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High performance MW receiver
My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is
enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
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Must have synch detection and selectable sideband. No serious MW
program listening is possible without it - the adjacent channel shares spectrum with one sideband of the channel you're tuned to. SSB upper and lower, and enough stability to hold the right frequency for hours. DSB reception (3dB better than SSB) with suppressed carrier notch, to kill off slow carrier beats against multiple stations. The R8B in SSB mode does this but gets only half the S/N that DSB would give. (SSB and DSB for when there's more than one carrier present - the pumping of the net carrier anti-pumps the detected audio, making it unlistenable. Notching out the carrier(s) and just supplying an internal stable one solves the pumping problem. The sidebands do not pump by themselves, just the former reference carrier.) Serious brick wall passband, to kill off an adjacent channel local modulating the AGC on you. Huge dynamic range; MW locals require it if you're going to suppress them. Audio notch filters against various hets from computer terminals that the neighbors have. -- Ron Hardin On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk. |
Hi Pete: - Just my choices... Portable over Small table top; Double conversion would be a must. Presets would be invaluable; I have them on the Sangean 606A and the Sangean DT110 Built in antenna with external port. DX - Local switch.. ?? always have it on DX.. OR Tunable pre selector that wou't confuse the average shopper.. ( focus group used here ?? ; talk to marketing) Loop antenna add-ons for DX'ing or distant stations. extra speaker plug ins for Stereo FM ?? Definitly Digital readout Small, ( 3 inch?) ported speaker Knob type Tone controls Target price.. Dunno, competitive with others in the field.. In article , "Pete KE9OA" writes: My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
I would prefer a table radio like a Tivoli or old KLH21
Ceratinly some DRM capability, or a place to add a plug-in card which could be either DRM, C-QUAM stereo, or the digital AM (IBOC or Kahn?). Depending on how the digital standard goes, at least the RF could be constant. 10/9 khz tuning (US vs Euro) Noise blanker An input for a loop antenna An input with DC phantom power for an outdoor active antenna Maybe an antenna switch to switch between lop and other antenna, or two loops. Good tone controls Perhaps something like the old Scott DYNAURAL circuit which shaped the flatness of the audio depending on signal strength, or something like Worcester's AM circuit which made the IF passband narrower as the signal strength decreased. Good speaker! |
Oops, I forgot
DRM readout to ID stations, songs, etc |
[posted and mailed.]
Pete KE9OA wrote: My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? You know UL rating is easier when you use a wall wart. Go for a portable even if it's a little on the large side. Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, Aw, Pete, go that extra mile. but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Yes, please. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? With digital readout, presets shouldn't be that expensive. The more electronically-controlled functions, the easier to do presets, thus adding bells and whistles. Extra points for IF bandwidth stored with station, supercool for bass/treble stored. Including a clock? Wanna be spiffy? Preset for timezone displayed. Easy, cheap, and marketing will love having a feature no one else has. How about target price? A really hot MW receiver isn't a mass-market product. This ain't gonna be cheap. Don't make it ridiculous. $150 might be a nice target for a really hot unit. $39 if it comes pre-misaligned like other super radios. :) Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? A cheapo loopstick built in for general use, external input for the serious DXer. High and low impedance antenna inputs? I know you won't forget to protect 'em against static etc. How about a built in tunable preselector? Probably worth it. RF gain control, too. A switch and a cap gives you AGC slow/fast control, hint hint. And show us how *real* AGC works, not that phony auto-stifle lots of designers come up with. Selectable 1 KHz tuning resolution. Don't forget 9 KHz if Europe might be interested. One alarm timer, one or two "on" timers, and a "sleep" timer that can be set without having to turn the damn radio off and back on. Audio line out. DreamFeature [tm]: two low-Z antenna inputs, one with a unity-gain variable phase shift 0-90+ degrees. You're Superman if you can do that one cheaply. Doesn't have to be precisely calibrated, only the range (not the dial position) is important; only us tweakers will use it. -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
"Pete KE9OA" schreef in bericht ..net... My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, Synch detection is a MUST for a high quality AM radio. but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, Single conversion with a good preselector is O.K Up conversion may also be considered with good audio quality. For mediumwave reception LOWE's HF150 should be your guide in performance, (Not in ergonomics). The synch detector is very high quality Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. This is usenet, more people are interested in the discussion. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. |
If you do a hot MW receiver for about $150, I will place the first order!
