On 09/03/2015 13:22, Brian Reay wrote:

Agreed but the attraction of SDRs is the 'tweakability' and, if you
build it all into a box with, say, a modest uP to handle the comms to
the dongle, drive a display, etc. etc. and run any other software of
course, 'tweaking', while still possible, is more of a faff. Not quite
the worst of both worlds but certainly heading that way.

Of course, others many like this approach, it is a matter of taste.

Likewise, having a control panel, or controls, which connect to the PC,
really doesn't appeal.

Occasionally, I operate a station in the US remotely but I find it a
'fiddle', I don't even care to do it locally. Again, others enjoy it,
each to his own, it just isn't something I enjoy. Just as I don't enjoy
reading books etc. from things like Kindles, although I am trying to get
used to that.

Simple job to add a raspberry pi front end (especially since the Mk II
is out and considerably faster) with a touch-screen. A lot of coding is
required to connect them all together though.
Or add a cheap rooted android tablet like the Hudl Mk I which is
programmable in Java, there are SDR apps for android tablets, not the
best but remarkably portable and it makes a great 'signal sniffer'.
It would be a faff and probably cost more than buying one but then cost
is not the point of self-construction. God knows I spent a fortune and
about 2 inches of hairline in building quiz buzzers based on raspberry
pi, touch-screen and PS2 Buzz controllers. I could have just bought a
kit from Maplins for a tenth of the price and made it in an afternoon.

However there is still something wonderfully tactile about the weight
and inertia of turning a hefty dial that you will never get from a
touchscreen.

Andy