Image: WinRadio
WinRadio has just added a new SDR to their line-up: the Winradio WR-G69DDCe ‘Artemis’.
In the spirit of WinRadio’s approach to iterative design, the Artemis appears to be their new flagship SDR. The specs and features (see below) are impressive.
The WR-G69DDCe has two (selectable, I assume) frequency ranges. In “Range 1” it operates as a direct sampling SDR from 8 kHz to 80 MHz. In “Range 2” it operates as a superheterodyne receiver from 43 MHz to 8 GHz.
It appears the WR-G69DDCe’s recording and processing bandwidth is an impressive 32 MHz. I imagine it would take some proper CPU horsepower and a large, speedy SSD to make those 32 MHz recordings!
At time of posting, I haven’t seen details about pricing and availability, but I’m 99% certain this will not be a budget model. WinRadio’s higher performance SDR models have historically retailed in excess of $2,000 US.
The following details were taken directly from the Winradio WR-G69DDCe product page:
Overview
The WiNRADiO WR-G69DDC ‘Artemis’ is a top performance, software-defined, wide-band, ultra-fast search speed 3 GHz/s, HF/VHF/UHF/SHF receiver. Two independent and mutually exclusive inputs are provided, one for each range: 8 kHz to 80 MHz and 43 MHz to 8 GHz. A real-time 80/34 MHz-wide spectrum analyzer is included with a 32 MHz wide instantaneous bandwidth available for recording, demodulation and further digital processing over the whole frequency range.
The receiver’s superior performance results from its innovative, combination of direct-sampling and superheterodyne, digital down-conversion architecture along with the use of leading-edge components and design concepts. These all result in excellent sensitivity, phase noise and dynamic range, highly accurate and stable tuning, high scanning speed and perfect demodulation. These key features create a receiver in a class of its own, making it capable of filling not only the role of a monitoring receiver but also that of a fast search receiver and measuring receiver, with many operational and instrumentation features not usually found on receivers of any price category.
The entire 32 MHz DDC (digitally down-converted) bandwidth is available for recording and demodulation, and ideal for hopping frequencies analysis. Three demodulators allow the simultaneous reception and decoding of radio signals within the entire band.
The WR-G69DDCe also features optional external reference frequency inputs and outputs as well as 1PPS pulse input. In addition, stereo analog output is also possible, as well as wide audio (10 Hz-150 kHz). The special data port offers numerous possibilities which include GPIO (general purpose I/O), HSP (high speed data output), or traditional RS232 interface.
Features
-
- 8 kHz to 8 GHz frequency range
- Direct sampling & superheterodyne
- Digital down-conversion
- 16-bit 200 MSPS A/D converter
- 80/34 MHz-wide, real-time spectrum analyzer
- 32 MHz recording and processing bandwidth
- Continuously adjustable filter bandwidth down to 1 Hz
- Waterfall display functions and audio spectrum analyzer
- Audio and IF recording and playback
- Recording with pre-buffering
- Ultra-fast search speed 3 GHz/s
- High sensitivity
- Excellent dynamic range
- Excellent frequency stability (0.1 ppm)
- Test and measurement functions
- Networking version of application software available
- USB 3.0 and 1 Gb Ethernet (with PoE) data interfaces
- Numerous data and signal hw options
- Self-diagnostics with BIT and thermal management
- The receiver interfaces to a Windows-compatible PC via USB 3.0, or 1 Gb Ethernet LAN port with PoE (Power over Ethernet functionality according to the IEEE 802.3at standard).
For the highest bandwidth use, connection is best via USB3 for short distances (up to 3m). As the G69DDCe is equipped with an Ethernet socket, semi-remote connection to a computer is possible via a long Ethernet cable (up to 100m in length). For longer distances or when located in a busy or remote network, the Networking CSO option is recommended.
The receiver is very well shielded against interference, making it possible to operate in a noisy computer environment. Its modest power requirements are less than 20 watts. While connected via a LAN interface, thanks to PoE built-in functionality, the receiver can be operated and powered via a long Ethernet cable connection.
I’ll post information about pricing and availability once it’s available. Stay tuned!