"Clifton T. Sharp Jr." wrote in message ... [posted and mailed.] Pete KE9OA wrote: My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? You know UL rating is easier when you use a wall wart. Go for a portable even if it's a little on the large side. Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, Aw, Pete, go that extra mile. but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Yes, please. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? With digital readout, presets shouldn't be that expensive. The more electronically-controlled functions, the easier to do presets, thus adding bells and whistles. Extra points for IF bandwidth stored with station, supercool for bass/treble stored. Including a clock? Wanna be spiffy? Preset for timezone displayed. Easy, cheap, and marketing will love having a feature no one else has. How about target price? A really hot MW receiver isn't a mass-market product. This ain't gonna be cheap. Don't make it ridiculous. $150 might be a nice target for a really hot unit. $39 if it comes pre-misaligned like other super radios. :) Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? A cheapo loopstick built in for general use, external input for the serious DXer. High and low impedance antenna inputs? I know you won't forget to protect 'em against static etc. How about a built in tunable preselector? Probably worth it. RF gain control, too. A switch and a cap gives you AGC slow/fast control, hint hint. And show us how *real* AGC works, not that phony auto-stifle lots of designers come up with. Selectable 1 KHz tuning resolution. Don't forget 9 KHz if Europe might be interested. One alarm timer, one or two "on" timers, and a "sleep" timer that can be set without having to turn the damn radio off and back on. Audio line out. DreamFeature [tm]: two low-Z antenna inputs, one with a unity-gain variable phase shift 0-90+ degrees. You're Superman if you can do that one cheaply. Doesn't have to be precisely calibrated, only the range (not the dial position) is important; only us tweakers will use it. -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
Kent wrote: If you do a hot MW receiver for about $150, I will place the first order! and you had to ask, Pete! Just build it- they will come. 73, Dale W4OP |
DRM readout to ID stations, songs, etc
I meant RDS, and while we're at it, why not have a little memory button which would remember a song title when you press it, for later review? |
Pete KE9OA said ---
My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in..................... Tabletop with large knobs and enough weight , not some tiny 5-ounce radio that slides all over the desk when you push a button. Real knobs and buttons, no stupid menu driven radio. I want a radio, not a computer. No stupid clock. Sideband selectable synchronous detector. If not, then SSB capability with ANALOG fine tuning for manual ECSS. Actually, analog manual fine tuning would be a good idea regardless, unless the digital tuner could be tuned in 1 hz steps. Passband tuning. A REALLY GOOD noise blanker. Tunable notch filter. AGC off/fast/med/slow A real illuminated S-meter Really good audio. Not hissy, muddy, or weak. Filters: 10/6/4/3 khz Radio should NOT radiate any noise into my loop antenna nearby on the desk. Digital displays can radiate horrendous noise if not designed correctly. Both coax and "wire" antenna inputs. IF output port. Line out. If it's a portable with internal ferrite rod antenna, provide a switch to disengage internal antenna when using an external antenna. Would be very nice if it received longwave (LW, VLF) too. If so, would require SSB or CW and a narrow filter for DXing beacons. Presets would be nice, but not necessary. Don't care if digital display isn't fancy, only need LEDs for frequency as long as other functions are indicated by knob positions. Hint: Think JRC NRD-515 for style and ergonomics. |
Behold, Radioman390 signaled from keyed 4-1000A filament:
I would prefer a table radio like a Tivoli or old KLH21 Ceratinly some DRM capability, or a place to add a plug-in card which could be either DRM, C-QUAM stereo, or the digital AM (IBOC or Kahn?). Depending on how the digital standard goes, at least the RF could be constant. 10/9 khz tuning (US vs Euro) Noise blanker An input for a loop antenna An input with DC phantom power for an outdoor active antenna Maybe an antenna switch to switch between lop and other antenna, or two loops. Good tone controls Perhaps something like the old Scott DYNAURAL circuit which shaped the flatness of the audio depending on signal strength, or something like Worcester's AM circuit which made the IF passband narrower as the signal strength decreased. Good speaker! I agree with everything here, except I would make the IF selection manual. Most purists want to be in control of their machine and will likely open the box and manually modify it....if buy it at all. IF BW of 2.5KHz 6KHz and 10KHz per side band for itelligibillity through audio quality. Good crystal or mechanical filters too, not crappy ceramic thingies, as they are certainly not flat in their passband and would require manual audio EQ to compensate for the midrange hump. Oh and please, as a former serviceman, paste the schematic on the inside of the box like the old days :-) -- Gregg *Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd* Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca |
Pete
For layout of the knobs and controls take a look at the old Bearcat DX-1000 and refine that ergonomically. A front panel engineered properly wouldn't require a manual on how to operate it. If you can make it portable so much the better but include a bnc for a 50 ohm antenna. If its portable make it so it can be installed in some kind of enclosure that makes it a desktop unit. While your designing why not make the desk top with plug in modules that can be upgraded with options and shrink that design to one board for a somewhat less feature rich portable. I'll bet there's a market if you can make the price right. Options would include ocxo, vlf, filters, synch det, uhf conv, scannning, more memories, 10 Hz readout, then 1 hz readout...spectrum scope, timer, etc. A person should be able to afford the stripped down unit and listen and then as budget permits add the desired modules. Repairs would be module swaps. Best of luck in doing it. 73 hank wd5jfr "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
Forgot to add: analog - dial's and knobs (perhaps double with a vacuum
flourescent display, but no LED's). Push-button-digital is for teens. Serious audiophool's use dials and knobs ;-) -- Gregg *Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd* Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca |
Dale Parfitt wrote:
Kent wrote: If you do a hot MW receiver for about $150, I will place the first order! and you had to ask, Pete! Just build it- they will come. I actually aimed him at $150 believing it will be considerably higher. We want features that might not fit into a $150 retail price. Still, give this enough goodies and purchase time is defined by how fast I save my milk money. -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
You do have some good ideas, and I am listening. A DX switch won't be
necessary; we will have a great dynamic range. The tunable preselector seems to be a good thing. I will be pricing Type 61 ferrite rod stock tomorrow. We were even talking about having some sort of band scanning spectrum display, but right now, that is in the air. I will be bringing in one of my own units tomorrow, and we will launch off from there. Pete Diverd4777 wrote in message ... Hi Pete: - Just my choices... Portable over Small table top; Double conversion would be a must. Presets would be invaluable; I have them on the Sangean 606A and the Sangean DT110 Built in antenna with external port. DX - Local switch.. ?? always have it on DX.. OR Tunable pre selector that wou't confuse the average shopper.. ( focus group used here ?? ; talk to marketing) Loop antenna add-ons for DX'ing or distant stations. extra speaker plug ins for Stereo FM ?? Definitly Digital readout Small, ( 3 inch?) ported speaker Knob type Tone controls Target price.. Dunno, competitive with others in the field.. In article , "Pete KE9OA" writes: My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
We were toying with the idea of electronic pots; my boss likes that idea.
About that RF gain control...........I believe that you might want that, so that the AGC can be disabled, so that low frequency hets won't modulate the AGC bus. That can be compensated to an extent, by using a fast attach, slow release type of AGC. Clifton T. Sharp Jr. wrote in message ... Diverd4777 wrote: Portable over Small table top; Even if it's a somewhat large portable. Double conversion would be a must. Presets would be invaluable; I have them on the Sangean 606A and the Sangean DT110 Built in antenna with external port. DX - Local switch.. ?? always have it on DX.. Far better: RF gain control. Loop antenna add-ons for DX'ing or distant stations. extra speaker plug ins for Stereo FM ?? Not much stereo FM on the MW band. :) Definitly Digital readout Small, ( 3 inch?) ported speaker He said he wanted good audio quality. Knob type Tone controls Pots get noisy. I wouldn't mind electronic controls. Target price.. Dunno, competitive with others in the field.. This is not gonna be cheap. -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
