{"id":391,"date":"2009-11-07T11:45:11","date_gmt":"2009-11-07T11:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=391"},"modified":"2009-12-07T12:53:22","modified_gmt":"2009-12-07T12:53:22","slug":"the-ten-tec-rx-320d-a-little-black-box-with-big-punch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2009\/11\/the-ten-tec-rx-320d-a-little-black-box-with-big-punch\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ten-Tec RX-320D – A little black box with big punch"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The

The Ten-Tec RX-320D PC controlled radio. <\/p><\/div>\n

When I began SWLing.com, I did so with the beginner in mind, and to that end, I more or less limited my product reviews to portable radios. Portables are easy to use, simple, and affordable; what’s more, the technology behind portables has made them powerful for their size.<\/p>\n

However, I have recently been receiving emails from beginners and others who wish to purchase another type of radio generally the domain of more seasoned SWLers\u2014one, for example, with a stronger receiver, designed to take an external antenna. Some find that portables aren’t adequate for their geographic location (i.e., in the western US, where fewer broadcasters are directing their signals) while others simply want to hear more of what’s out there. The price cap often mentioned has been around $500.<\/p>\n

The radio that instantly comes to mind is the Ten-Tec RX-320D. I must say that previously, my recommendation had been based on a few hours of usage, the manufacturer’s reputation, and the many reviews I had read about this product.\u00a0 While touting the receiver’s performance, I had never actually had the opportunity of testing it at my leisure in my own home.<\/p>\n

But a few months ago, Ten-Tec kindly gave me an RX-320D for review–so here you have it. Keep in mind a few things about my reviews: they are, as always, written with the radio beginner in mind, so my reviews are, I hope, less technical than some. Instead, I focus on usability, sensitivity, selectivity, and, of course, value for money.<\/p>\n

This doesn’t look like a radio…<\/h3>\n
\"Open<\/a>

Open the cover on the RX-320D and you'll find very few parts. Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n

The RX-320D is a PC-controlled radio; back in 1997 when it was first introduced, it was one of the first radios to be considered a form of SDR (or, Software Defined Radio). The radio itself is small and basic\u2014so basic, in fact, many simply refer to it as “little black box.” On the inside, the mysterious box held surprisingly few parts. But it works like a treat. How do they do this? Again, simply: the RX-320 utilizes digital signal processors inside the black box, and draws upon your personal computer to drive the radio. In other words, your PC provides the horsepower to run the components in the radio.<\/p>\n

By doing this, Ten-Tec gives you a radio for $369 that, in my opinion, performs like a radio in the $700+ range, and has more features and functionality than a typical tabletop radio.<\/p>\n

Features<\/h2>\n

Speaking of features, the RX-320D comes with a lot<\/a> of them. Here are the features most of you will be looking for:<\/p>\n