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  QST Magazine Product Reviews - Key Measurements Summary - HF-Transceivers or Receivers  
  Source: Product Review from QST Magazine - Many thanks to ARRL and QST Magazine for their very interesting reviews!  
                             
    Receiver Transmitter    
  Subject of measurement, band: 14 MHz 20 kHz blocking gain compression 2 kHz blocking gain compression NEW: 2 kHz reciprocal mixing noise 20 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range 2 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range 20 kHz 3rd-order intercept 2 kHz 3rd-order intercept Rx-Tx turnaround time (SSB tx delay) Transmit 3rd-order IMD Transmit 9th-order IMD Listprice in USD (September 2011) $  
Min/max of scale 70/140 dB 70 - 141 dB   50/110 dB 50/110 dB -40/+35 dB -40/+35 dB 50/10 ms -20/-35 dB -20/-70 dB    
  Transceivers/receivers sorted by 2 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range. Please take into account that there might be a difference in the numbers when comparing the older product reviews (before February 2007) compared to the later product reviews, due to changes in the testing methodology, measurements filters, etcetera.  
  1 Yaesu FTdx5000D, December 2010 136 dB * 136 dB * -104 dBc 114 dB ! 114 dB ! +41 dBm ! +40 dBm ! 37 ms -43 dB #! -72 dB #!  $      7.700  
NEW 2 WiNRADIO WR-G31DDC 128 dB 128 dB -128 dBc 107 dB 107 Db +32 dBm 32dBm N/A N/A N/A  $          899 NEW
  3 Elecraft K3, January 2009 142 dB ! 140 dB -86 dBc 106 dB 103 dB +29 dBm +28 dBm 12 ms -29 dB -51 dB  $      2.200  
  4 Elecraft K3, April 2008 139 dB 139 dB -95 dBc 103 dB 102 dB +26 dBm +26 dBm 22 ms -27 dB -53 dB  $      2.200  
  5 FlexRadio FLEX-5000A, July 2008 123 dB 123 dB -99 dBc 99 dB 99 dB +35 dBm +30 dBm 29 ms -34 dB -54 dB  $      2.799  
  6 TenTec 599AT Eagle, August 2011 136 dB 121 dB -95 dBc 98 dB 98 dB +22 dBm +22 dBm 16 ms -28 dB -48 dB  $      1.795  
  7 Kenwood TS-590S, May 2011 141 dB ! 126 dB -91 dBc 106 dB 97 dB +26 dBm +22 dBm 14 ms -29 dB -52 dB  $      1.964  
  8 Perseus SDR, December 2008 129 dB 129 dB -126 dBc 100 dB 97 dB +35 dBm +35 dBm N/A N/A N/A  $          999  
  9 Icom IC-7700, October 2008 125 dB 102 dB -78 dBc 106 dB 95 dB +35 dBm +24 dBm 15 ms -28 dB -53 dB  $      9.150  
  10 TenTec Orion-II, September 2006 136 dB 136 dB N/M 92 dB 95 dB +20 dBm +21 dBm 30 ms -28 dB -52 dB  $      4.295  
  11 Flex-3000, Oct/Nov 2009 113 dB 113 dB -112 dBc 99 dB 95 dB +28 dBm +26 dBm 48 ms -30 dB -45 dB  $      1.699  
  12 Icom IC-7410, October 2011 143 dB ! 111 dB -78 dBc 106 dB 88 dB +29 dBm +5 dBm 45 ms -30 dB -61 dB  $      2.475  
  13 Icom IC-7600, November 2009 122 dB 102 dB -82 dBc 106 dB 88 dB +31 dBm +13 dBm 13 ms -31 dB -48 dB  $      4.976  