Behold, Pete KE9OA signaled from keyed 4-1000A filament:
You do have some good ideas, and I am listening. A DX switch won't be necessary; we will have a great dynamic range. Am I to assume then that you plan a double-balanced diode ring mixer? -- Gregg *Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd* Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca |
I was thinking about using 1kHz tuning; this way, the radio would be more
universal. No need to worry about 9 or 10kHz steps if this is done. With my current units, you can connect an untuned 6 foot loop directly to the the 50 Ohm antenna input, and the results are pretty dramatic. From my location in the Chicago area, I can receive WLW, on 700kHz, with an S8 signal level. WJR, on 760kHz, comes in at about an S7, while on 610kHz, I can receive Kansas City Missouri, and the Ohil station fighting each other, at an S7 signal level. If I want to listen to MW, I don't even bother using my AOR7030, Palstar R30, Icom R75, or Yaesu FRG100...........................none of them is as hot. Radioman390 wrote in message ... I would prefer a table radio like a Tivoli or old KLH21 Ceratinly some DRM capability, or a place to add a plug-in card which could be either DRM, C-QUAM stereo, or the digital AM (IBOC or Kahn?). Depending on how the digital standard goes, at least the RF could be constant. 10/9 khz tuning (US vs Euro) Noise blanker Before I implement a noise blanker, I want to develop a NB design that I have been slowly working on..............this would be a Quadrature type. The advantage to this type is that it would have dynamically variable blanking width, with a null of right around 50dB. Still working on that one An input for a loop antenna An input with DC phantom power for an outdoor active antenna Maybe an antenna switch to switch between lop and other antenna, or two loops. Good tone controls Perhaps something like the old Scott DYNAURAL circuit which shaped the flatness of the audio depending on signal strength, or something like Worcester's AM circuit which made the IF passband narrower as the signal strength decreased. Good speaker! Amen! Pete |
Gregg wrote in message . .. Behold, Radioman390 signaled from keyed 4-1000A filament: I would prefer a table radio like a Tivoli or old KLH21 Ceratinly some DRM capability, or a place to add a plug-in card which could be either DRM, C-QUAM stereo, or the digital AM (IBOC or Kahn?). Depending on how the digital standard goes, at least the RF could be constant. 10/9 khz tuning (US vs Euro) Noise blanker An input for a loop antenna An input with DC phantom power for an outdoor active antenna Maybe an antenna switch to switch between lop and other antenna, or two loops. Good tone controls Perhaps something like the old Scott DYNAURAL circuit which shaped the flatness of the audio depending on signal strength, or something like Worcester's AM circuit which made the IF passband narrower as the signal strength decreased. Good speaker! I agree with everything here, except I would make the IF selection manual. Most purists want to be in control of their machine and will likely open the box and manually modify it....if buy it at all. IF BW of 2.5KHz 6KHz and 10KHz per side band for itelligibillity through audio quality. Good crystal or mechanical filters too, not crappy ceramic thingies, as they are certainly not flat in their passband and would require manual audio EQ to compensate for the midrange hump. Actually, if you terminate those ceramic types properly, the passband ripple is less than 1.5dB. Oh and please, as a former serviceman, paste the schematic on the inside of the box like the old days :-) I do plan on making schematics available..............the one thing that perturbs me these days is the high price that one must pay for circuit information. Oh, did I tell everybody that there will be no tuning adjustments required. We may even warp the 2nd LO through software. -- Gregg *Perhaps it's useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd* Visit the GeeK Zone - http://geek.scorpiorising.ca |
Pete, I have no doubt that you can do it, but it strikes me that your
radio will need to be darned good to beat CCrane's "CCRadio Plus." Maybe others will disagree, so I'm ready for the education I deserve if that's the case. However, as it stands now, I'm pretty impressed with that commercially available receiver. Randy (WA4FJF) |
Let me talk to my genie about that one!
