Tim:



I agree, there is a "divergence" of most other devices, with radio in the
"lag."



The technology of the 1920's-1930's has been bypassed--we are too late to
halt progress at that point--the question is--do we wish to halt radio
technology at this point--realizing--we will NOT halt those around us... in
the end, leaving us, really, no choice anyway...



Name a large business still using calculators and slide rules, as opposed to
the computer, and you will point out that what I am stating is a fallacy...



Warmest regards,

John

--
When Viagra fails to work--you are DOOMED!!!

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
| John Smith wrote:
|
| gb:
|
| Well, we certainly need to examine the "bottle neck" and remove it...
before
| we are doomed...
|
| If we can't institute this "radical" idea here, we need to look at
Canada,
| Mexico, So. America, China, India, etc...
|
| When there are as many functional radios (or "cards") hitting the
dumpster
| as there are functional computers and related equip. (replaced with
| upgrades) we will know the right idea has prevailed and radio has come
| home...
|
| I would think there must be some EXCELLENT argument/reasoning serving as
a
| road block, or else, others are simply going to pass us by...
|
| John
|
| I've considered this sort of a radio before. There are a few problems,
| however:
|
| First, there is a fundamental difference between digital systems and
| analog systems that prevents this sort of thing working with the success
| of a PC.
|
| The basic difference is that with a digital system you either end up
| with a clean signal or a useless signal. In an analog system the
| character and purity of the signal must be carefully guarded, at least
| until you manage to digitize it. This means that there will be a much
| greater chance that adding a new card to the radio will degrade not only
| the function of the new card, but the function of all the other cards.
|
| Second, the PC market is a huge one, with great advantages to be derived
| from common equipment and software, and much smaller advantages to be
| derived from commonality. This is the exact obverse of the radio
| market, including homebrew radios. To make a "card" radio would be to
| define a basic radio architecture, probably down to the IF frequency (or
| at least to the point of forcing you to match your IF and front end).
| While improvements could be made within this structure an independent
| experimenter couldn't play around with such things as direct-conversion,
| different IF schemes, etc., without extensive modification.
|
| In this way the radio market is more like the market for computing
| devices as a whole. The PC market doesn't account for the most
| processors sold, or even the most dollars of all computing devices. The
| largest segment of the market is in embedded computing devices ranging
| from things as visible and obvious as your PDA, through cell phones, and
| down to burglar alarms and TV remotes. Take apart a new home thermostat
| or TV remote and there's a good chance that you'll find a processor that
| implements most of its functionality in software -- but a very slim
| chance indeed that its PC compatible!
|
| --
|
| Tim Wescott
| Wescott Design Services
| http://www.wescottdesign.com