Re: [HCDX] new toy: Ten-Tec RX-320D

["Mark Clark" <mark.e.clark@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The July issue of Monitoring Times has reviews of several RX320 control
programs that operate from the Palm Pilot PDA.  That may make car
DXpeditioning with it a bit more attractive.

73, Mark N3IRJ
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <MarkWA1ION@xxxxxxx>
To: <hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <badx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 8:44 PM
Subject: [HCDX] new toy: Ten-Tec RX-320D


> I recently purchased a Ten-Tec RX-320D computer-
> controlled "black box" receiver.  This compact
> unit, described at "http://www.tentec.com/TT320.htm";,
> runs off a 15 VDC wall-wart and connects to a
> PC through a serial port control cable.  If audio
> is to be transferred to the PC's sound card, a
> separate audio cable is connected for that.
> Alternately, you can connect headphones or a
> speaker directly to the radio.
>
> The supplied software provides a simple-to-use
> graphical user interface.  One cool feature is
> the spectrum chart, much like the old Heath
> panadapters or a rudimentary version of spectrum
> analyzers used in professional test and measurement
> labs.
>
> There were a few things I wanted to do that I
> couldn't figure out.  Apparently a recording
> function is not integrated into the software.
> I wanted to record MP3 or WAV files straight
> from the receiver software without having to
> open up other software.  Another thing I want
> to do is have the receiver take in an Excel
> or tab-delimited text file of times and
> frequencies for unattended "robot" DXing /
> recording.  Maybe DXers, on their own, have
> developed C/C++ or Visual Basic code that
> can do exactly what I want.  This would be
> to record desired frequencies at specified
> times / dates and also put out a data file
> consisting of signal strength readings.
> I could use the receiver as a propagation
> analyzer or spectrum occupancy study aid.
> Nick Hall-Patch has done this successfully
> with another receiver.  Conceivably, software
> could be structured to make decisions such as
> "If you find this, then go look for that,
> otherwise go to a different test to decide
> what to do next".  Such disciplined scanning
> would simulate the actions of a real-life DXer
> at the dials.  Who knows what goodies you might
> find in the morning on your PC in the MP3 and
> data summary files if you have this capability ?
>
> All this said, how did the receiver perform ?
> On its built-in whip antenna, a lot of PC,
> TV, and other house-based hash & oddball buzzy
> carriers were noted.  On a real antenna,
> fortunately, all that went away.  Reception
> was quite similar to the Drake R8A without its
> preamplifier engaged.  Since I was using a
> Flag antenna with fairly low output, some
> daytimers receivable on the R8A (such as CHTN-
> 720) were in the noise floor on the RX-320D.
> With a less efficient antenna such as a Pennant or
> Flag, an extra 10 dB of low-noise preamplification
> would be a great thing.  Since this radio is
> touted more for shortwave than medium wave,
> sensitivity was probably ratcheted down a bit
> since SW antennas tend to be much more efficient
> and closer to a resonant length.
>
> I did not note any spurs / intermods, not bad
> since 50 kW WRKO-680 is less than 3 miles /
> 5 km away.  Even 1360 (=680*2), a perennial
> overload channel here, had clear WLYN instead
> of the WRKO overload that my car radio gets.
> With a bigger antenna, or an amplified one,
> I might not be quite as lucky.
>
> The fast AGC setting didn't seem quite fast
> enough for quick adjustments of loop, phaser,
> or variable termination resistance derived
> nulls.  There's a bit of lag time on the PC
> screen "S-meter".
>
> The IF filter selections were good and they
> seemed effective.  I would have liked DSP
> based continuously-variable bandwidth, but
> what can you expect for $300 ?  It will be
> interesting to set this up during a decent
> opening and bag some TA's with it.
>
> Its need for the laptop and a +15V supply
> probably means that I won't be using it in
> the car on mini-DXpeditions to the seashore.
> Running this arrangement in a dark, cramped,
> and (often) cold vehicle doesn't seem likely.
>
> Use on a house-based DXpedition (e.g. Cappahayden,
> Grayland, Chamberlain, Miscou Island, or Sheigra)
> could be worthwhile however.  I'm not sure what
> the airport security people would make of the
> little black box.  Having the radio integrated
> to the laptop can be a good thing since logging
> programs, Geoclock, Euro-MWLog and Pacific Log
> PDF's could all be accessed.  John Bryant, Nick
> Hall-Patch, and the rest of the Grayland crew
> have certainly proved this.
>
> The D model is supposed to be usable to decode
> DRM broadcasts.  For a review of an earlier version
> see "http://www.anarc.org/naswa/issues/1298/equip1298.html";.
>
> Once I get the unattended recording schemes
> worked out, I'll be having a lot of fun with
> this radio.
>
> Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA
>
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> published by Michael Stutz at http://dsl.org/copyleft/dsl.txt
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THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. It may be copied, distributed
and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License
published by Michael Stutz at http://dsl.org/copyleft/dsl.txt