[aprssig] APRS SDR

[Jeremy McDermond]

On Dec 12, 2010, at 8:05 AM, Matti Aarnio wrote:

> Having a special SDR hardware that takes application bits in on one end,
> and puts IF/RF waveforms out on other is usually seriously more expensive
> approach.  A mid-scale Xilinx Virtex-IV, and 100 Msps ADCs/DACs does cost
> several kilo-dollars, or more commonly tens of kilo-dollars.

It's not that bad.  The OpenHPSDR project is using the following parts:

LTC2208 (130 Msps 16-bit A/D converter): $130
AD9744 (210 Msps 14-bit D/A converter): $12.68
Altera EP3C40 (39600 gate Altera FPGA.  Largest leaded array available from Altera):  $78.50

Those are prices from DigiKey today.  The current OpenHPSDR system in totality is in the low kilo-dollars range.  One of the new designs should hopefully bring a price in the less than kilo-dollar range.

> 73 de Matti, OH2MQK

--
Jeremy McDermond (NH6Z)
Xenotropic Systems
mcdermj at xenotropic.com