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Re: [IRCA] WC Nov 5 snapshot - SDR shoot-out



http://shop.elad-usa.com/sdr-radio/fdm-s2/

I found that you need to have a quad core running at least 2.5 ghz or so to avoid any stuttering issues at full bandwidth of 2 mhz for MW. Each setup has it's own issues (I had mine early on with both the Perseus and ELAD) and it takes time and patience. But that being said I'll never go back to desktop receiver like the Drake. In fact I'll be putting my Drake R8A, Grundig Sat 800 and a couple of others up on EBAY soon. I will keep my Eton E1 which comes very very close to the Drake in performance.

I did use a Lenovo Ideapad (can't tell you which model right now...gave it to my son earlier this year) but now I use an MSI G72 gaming laptop (this was a little more money LOL..around $1100). It has a high end i7 quad core processor running Win 10. I upgraded mainly due to the fact that in the summer I run the ELAD for FM captures during Eskip Openings (6 mhz capture) and the Airspy SDR (for 8 mhz captures). Running both at the same and recording (to external drives) has been pretty flawless.

Keith



On 11/5/2016 10:40 PM, R. Colin Newell wrote:
On the Elad Store I was sure it was around 500EU or more... Will look again.

Don't get me wrong - open to new things - the ELAD sample I'm using just doesn't compete with the R8 or the 7030+. Maybe they are just hot examples of 2 great receivers.

Products I'm using the Elad with:
QuadCore Lenovo T250, Toshiba netbook (chatters when anything other than the Elad is running...) and a Dell AIO 7440 (worth $1400)

Colin Newell - CoffeeCrew.com - VA7WWV - Victoria - BC

On Nov 5, 2016, at 7:25 PM, Keith <longwave@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Ok...Love my ELAD.  Live in a very RF rich area (just south of Boston MA).  Had a Drake R8A and loved it.  Got the Perseus and it beat the R8A by a decent margin imho.  Then I bought the ELAD mainly for its wide band FM capture capability.  Found that in most cases it's the equal to or better than the Perseus especially in audio quality which I find to be much softer on these aging ears than the Perseus.  The one area I'd give the Perseus a big plus on was NDB dxng.

Also if you are only dxng MW (or NDB's and SW) and not FM then a middle of the road laptop will suffice.  I purchased a refurb Lenovo quad core a few years back for about $350 and it worked fine for everything and wasn't too bad at handling the load for FM captures.  Also the ELAD is $519.00 USD ($695 Canadian) and not $1000.  A lot less than the Perseus.  The great part about the ELAD if you are an FM dxer is that no external downcoverter is needed (like you need for the Perseus) so no additional cost.

Keith McGinnis
Hingham MA
ELAD SDR with 50x100 switched termination superloop running NE/SW and a Wellbrook 1530LNP Imperium along with a DX Engineering NCC1 Phaser for LW, MW and SW.          2 Innov 11 element antennas with Bolin Phase Box for FM

On 11/5/2016 9:19 PM, R. Colin Newell wrote:
There is a noticeable difference with audio quality between Laptops and work stations.

Consider this: $1000 Elad + $1000 laptop gives you a decent set up...
But a 2nd hand Drake at $700 mops the floor with the Elad. Do the math.
I know SDR's are the future but the Elad or Perseus are paper weights without a solid PC desktop or laptop.

If you run the Elad with the ATT off, there is "ADC" clipping, whatever that is -- and I'm in a low signal area. The only choice is clicking ATT ON. But no mention anywhere I could find what the attenuation is.

No passband tuning with the Elad and without a high quality wheel mouse or gaming mouse, actually operating the Elad is a two handed operation.

Still going to keep the comparison going. Gotta know.

Colin Newell - CoffeeCrew.com - VA7WWV - Victoria - BC

On Nov 5, 2016, at 4:13 PM, Walter Salmaniw <canswl@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I can't comment on the Elad, but the Perseus is superb.  Every bit as good
as any of the best classic receivers mentioned.  There is a real learning
curve, though, to use them optimally.  Audio is perfect, but very much
dependent on your sound card.  My high end Dell produces wonderful audio..
I have been told that the Elad should be as good as the Perseus.  Wonder
what the issue is.  Doesn't sound right to me.   Walt (At the Glistening
Waters, PEI DXpedition, and listening to almost armchair copy of Nigeria on
917 kHz).

On Sat, Nov 5, 2016 at 9:13 PM, R. Colin Newell <coffeecanuck@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

SDR's are like digital cameras...
The closer you look, the less they look like film.

Great for spectrum analysis and for portable operation when you are
traveling.

Hard to beat the warmth of a well designed receiver.

Colin Newell - CoffeeCrew.com - VA7WWV - Victoria - BC

On Nov 5, 2016, at 12:21 PM, Richard N Allen <richarda@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Colin:

Thanks for the review.

I tried a Drake R8 many years ago when it was first released.  It's an
outstanding receiver.

I've been pondering a new SDR but think I'll stick with my old
WR-G313e.  I'm sitting here now at mid-day hearing "Jack Rabbit" football
from WNAX-570, Yankton SD (S7 @ 726 km/451 mi), on the WiNRADiO hooked to a
long wire.  It's an easy to use receiver and still works on Windows 10.  It
simply need a better aerial and I have an ALA1503LNP-NA on order.

I also have a R75 which is going back to ICOM soon for repairs.   It
just quit and I don't know why.

Good DX.

Richard.

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