Category Archives: New Products

The Icom IC-7610 transceiver: a few details emerge

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike Hansgen (K8RAT), who shares the following post from Icom UK:

The IC-7610 (Source: Icom UK)

Icom Inc. has released more details about the launch of the IC-7610 HF/50MHz SDR Transceiver and its target price. Icom plans to release this high performance HF SDR transceiver around late May with the product being rolled out across the globe in the following months. We expect that the IC-7610 should be available in the UK early Summer with a suggested retail target price of £2,999.99 ex.VAT. Please note that this target price and UK availability may be subject to change.

We expect demand to be huge for this product. Indeed many back orders are already on our system. So if you want to be one of the first customers in the UK to own one of these eagerly awaited radios, please contact your Icom Amateur radio dealer who will be able to put you in their order books.

More about the IC-7610 HF/50 MHz 100 W SDR transceiver

Following on from the technology incorporated into the IC-7300, the IC-7610 adopts the same RF direct sampling system for signal processing. By converting the analogue signal directly to a digital signal and processing it within the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), it provides improved transmission phase noise and excellent RMDR of 105 dB (at 1 kHz detuning).

The IC-7610 will have two independent receivers, enabling simultaneous reception of two frequencies in different bands/different modes.

The IC-7610 will also feature high-speed, high-resolution performance. The real-time spectrum scope supports different bands and a dual display that can monitor different modes. It will also have a waterfall display function that displays received signals in time sequence. The DIGI-SEL unit will be available to both the main side and the sub side of the receiver. In addition, the IC-7610 adopts a large 7-inch full-colour touch screen panel.

Main features include:

• Further evolved RF direct sampling method.
• Excellent RMDR: 105 dB realized.
• Dual watch function can receive simultaneously in different bands and different modes.
• DIGI-SEL unit that eliminates excessively strong signals is installed in the main and sub of the receiving section.
• High-speed real-time spectrum scope and waterfall display function.
• 7-inch full-colour touch panel, outstanding operation and visibility

As mentioned earlier, demand is going to be enormous for this model, so get into contact with your authorised Icom Amateur radio dealer today.

Click here to read this full post at Icom UK.

USB Battery Pack Keep-Alive Load Kit

Photo of the new Elad FDM-S3

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rafman, who shares the following photos that were originally posted by Alberto (I2PHD) on the Elad email reflector. Alberto noted:

“Here it is…. shown for the first time today at the Montichiari Ham Fest. Price TBD….”

Many thanks, Rafman, for the tip!

We’ll continue to post FDM-S3 updates as they become available. I will also plan to review the FDM-S3 when it hits the market.

Click here to view the Elad website.

Cornell engineers invent two-way radio on a single chip

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tom Ally, who shares the following news via the Cornell Chronicle:

Engineers devise two-way radio on a single chip

Two-way communication requires, of course, both send and receive capabilities. But putting them in the same device requires a filter between the send and receive circuits to provide signal isolation.

Without a significant filter, communication would be impossible.

“Your transmit signal is [10 to the power 14] times stronger than your receive signal,” said Alyosha Molnar, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering (ECE). “That’s 100 trillion times stronger – that’s a really hard problem.”

But researchers in Molnar’s lab have offered up a solution.

Molnar and collaborator Alyssa Apsel, professor of ECE, have devised a method for both transmitting and receiving a radio signal on a single chip, which ultimately could help change the way wireless communication is done.

Their work is described in “A wideband fully integrated software-defined transceiver for FDD and TDD operation,” published online Jan. 27 in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Journal of Solid-State Circuits. Doctoral student Hazal Yüksel and Dong Yang, Ph.D. ’15, are co-lead authors.

Separating the send and receive bands is difficult enough, but the problem is compounded by the ever-increasing number of bands in the latest devices. From GPS to Bluetooth to Wi-Fi, each band requires a filter to stop the strong transmit signals from drowning out reception.

Molnar and Apsel have come up with an ingenious way to separate the signals. Their idea lies in the transmitter – actually a series of six subtransmitters all hooked into an artificial transmission line. Each sends its signal at regular intervals, and their individually weighted outputs are programmed so that they combine to produce a radio frequency signal in the forward direction, at the antenna port, while canceling out at the receive port.

The programmability of the individual outputs allows this simultaneous summation and cancellation to be tuned across a wide range of frequencies, and to adjust to signal strength at the antenna.

“In one direction, it’s a filter and you basically get this cancellation,” Apsel said. “And in the other direction, it’s an amplifier.”

“You put the antenna at one end and the amplified signal goes out the antenna, and you put the receiver at the other end and that’s where the nulling happens,” Molnar said. “Your receiver sees the antenna through this wire, the transmission line, but it doesn’t see the transmit signal because it’s canceling itself out at that end.” […]

Continue reading on the Cornell Chronicle.

pantronX Titus II quick update

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who notes:

I just received a status update on the pantronX Titus II portable SDR from Mike, their chief engineer.

Mike said the self-contained SDR portable will include “SoapySDR as the interface to make it much easier to roll your own SDR app.” Here’s some info about SoapySDR:

https://github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki

Mike also said, “To be 100% truthful, our biggest push right now is for the international MW & SW broadcasters. They want to go DRM digital is the worst way!”