Pete Radioman390 wrote in message ... DRM readout to ID stations, songs, etc I meant RDS, and while we're at it, why not have a little memory button which would remember a song title when you press it, for later review? |
Those do sound like good ideas, but I think that with what you are asking
for, the price would probably be around the 250 dollar range. The clock function is pretty cool, but I am still working on my ultra cool clock, that changes color throughout the spectrum as the day progresses. I was thinking of that one for another product. I've got a dozen products on the burner right now. It's pretty cool, working for an employer that wants to do these kinds of things. Pete Clifton T. Sharp Jr. wrote in message ... [posted and mailed.] Pete KE9OA wrote: My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? You know UL rating is easier when you use a wall wart. Go for a portable even if it's a little on the large side. Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, Aw, Pete, go that extra mile. but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Yes, please. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? With digital readout, presets shouldn't be that expensive. The more electronically-controlled functions, the easier to do presets, thus adding bells and whistles. Extra points for IF bandwidth stored with station, supercool for bass/treble stored. Including a clock? Wanna be spiffy? Preset for timezone displayed. Easy, cheap, and marketing will love having a feature no one else has. How about target price? A really hot MW receiver isn't a mass-market product. This ain't gonna be cheap. Don't make it ridiculous. $150 might be a nice target for a really hot unit. $39 if it comes pre-misaligned like other super radios. :) Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? A cheapo loopstick built in for general use, external input for the serious DXer. High and low impedance antenna inputs? I know you won't forget to protect 'em against static etc. How about a built in tunable preselector? Probably worth it. RF gain control, too. A switch and a cap gives you AGC slow/fast control, hint hint. And show us how *real* AGC works, not that phony auto-stifle lots of designers come up with. Selectable 1 KHz tuning resolution. Don't forget 9 KHz if Europe might be interested. One alarm timer, one or two "on" timers, and a "sleep" timer that can be set without having to turn the damn radio off and back on. Audio line out. DreamFeature [tm]: two low-Z antenna inputs, one with a unity-gain variable phase shift 0-90+ degrees. You're Superman if you can do that one cheaply. Doesn't have to be precisely calibrated, only the range (not the dial position) is important; only us tweakers will use it. -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
Thanks Kent....................I want to do something so cool, that even non
DXers will want to buy it. Pete Kent wrote in message ... If you do a hot MW receiver for about $150, I will place the first order! "Clifton T. Sharp Jr." wrote in message ... [posted and mailed.] Pete KE9OA wrote: My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? You know UL rating is easier when you use a wall wart. Go for a portable even if it's a little on the large side. Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, Aw, Pete, go that extra mile. but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Yes, please. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? With digital readout, presets shouldn't be that expensive. The more electronically-controlled functions, the easier to do presets, thus adding bells and whistles. Extra points for IF bandwidth stored with station, supercool for bass/treble stored. Including a clock? Wanna be spiffy? Preset for timezone displayed. Easy, cheap, and marketing will love having a feature no one else has. How about target price? A really hot MW receiver isn't a mass-market product. This ain't gonna be cheap. Don't make it ridiculous. $150 might be a nice target for a really hot unit. $39 if it comes pre-misaligned like other super radios. :) Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? A cheapo loopstick built in for general use, external input for the serious DXer. High and low impedance antenna inputs? I know you won't forget to protect 'em against static etc. How about a built in tunable preselector? Probably worth it. RF gain control, too. A switch and a cap gives you AGC slow/fast control, hint hint. And show us how *real* AGC works, not that phony auto-stifle lots of designers come up with. Selectable 1 KHz tuning resolution. Don't forget 9 KHz if Europe might be interested. One alarm timer, one or two "on" timers, and a "sleep" timer that can be set without having to turn the damn radio off and back on. Audio line out. DreamFeature [tm]: two low-Z antenna inputs, one with a unity-gain variable phase shift 0-90+ degrees. You're Superman if you can do that one cheaply. Doesn't have to be precisely calibrated, only the range (not the dial position) is important; only us tweakers will use it. -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
Thanks Dale.................I am definitely going for this one. I will be
