Re: [IRCA] 1st NEW STN on 1400 Khz since 1982!!! WDNY Dansville, NEW YORK

[Guy Atkins <dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Les,

I fully agree with your comparison of the FDM-S2 versus the wonderful
AR7030+. You stated the main points very well!

Have you ever heard the FDM-S2 through the Studio 1 software?  I've been
using it recently, and I'm very impressed with the improvement in audio
quality when using Studio 1's "soft filter" mode. The review of this
program on the Ham Radio Science web site says in part:

*"Audio Quality: This is an area that Studio1 stands heads and shoulders
above the other software offerings. To be able to fully appreciate this,
you must have a fairly decent audio chain attached to your computer. At HRS
the main SDR lab testbed computer is equipped with a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2
<http://global.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i2> connected
to a pair of KRK Rockit 5
<http://www.krksys.com/krk-studio-monitor-speakers/rokit/rokit-5.html> studio
monitors for audio output.  This gives the ability to more critically
evaluate audio quality than typical PC speakers. If you are using cheap
computer speakers or your laptop speakers, you are missing out on a large
part of what SDR can offer. You might want to consider investing in a nicer
set of computer speakers or at least a good set of headphones. With that
being said, the Studio1 DSP engine is a stellar audio performer. The other
SDR programs just sound kind of  tinny in comparison. Listing to Studio1,
you will notice one thing right away-- the low noise floor. You wonât hear
much unnecessary hiss with this DSP engine. (Optionally), Studio1 utilizes
an AM âsoft filterâ that warms up the audio. The audio from the AM decoder
is very reminiscent of a tube based amplifier and is very pleasant to
listen to. Of course with all the filters and other adjustments you can
make to the audio SSB and CW also sound excellent."*

Besides this "AM soft filter" demodulation option, and other nice features,
I think Studio 1's synchronous-AM detection is the best I've encountered in
SDR-land.

73,

Guy Atkins
Puyallup, WA



> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Les Rayburn <les@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc:
> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:46:32 -0500
> Subject: Re: [IRCA] 1st NEW STN on 1400 Khz since 1982!!! WDNY Dansville,
> NEW YORK
> Welcome to the dark side, indeed.
>
> Those of us who live in the "middle" and especially those of us who live
> in suburban neighborhoods would never see the ever-so slight sensitivity
> advantage of an AOR 7030+. The AOR 7030+ and the Drake R8B have another
> intangible in their favor, they just sound "amazing"--and are easy to
> listen to for hours.
>
> But I think price has to also be considered in the equation. You can
> purchase a brand new Elad FDM-S2 for $539, while the AOR 7030+ is selling
> for $1,500 on ebay. Buy the Elad, a decent sound card and speakers for your
> computer--and enjoy the fact that you've made a smart decision--and your
> DXing will never suffer.
>
> And no conventional receiver will ever be able to record raw I/Q of the
> entire AM band overnight, effectively allowing you to "preserve" an opening
> for years to come. I recorded a lot of the recent auroral conditions, and
> happily spent hours during the middle of the day reviewing them already.
> Try that with an AOR 7030+.
>
> http://shop.elad-usa.com/
>
>
> --
> 73,
>
>
> Les Rayburn, N1LF
> Maylene, AL
> EM63
>
>
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