DSP-10 Platform Evaluation
2012 August

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The DSP-10 was first designed in 1997, 15  years ago.  I have four kits, one built in near continuous service since 2005 and the other three in their original shipping boxes.  Aside from that, any kind of maintenance will likely be problematic.  The goal was always to get the all working simultaneously for full duplex, several kinds of noise in the shack at once operations.

The next major goal is to "get off the 'PC."  The PC runs the original software, so achieving this goal means being able to build software for the Mac and dealing with interfacing to the Mac.  Both are non trivial.  Before launching into that, the question is asked, "Should I move to a different approach?"

The three big plusses for staying with DSP-10 are:

- All the experience I have with it so far,
- 2 meter IF to anywhere (i.e., not HF),
- Hardware hackability.

The one big drawback I've identified is that DSP-10 will always be limited to a 15 KHz DSP IF.

I surveyed other platforms I could move to.  This is the summary.

The primary goals are hardware and software hackability.  I'm now modestly well set up for hardware hackability, having built the initial DSP-10 and 23 cm transverter and several pieces of test equipment on the way to having them work right.  I'm as far away from software hackability on DSP-10 today as I would be on any other platform.

The ultimate goal is Space Radio in all its many forms (EME, meteors, satellites, Jove, etc.).  There are other routes to that goal that are shorter and some would be easier in terms of software hackability, if that was the only parameter.

The three areas of development are hardware, software, and antennas.  Those all in place lead to experiments, some of which could be unique.  Antennas are saved for last so that their fragility and maintenance requirements don't drive all of my efforts until they have to.  Hardware has a foothold.  Software needs one.

Other platforms:

Kachina - out of business and only availalbe surpluss.  Yes, a full-up SDR but only limited hardware hackability and no software access.

Flex-6000 - Just coming out.  This is a tempting piece of hardware and will enable the next advances in contesting and DXing.  It could enable what I'm working on now too and would be broadband up to above 2 meters, but software access and hackability are now limited in the Flex world (maybe zero) so all the work will be done by others.

FunCube Dongle and equivalent - Receive only.  Does cool things and would be "fun" to play around with.  Some software open.  Could be an IF for broadband receive.  Depends on which hardware you want to hack but the dongle itself is not hackable.

WinRadio and WinRad - Two different things.  WinRadio is some pros in Europe.  Good hardware but no prices shown.  Doesn't look amateur.  Might be a way to get into software without hardware hassles.  WinRad is a PC-based weak signal program with a community.  Nixed here due to being based on a PC.

USRP - Nice hardware sets within range for hams.  Some hackability (QRO, for example) transmits and receives.  Has a lot of existing software and software access.  And community.  This is a possiiblity.  Will probably be the way to go when it gets to be "broadband or nothing."  Right now, at the baseband processing level, no hackabiilty available or desired.

Pandora - Representing the TAPR supported HPSDR line of modules.  (Pandora is the box.)  This one is close.  Unfortunately, it's not mature enough to be buying yet; not all the boxes are released.  Broader bandwidth but HF, not VHF.  This is another likely future when I get to the need for broader bandwidth.

But I can learn quite a lot in 15 KHz and am willing to do so before moving up.  I'm not going to do real time video processing anytime soon.

What about soundcards and stock rigs?  I have an anti-desire to be an expert in soundcard technology itself.  Stock rigs?  I can hack them but I don't have the same ownership of the box that I didn't put together from parts myself.  There's a type and degree of learning that just doesn't occur any other way.  DIY!


created 2012 August 25, cbd

(c) Courtney Duncan,  2012