Actually, we have been taught to think in terms of hardware. The major
importance has been put on hardware and "features." This is now killing
SW radio ...

SW radios should be nothing more than "black boxes", it should be the
software which defines the radio ... if you want to go the extra
expense, pop a processor in the radio ... if not, use a computer to
drive the radio ...

But, the emphasis should have went off "models" of receivers a time a
ago ... this would let one change digital encryption/decrypting
algorithms at will ... radio would become upgradeable without big costs
.... the actual broadcasters would be the only subject of real importance
.... the way it is now, the hardware is important ... and, with no
broadcasters, how long can that last?

It is obvious, SDR radios should be the standard today ... like it or
not, you will, in the end, realize that is correct ... however, it may
already be too late for even this to save SW ...

Regards,
JS

John Smith wrote:
It is obvious, SDR radios should be the standard today ... like it or
not, you will, in the end, realize that is correct ... however, it may
already be too late for even this to save SW ...

I disagree. Maybe where you live, or even where I live, but not where 99%
of the listeners of SW live.

SDRs are overly complicated and expensive for the handful of people who are
not hams who listen to SW broadcasts and want an expensive radio.

If you want an SDR, go ahead and buy it. But don't expect people who live
in a village with a combined income less than the price of one radio to do
it. There are a lot more of them than there are of you.

However you never know, it turns out that according to a recent study,
now floating around the internet, there are more people in India with
cell phones than people who have access to a private (or any) toilet.


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. :-)

On 10/31/2010 6:59 AM, Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:

...
However you never know, it turns out that according to a recent study,
now floating around the internet, there are more people in India with
cell phones than people who have access to a private (or any) toilet.


Geoff.


See, you are still thinking in hardware, models, a "new one", etc., etc. ...

If SDR goes mass production, there will be few "models", more like one
model per manufacturer. The SDR will like be priced $19.95-$99.95USD,
depending on how extravagant you wish to go ... and, of course, the
$100USD one will have the processor onboard ...

Regards,
JS

John Smith wrote:
See, you are still thinking in hardware, models, a "new one", etc., etc. ...

I'm thinking of radios. Boxes that play sounds from the air as it where.

Not computer add ons.

Most of the people who are still the target of SWBC don't have computers.

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. :-)

On 10/31/2010 10:14 AM, Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
John Smith wrote:
See, you are still thinking in hardware, models, a "new one", etc., etc. ...

I'm thinking of radios. Boxes that play sounds from the air as it where.

Not computer add ons.

Most of the people who are still the target of SWBC don't have computers.

Geoff.

You are not aware that there are SDR's which can be controlled by
computer, as well as be stand alone?

They are stand alone with but the addition of a processor and some
memory ... but, why duplicate the sound card, the oscillator, etc. if
you are always going to have a computer present?

People still think in terms of stand alone, like you do. However, why
own a TV, a radio, a stereo, etc.? The computer is all of this, and
more ... usually a simple USB device is all which is necessary to make
the computer pretty much anything you wish ... however, manufacturers
would like to sell you a, stand alone, separate device for each and
every different task you wish to preform ... it is my opinion only
idiots will continue down that road ... a desktop controls most of all
this in my home ... my fondness for collectibles is only why I own so
many stand alone, and ancient, AM, FM, SW, ham, cb, etc. ... I prefer a
notebook with a small SDR even when I camp ... however, I do carry along
backup. A small inverter allows me to operate these in my vehicle and a
small generator supplies power at the camp sites ...

I strongly believe most will be heading in these directions ... it is
only salespeople in electronic stores who slow the upgrading ...

Regards,
JS

John Smith wrote:
You are not aware that there are SDR's which can be controlled by
computer, as well as be stand alone?

Yes, but your are IMHO mixing up two types of listeners. The listeners that
the stations are not trying to reach are afluent, have a computer, probably
have a TV, some sort of video player (DVD, Blu-Ray,VCR, PVR, or streamer),
an internet connection and so on.

Those are the kind that would gladly buy an SDR because they like the toy
aspect and want to listen to SWBC as a hobby.

On the other side of the equation are what I think is almost all of their
audience, people who do not have computers, can not afford more than a cheap
radio, and will never have an internet connection until it is free or close to
it.

The proof is where do the SWBC stations aim their signal? Not at North America,
not at the EU, etc, but at poor parts of the world, North and Central Africa,
Western Asia (middle east and India) and Eastern Asia (China, North Korea,
Indonesia, and so on).

This is no duplication of processor, memory, keyboard, display, etc because
these people don't have them.

An SDR radio is fine if you can make one for a few dollars that will stand
a great deal of abuse and use very little power. As an add on for a computer,
they will only sell in the richer countries or the more affluent cites, where
there are lots of other sources of information and the SWBC stations are
not aiming at.

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. :-)

On 10/31/2010 12:09 PM, Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
John Smith wrote:
You are not aware that there are SDR's which can be controlled by
computer, as well as be stand alone?

Yes, but your are IMHO mixing up two types of listeners. The listeners that
the stations are not trying to reach are afluent, have a computer, probably
have a TV, some sort of video player (DVD, Blu-Ray,VCR, PVR, or streamer),
an internet connection and so on.

Those are the kind that would gladly buy an SDR because they like the toy
aspect and want to listen to SWBC as a hobby.

On the other side of the equation are what I think is almost all of their
audience, people who do not have computers, can not afford more than a cheap
radio, and will never have an internet connection until it is free or close to
it.

The proof is where do the SWBC stations aim their signal? Not at North America,
not at the EU, etc, but at poor parts of the world, North and Central Africa,
Western Asia (middle east and India) and Eastern Asia (China, North Korea,
Indonesia, and so on).

This is no duplication of processor, memory, keyboard, display, etc because
these people don't have them.

An SDR radio is fine if you can make one for a few dollars that will stand
a great deal of abuse and use very little power. As an add on for a computer,
they will only sell in the richer countries or the more affluent cites, where
there are lots of other sources of information and the SWBC stations are
not aiming at.

Geoff.


I don't even consider 3rd world nations. I don't care what goes on in
3rd world nations, their needs, trends, work-arounds, etc.

That would only be a waste of my time. I live here in America. If I
take a trip there and live there a bit, I will "do as the natives do."

In America, I believe this is what will be happening ... if you are in
another country ... well, I see them wearing American t-shirts and jeans
which appear to have been given to them by aid organizations ... perhaps
they will start finding computers and SDR's in those gift packages ...

Regards,
JS

On 10/31/2010 12:50 PM, dave wrote:

...
And where are these people without computers? In National Geographic?

Really. I think the processor needed to drive a standalone SDR would be
only need to be about as powerful as one of the common processors found
in cell phones ... you could load up new or update software at the
village library ... but then, who really cares about 3rd world nations?

Regards,
JS

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
John Smith wrote:
See, you are still thinking in hardware, models, a "new one", etc., etc. ...

I'm thinking of radios. Boxes that play sounds from the air as it where.

Not computer add ons.

Most of the people who are still the target of SWBC don't have computers.

Geoff.

And where are these people without computers? In National Geographic?

John Smith wrote:
... but then, who really cares about 3rd world nations?

The question you should be asking is which SW broadcasters really care about
you?

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. :-)