Dwight Stewart wrote:

Perhaps I'm just a little oversensitive to the idea because of all the
computer hardware and software that has become obsolete over the years -
millions and millions of tons of still working but obsolete computers,
printers, and peripherals, dumped into landfills throughout the country.

Stewart

Computer hardware recycling is becoming a lucrative business. You'd be
surprised at how much gold they can get out of one.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/7/prweb142436.htm


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In article ,
says...
Hi all,

Having done some DX'ing with a small Sony SW radio for ten years, I
would like to buy a better one, connected to the pc. I was thinking of
the Ten-Tech RX320D. Does anyone have any experience with this radio?
Is it better than, say, Icom or Winradio? And what about computer
noise? Also, I'm in an apartment and would like some kind of antenna
(active?). Which one would you recommend, and where to get it. I am
not really a DIY person

Thanks!


I have the RX320D and use it quite a bit. It is not a DX machine by any
stretch, but it will handle a lot of spelunking nicely. The connection
from the radio to the computer is a serial cable (and in my case an
audio cable to play the audio through the computer, which in turn goes
to the stereo amp). Using the supplied whip, you do pick up noise from
the computer, but not because of the serial cable nor the audio cable.
With a standalone radio, you could just shut the computer off; but the
noise is hardly noticeable, and any other antenna (indoor or outdoor)
will negate any issue.

I agree with comment about not getting an internal card radio. Too much
noise inside the best of the computer boxes. Also, they are much more
expensive. At some point your new computer will come without a serial
port; then you will need to buy either a USB to serial converter, or a
serial card. Both these will be low risk and low cost compared to trying
to make a card-radio work.

Regarding software for the 320d:
I paid extra for the radio/software package from a third party, but that
turned out to be the wrong decision. Just buy the box from tentec, throw
out the software that they supply, and use the freeware from:
http://www.ilgradio.com/gnpdb/
While you are there, get the GNDB front-end and the ILG database; and
the two programs work together very nicely.

Also, you can get a freeware program that will decode DRM signals. I
messed around with it and on the few occasions that the signal (from
Sackville on the the east coast of Canada) was strong enough, the
digital signal really delivered high quality.

Also, you can get freeware DSP programs. So if you are feeding the audio
through the sound card (as I am), you can shape the audio however you
like (for example, I was once getting a lot of noise above 3khz on BBC,
so I just put a low pass filter on it and was able to hear a signal that
was otherwise unintelligible).

I will admit that I am a computer nut, so this radio makes perfect sense
for me; but it isn't for everyone. It isn't a portable rig by any
stretch of the imagination (when I am on the road, I just use DXTUNERS).

Hope that helps,
Gavin

I would tend to disagree about the RX320 not being a DX machine.
I've gotten my fair share of good stuff on this radio; over the last
couple of nights, for example, AIR Bangalore's regional service on 10330
has been doing quite well here in Maryland. I've often caught smaller
LA stations using the 320. Almost anything my venerable R7A can hear, my
RX320 can, too. The only limiting factor is, of course, hash from the
monitor and/or computer. And to add to the data here, I'm using
homebrewed antennas in my attic. It's a matter of skill, too.
Regarding software; we've got a nice collection of links with all
sorts of controller programs, mods, reviews - and there's even a link
with a *huge* assortment of digital decoding software for those that
like to get into that sort of thing. All that can be found on the
RX320's Yahoo group at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RX320/

73s Mike

Gavin Jacobs wrote:

In article ,
says...

Hi all,

Having done some DX'ing with a small Sony SW radio for ten years, I
would like to buy a better one, connected to the pc. I was thinking of
the Ten-Tech RX320D. Does anyone have any experience with this radio?
Is it better than, say, Icom or Winradio? And what about computer
noise? Also, I'm in an apartment and would like some kind of antenna
(active?). Which one would you recommend, and where to get it. I am
not really a DIY person

Thanks!



I have the RX320D and use it quite a bit. It is not a DX machine by any
stretch, but it will handle a lot of spelunking nicely. The connection
from the radio to the computer is a serial cable (and in my case an
audio cable to play the audio through the computer, which in turn goes
to the stereo amp). Using the supplied whip, you do pick up noise from
the computer, but not because of the serial cable nor the audio cable.
With a standalone radio, you could just shut the computer off; but the
noise is hardly noticeable, and any other antenna (indoor or outdoor)
will negate any issue.

I agree with comment about not getting an internal card radio. Too much
noise inside the best of the computer boxes. Also, they are much more
expensive. At some point your new computer will come without a serial
port; then you will need to buy either a USB to serial converter, or a
serial card. Both these will be low risk and low cost compared to trying
to make a card-radio work.

Regarding software for the 320d:
I paid extra for the radio/software package from a third party, but that
turned out to be the wrong decision. Just buy the box from tentec, throw
out the software that they supply, and use the freeware from:
http://www.ilgradio.com/gnpdb/
While you are there, get the GNDB front-end and the ILG database; and
the two programs work together very nicely.

