WR-G65DDCe 'Excalibur Sigma'

Overview

The WiNRADiO WR-G65DDC 'EXCALIBUR Sigma' is a top performance, direct-sampling, software-defined, wide-band, two-in-one HF/VHF receiver. Two independent and mutually exclusive inputs are provided, one for each range: 1 kHz to 88 MHz and 118 MHz to 190 MHz. A real-time 88/72 MHz-wide spectrum analyzer is included with a 64 MHz wide instantaneous bandwidth available for recording, demodulation and further digital processing.

The receiver's superior performance results from its innovative, direct-sampling, digital down-conversion architecture along with the use of leading-edge components and design concepts. These all result in excellent sensitivity and dynamic range, highly accurate and stable tuning, and perfect demodulation. These key features create a receiver 'in a class of its own', with wide application potential, including many operational and instrumentation features not usually found on receivers of any price category.

The entire 64 MHz DDC (digitally down-converted) bandwidth is available for recording and demodulation, and ideal for hopping frequencies analysis. Three demodulators allow the simultaneous reception and decoding of radio signals within the entire band.

The receiver's robust front-end is equipped with an ultra-high-linearity amplifier which results in exceptional strong-signal performance while at the same time offering excellent sensitivity.

The WR-G65DDCe also features optional external reference clock inputs and outputs, coherence clock input, 1PPS pulse input as well as an FPGA interface, ready for phase-coherent system configurations such as in high performance interferometer direction finding applications. In addition, stereo analog output is also possible. The special data port offers numerous possibilities which include GPIO (general purpose I/O), HSP (high speed data output), or traditional RS232 interface.

Software

(Click on panel to enlarge.)

The WR-G65DDC control software provides a highly functional and logical user interface. There are several spectrum analyzer configurations available, including the 88/72 MHz full span with 2.8 kHz resolution. The scalable spectrum display can be viewed in either the standard or waterfall mode.

The digital down-converter provides 36 selectable output bandwidths ranging from 20 kHz to 64 MHz. The receiver's selectivity can be adjusted with 1 Hz resolution.

Recording and playback are also provided at the output of the digital down-converter, whereby a 64 MHz wide spectrum chunk can be recorded for later demodulation and post-processing.

In spite of the receiver's ground-breaking architecture and powerful functionality, the user interface still remains simple and intuitive to use, with a rich on-screen help facility. The control software contains all the features generally expected in modern receivers such as noise blanking, memories, scheduler, squelch (level, voice or noise activated), numerous tuning options, and a wide choice of demodulation modes, including user-defined and ready-for-digital communication modes. The parameters of all demodulator channels can be set separately, allowing each to be recorded simultaneously and independently. Recording and playback are also provided at the output of the digital down-converter, where an entire 64 MHz spectrum band can be recorded for later demodulation. Pre-buffering prevents signal loss at the start of a transmission. A flexible scheduler function allows unattended recording of each channel at specified dates and times.

There is also a unique "pause" function, making it possible to pause reception and resume it when convenient. This is very useful in case the receiver is left unattended for a period of time.

A "toolbox" full of various test and measurement tools, such as frequency error, SINAD, THD and modulation meters, logger and scheduler, complement the entire package and make it possible to use this product as a measuring receiver, replacing much more expensive (and often less capable or less accurate) conventional test equipment.

The software-defined architecture allows easy software upgrades for demodulation and decoding requirements. Component variations and aging are greatly diminished in a software-defined receiver, assuring long-term premium performance.