SSB Receiver with computer control

[Anonymous]

A friend who doesn't have internet access at present is looking for an SSB receiver which can be controlled from a laptop to receive weatherfax, RTTY and Navtex. I thought I'd seen some discussion of the various models on this board, but I can't find it so I would appreciate an opinion. He is looking for a good quality radio and is prepared to pay for the quality. He does not want a transmitter. Many thanks.

 

[jfkal]

Most transceivers are controllable (HAM RADIO DELUXE SOFTWARE is free). Dunno about just receivers.

 

[Mariner]

Hi
There are a few on the market such as the Icom IC-PCR1000 but the best are the winRadio range. Quite a few different models but the info is on the website at http://www.winradio.com/

Martin

 

[jerryat]

Hi Lemain,

My little Icom 706MkII can be controlled via computer, although you have to buy and fit (plug in) the controller from Icom. I thought about doing it for our trips, but decided that I didn't want to have the computer working every time we used the radio. It's on of course during receipt of wefax, RTTY and Herb's Net, for example, but all these could be pre-programmed.

Good fun to play with though!

Cheers Jerry

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Martin, both look possible but I had in mind something more like a manually controlled radio that can be controlled by PC when desired. With both of these you need to have the PC running even if all you are doing is trying to listen to some music, news, or whatever. David

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Jerry, The 706 is a transceiver, I think? He only wants a receiver. Thanks, David

 

[winnie]

Force 4 Chandlery do a 'Target HF3M SSB HF receiver on line (http://www.force4.co.uk) for £190.00

It work fine with weatherfax in the comfort of the 'Long Range Certificate' classroom last week!

 

[alex_rogers]

I'm not sure if they are still made but a Lowe HF-150 would be the ideal radio. This is a small SSB receiver that can be computer controlled through a serial port connection. There is also a marine version - an HF-150-M.

I was considering one a few years ago but went for the cheaper NASA HF3M radio - no computer control though. In retrospect, the Lowe is a much higher quality product (an aluminium rather than plastic case) and the difference is price wasn't enormous. I tried Google recently, but couldn't find one advertised anywhere, although, they do come up on eBay occasionally.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, that sounds perfect - they are no longer available new but are available second hand. Will pass the details over. Many thanks.

 

[jfkal]

Overkill a simple SSB transceiver cost loss. and after all you can send if you feel like it /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Oldhand]

I use an ICOM PCR1000 but it doesn't have any manual control. However, not only is suitable for Weatherfax. RTTY and Navtex reception, its FM discriminator output also allows it to be used as an AIS receiver as well.

 

[trouville]

That was supposed to have been a really good PC radio can you still buy them and dose it work with XP ??

 

[Oldhand]

I think you can still buy them but there was a price increase last year due to difficulty sourcing some components they use. I have 2 (greedy), one I inherited when I bought our current boat second hand and one I bought last year second hand form a UK Ham Radio supplier's web-site to use at home. Try a Google search and you may be lucky.

Yes they do work with WinXP. If you get an old one you can download the latest software from the ICOM America web site. I also highly recommend using Bonito RadioCom v.5.2 with the PCR1000. This software makes the reciever in to a very simple to use powerful tool. If you wan't AIS capabality, just add a downloadable application called ShipPlotter and plug the Mic input of your PC into the "Packet 9600bps" output of the PCR1000 instead of the speaker output which you would use for weatherfax decoding etc. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[trouville]

Thanks im going to look for that,by the way when i was looking for downloads i had just been listening to someone complaining that his quaterly royalty cheque had reduced from $700,000 to just under $600,000, due to free downloads!!! He at least admited that he wasent feeling the pinch yet.

I have to check the price of bread to see if i can still aford it,so im not a keen contributor to the very well off! In fact my income has reduced in the last 10 years.A Folkboat though is managable still!

I seem to remember some years ago seeing an add for them in our ham mag did they cost £130???? i really cant remember as then i was just useing win 98 and having problems.

As the PC has become so useful from nav planing to free phone/fax mobile post office and info center im begining to think i should take this laptop sailing,in which case a PCR1000 would make sence

Im going to look on Google, though i look at the secondhand ads every month, but i havent seen one there either, for a very long time, just as the DSP NIR12 arnt to be found.

 

[Oldhand]

You would be very lucky to find a PCR1000 under £200, I just found one here:
http://www.shortwave.co.uk/used/usedindex.htm
currently for £195, that's about as good as it gets. Remember you need a decent antenna, like an insulated backstay or active whip, for decent reception so that is additional expense.

 

[trouville]

Yes, in the US today they cost $230. They were brought out between 1997 and 2001 the one i remember was the late 1998 model the PCR100 that was the one without ssb reception.
Even the PCR100 had a good report but without ssb wasent interesting. The PCR1000 is and i found the soft wear free in the USA and paid in Germany even though its still v4

Im going to look for one for my Folkboat as i may well put a laptop on board (an old one) I was going to buy an ICOM 718 but amater radio isent very good at the moment and a good receiver will suit better and i realy need just rtty for hamburg and a lap top and PCR1000 would be better than my Kemwood TS50 which is a great rig but poor receiver!and a simple mfj decoder with one short unlit line readout!

 

[trouville]

i Found a yaesu vr5000 that is really a good receiver!compact stand alone and up to and including 2.6 megs the now old PCR1000 costs £160 new with new softwear

http://radaufunk.com/

I may buy the ICOM 718 ? I like it as its compact but still has the speaker at the front,though for my folkboat i dont want a TX

 

[snowleopard]

FWIW i came up against this issue when using wfax with my icom 710 transceiver. the fax signal comes from the external speaker jack via a demodulator to the PC's serial port. the software is able to control the radio via signals from a second serial port to the DIN socket on the back of the radio. of course the problem is - how many laptops have 2 serial ports?

in practice i found that distortion af the fax signal often prevented the program from detecting the start/end transmission signals so i ended up starting and stopping the software manually.

if i'd gone to the trouble of setting up a second serial port i'd seldom have succeeded in getting automatic receipt of multiple pages.