SDR 1000D Rear View (Hardware)

Starting at the upper left corner of the rear panel you will find the DC input terminals. 13.8VDC - #12 AWG or greater power cord should be used for 100W operation. The far left connector is a BNC type used for 100W Power Amplifier Antenna Connector. (This antenna connector is used for all bands if the 100W amplifier is installed). The connector located toward the top center of the rear panel is an Auxiliary Input Connector for an optional External Reference Oscillator.

The far right hand BNC type connector is to used if the 100W amplifier is not installed. (When installed, this connector is in parallel with the amplifier input circuit.) On the right hand upper corner there are two connectors used for Two Meter transverter, transmit and receive.

The connector under the BNC connector is used for Earth (RF) ground. The lower right hand side of the rear panel houses the external control connector, D type, as well as the Parallel Port Connector, which connects to the PC parallel port. The option SDR-USB USB-to-Parallel Adapter connects to this port.

The smaller connectors across the center right side of the panel are CW/paddle connector, line output (speaker output) on sound card, high impedance output for amplified speaker or headset, line to sound card, and microphone input on sound card.

SDR 1000D Front View (Hardware)

On bench in the shack, is my Flex Radio model 1000D. As you can see, a very clean front panel! The power switch is located in the upper left corner, under the logo. The power switch is a standard rocker type, which controls the main power to the hardware.

Just below the power switch is a 7 pin male microphone connector. The plan here is to use a short "home brew" adapter cable so I can interface a Heil Model PR40 using a standard balanced XLR cable from the microphone.

On the right hand side of the front panel, is the grill work and filter used keep air circulating over the circuit boards which are located directly behind the filter. The circuit boards are mounted horizontally, which helps give the cabinet a lower profile and provides plenty of room for the circuitry. ( The film container is an option ! )

The cabinet measures approx, 4"h x 10"w x 9.5"d. This makes the hardware easy to make fit in almost any place in the shack, keeping in mind that there is a fair amount of cabling between the radio and the PC.

SDR Front Console Display Part 2

Here is a sample of the software display that controls the functions of the radio. This sample was taken from the Flex 1000D operating manual.

As you can see, each of the functions are numbered, each function will be review as we go through the operation of the Power SDR Software.

When the software is loaded and operational, moving the PC mouse over any of the functions will give a brief description of the control.

If you click on the SDR Console displace above you will see that each field is numbered. The numbered fields will be used to describe the function of each, starting with #1.

(1) VFOA (Variable Frequency Oscillator) (A) -This VFO is the main tuning VFO for the radio. The frequency area is a simple text box and may be edited as such (click and drag, highlighting, etc.) Entering a numeric character (without any mouse interaction) is also a good way to change your frequency quickly. The underlined digit will show visually the digit that will be tuned when hovering over the frequency display with the mouse cursor.

The Band text information underneath the frequency gives the general information about the FCC Amateur bands as well as the Short Wave bands and WWV. If not on a recognized frequency, the text box will display "Out Of Band". If not in the Amateur Band, the text background will change from black to gray. This information is only a lookup in a database and has no bearing on the current operating mode.

(2) TUNING CONTROL -VFO lock keeps the frequency from being changed inadvertently. This is a handy feature to use while in a QSO to keep from accidentally losing the frequency due to clicking in the wrong area or hitting the wrong key on the keyboard.

The TUNE STEP - This displays the current tuning rate for using the mouse wheel (or Ctrl+Up/Down Arrow) to tune the radio. Rotating the mouse wheel away from you will increase the frequency by the step rate, click while rotating the mouse wheel toward you will decrease the frequency. You can change the Tune Step by clicking either of the -or+ buttons, clicking the mouse wheel button (or using Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow).

The SAVE button quickly saves a frequency, mode and filter. The saved frequency is shown in the box to its left. The RESTORE button restores the most recently saved frequency(displayed), mode and filter.

THE FOLLOWING DATA WAS UP-DATE AS OF 26 APR 09

(3) VFO B - Is similar to VFO A. However, VFO B is used only in specific instances. When operating split (SPLT button under VFO B determines the transmit frequency for (both VFO B and the frequency are displayed in red). When activating the second receiver (if installed) (Sub RX button under Sub RX, VFO B determines the second receiver frequency, which is displayed in yellow. Otherwise it can be used as a storage area to copy VFO data to and from VFO A.

(4) MULTIMETER - The mulitmeter function is another way of feeding information back to the user. The two drop down boxes at the top offer an independent selection of RX and TX multimeter options.

The text display below the meter selection shows the digital data for either the receiver or the transmitter. The display at the bottom of the multimeter section shows the data graphically as an edge meter. A bar graph display can be selected instead.

RX METER - Signal (Signal Level): Calculates the true RMS power in dBm of the current signal within the passband.

Sig Avg - (Signal Average): Calculates the true RMS power in dBm of a time-averaged signal within the passband.

ADC L (Analog To Digital Left): Calculates the level in dBFS (decibel full scale) of the Left input from the sound card.

ADC R ( Analog To Digital Right): Calculates the level in dBFS (decibel full scale) of the Right input from the sound card.

OFF: Used for debugging purposes or to save CPU cycles on slower machines.

Amateur Radio Missionary Service (ARMS)

ARMS, call sign KA2RMS is a national group of fellow "ham operator" believers, who know and love the Lord as their personal Savior. Check out the web site for more information. Gal. 6:10 As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially those who are of the household of faith.