You might want to share this news with SWLing Post readers.

Thank you for the update, Ed! Click here to view the pantronX website.

Grace Digital Mondo+ Kickstarter

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tom Ally, who writes:

I remember that article you wrote about Wi-fi radios and just saw this Kickstarter on Facebook that may interest you:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1209003580/mondo

[T]hey are saying it is supposed to ship out sometime next month. [S]ome of the things it has –over the old Mondo–is Bluetooth 4.1 and Chromecast built in.

Thank you, Tom! Here’s the product description from Kickstarter:

The home audio market is evolving, and Grace Digital is leading the way. We combined the latest Wi-Fi audio streaming technologies from Google, added Bluetooth audio streaming, and over 30,000 AM/FM/HD radio stations from around the corner to across the globe. The Grace Mondo+ can even be controlled by the Google Assistant on devices like Google Home, the front panel controls, free smartphone apps, or the included remote control. We wrapped the technology in a beautifully crafted cabinet, and drive the audio with custom made speaker drivers and high performance class D digital amplification, ensuring the best possible listening experience in a perfectly compact design. We hope you love the Mondo+ as much as we do!

This is an “all or nothing” campaign, meaning it’ll have to be fully funded for the production run to become reality.

As a Kickstarter supporter, the pricing is in line with the Grace Digital Mondo (we reviewed last year).

I am still quite happy with my Como Audio Solo, so will not plan to back the Mondo+ at this time. If I was interested, I would splurge for the $174 Early Bird package which includes a Lithium Ion battery pack. Shipping could be as early as April 2017.

Check out full details and a video on Kickstarter.

Thanks, Tom, for the tip! I would certainly welcome a review of the Mondo+ from any Kickstarter backers!

The W6LVP magnetic loop antenna

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Troy Riedel, who asks:

Just curious if you or anyone you know have any experience with Magnetic Loops from W6LVP? […]Here’s his eBay page – 458 feedbacks and 100%.

Thank, Troy! I’ve never used the W6LVP loop, but the price–in comparison with other wideband mag loop receive antennas–is very attractive.

W6LVP currently offers two models of loop antennas:

Here’s the product description of the Mag Loop with Power Inserter from the W6LVP website (where orders can also be made–pricing identical to eBay):

The Wellbrook Model ALA1530LN-2 and DX Engineering (Pixel/Inlogis) Model RF PRO-1B magnetic loops are both good amplified receive antennas. However, they are both expensive. Shipping the Wellbrook antenna from the UK to the US adds another $100.

Extensive side-by-side testing of the Wellbrook, DX Engineering, and W6LVP receive loops was compiled using simultaneous WSPR signal-to-noise reception reports on all LF, MF, and HF amateur bands. In addition, extensive laboratory bench tests measuring gain, signal-to-noise ratio, and IMD were also performed. Signal-to-noise ratio is important to pull weak signals out of the noise and IMD is important to reject distortion caused by nearby strong transmitters such as AM broadcast stations. In both test regimens, all three antennas performed very well and without significant difference.

The antenna version listed here includes a power inserter for use with receivers or with transceivers that have a separate receive antenna input. If your rig doesn’t have a receive antenna input, check out my antenna with a transmit/receive switch.

If you live in the shadow of one or more high-power AM broadcast transmitters, contact me about a special version just for you. Please contact me at [email protected].

W6LVP amplified receive-only magnetic loop antenna (boy is that mouthful):

The W6LVP mag loop is a complete receive antenna system delivering top-of-the-line performance to amateur radio operators and SWLs – particularly for those with space and/or budget limitations. It is a great complement to vertical or wire transmit antennas. You have a knob to turn up the power but don’t have one to turn up the received S/N.

Ten foot circumference (approximately 1 meter diameter) loop. Small size yields a natural stealth for HOA challenges. The loop is rigid enough to maintain its shape but flexible for portable transport or attic installation.

Includes a low-noise, broadband amplifier covering 2200 (135 kHz) through 10 meters (30 MHz) with no tuning or adjustment. Perfect match for continuous tuning SDR receivers. Great for contesters to quickly check all bands. Greater coverage is possible at reduced performance.

Light-weight antenna structure fabricated from furniture-grade PVC yields a strong but very light antenna weighing only 2 pounds (not including power inserter or power adapter). Great for both portable/camping as well as fixed installations. Light weight and small size make for lower shipping cost – particularly compared to shipping from the UK.

Directly compatible with a low-cost speaker tripod stand (not included) for portable operation.

Compatible with light-duty rotator (recommended) for fixed operation. Loop can be rotated to null interference by up to 30 dB or enhance desired signals.

Includes low-noise linear AC power adapter to generate clean 12 volts for the loop amplifier. Unlike the DX Engineering antenna which requires 24 VAC, power can be easily supplied by 12 volt batteries during portable operation. Reverse polarity and short circuit protection provided by automatically resettable fuse.

Eham reviews are very positive–so far, 5 stars on all six reviews.

I also discovered this short video of W9OY comparing the W6LVP loop to a full size 80 meter vertical (verticals are much more susceptible to noise than loops):