developing an RF AGC loop, so this unit will be very overload resistant. Also, since the AGC loop will originate in the I.F. strip, after the filtering, strong, out of passband signals will not capture the AGC bus. You see how yours works...............picture it at the next step. Pete Dale Parfitt wrote in message ... Kent wrote: If you do a hot MW receiver for about $150, I will place the first order! and you had to ask, Pete! Just build it- they will come. 73, Dale W4OP |
I was thinking about that NRD515. Actually, I wanted to get one for a long
time, until I started building my own receivers I plan to have the audio amplifier running in a wide bandwidth mode, so the product will have a nice "hi-fi" sound. Pete RFCOMMSYS wrote in message ... Pete KE9OA said --- My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in..................... Tabletop with large knobs and enough weight , not some tiny 5-ounce radio that slides all over the desk when you push a button. Real knobs and buttons, no stupid menu driven radio. I want a radio, not a computer. No stupid clock. Sideband selectable synchronous detector. If not, then SSB capability with ANALOG fine tuning for manual ECSS. Actually, analog manual fine tuning would be a good idea regardless, unless the digital tuner could be tuned in 1 hz steps. Passband tuning. A REALLY GOOD noise blanker. Tunable notch filter. AGC off/fast/med/slow A real illuminated S-meter Really good audio. Not hissy, muddy, or weak. Filters: 10/6/4/3 khz Radio should NOT radiate any noise into my loop antenna nearby on the desk. Digital displays can radiate horrendous noise if not designed correctly. Both coax and "wire" antenna inputs. IF output port. Line out. If it's a portable with internal ferrite rod antenna, provide a switch to disengage internal antenna when using an external antenna. Would be very nice if it received longwave (LW, VLF) too. If so, would require SSB or CW and a narrow filter for DXing beacons. Presets would be nice, but not necessary. Don't care if digital display isn't fancy, only need LEDs for frequency as long as other functions are indicated by knob positions. Hint: Think JRC NRD-515 for style and ergonomics. |
Thanks Hank................................we were just talking about that
VLF through MW tuning range this afternoon. Now, as far as OCXOs, when I was working for Motorola, the general price quotes were in the 500 to 800 dollar range. TCXOs were a little bit cheaper, in the 50 to 80 dollar range, and this is with a 5ppm drift rate. 1ppm units were in the 100 dollar range. Henry Kolesnik wrote in message ... Pete For layout of the knobs and controls take a look at the old Bearcat DX-1000 and refine that ergonomically. A front panel engineered properly wouldn't require a manual on how to operate it. If you can make it portable so much the better but include a bnc for a 50 ohm antenna. If its portable make it so it can be installed in some kind of enclosure that makes it a desktop unit. While your designing why not make the desk top with plug in modules that can be upgraded with options and shrink that design to one board for a somewhat less feature rich portable. I'll bet there's a market if you can make the price right. Options would include ocxo, vlf, filters, synch det, uhf conv, scannning, more memories, 10 Hz readout, then 1 hz readout...spectrum scope, timer, etc. A person should be able to afford the stripped down unit and listen and then as budget permits add the desired modules. Repairs would be module swaps. Best of luck in doing it. Hank, I appreciate the input.............I knew that there was demand for this type of unit. While all of these options are good, especially the upgradable topology, I think that development costs would be quite high. I was thinking about something a little bit "leaner", although with superlative performance. Pete 73 hank wd5jfr "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
I want to thank all of you for your input.................I will be copying
all of these replies into a Word document, and presenting them to my employer tomorrow morning. Hopefully, we can make this thing really fly. I am really excited about some of the refinements that some of the folks at work have brought up. We had a design meeting that lasted almost 2 hours this evening, so I think that things look good. Oh, one more thing......................I believe that we will be selling directly to the public initially, instead of going to distributers. Once we get this product to market, I will be there to provide technical support, answer any questions, etc. Thanks again, folks! You are a great bunch! Pete Henry Kolesnik wrote in message ... Pete For layout of the knobs and controls take a look at the old Bearcat DX-1000 and refine that ergonomically. A front panel engineered properly wouldn't require a manual on how to operate it. If you can make it portable so much the better but include a bnc for a 50 ohm antenna. If its portable make it so it can be installed in some kind of enclosure that makes it a desktop unit. While your designing why not make the desk top with plug in modules that can be upgraded with options and shrink that design to one board for a somewhat less feature rich portable. I'll bet there's a market if you can make the price right. Options would include ocxo, vlf, filters, synch det, uhf conv, scannning, more memories, 10 Hz readout, then 1 hz readout...spectrum scope, timer, etc. A person should be able to afford the stripped down unit and listen and then as budget permits add the desired modules. Repairs would be module swaps. Best of luck in doing it. 73 hank wd5jfr "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
