SDRplay As a Panadapter
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2015 2:55 pm
I'm relatively new to SDRplay although I've been tinkering with other SDR receivers and transceivers for a few years (e.g., SDR-IQ, Afedri SDR-Net, FlexRadio 5000A). In the past I've used the SDR-IQ and Afedri SDR-Net as panadapters to my HF rigs by inserting them into the Rx path via the rig's Rx In and Rx Out ports. With HDSDR or SDR-Radio Console I've been able to get point-and-click control over my HF rigs with excellent bandscope resolution.
For the most part, the SDRplay seems to work equally well. However, I am experience considerable intermod, ghost signals, etc. with the SDRplay that I have not had with either the SDR-IQ or Afedri. The antennas I'm using are a 5 band Hexbeam for 20m-10m and an OCF dipole for 80m-10m. Not unexpectedly, the intermod and ghost signals are with the OCF dipole and not the beam. Further, the intermod and ghost signals happen on multiple bands.
Playing with the Gain Reduction I can almost eliminate the problem on 80m and 40m with a setting of -60dB and some tweaking of the Visual Gain settings. On the higher bands a Gain Reduction of -25dB seems to be fine.
Further, I noticed with SDR-Radio Console the Gain Reduction and Visual Gain settings require more adjustment than with HDSDR. Wondering whether Simon's "gain settings" implementation in SDR-Radio Console is quirky or if he had not fully implemented the ExtIO_SDRplay.dll
So I guess where I need some help is (a) better understanding SDRplay's Gain Settings, (b) an explanation of Zero IF and Low IF, and (c) anyone else's experience using SDRplay in an HF panadapter application.
Thanks....Harry WE1X
For the most part, the SDRplay seems to work equally well. However, I am experience considerable intermod, ghost signals, etc. with the SDRplay that I have not had with either the SDR-IQ or Afedri. The antennas I'm using are a 5 band Hexbeam for 20m-10m and an OCF dipole for 80m-10m. Not unexpectedly, the intermod and ghost signals are with the OCF dipole and not the beam. Further, the intermod and ghost signals happen on multiple bands.
Playing with the Gain Reduction I can almost eliminate the problem on 80m and 40m with a setting of -60dB and some tweaking of the Visual Gain settings. On the higher bands a Gain Reduction of -25dB seems to be fine.
Further, I noticed with SDR-Radio Console the Gain Reduction and Visual Gain settings require more adjustment than with HDSDR. Wondering whether Simon's "gain settings" implementation in SDR-Radio Console is quirky or if he had not fully implemented the ExtIO_SDRplay.dll
So I guess where I need some help is (a) better understanding SDRplay's Gain Settings, (b) an explanation of Zero IF and Low IF, and (c) anyone else's experience using SDRplay in an HF panadapter application.
Thanks....Harry WE1X