On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 09:30:25 -0800, "CW"
wrote:


"George Blomfield" wrote in message
news:400d059a.6116314@news-server...
On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:14:36 GMT, wrote:

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 17:34:41 -0800, "CW"
wrote:


"George Blomfield" wrote in message
news:4009e0e0.2462200@news-server...

Open the Winradio, and marvel at the beautiful subminiature components
surface-mounted on both sides of several densely-packed multilayer
boards, meticulous craftsmanship, and not a single adjustable
component in sight.

Yes, most disposables are made that way.
Very astute observation. :-)


Anyone with any electronics experience would know that components have
tolerances. The variation between components will mean that a non adjustable
tuned circuit may very well not be tuned as well as it could be. Making
things non adjustable is cheaper but the trade off is that you have to
except less than optimum performance.



I guess you have not heard of software-defined radios. This has been a
buzzword in military and other professional radio communications for a
few years.

The G303i is the first such software-defined radio for the consumer
market. The end result (apart from other significant benefits) is
precisely what you are talking about: elimination of influence of
component tolerances.

Don't think for a second that they simply replaced a tunable coil with
an untunable one in a similar circuit; of course this would not work.
This receiver has a totally different architecture, where tunable IF
transformers are simply not used anymore.

And the result?

1. The lowest phase noise and the best MDS in any consumer shortwave
radio available; and still with a very respectable dynamic range.

2. Precisely calibrated S-meter (now how would this be possible if
they had component tolerances problem?)

.... and there is more, but I am running out of time right now, check
the Web site: http://www.winradio.com/home/g303i.htm

George