{"id":7824,"date":"2013-11-05T10:37:42","date_gmt":"2013-11-05T14:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=7824"},"modified":"2013-11-17T13:24:05","modified_gmt":"2013-11-17T17:24:05","slug":"review-of-the-commradio-cr-1-software-defined-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/11\/review-of-the-commradio-cr-1-software-defined-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of the CommRadio CR-1 software defined radio"},"content":{"rendered":"

The following review of the CommRadio CR-1 was first published in the August 2013 issue of Monitoring Times magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n

CommRadio CR-1<\/h2>\n
\"The<\/a>

The CommRadio CR-1 software defined radio<\/p><\/div>\n

By and large, new products on our radio receiver market these days tend to be SDRs or software-defined radios. \u00a0And it\u2019s a good thing: \u00a0by reinterpreting radio digitally, it helps ensure that radio will have a place in this century. \u00a0Moreover, I\u2019m a big fan of SDRs, as they typically offer a lot of performance for the price. In fact, my main receiver these days is the WinRadio Excalibur<\/a> SDR. It\u2019s the receiver I use for the bulk of my radio recordings as well as for band scanning.<\/p>\n

SDRs often look like a small box with power button, antenna connections, usually computer connections, and, well, that\u2019s about it. \u00a0Many refer to the SDR as a \u201clittle black box.\u201d SDRs don\u2019t require a display; rather, they rely on your PC for this and all other functions.<\/p>\n

When I first heard that CommRadio<\/a> was introducing a new SDR, designed and built in the USA, I expected a similar product, in the form of a small black box. \u00a0Instead, I encountered a display, tuning knob, volume control, and several front panel buttons; in essence, a small stand-alone self-contained battery-operated SDR tabletop receiver! Needless to say, this was unexpected.<\/p>\n

First impressions<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_2941\"<\/a>

(Click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

When I saw the CR-1 for the first time in person, I was simply amazed by its construction. Being a fan of modest, simple designs, the CR-1 is all that\u2013\u2013and, for lack of a better word, \u201ccute.\u201d<\/p>\n

But don\u2019t be fooled by the \u201ccute:\u201d \u00a0the CR-1 is a very solid product, and a tough one. The case is made of 20 gauge steel, the front panel from machined aluminium, and the tuning knob from black anodized aluminum. Four substantial resin feet lift the CR-1 a full inch, making the height of the controls comfortably accessible, and providing excellent stability while tuning or pressing buttons on the front face.<\/p>\n

The OLED display is small–only measuring 1.5\u201d wide by \u00be\u201d high–but the resolution is extremely crisp and easy to read, even at a distance or outdoors. All of the relevant information–frequency, filter width, mode, \u201cS\u201d meter–is accommodated by the modest display.<\/p>\n

But what about actual operation? \u00a0Fortunately, I met Don Moore, president of CommRadio, at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention; he kindly arranged to provide a CR-1 for review.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_2947\"<\/a>

(Click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

The CommRadio CR-1, I\u2019m happy to report, is a pleasure to operate. I was able to intuit all of the receiver functions without consulting the owner\u2019s manual even once, a major plus.<\/p>\n

To turn on the radio, you simply push the volume control knob, the OLED screen displays a \u201cwelcome\u201d message, and you\u2019re in business! The CR-1 also defaults to the last used frequency, mode, and filter settings, which is convenient.<\/p>\n

There is no numeric keypad for direct frequency entry, only a tuning knob and buttons which allow you to move through the bands. To compensate for a lack of keypad, the CR-1 has a few unique features:<\/p>\n