  14 Icom IC-7800 V2, March 2007 144 dB ! 117 dB N/M 108 dB 86 dB +38 dBm ! +22 dBm 15 ms -32 dB -52 dB  $    15.956  
  15 FlexRadio FLEX-1500, December 2011 107 dB 107 dB -107 dBc 100 dB 86 dB +31 dBm +13 dBm 200 ms -22 dB -48 dB  $          649  
  16 Yaesu FTdx9000MP, July 2010 137 dB 102 dB -92 dBc 99 dB 85 dB +28 dBm +7 dBm 32 ms -37 dB #! >-75 dB #!  $    11.749  
  17 TenTec R4020 QRP, February 2011 N/M N/M N/M 84 dB 84 dB -10 dB -10 dB N/M N/M N/M  $          249  
  18 TenTec Omni-VII, July 2007 137 dB 134 dB N/M 91 dB 82 dB +11 dBm +6,5 dBm 20 ms -27 dB -55 dB  $      2.695  
  19 Icom IC-R9500, January 2008 144 dB ! 109 dB -92 dBc 5kHz/92 dB 81 dB +32 dBm -4dBm N/A N/A N/A  $    17.000  
  20 Yaesu FTdx9000C, March 2006 128 dB 97 dB N/M 101 dB 78 dB +35 dBm +1 dBm 35 ms -34 dB # -80 dB #!  $      6.400  
  21 Yaesu FT-450D, November 2011 134 dB 88 dB -74 dBc 97 dB 76 dB +16 dBm -21 dBm 17 ms -25 dB -50 dB  $      1.340  
  22 Yaesu FT-950, March 2008 128 dB 98 dB -57 dBc 95 dB 71 dB +21 dBm -4 dBm 25 ms -35 dB -56 dB  $      2.000  
  23 Alinco DX-SR8T, June 2011 100 dB 83 dB -60 dBc 94 dB 70 dB +1 dB -30 dB 50 ms -28dB -53 dB  $          580  
  24 Yaesu FT-2000D, October 2007 136 dB 87 dB -76 dBc 98 dB 69 dB +26 dBm -16 dBm 37 ms -41 dB #! -65 dB #  $      4.800  
  25 Icom IC-7200, June 2009 140 dB 83 dB -85 dBc 99 dB 67 dB +23 dBm -11 dBm 30 ms -32 dB -58 dB  $      1.396  
  26 Yaesu FT-450, December 2007 134 dB 90 dB -21 dBc 97 dB 67 dB +13 dBm -31 dBm 40 ms -30 dB -48 dB  N/A   
  27 Yaesu FT-2000, February 2007 126 dB 92 dB N/M 95 dB 64 dB +16 dBm -22 dBm 27 ms -32 dB -60 dB  $      3.900  
  28 Icom IC-7000, May 2006 112 dB 86 dB N/M 89 dB 63 dB +6 dBm -27 dBm 12 ms -33 dB -58 dB  $      1.699  
  Transceivers/receivers sorted by 2 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range. Please take into account that there might be a difference in the numbers when comparing the older product reviews (before February 2007) compared to the later product reviews, due to changes in the testing methodology, measurements filters, etcetera.  
  Subject of measurement, band: 14 MHz 20 kHz blocking gain compression 2 kHz blocking gain compression NEW: 2 kHz reciprocal mixing noise 20 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range 2 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range 20 kHz 3rd-order intercept 2 kHz 3rd-order intercept Rx-Tx turnaround time (SSB tx delay) Transmit 3rd-order IMD Transmit 9th-order IMD Listprice in USD (September 2011) $  
Min/max of scale 70/140 dB 70 - 141 dB   50/110 dB 50/110 dB -40/+35 dB -40/+35 dB 50/10 ms -20/-35 dB -20/-70 dB    
    Receiver Transmitter    
                           
