Rick, There are many forms of combining signals for better reception. In the 6700(R), the two SCUs are completely synchronized (ALL LOs are synchronous). This is not a trivial assertion -- there are very few radios that can make this assertion and no other commercially available amateur radios. This gives rise to some exceptionally easy combining that gives immediate benefits in terms of sensitivity and dynamic range.
The 6000 series also has an optional GPS module that is designed to help in the synchronization of receivers that are or are not next to each other. Combining signals that are generated with a separate LO/sampling clock, that have not been synchronized is a harder problem. The GPS makes this easier, but also allows us to send signals across the Internet and combine signals knowing both where and when they originated. The benefits from this will come later as the software is developed. Incidentally, our CDRX-3200 is a blade-architecture receiver that can synchronize 32 receivers. It also costs in the mid-five-figures. The cost of developing and build a blade-architecture system is significantly more than what we came up with in the 6000-series. We did consider a blade system, but every time we added up all the connectors, separate PCBs, hardware and sheet metal we would realize that the ME's in the office were getting more than their fair share of the product cost. We want product cost to stay in the EE/SW side of the house. And we wanted the radio to be as affordable as we could make it. ;-) Steve Stephen Hicks, N5AC, AAR6AM VP Engineering FlexRadio Systems™ 4616 W Howard Ln Ste 1-150 Austin, TX 78728 Phone: 512-535-4713 x205 Email: [email protected] Web: www.flexradio.com *Tune In Excitement™* PowerSDR™ is a trademark of FlexRadio Systems On Fri, Aug 3, 2012 at 8:50 AM, Rick McClelland, AA5S <[email protected]>wrote: > Well, we can ignore that part of my posting (it was 2 am, after all), I'm > curious as to whether there would be any real, tangible benefit to lashing > together a 6700 and a 6700R? This is certainly within the reach > (economically) of a fair number of hams. > > > On Fri, Aug 3, 2012 at 2:13 AM, Dan Parsons <[email protected]> wrote: > > > You just described what they already make for the government :) > > > > > > Dan > > > > On Aug 3, 2012, at 1:08 AM, "Rick McClelland, AA5S" <[email protected] > > > > wrote: > > > > > I notice in the Flex 6700 brochure: > > > > > > > > > Each of the two Spectral Capture Units allows simultaneous reception > from > > > their own respective antenna or the two can be optimally combined to > > > deliver increased dynamic range. In addition, dual SCUs provide the > > > capability for diversity reception, > > > > > > beam steering, noise mitigation, and multi-antenna monitoring. > > > > > > > > > If we can combine two SCUs for increased dynamic range or diversity > > > reception, etc., how about combining a Flex 6700 with a Flex 6700R such > > > that a single client utilizes four SCUs, two optimized for dynamic > range > > > and two for diversity reception? Of course if we can do that, let's > > ditch > > > the 6700 form factor altogether and put two SCUs in a half height blade > > and > > > the same with a 500w transmitter module and stuff these into a HP c7000 > > > series enclosure. We could have sixteen 500w transmitter modules and > 96 > > > SCUs in a single rack for the ultimate 8kw transceiver. > > > > > > Just a thought, I guess I should stop dreaming and get back to bed. > > > > > > -- > > > Rick McClelland, AA5S > > > Fort Collins, CO > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Flexedge mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexedge_flex-radio.biz > > > This is the FlexRadio Systems e-mail Reflector called FlexEdge. It is > > used for posting topics related to SDR software development and > > experimentalist who are using beta versions of the software. > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Flexedge mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexedge_flex-radio.biz > > This is the FlexRadio Systems e-mail Reflector called FlexEdge. It is > > used for posting topics related to SDR software development and > > experimentalist who are using beta versions of the software. > > > > > > -- > Rick McClelland, AA5S > Fort Collins, CO > _______________________________________________ > Flexedge mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexedge_flex-radio.biz > This is the FlexRadio Systems e-mail Reflector called FlexEdge. It is > used for posting topics related to SDR software development and > experimentalist who are using beta versions of the software. > _______________________________________________ Flexedge mailing list [email protected] http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexedge_flex-radio.biz This is the FlexRadio Systems e-mail Reflector called FlexEdge. It is used for posting topics related to SDR software development and experimentalist who are using beta versions of the software.
