got 3, including a new one for the shack. Bought them for $50 each. (The firm is donating all the funds from employee sales to the same charities). So, it doesn't hurt to ask around. Even in this economy, companies are replacing machines in mass, and often, you can get a good system for pennies on the dollar. 73 -Original Message- From: kf...@njdxa.org [mailto:kf...@njdxa.org] On Behalf Of Dick Flanagan Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 4:34 PM To: andersonw...@sbcglobal.net Cc: DX CHAT Subject: Re: [DX-CHAT] Logging, spotting PC At 08:21 AM 5/7/2009, Tom Anderson wrote: Any suggestions what I need to look for as far as extras, like a video card, etc? I would go to your local computer shop--the neighborhood type who will build you what you want from scratch. Tell they you want a fairly fast machine (2+GHz) with a reasonable amount of memory (2+GB). You want: (4) RS-232 serial ports (4+) USB-2 Ports (2+) Firewire Ports (2) decent 16-bit sound cards (2) decent video cards. Ideally both with analog and digital outputs or one with analog and one with digital. (2+) SATA disk drives (2+) external SATA ports Windows XP Pro (small shops aren't stuck with Vista) Let the shop decide which video and sound cards to actually get. Tell them you are doing real-time data sampling, so you need good stuff but nothing near the best. They know the market and what will get you the most bang for your buck. Specify SATA drives and ports as they are faster and more reliable. If you have room on your operating desk, get two LCD flat-panel displays. It's always nice to be able to have your radio control on one screen and your program control on the other. A general rule of thumb is you can't have too much speed, too much memory, too much disk space or too many I/O ports. This setup will probably cost you $1500 by the time you factor in the displays. If the price comes in too high, just tell the shop you need to dial everything back a notch to the next cost point until you find a system you are comfortable with. I can't emphasize enough the need to avoid the big box stores. Go to your local computer shop that services local businesses. They usually run around in a little car or truck with their name blazoned on it and are hard to miss. Standard disclaimers apply. Batteries not included. Dick -- Dick Flanagan K7VC d...@k7vc.com --- To unsubscribe or subscribe to this list. Please send a message to imail...@njdxa.org In the message body put either unsubscribe dx-chat or subscribe dx-chat This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org --- --- To unsubscribe or subscribe to this list. Please send a message to imail...@njdxa.org In the message body put either unsubscribe dx-chat or subscribe dx-chat This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org ---