Flex Radio Part 1 - Page 2

The first truly Open Source Software Defined Amateur Radio Transceiver. The SDR -1000 as well as the other newer model products in the Flex line, 1500, 3000, 5000A and 5000D all define the modulation waveforms in software (SDR). Keep in mined that that most traditional analog radios are fixed in capability for all time. Since all the functionality is hard wired in the radio, there is little ability to upgrade.

Many more modern radios add proprietary digital signal processing (DSP) chips to traditional analog radio architecture to provide signal processing functions with rather limited or little capability to upgrade.

The Flex Radio SDR-1000 was the first open source software, amateur radio transceiver to incorporate the scalable DSP performance of a personal computer (PC) and sound card to perform all modulation, demodulation, and control functions of the radio.

If you take a good hard look at the technology today, you will see that the general purpose PC architecture, now vastly outperforms even the best of the proprietary (DSP) chips, always keeping in mine that the SDR allows for upgrades as new improvements come along with no hardware changes. The SDR 1000D which I currently have and use, has had at least 5 0r 6 software upgrades with no changes to hardware, except for performance! The upgrades are as simple as going to the Flex Radio web site and downloading the newest version of software to a thumb drive, which is the process that works for me, as I can download my upgrades regardless of were I might be!

The other aspect of technology that has driven SDR capabilities, is the professional audio market with constant and significant improvements in sound card technology. This is one of the major advantages of these trends as they provide upgradeable hardware performance through software improvements.

In the next part of this series, we will look at how almost ever function is done in software. Then we will look at the SDR-1000D physical hardware and the functions of the hardware components.

Flex Radio System Part 1

For those of you who enjoy technology, I believe you will find this post interesting, informative and maybe even fun, as you learn a bit about a new communications technology called; Flex Radio!

There has been just a ton of articles generated about Flex Radio, or as it is also called (SDR)Software Defined Radio. One of the things I would like to do in this post, is to define Flex Radio and how it is used. So lets start with with a definition, What is Flex Radio or Software Defined Radio ? It is a collection of hardware and software technologies that enables a reconfigurable system architecture for use in wireless communications. This definition is taken for the 2007 Data Sheet on one of the SDR radio system, the SDR-1000 which was the original Flex Radio hardware developed.

This type architecture provides an efficient and comparatively priced solution to the problem of building a multi-mode, multi-band, and multi-function communications devise that can be enhanced using software upgrades.

The SDR 1000 which was developed from Flex Radio Systems, of Austin, Tx., is the system which I will be using throughout this series of posts. SDR 1000 is the actual hardware component of a complete (SDR) Software Defined Radio transceiver which is then interfaced to a Windows based Personal Computer. The SDR 1000 provides everything that is needed to convert a PC into a high performance, 11khz-65Mhz general coverage receiver with 160meter to 6meter (2meter optional) Amateur Radio band transmit capability.

Ok, here we go, as we are going to look at some really technical terminology. As we go along we will define the terms which we will use here and in later parts of the series. The SDR -1000 incorporates a "novel" Quadrature Sampling Detector (QSD) which provides a high dynamic range with minimal components. An Analog Devise AD9854 quadrature DDS and 200Mhz 1ps jitter clock oscillator provides continuous coverage with a very low phase nosie. The SDR-1000
will deliver 100watts PEP (40watts continuous) on the 160meter-10meter (50watts on 60meters) HF bands with the optional SDR-100watt PA linear amplifier.

The combination of the (QSD), quadrature Sampling Detector and the (DSP) Digital Signal Processing, produces a transceiver that has superior performance over conventional radios and easily upgraded with new software features provided at no additional cost. Receiver dynamic range and selectivity are in the top performance class of all amateur radio transceivers.

Before we go any further, just let me say that there are several models of SDR systems. The Flex 1000 is no longer produced. The newest model is the (1) Flex 1500 which will be available early this year. (2) Flex 3000, (3) Flex 5000A, and (4) Flex 5000C. Each of these will be reviewed later.

Table of Radio Frequencies

Ok, as promised, here are the classifications of radio frequencies developed in a simple table, giving the Classification, Abbreviation and the Range of each frequency band.

Classification Abbreviation Range

1.) Very Low Freq. vlf or VLF 10-30khz/second

2.) Low Freq lf or LF 30-300khz/second

3.) Medium Freq mf or MF 300-3,000khz/second

4.) High Freq hf or HF 3,000-30,00khz/second

5.) Very High Freq vhf or VHF 30-300mhz/second

6.) Ultra High Freq uhf or UHF 300-3,000mhz/second

7.) Super High Freq shf or SHF 3,000-30,00mhz/second

8.) Extremely High Freq ehf or EHF 30,00-300,000mhz/second

Note: K = 1000 or Kilohertz
M= 1000000 or Megahertz
HZ= Hertz or cycles

Each of these frequency bands are used for different types of communications. Example: The high frequency (HF) portion from 3,000 to 30,000khz, is where the Amateur Radio operations are permitted, based on the type or class of licence each station holds. There are also different classes of station licences which determine what portion of a particular band that each station may operate in. More on this subject in a later session.

Welcome To The Studio of WA3UVP

Thanks for visiting with me at my AmateurRadio Station, call sign WA3UVP, issued by the FCC, Federal Communications Commission. My station was licenced in 1971 and I have been active in "ham" radio for most of the time between 1971 and 2009.



For those of you who might be visiting of a non-technical nature, let me explain the meaning of RF in the Title section of my Blog. RF is short for Radio Frequency. If your wondering what Radio Frequency means, Webster defines it as follows: A frequency in the range within which radio waves may be transmitted from about 10khz/second to about 300,00mhz/second. A radio wave generated by a transmitter has a specific frequence which is determined by the operating band. There are several classifications of radio frequencies and we will get into those later.