Hi Randy,
At the Madison, Wisconsin gathering a couple of years ago, one of the folks brought along his CCRadio. I brought a couple of mine along, and we just let the CCRadio sit along, looking happy. While the CCRadio is a good receiver, this new unit of mine will be ten steps above that in performance. The units that I have built so far have been pretty comparable in performance to my Racal 6790/GM. Another analogy..................picture a Collins 75A-4, and picture it with an antenna with performance better than a Palomar loopstick antenna, but not quite as good as the large Kiwa antenna, and..............you get the drift. Even with a 6kHz Murata ceramic filter, the skirt selectivity is steep enough that you can separate the sideband components from the carrier of an AM signal. I think that you would be very pleased with the product. It's going to be a winner. Pete Randy Padawer wrote in message om... Pete, I have no doubt that you can do it, but it strikes me that your radio will need to be darned good to beat CCrane's "CCRadio Plus." Maybe others will disagree, so I'm ready for the education I deserve if that's the case. However, as it stands now, I'm pretty impressed with that commercially available receiver. Randy (WA4FJF) |
Ron Hardin wrote:
Must have synch detection and selectable sideband. No serious MW program listening is possible without it - the adjacent channel shares spectrum with one sideband of the channel you're tuned to. I agree. Sync' detection is the one feature missing from all current AM (MW) receivers for the masses. I would prefer it to be a portable. I guess the sync' feature would mean a price of at least $100. I wonder if the Sony sync' (AM-stereo) chip would be available for your project, now that the '2010' is out of production? Otherwise you would have to use general purpose IC's for the sync' circuit. That's what Drake did. Good luck with it. -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
HK,
Sounds like you what a Radio built in a computer mini-tower case that accepts various modules to create your own radio. I like the basic low price Idea with the add-on features later as you go. A basic $150 radio could turn into $600 to $750 worth of extra sales as the radio is added on to to reach the owners personal needs. Basic AM/FM/SW Radio $150 Including: Digital Frequency Display, RDS & Clock Timer Module + Extra IF Dual Band Pass Filter Module $150 + + AM-SYNC & SSB Module $150 + + + DRM Decoder Module $150 + + + + FM DX & Stereo Module $150 + + + + + Loop Active Antenna Module $150 + + + + + + CD/DVD Recorder Module $150 Hey In a Years time, I could buy and build a $1000 Radio. ~ RHF .. .. = = = "Henry Kolesnik" = = = wrote in message ... Pete For layout of the knobs and controls take a look at the old Bearcat DX-1000 and refine that ergonomically. A front panel engineered properly wouldn't require a manual on how to operate it. If you can make it portable so much the better but include a bnc for a 50 ohm antenna. If its portable make it so it can be installed in some kind of enclosure that makes it a desktop unit. While your designing why not make the desk top with plug in modules that can be upgraded with options and shrink that design to one board for a somewhat less feature rich portable. I'll bet there's a market if you can make the price right. Options would include ocxo, vlf, filters, synch det, uhf conv, scannning, more memories, 10 Hz readout, then 1 hz readout...spectrum scope, timer, etc. A person should be able to afford the stripped down unit and listen and then as budget permits add the desired modules. Repairs would be module swaps. Best of luck in doing it. 73 hank wd5jfr "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
"Pete KE9OA" wrote in
: E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. You will never go above the 1950s 6 tube superhet in performance. Forget it. |
RHF wrote:
HK, Sounds like you what a Radio built in a computer mini-tower case that accepts various modules to create your own radio. I like the basic low price Idea with the add-on features later as you go. A basic $150 radio could turn into $600 to $750 worth of extra sales as the radio is added on to to reach the owners personal needs. Basic AM/FM/SW Radio $150 Including: Digital Frequency Display, RDS & Clock Timer Module + Extra IF Dual Band Pass Filter Module $150 + + AM-SYNC & SSB Module $150 + + + DRM Decoder Module $150 + + + + FM DX & Stereo Module $150 + + + + + Loop Active Antenna Module $150 + + + + + + CD/DVD Recorder Module $150 Hey In a Years time, I could buy and build a $1000 Radio. ~ RHF Pete and RHF, I'm sure you're probably familiar with the Elecraft K2 ham rig. They've created one of the better ham rigs on the market, even though its a kit, using this building block concept. I guess more importantly, they've stayed busy with updates and kept their thumb firmly attached to the pulse of the users. Customer Support is as important and demanding as any of the physical features. Oh, as for ergonomic features, Puleez put the headphone jack on the front of the radio! GL, Bill |
Wow, Pete, well I'll likely be a customer!
