{"id":8691,"date":"2014-02-01T09:08:08","date_gmt":"2014-02-01T13:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=8691"},"modified":"2014-02-01T09:36:07","modified_gmt":"2014-02-01T13:36:07","slug":"mechanically-tuned-portable-dsp-radios-a-shootout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/02\/mechanically-tuned-portable-dsp-radios-a-shootout\/","title":{"rendered":"Mechanically-tuned portable DSP radios: a shootout"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Three<\/a>

Three of the five contenders: The Degen DE32, Degen DE321 and Tecsun R-2010D (Click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

Following is my premiere shortwave radio column for the January 2014 issue of\u00a0The Spectrum Monitor<\/em><\/a> digital magazine. \u00a0It takes the form of a review\u2013or “shoot-out,” if you will\u2013of a few select mechanically-tuned DSP radios I’ve tested over the years.<\/p>\n

While I’m a big fan of print publications, digital publications like TSM offer me flexibility that I can’t get in traditional print: namely, shorter time to publication (thus more up-to-date information) and especially, the ability to embed links and audio<\/strong> as I do here on The SWLing Post<\/em>. In this case, I’m able to include audio clips which the reader can utilize to compare the radios firsthand (embedded here, as well).<\/p>\n

Note: This being my first contribution to a brand new magazine, I thought it would be fitting to begin by explaining why I still believe in shortwave radio…I mean, how could I resist? I guess I’ll always be a shortwave evangelist at heart.<\/p>\n

Hope you enjoy.<\/p>\n

\n

First: \u00a0why I still believe in shortwave<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"SP600Dial3\"<\/a>While I\u2019ve been blogging about shortwave<\/a> for several years now, I simply can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve received an email asking doubtfully, \u201cThis seems like a fun hobby, but isn\u2019t shortwave radio dead?\u201d<\/p>\n

My response? \u00a0No way! \u00a0Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

I once had the truly good fortune to be interviewed by Gareth Mitchell, host of the BBC World Service technology program Click<\/a>. For once, I made a point of listening to this interview that featured me\u2013\u2013always a bit embarrassing\u2013\u2013but after all, this was the BBC World Service!<\/p>\n

But Gareth\u2019s lead-in to our segment about my shortwave radio-based charity, Ears To Our World<\/a> (ETOW), truly surprised me: \u00a0our non-profit, he said, \u201cdistributes portable battery powered devices that can stream audio in real time, all via an intuitive touch interface<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wow…how true. \u00a0And since that interview, this is exactly how I see shortwave radio, too: not as a forgotten relic of the past century, but as a medium at home in the future with a unique, highly accessible, and yet global reach. \u00a0Shortwave radio, after all, requires no apps, no subscriptions, and no mobile phone or Internet connection to deliver information worldwide at the speed of light.<\/p>\n

All you need\u2013\u2013in short\u2013\u2013is a radio.<\/p>\n

Shortwave lives!<\/p>\n

This column exists to prove to the doubtful that shortwave radio\u2013\u2013indeed, radio in general\u2013\u2013is not only alive and well, but loud and clear in urban as well as rural settings the world over. \u00a0\u00a0Here, you\u2019ll find in-depth articles that reflect the changing state of shortwave radio: \u00a0the technologies, the techniques, and the vast array of content currently available across the shortwave radio spectrum. Best yet, because SWLing (shortwave listening) is what you make of it, you can be part of it: \u00a0share your input, so that I can cover (and uncover) shortwave topics you wish to discuss.<\/p>\n

So I begin this first column with a little comparison\u2013\u2013a shootout\u2013\u2013between five newly-popular analog DSP radios. \u00a0Let\u2019s find out who\u2019s left standing.<\/p>\n

The contenders<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We\u2019ll be pitting five models against each other here: the Degen DE321<\/strong>, the Degen DE32<\/strong>, the Tecsun R-2010D<\/strong>, the Kchibo KK9803<\/strong> and the ShouYu SY-X5<\/strong>. With the exception of the ShouYu SY-X5, all of these manufacturers have in the past produced at least one portable with truly notable performance (the Degen DE1102, 1103, Kchibo D96L and an array of Tecsuns, including the PL 310, 380, 390, 600 and 660).<\/p>\n

Moreover\u2013\u2013so that you can hear the difference for yourself!\u2013\u2013I\u2019ve included linked audio clips for each model. They were all tuned to the same frequency, same broadcast and within seconds of one another.<\/p>\n

But first, what is a DSP radio? And why do we need them?<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Silicon Labs DSP chip found in many of these radios.<\/p><\/div>\n

Mechanically-tuned DSP<\/strong><\/p>\n

Radio is no longer just your granddad\u2019s medium. \u00a0Several years ago, the digital signal processing chip manufacturer, Silicon Labs (SiLabs), altered the entire radio landscape with one little chip. Indeed, most new digital shortwave\/AM\/FM radios on the market use a SiLabs (or other manufacturer’s) DSP chip as the centerpiece of their receiver architecture.<\/p>\n

Using a DSP chip in a fully digital radio makes sense: after all, you have a digital display, digital buttons, and digital encoder. But using a digital chip with a traditional analog display\u2013\u2013a mechanically-tuned DSP radio\u2013\u2013does that make sense<\/em>?<\/p>\n

SiLabs and a growing number of radio manufacturers and retailers believe the answer is a resounding \u201cyes.\u201d In truth, there are concrete benefits to making this addition; among them:<\/p>\n