Re: [IRCA] 6. Re: SDR Recommendations? (Bruce Portzer)

[Horacio Nigro <hanigrodx@xxxxxxxxx>]

Now I ask which differences are comparing a Excalibur with a cheap Usb
dongle of the Rtl type. They should be found in the software.

Tnx 73
Horatio
Uruguay
El jul 13, 2013 11:14 PM, "Bruce Portzer" <bportzer@xxxxxxxxxxx> escribió:

> Hi Anthony
>
> Sorry for the confusion.
>
> I was referring to the scheduling function in the G31 software - it is
> capable of scheduling audio recordings, but not scheduling automatic
> spectrum recordings.  You can record up to 2 MHz of rf spectrum with the
> software by manually starting the recording and letting it run until you
> tell it to stop.  Alternatively, you can rely on third party software to
> schedule the recording, as is the case with the Perseus.  Or, with the
> right dll file, use the G33 software to automate the recording function
>
> I fully agree with the review comments you quoted.  I've been making
> spectrum recordings on the Excalibur for a couple of years now, with very
> few problems.
> Bruce
>
> On 7/13/2013 08:29, Anthony R Gargano wrote:
>
>> Bruce, now I'm confused. You mention that the G31 software cannot do
>> spectrum recordings. Spectrum recording capability is my primary reason for
>> looking to go the SDR route.
>>
>> While doing my research into different models I ran across a review of
>> the Excalibur and the G31 software on swling.com. It was a quite
>> comprehensive write-up written in October last year and one of the
>> conclusions by the reviewer was (and this is a cut and paste from the
>> review)
>> "It is, quite simply, the best SDR I have used to-date. And if, like me,
>> recording functionality is a high-priority, then the Excalibur is your best
>> choice, hands-down."
>> Your comment and the reviewer's comment, regarding spectrum recording,
>> are180 degrees apart. Thus, my confusion! Can you or anyone else in the
>> group comment or shed further light on this? Clearly, I don't want to plunk
>> down the cash only to find it cannot fulfill my principal need!
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Anthony R Gargano
>> n2ss@xxxxxxxx
>>
>> On Jul 13, 2013, at 1:19 AM, irca-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>>
>>  ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 6
>>> Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 21:30:02 -0700
>>> From: Bruce Portzer <bportzer@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America
>>>         <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> Subject: Re: [IRCA] SDR Recommendations?
>>> Message-ID: <51E0D7CA.8030401@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>>
>>> Nick
>>>
>>> For the record, I'm running the Excalibur (G31) using the software
>>> written for the Excalibur Pro (G33).  A couple of years ago, someone on
>>> the Winradio YG wrote a dll file that allows you to use this lashup and
>>> take advantage of features that are in the G33 software that aren't in
>>> the G31 software.  One of the differences between the two is the ability
>>> to do spectrum recordings.  The G31 SW only allows you to schedule
>>> recordings for single frequencies. I've been using the G33 version of
>>> the software so long that I'd totally forgotten about the limitation in
>>> the G31 version.
>>>
>>> The other possibility is to use third party scheduling software with the
>>> G31 software, like the guys in PEI did.  I tried that approach with
>>> mixed success when I first started using the Excalibur.  For a while, my
>>> antivirus software thought the scheduling software was malicious and
>>> deleted it on several occasions!  I solved the problem by switching to a
>>> different antivirus package.
>>>
>>> The Perseus native software seems to lack any scheduling function, but
>>> third party software has been written to take care of that limitation.
>>> At least that's my conclusion after using the receiver for the past
>>> three days.  Hopefully one of the Perseus owners on this list will
>>> clarify that point.
>>>
>>> Bruce
>>>
>>> On 7/12/2013 20:10, Nick Hall-Patch wrote:
>>>
>>>> Now that I'm a bit more awake Bruce, I believe that I recall that the
>>>> Excalibur
>>>> was only unable to do timed unattended recordings, but that the pricier
>>>> Excalibur Pro can.   What is your experience there?  Two of the DXers
>>>> at the PEI
>>>> expedition last fall were jumping through hoops using Splinterware or
>>>> some such
>>>> in order to record while they caught a few moments of sleep. It wasn't a
>>>> computer issue.
>>>>
>>>> Meantime, dead simple Spectravue was reliably performing that service
>>>> for the
>>>> remaining two DXers who were using RFSpace radios.
>>>>
>>>> Do I recall that Perseus' native software has some difficulties in that
>>>> direction also?   Simon Brown's SDR Console now handles Perseus I've
>>>> heard, but
>>>> I haven't any experience with its timed recording capabilities, and if
>>>> I did, it
>>>> would be out of date, as that software is constantly developing.
>>>>
>>>> best wishes,
>>>>
>>>> Nick
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Quoting Bruce Portzer <bportzer@xxxxxxxxxxx>:
>>>>
>>>>  Hi Anthony
>>>>>
>>>>> I've owned an Excalibur for the past two years, and very recently added
>>>>> a Perseus to my radio collection.  Both are quite good receivers.   I'm
>>>>> not aware of any Mac software to run either radio, although there may
>>>>> be
>>>>> third party software I don't know about.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've been generally happy withe the User Interface that comes with the
>>>>> Excalibur.  I'm much less impressed with the Perseus UI, but I've only
>>>>> been using it for a couple of days and may need to give it more time.
>>>>>
>>>>> I haven't run into the recording issue Nick mentions.  I routinely use
>>>>> the Excalibur to record 2 MHZ sections of spectrum (MW & SW) with no
>>>>> problems.  That's with a quad core (i5) CPU in my PC. The problem could
>>>>> nonetheless occur with older, slower PCs (single CPU and possibly some
>>>>> low end dual core PCs).
>>>>>
>>>>> Bruce
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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