Randy (WA4FJF) "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... Hi Randy, At the Madison, Wisconsin gathering a couple of years ago, one of the folks brought along his CCRadio. I brought a couple of mine along, and we just let the CCRadio sit along, looking happy. While the CCRadio is a good receiver, this new unit of mine will be ten steps above that in performance. The units that I have built so far have been pretty comparable in performance to my Racal 6790/GM. Another analogy..................picture a Collins 75A-4, and picture it with an antenna with performance better than a Palomar loopstick antenna, but not quite as good as the large Kiwa antenna, and..............you get the drift. Even with a 6kHz Murata ceramic filter, the skirt selectivity is steep enough that you can separate the sideband components from the carrier of an AM signal. I think that you would be very pleased with the product. It's going to be a winner. Pete |
To answer your first question about size and portability, take a look at
the CCRadioPlus. It is a perfect mixture of size, portability, reception and sound quality. It works off both AC and battery, and it's battery life is exceptional off of C cells. It's sound is as good as any table top radio (or better). As for all the rest, I think everyone else here has already listed all the desired technical features and if you manage to incorporate them all into the package as I described (like the CCRadioPlus), you'll have a winner. The only concern then is if you will be able to offer it at anything reasonable in cost. We all know you can't set something for nothing so, as the designer, you're the one who'll have to figure out the best compromise of cost and features that will sell well on the open market. MJC "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... My employer has given me the go ahead to design a new product. If there is enough interest, I will design a new MW receiver for the market. What would you be more interested in......................a small table top type, or a portable? Performance wise, I am talking about something like that of an AOR7030. I don't think that I would be inplementing Sync Detection, but a couple of I.F. bandwidths could be possible. Definitely, double conversion, and digital readout, with good audio quality. Would you want any presets? How about target price? Do you want a built in antenna, or external antenna only? High and low impedance antenna inputs? How about a built in tunable preselector? E-mail me directly, and we will see what happens. Any of you who have built any of me receivers know what I am talking about...............I plan to take the design to the next couple of steps up in performance. Pete |
"Gregg" wrote: | IF BW of 2.5KHz 6KHz and 10KHz per side band for itelligibillity through | audio quality. I dunno about the 10 kc, Gregg. I'd go for something really tight, at NRSC BW. Anything wider than that, you're just asking for noise. 73, Steve Lawrence Burnsville, MN --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.515 / Virus Database: 313 - Release Date: 9/1/03 |
Willing to sell one of the "Current": units??
Also, you say you are in Chicago. What side of town? I get to Chicago on a weekly basis. Kent Winrich, K9EZ Menomonee Falls, WI "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... I was thinking about using 1kHz tuning; this way, the radio would be more universal. No need to worry about 9 or 10kHz steps if this is done. With my current units, you can connect an untuned 6 foot loop directly to the the 50 Ohm antenna input, and the results are pretty dramatic. From my location in the Chicago area, I can receive WLW, on 700kHz, with an S8 signal level. WJR, on 760kHz, comes in at about an S7, while on 610kHz, I can receive Kansas City Missouri, and the Ohil station fighting each other, at an S7 signal level. If I want to listen to MW, I don't even bother using my AOR7030, Palstar R30, Icom R75, or Yaesu FRG100...........................none of them is as hot. Radioman390 wrote in message ... I would prefer a table radio like a Tivoli or old KLH21 Ceratinly some DRM capability, or a place to add a plug-in card which could be either DRM, C-QUAM stereo, or the digital AM (IBOC or Kahn?). Depending on how the digital standard goes, at least the RF could be constant. 10/9 khz tuning (US vs Euro) Noise blanker Before I implement a noise blanker, I want to develop a NB design that I have been slowly working on..............this would be a Quadrature type. The advantage to this type is that it would have dynamically variable blanking width, with a null of right around 50dB. Still working on that one An input for a loop antenna An input with DC phantom power for an outdoor active antenna Maybe an antenna switch to switch between lop and other antenna, or two loops. Good tone controls Perhaps something like the old Scott DYNAURAL circuit which shaped the flatness of the audio depending on signal strength, or something like Worcester's AM circuit which made the IF passband narrower as the signal strength decreased. Good speaker! Amen! Pete |
That sounds good, Randy. I will be going over a few more of the details
today. I do like that modularized approach. If I use a TDA1572 as the 2nd I.F. subsystem, it is easy to have an I.F. output jack, as well as the ability to add a Sync detector further on down the line. Pete Randy Padawer wrote in message om... Wow, Pete, well I'll likely be a customer! Randy (WA4FJF) "Pete KE9OA" wrote in message ... Hi Randy, At the Madison, Wisconsin gathering a couple of years ago, one of the folks brought along his CCRadio. I brought a couple of mine along, and we just let the CCRadio sit along, looking happy. While the CCRadio is a good receiver, this new unit of mine will be ten steps above that in performance. The units that I have built so far have been pretty comparable in performance to my Racal 6790/GM. Another analogy..................picture a Collins 75A-4, and picture it with an antenna with performance better than a Palomar loopstick antenna, but not quite as good as the large Kiwa antenna, and..............you get the drift. Even with a 6kHz Murata ceramic filter, the skirt selectivity is steep enough that you can separate the sideband components from the carrier of an AM signal. I think that you would be very pleased with the product. It's going to be a winner. Pete |
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