  * = Blocking exceeded the levels indicated                      
  # = Class A operation                        
  ! = below/above measurable levels                        
  $ = Listprice in US according to Elecraft, FlexRadio, TenTec and Universal Radio                  
  N/M = Not measured                        
                           
  Please take into account that there might be a difference in the numbers when comparing the older product reviews (before February 2007) compared to the later product reviews, due to  
  changes in the testing methodology, measurements filters, etcetera.                  
                           
  Green = excellent                        
  Light green = good                        
  Yellow = average                        
  Orange = moderate                        
  Red = poor                        
                           
    Blocking gain compression: When a very strong off channel signal appears at the input to a receiver it is often found that the sensitivity is reduced. The effect arises because the  
  front end amplifiers run into compression as a result of the off channel signal. This often arises when a receiver and transmitter are run from the same site and the transmitter signal is  
  exceedingly strong. When this occurs it has the effect of suppressing all the other signals trying to pass through the amplifier, giving the effect of a reduction in gain.      
  Blocking is generally specified as the level of the unwanted signal at a given offset (normally 20 kHz) which will give a 3 dB reduction in gain. A good receiver may be able to withstand signals  
  of about ten milliwatts before this happens.                      
  The blocking specification is now more important than it was many years ago. With the increase in radio communications systems in use, it is quite likely that a radio transmitter will be   
  operating in the close vicinity to a receiver. If the radio receiver is blocked by the neighbouring transmitter then it can seriously degrade the performance of the overall radio communications   
  system.                        
                           
    Reciprocal mixing: a key radio receiver performance parameter which becomes particularly important when signals apart from the wanted one are strong. Reciprocal mixing results from  
  the phase noise performance of the local oscillators within the radio receiver. In general the majority of the phase noise is generated by the main synthesizer within the receiver. When the   
  phase noise from the local oscillator signal is superimposed onto a strong off channel signal, this can mask out a much lower level wanted signal that is within the receiver's passband.  
                             
    Dynamic range: the difference in decibels between the weakest signal the receiver can handle and the strongest signal the same receiver can handle simultaneously,    
  - without the need of using additional controls of the receiver, manually carried out by the operator - within 20 kHz (wide spaced) and 2 kHz (close in) within the receiver's passband.  
  For more information on this important item, written by Rob Sherwood NC0B, please use this link: http://www.sherweng.com/documents/Barc2008.pdf        
                           
    3rd order intercept: this more or less theoretical point, gives a good indication of a receiver's overall strong signal performance. Third order intercept is related to two-tone third order  
  IMD. When receiver's response on desired and undesired signals (within the passband) were plotted in the same graph, the two lines would intersect at a point called the third-order intercept.  
                           
    Tx-Rx turnaround time: the delay between receive and transmit, important for digital modes. A transmit-to-receive delay of 35 ms or less in SSB indicates that the rig is suitable for  
  digital operation.                        
                           
    Transmit 3rd and 9th order IMD: transmit two-tone intermodulation distortion, or two-tone IMD, is a measure of spurious output close to the desired audio of a transmitter being  
  operated in SSB mode. This spurious output is often created in the audio stages of a transceiver, but any amplification stage can contribute!        
  If you have ever heard someone causing "splatter", the noisy audio that extends beyond a normal 3 kHz nominal SSB bandwidth, then you have heard the effects of transmit IMD.    
  Frequencies close to the transmit signal are affected the most, but depending on the amount of IMD, large portions of the band can suffer from one poor transmitter!      
                           
  For more information (including what the numbers really mean) please read ARRL's QST Magazine August 2004 very interesting article on the pages 32-36.      
                             
    v DEC.17.2011                        
  Please send me an e-mail (to: hans at pa1hr dot nl) if you have corrections, remarks, etc.                
                           
    Disclaimer:                        
  The following applies to the page you are currently viewing. By the page, you agree to this disclaimer.              
  This overview is provided for your convenience by Hans PA1HR; it is a summary of measurement figures and gives            
  no indication of the ergonomics, the features and/or the operational characteristics of the transceivers/receivers.            
  The measurement figures in this overview are from the ARRL Laboratory and published in QST.                
  This page is just a non-official overview, where one should draw any conclusions.                  
  The overview on this page is written with the utmost care, yet, PA1HR assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in the displayed.          
  PA1HR is not responsible for the content in this overview, on this page and/or companies referenced.              
                           
                           

 

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