As an owner of the G39 Excelsior receiver, I’d be very attracted to this G69 if it weren’t for two things. Number one is the price, obviously, The other is the sheer impracticality for hobby use. Frequencies as high as 8 GHz need big fat coax or you’ll lose lots of signal. And the chances are you’ll need two or three lengths, as there will be a number of antennas on your roof/mast to receive efficiently across the SHF/microwave region. Surely an ‘IF’ unit in the shack with a number of outdoor downconverters would be a better bet? This would also allow the user to purchase the converter(s) required and save some cash? There’d be a saving on coax too.
The OneRadio one is noticably missing a price, obviously in the category of, “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it”. They could also only want to deal with govt customers.
There are quite a few of these pro receivers out there. They are usually rack mount like blade PC’s or repeaters / remote bases in a combiner rack and almost always under remote control (NSA, FBI, etc).
Oh, and speaking of which, with specs like that is it almost certainly under EAR (if in USA) or even ITAR internationally. They may not even sell to you unless they know who you are to being with. To put it another way, there is a reason besides price that all the “hobby” SDRs we talk about around here are limited to the bandwidth and interface that they are. Obviously this is way beyond SW monitoring so may not be interesting to most / any of you but it sure is to me and some people I know (though they couldn’t afford it either, LOL).
Oh, and I agree with Shirley on that missing port. Then again with the FPGA that’s likely inside they can compress it down to squeeze into a 1000b-T. As I mentioned above, when you have a dozen or so of these, back-haul becomes a big issue.
Oh, and it says it’s still winshit only. So much for reliability & automation.
Happy Thanksgiving fellow Americans! Too bad I don’t live near the Canadian border to get a double shot as turkey is my favorite food! Then again, this time of year they all come HERE especailly with the borders open once more.
FWIW, Winradio is Australian – HQ in Melbourne, & ultimately owned by a locally-held private company, Robotron. Which is not to say that something like the more restrictive EAR doesn’t apply, since the US likes to lean heavy on other countries with things like that…
They *do* mainly play in the high-end commercial / spook / military market though.
Export Admin Regulations (EAR) in US law are looser regulations for dual-use products. For the most part every country that signed ITAR sets their own rules above the baseline of what qualifies for what restrictions, so in the USA EAR is used for looser stuff they’re not as worried about and ITAR is used for the more sensitive tech. The rules here are administered by different agencies much like FCC and NTIA. I don’t know if it’s just pork (spending) or actual security reasons they are separated.
I can’t speak for Australia but most countries, of course including all Five Eyes, are party, and yes, USA has pushed other govts for decades with this, something I’m upset about and I think is about to come back and bite us courtesy of PRC & the “new” USSR (yeah, I said it).
I can say I first came across this stuff when I came across an article / FAQ on the Signal Hound web site (which I’m unable to find for this post so it may be gone) and how they had to make some changes to avoid coming under export restrictions (more than the usual, I mean). I checked out the actual rules for a bit before finally giving up as it is **LONG**!! There’s a reason why lawyers in this field likely make a lot of money and its WAY TOO EASY to get tripped up & export something you’re not supposed to. It’s frankly ridiculous.
Fun fact: a lot of Analog Devices ICs have an EAR restriction; this is clearly indicated on DigiKey’s listings, for example.
> “Export Admin Regulations (EAR) in US law are looser regulations for dual-use products.”
Depends where you’re standing. For most countries that agreed to ITAR (e.g. AU) the US’s EAR are an additional set of restrictions over and above ITAR – especially the bits which restrict exchange between two non-US 3rd-party countries (or even simply passing through certain countries!) of items *not* produced in the USA.
(Been caught in the middle of this with a couple of contracts – ITAR’s difficult enough when dealing with edge-cases, but I’ve wasted more time trying to shove the responsibility for navigating/working around EAR back up the chain where it belonged rather than having to carry it on my shoulders…)
Another impressive SDR:
http://www.oneradiocorp.com/
“Save any 125 MHz band of the spectrum to the hard drive”.
So where is the 10 Gb Ethernet port? Given how much this thing is likely to cost they could have considered including one. Or 2.5 Gb Ethernet at least, which isn’t a lot more expensive than 1 Gb (though the switches are).