Also, you can get a freeware program that will decode DRM signals. I
messed around with it and on the few occasions that the signal (from
Sackville on the the east coast of Canada) was strong enough, the
digital signal really delivered high quality.

Also, you can get freeware DSP programs. So if you are feeding the audio
through the sound card (as I am), you can shape the audio however you
like (for example, I was once getting a lot of noise above 3khz on BBC,
so I just put a low pass filter on it and was able to hear a signal that
was otherwise unintelligible).

I will admit that I am a computer nut, so this radio makes perfect sense
for me; but it isn't for everyone. It isn't a portable rig by any
stretch of the imagination (when I am on the road, I just use DXTUNERS).

Hope that helps,
Gavin

Gavin Jacobs wrote:

In article ,
says...
Hi all,

Having done some DX'ing with a small Sony SW radio for ten years, I
would like to buy a better one, connected to the pc. I was thinking of
the Ten-Tech RX320D. Does anyone have any experience with this radio?
Is it better than, say, Icom or Winradio? And what about computer
noise? Also, I'm in an apartment and would like some kind of antenna
(active?). Which one would you recommend, and where to get it. I am
not really a DIY person

Thanks!


[...]

I agree with comment about not getting an internal card radio. Too much
noise inside the best of the computer boxes. Also, they are much more
expensive. At some point your new computer will come without a serial
port; then you will need to buy either a USB to serial converter, or a
serial card. Both these will be low risk and low cost compared to trying
to make a card-radio work.


While I agree with the caveats above, it depends on your goals. The
WinRadio G303i is an SDR, which allows you to do a lot of interesting
hacks, should you want to. The API is published. Eventually I hope
the register set for the card is published, so an open-source Linux
driver for it can be developed.

As for its performance as an HF receiver...

It's astounding. NO noise leakage from the PC at all, and it has
features many other receivers don't. I've thoroughly enjoyed mine.

If you get one, be sure to get the "Professional Demodulator" version
-- the extra $100 for that software is worth it, just for the
continuous bandwidth adjustments.

Now, if you aren't interested in a PCI-based receiver, which, granted
*will* have a limited lifetime, the RX-320 is well regarded. I don't
have that one so I can't speak for it, pro or con.

You might want to pick up a copy of "Passport to World Band Radio" to
see the reviews of the two receivers.

Regards,

Eric

--
Eric F. Richards,
"Making me root for a sanctimonious statist blowhard like Kerry isn't
the worst thing Bush has done to the country. But it's the offense
that I take most personally."
-- http://www.reason.com/links/links071304.shtml

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 09:59:26 +0200, Bill
wrote:
Having done some DX'ing with a small Sony SW radio for ten years, I
would like to buy a better one, connected to the pc. I was thinking of
the Ten-Tech RX320D. Does anyone have any experience with this radio?
Is it better than, say, Icom or Winradio? And what about computer
noise? Also, I'm in an apartment and would like some kind of antenna
(active?). Which one would you recommend, and where to get it. I am
not really a DIY person

Thanks for the replies, all! Anyone have anything to say about the
Winradio G303? It seems even better than the RX320D and the Icom.
Though more expensive and internal (but well-shielded, I heard).

Bill wrote:

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 09:59:26 +0200, Bill
wrote:
Having done some DX'ing with a small Sony SW radio for ten years, I
would like to buy a better one, connected to the pc. I was thinking of
the Ten-Tech RX320D. Does anyone have any experience with this radio?
Is it better than, say, Icom or Winradio? And what about computer
noise? Also, I'm in an apartment and would like some kind of antenna
(active?). Which one would you recommend, and where to get it. I am
not really a DIY person

Thanks for the replies, all! Anyone have anything to say about the
Winradio G303? It seems even better than the RX320D and the Icom.
Though more expensive and internal (but well-shielded, I heard).

Yeah, up there earlier. :-)

It's a terrific radio for the money. Actually, it's a terrific radio,
period.

It is extremely well shielded -- I get NO noise at all.

If you get one, get the Professional demodulator -- it's worth the
extra $100 just to get continuous variable bandwidth.

The spectrum scope is actually useful, unlike most built-in spectrum
scopes.

The filtering, since it is implemented in software and therefore
doesn't have all the inevitable interactions that actual hardware has,
is great. (Yes, sloppy filtering can be done in software, but that's
not the case here.)

There are, of course, disadvantages to using a radio that used both
your sound card input and a free PCI slot, plus is unable to be moved
around freely like a standalone radio, but if those issues aren't a
big deal for you, go for it.

Eric

--
Eric F. Richards,
"Making me root for a sanctimonious statist blowhard like Kerry isn't
the worst thing Bush has done to the country. But it's the offense
that I take most personally."
-- http://www.reason.com/links/links071304.shtml