[hpsdr] To kit or not to kit...............

[Eric Blossom]

On Sat, Jul 22, 2006 at 03:00:01PM +0200, H. Gruchow wrote:
> 
> Hello everybody,
> why are so many people so shy when it comes to SMT soldering????
>

Speaking for myself, it's not about SMT soldering, it's about spending
my time doing low value tasks that can be done quickly and cheaply
by a machine.  Yes, I know that some of you like "building ships in a
bottle."  No problem with that.  Some of us prefer other diversions...
Sailing, anyone ;)

For those of you worried about this turning into an "appliance", 
I suggest you turn your attention to the mountain of software that it
takes to make software radios work.  There's no shortage of
interesting problems in many domains: e.g., RF design, digital comms
theory, DSP theory and implementation, programming in general,
real-time programming, PHY design and implementation, MAC design and
implementation, how to take advantage of an FPGA, coding in verilog...

An example of a higher-level problem that could be realistically
tackled -- and would be a great contribution to amateur radio -- is
building a complete free-software trunked radio system.  MPT-1327 is
the world's most used trunking system, and the specs are available and free.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/publication/mpt/mpt_pdf/mpt1327.pdf

This list of challenges is endless.


    Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw
    back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative
    (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of
    which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment
    one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All
    sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have
    occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
    raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and
    meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed
    would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of
    Goethe's couplets:

        "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has
         genius, power, and magic in it."


    --- William H. Murray (from his book "The Scottish Himalayan Expedition")



Eric, K7GNU

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