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Author Topic: Flexradio on AM mode?  (Read 3860 times)
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N7ZDR
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« on: February 13, 2018, 11:30:35 AM »

Would like to hear some comments on how the SDR series of radios perform on AM mode. There not quite the nostalgia of years past.

Cheers
Larry
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KD6VXI
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« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2018, 11:50:52 AM »

Rob and others have quite the info in the Modern Rigs area of the forum.

--Shane
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WD4DMZ
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« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2018, 01:08:05 PM »

The SDRs sound good to me on the AM nets. Probably better than my old tube rigs sound.

Rich
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N7ZDR
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« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2018, 01:39:56 PM »

There has always been feeling here in my shack---- "Do I dare key it up and try it?" Kind of like driving a new car into a 1940s car show.

Do I go down stairs and drag up that old viking transmitter? ----- It's funny really, thinking about how time changes.

If I did key up the Flex in Am mode I would be plagued with guilt.

Cheers,
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wa1sth
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« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2018, 02:01:31 PM »

Flex and other SDR radios can be made to sound "FANTASTIC' in the AM or any other mode.  The receiver and its filters are unbeatable.  DO NOT use or get familiar with one cause you will NOT be able to go back...I have both, boat anchors and SDR.  I seldom play with the boat anchors anymore  BUT I totally understand the attachment to them.  There is not a right way or a wrong way to get on AM it is a matter of personal choice and should ALWAYS be respected by all.  Enjoy whatever you operate and try not to catch the "Hi-Fi" fever..Hi Hi...73's to all
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WA2SQQ
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« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2018, 02:25:05 PM »

My 6500 runs AM more than SSB. It sounds incredible - I can't remember the last time I got a bad report. They are not like the Japanese rice box radios with limited bandwidth.
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AG5CK
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« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2018, 11:02:37 PM »

They can sound amazing. It's up to the user to get the audio settings in the software or their rack right. I'm an Anan user but understand the Flex 3000 is limited to a little over 3 kHz of tx audio. So a little over 6khz wide AM. I'm not sure about the other models.

The receiver will spoil you. Infinite adjustment of the bandwidth filters and noise reduction that pulls weak signals out of the static. My favorite feature is being able to adjust the width of the upper and lower sidebands independently. When someone wants to park next to you on ssb just click and drag the filter until they're gone.
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steve_qix
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« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2018, 11:28:46 PM »

The SDRs in general are fantastic on A.M.  I have a Flex 5000.   Got it used at a flea market.

I have used mine on A.M. a number of times - very high fidelity audio indeed. 

I use the Flex mostly as a VFO on the transmit side for the class E rig, and of course the best receiver I've ever used - no doubt about that - this is now the main shack receiver.  Nothing comes close.  Nothing Nothing Nothing.

I still think the class E rigs sound a little better - they definitely preserve the asymmetry because they are truly DC coupled.  But, you listen to someone like Steve WA1STH or some of the other folks running Flex radios and you will be a believer.  The Flex 3000, if you use different software, will, as far as I know anyway, modulate with audio frequencies above 3kHz.  The other Flex models are limited to something like 20kHz on the high end.  The low end of all Flex models goes down to single digits.  The Anans are similar.  I'm reporting on the Flex models because I have personal experience.
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High Power, Broadcast Audio and Low Cost?  Check out the class E web site at: http://www.classeradio.org
WD5JKO
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WD5JKO


« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2018, 07:43:50 AM »

The Flex 3000, if you use different software, will, as far as I know anyway, modulate with audio frequencies above 3kHz. 

   Yes, the bottleneck Flex used to limit the audio high end frequency was removed by Darrin Ke9NS with his version of PowerSDR. He has done many things to improve the AM experience. One example is a setup button to flip the audio phase.

    When you are in a QSO with a Flex person, the guy on AM with the Flex is often peaking the voice peaks such that wavelets are generated (>100% neg. mod) and on a diode detector receiver that sounds awful. I have been in QSO, Flex to Flex with synchronous AM selected (SAM), and dropped the AM carrier and advanced the audio for more audio "punch". This is essentially DSB with reduced carrier....works very well and sounds great.

   A few months ago I was on the air in QSO with Don K4KYV. Don uses a Sherwood Synchronous detector hooked to his 75A4 receiver. I was on my Central Electronics 20A station running 150 watts carrier AM. I tried DSB with only 15 watts carrier, and then I boosted the audio to maximize the PEP. Don said it sounded the same except the audio was much louder.
The  DSB with reduced carrier topic is worth further discussion. Maintaining compatibility to BA receivers using a diode detector is limiting the communication effectiveness of AM.  Tongue

Jim
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