On 10/7/2010 11:58 AM, Bob wrote:

...
Any thoughts would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

I have a lot of SW radios and amateur gear. When you have used a SDR,
you are simply left with one question, "Why would anyone, anywhere, use
anything different?

I mean, it is still fun to fire up an old one and watch the tubes glow
.... nostalgia, I guess.

Regards,
JS

John Smith wrote:

I have a lot of SW radios and amateur gear. When you have used a SDR,
you are simply left with one question, "Why would anyone, anywhere, use
anything different?

Propigation is always good on the internet. With a fast (15mbit download)
internet connection why bother with a radio at all?

To be honest, I often don't. I skype chat, I call people on a VoIP phone,
I email, I use facebook, I watch TV from around the world, I listen to
radio from around the world.

TV and radio are especially nice because I can get the programs I want when
I have time to pay attention to them.

I also use my radios because I want to. I expect different things from them
and chalenges to get them.

To answer the original post, reed relays are relatively cheap and have very
high isolation between the poles. Electronic switches are available and cheap
but not with as good isolation (at least not at the price of the relays).

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
To help restaurants, as part of the "stimulus package", everyone must order
dessert. As part of the socialized health plan, you are forbidden to eat it. :-)