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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 |
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