Software Defined Radio: for Amateur Radio Operators and Short Wave Listeners

[Fansome]

https://www.amazon.com/Software-Defined-Radio-Operators-Listeners/dp/1534992421/

[Pigmeat]

How is the section on knobs?

[Josh]

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/building-a-tuning-knob-for-sdr/


cough

[ChrisSmolinski]

I had the chance to browse through this book while eating breakfast this morning (my wife has one of the Kindle unlimited accounts that let you read many of the ebooks for free). Here are my impressions:

The book is heavily oriented towards ham radio use of SDRs, vs SWL/DXing use. A lot of the text specific to actual SDRs is devoted to Flex, Apache, etc. There's brief mentions of the SDRPlay, RF Space and AFEDRI radios, by comparison. Likewise there's some very in depth discussions of a few SDR programs (probably ones the author has experience using) with lots of screenshots, but no mentions at all of SpectraVue, SdrDx, etc.

There are some good discussions of the basics of SDRs, signal processing, digital vs analog, etc. If you have no experience at all using SDRs, it could be a good read. If you have been using an SDR already, I am not sure you will learn much.

The author did wade into the knob debate, and pointed out some hardware knob options for SDR applications. That alone might be worth it for Fansome to get a copy.

[Pigmeat]

Al, I've got a 50 year old Drake knob that would be perfect for that rig. Send your SS,credit card, and bank account numbers, along with your passport, long form birth certificate, and drivers license so I know your on the level and we can start negotiations.

Oh, 401K info would be nice too, but I trust you. Don't forget the passwords and pin numbers on the above!

[Josh]

Hmmm, I know I got a ic706 knob around here somewhere.

[rayidideo]

The Elad FDM Duo has knobs..... 

[QRP]

With continued miniaturization, one day radios will just be a knob if you do not use telepathy

[rayidideo]

When trying to get my radio to pull in a weak/noisy signal, I often feel like a knob.....

[MDK2]

I had the chance to browse through this book while eating breakfast this morning (my wife has one of the Kindle unlimited accounts that let you read many of the ebooks for free). Here are my impressions:

The book is heavily oriented towards ham radio use of SDRs, vs SWL/DXing use. A lot of the text specific to actual SDRs is devoted to Flex, Apache, etc. There's brief mentions of the SDRPlay, RF Space and AFEDRI radios, by comparison. Likewise there's some very in depth discussions of a few SDR programs (probably ones the author has experience using) with lots of screenshots, but no mentions at all of SpectraVue, SdrDx, etc.

There are some good discussions of the basics of SDRs, signal processing, digital vs analog, etc. If you have no experience at all using SDRs, it could be a good read. If you have been using an SDR already, I am not sure you will learn much.

The author did wade into the knob debate, and pointed out some hardware knob options for SDR applications. That alone might be worth it for Fansome to get a copy.

LOL. NOW I see this. I guess I missed this when it was posted the first time. I got this book because, at the time I got my RSP2pro for Xmas 2016, my experience was with my Tecsun portable and my Satellit 750. I probably would have bought it anyway, and I still have it, but I didn't learn as much from it as I thought I would, and it's for the reasons you state - it's oriented toward experienced hams, not newbie SWLer's.

Finding books to teach a new SWLer the basics are in extremely short supply. Nearly everything I have learned has come from participation in forums like this.

[Pigmeat]

Now you know why knobs are vital and necessary, like digital tire pressure gauges.