Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

SDRplay announces the RSP1A software defined radio

(Source: SDRplay Press Release)

15/November/2017, Wakefield UK:

SDRplay announces the RSP1A

SDRplay Limited has today announced the launch of a new Software Defined Radio product – the RSP1A.

The SDR-play RSP1A is a major upgrade to the popular RSP1 and is a powerful wideband full featured 14-bit SDR which covers the RF spectrum from 1 kHz to 2 GHz.

Due to its exceptional combination of performance and price, the RSP1 has proved to be a very popular choice as an “entry level” SDR receiver. Since launching the RSP1, we have learned a great deal about what people are looking for in SDR receivers, and where possible, we have incorporated these improvements and new features into the RSP1A.

The RSP1A therefore delivers a significant number of additional features which result in benefits to amateur radio enthusiasts as well as significant benefits for the scientific, educational and industrial SDR community.

Here are the main additional features of the RSP1A compared to the original RSP1:

  • ADC resolution increased to 14-bit native for sample rates below 6 MHz, increasing to 16 bits with decimation.
  • Enhanced RF pre-selection (greater filter selectivity plus 4 additional sub-bands compared to the original RSP1) for reduced levels of spurious responses
  • Improved LNA architecture with variable gain. The RSP1 had just a single gain step.
  • Improved intermodulation performance • Performance extended to cover 1kHz to 2 GHz with a single antenna port.
  • Bias-T facility • Improved frequency stability incorporating a 0.5ppm TCXO (software trimmable to 0.01ppm)
  • Selectable broadcast AM/FM/DAB notch filters
  • RF shielding within the robust plastic casing

When used together SDRplay’s own SDRuno software, the RSP1A becomes a high performance SDR platform. The benefits of using the RSP1A with SDRuno include:

  • Highly integrated native support for the RSP1A
  • Calibrated RF Power Meter with more than 100 dB of usable range
  • Calibrated S-Meter including support for IARU S-Meter Standard
  • The ability to save power (dBm) and SNR (dB) measurements over time, to a CSV file for future analysis
  • The IQ output wav files can be accessed for 3rd party applications

SDRplay has also worked with developers of the popular HDSDR, SDR-Console and Cubic SDR software packages to ensure compatibility. As with the RSP1, SDRplay provides multiplatform driver and API support which includes Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and Raspberry Pi 3. There is even a downloadable SD card image available for Raspberry Pi3 which includes Cubic SDR.

The RSP1A is expected to retail at approximately £76 (excluding taxes) or $100 (excluding taxes)

For more information visit our website on www.sdrplay.com

About SDRplay:

SDRplay limited is a UK company and consists of a small group of engineers with strong connections to the UK Wireless semiconductor industry. SDRplay announced its first product, the RSP1 in August 2014

Email: [email protected]

Introductory video:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Click here to check out the RSP1A at SDRplay.com.

C. Crane lowers price of CC Skywave SSB

C. Crane has lowered the price of their new CC Skywave SSB from $169.99 to $149.99. I’ve confirmed with C. Crane that anyone who ordered the Skywave SSB at the $169 price level will be reimbursed $20 on their invoice.

I ordered a radio from the first production run and just received it.

While $149.99 is still topping the price range of compact portables, the radio package does include a nice protective soft case, a pair of CC Buds and (best yet) a CC Reel Antenna. I did not realize the production unit would also include the external antenna–very happy to report this as the CC Reel Antenna is my favorite on the market.

I’ll be testing my CC Skywave SSB over the next week and reporting back here!  While I’ve had the pre-production unit on the air for a few months, I’ve yet to check out the final! Looking forward to it!

Click here to check out the CC Skywave SSB at C. Crane.

SDR pioneer Dr. Vanu Bose dies at 52

Photo credit: Vanu Inc.

(Source: Southgate ARC)

Software Defined Radio pioneer Dr. Vanu Gopal Bose passed away on November 11, 2017 aged 52

In 1998 he founded Vanu Inc. which pioneered the commercialization of software-defined radio and was the first company to receive FCC certification of a software-defined radio in 2004.

The firm’s technology, which grew out of Bose’s graduate research at MIT, increases the role of software in operating the radio-based component of wireless communications networks, including those used for cellphone communications.

His company had recently deployed over 40 Community Connect base stations in Puerto Rico to provide cellular service in the wake of two devastating hurricanes.

Read the Boston Globe story
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/11/12/vanu-bose-pioneer-cellular-wireless-infrastructure-dies/mK9MjcOEiuPIOovhCGUHFJ/story.html

“Virtual Radios” by Vanu Gopal Bose, et al 1998. One of the original MIT SpectrumWare papers
https://archive.org/download/VirtualRadios/VirtualRadios-VanuBose.pdf

2003 Guardian newspaper article Radio active revolution
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2003/jul/10/onlinesupplement2

Connecting the last billion
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609009/connecting-the-last-billion/

Mark Spots a Sony ICF-SW1S watching “In the Line of Fire”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who adds the following to our growing archive of radios in film.

Mark writes:

A Sony ICF-SW1S spotted in the 1993 Clint Eastwood film, In the Line of Fire.

Click to enlarge.

The radio belongs to the villain played by John Malkovich.

Thanks, Mark! Sharp eyes!

I’ve always thought the ICF-SW1S was one of the more amazing compact portables produced in the 1990s.  True, it lacked SSB mode and only had 10 memories, but it was such a compact receiver for the day! Like many Sonys, it also had a dedicated line-out jack for off-air recordings. I wish more modern portables had one.

The line-out jack is one of the reasons I still regularly pack my ICF-SW100.

I do check eBay fairly regularly in hopes one will suddenly appear at a good price point–ones in good condition routinely sell anywhere from $250-350. I’m actually tempted to purchase a defective one and see if my buddy Vlado can fix it. It’s a risk, though, because if the repair requires anything other than resistors and capacitors, parts might not be available.

Post readers: Anyone own both the ICF-SW1S and the ICF-SW100? Which do you prefer and why?

The XHDATA D-808 shortwave portable: A variation of the Digitech AR-1780?

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ivan, who shares the following:

In December, sales of this radio will begin. The seller promises to put the price of 60 US dollars. Radio of a level not lower than Tecsun PL-660 for such a small price is great! There is a video review on YouTube. Unfortunately in Russian. There is no more information on this radio on the Internet. I myself found out by accident.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Thank you for the tip, Ivan! I’m guessing this is yet another portable based on the Silicon Labs SL4735.

The display looks like that of the Digitech AR-1780 and the keypad configuration is nearly identical–the only visible difference being the shape of the SSB button which is rectangular on the AR01780.

The Digitech AR-1780 keypad.

The XHDATA D-808 Keypad.

The power buttons are also in different locations.

AliExpress has the D-808 in their catalog, but the price is listed at $2,000 per unit (!!!) with no shipping to the US. Perhaps the pricing formula changes if you place an order within Russia?

UPDATE: Ivan adds, “I talked to the seller of Xhdata D-808 on Ali about the crazy price claimed now. The seller replied that the price will be quite different and much more humane than what is now.”

Again, thanks for the tip, Ivan!

Post readers: If you have the XHDATA D-808, I’d certainly welcome a review. Please feel free to contact me about submitting one.