I was going to get a Flexradio until I found out you need Windows to use
the thing. I got the Elecraft K3 instead. $299 for an operating system
is insane.
One of the problems with a radio that requires a PC to do the demod is
you can't run 3rd party decoding software on the demod signal since
the sound card is busy doing the demod. [Hope that makes sense. ;-)]
For example, PC-HFDL requires a sound card, but your sound card is
busy with the actual demod. I've got a SDR on loan and it's going
back. I find the need for a computer in the field to be a real
hassle.
To be fair, it's more like $100 for the OS. I put OEM win7pro on my
desktop for a bit over $100 when Fry's had a sale. That all said, I
rather have linux. Incidentally PC-HFDL works fine under Wine. I guess
it didn't need directx.