Re: [IRCA] MW-IBOC carrier power/ IBOC noise blanker?

[Rick Kunath <k9ao@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Monday 19 September 2005 07:54 pm, Patrick Martin wrote:
> Is DSP really that helpful with AM DX? I
> have heard a mixed bag. 

Yes, it can be very effective. I use it quite a lot.

The DSP on the NRD-545 often does nothing, though when it works it is amazing. 
It is a little difficult to get set right as there are a few register-type 
settings that you have to fiddle with, and the actual aggressiveness of the 
DSP has no front panel knob.. You can go into the settings dialog and dial it 
up and down to where you like it, and this is the way I usually use it. It 
does not like to have the AF gain up full and the RF down to a normal level, 
and often refuses to do anything in this setup. But with the RF full and AF 
per normal, it can be surprising. Most of the time, it isn't.

I have an outboard TimeWave DSP-599zx, an audio DSP unit, and this one works 
really well. It has nicely shaped and adjustable audio filters that really 
help on cleaning up various annoyances, has a DSP function that almost always 
helps when I think I need it, and has an auto-notch that works better than 
the DSP notch in the 545 (the manual notch in the 545 works fine.) It's got 
an input AF AGC too for times when the signals are varying rapidly, and I 
don't want to ride the RF gain (I always DX with the audio gain up full, and 
the RF to something comfortable, with the AGC off), but sometimes the AF AGC 
can add just a smidgen of noise.

I usually couple this with the AR7030 and like the combo better than the 599zx 
with the 545. I imagine it'd work just as well with an R8.

I've got lots of my hardest to hear catches because of the 599zx.

What I'd really like to see is a good RF DSP that works as well as the AF DSP 
in the 599zx. I wonder how the Ten-Tec unit is in that regard, or that in the 
Icom 7xx series of transceivers?

Rick Kunath


_______________________________________________
IRCA mailing list
IRCA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://dallas.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/irca

Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers

For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org

To Post a message: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx