QST Magazine Product Reviews - K

QST Magazine Product Reviews - Key Measurements Summary - HF-Transceivers or Receivers

Receiver

Subject of measurement, band: 14 MHz

20 kHz reciprocal mixing dynamic range

2 kHz reciprocal mixing dynamic range

20 kHz blocking gain compression

2 kHz blocking gain compression

20 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range

2 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range

20 kHz 3rd-order intercept

2 kHz 3rd-order intercept

Transmit 3rd-order IMD

Transmit 9th-order IMD

Rx-Tx turnaround time (SSB tx delay)

Price in USD (2012/2013)

Company's site

Min/max of scale

-60/-140 dBc

-60/-140 dBc

70/140 dB

70/140 dB

50/110 dB

50/110 dB

-40/+35 dB

-40/+35 dB

-20/-35 dB

-20/-70 dB

50/10 ms

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

N/M

N/M

136 dB *

136 dB *

114 dB **

114 dB **

+41 dBm **

+40 dBm **

-43 dB #**

-72 dB #**

37 ms

$ 5.529

2

WiNRADIO WR-G31DDC, January 2012

N/M

N/M

128 dB

128 dB

107 dB

107 Db

+32 dBm

+32dBm

N/A

N/A

N/A

$ 899

www.winradio.com

3

Elecraft K3, January 2009

N/M

N/M

142 dB **

140 dB

106 dB

103 dB

+29 dBm

+28 dBm

-29 dB

-51 dB

12 ms

$ 2.200

www.elecraft.com

4

Elecraft K3, April 2008

N/M

N/M

139 dB

139 dB

103 dB

102 dB

+26 dBm

+26 dBm

-27 dB

-53 dB

22 ms

$ 2.200

www.elecraft.com

NEW

5

Yaesu FTdx3000, April 2013

-106 dBc

-82 dBc

137 dB *

127 dB

110 dB

100 dB

+40 dBm **

+23 dBm

-27 dB

-52 dB

34 ms

$ 2.699

6

Elecraft KX3, December 2012

-120 dBc

-114 dBc

130 dB

128 dB

103 dB

100 dB

+34 dBm

+34 dBm

-30 dB

-55 dB

30 ms

$ 999

www.elecraft.com

7

FlexRadio FLEX-5000A, July 2008

N/M

N/M

123 dB

123 dB

99 dB

99 dB

+35 dBm

+30 dBm

-34 dB

-54 dB

29 ms

$ 2.799

www.flexradio.com

8

TenTec 599AT Eagle, August 2011

N/M

N/M

136 dB

121 dB

98 dB

98 dB

+22 dBm

+22 dBm

-28 dB

-48 dB

16 ms

$ 1.795

9

Kenwood TS-590S, May 2011

N/M

N/M

141 dB **

126 dB

106 dB

97 dB

+26 dBm

+22 dBm

-29 dB

-52 dB

14 ms

$ 1.649

www.kenwood.com

10

Perseus SDR, December 2008

N/M

N/M

129 dB

129 dB

100 dB

97 dB

+35 dBm

+35 dBm

N/A

N/A

N/A

$ 999

www.microtelecom.it

11

Icom IC-7700, October 2008

N/M

N/M

125 dB

102 dB

106 dB

95 dB

+35 dBm

+24 dBm

-28 dB

-53 dB

15 ms

$ 7.179

www.icomamerica.com

12

TenTec Orion-II, September 2006

N/M

N/M

136 dB

136 dB

92 dB

95 dB

+20 dBm

+21 dBm

-28 dB

-52 dB

30 ms

$ 4.295

13

Flex-3000, Oct/Nov 2009

N/M

N/M

113 dB

113 dB

99 dB

95 dB

+28 dBm

+26 dBm

-30 dB

-45 dB

48 ms

$ 1.699

www.flexradio.com

14

Icom IC-7410, October 2011

N/M

N/M

143 dB **

111 dB

106 dB

88 dB

+29 dBm

+5 dBm

-30 dB

-61 dB

45 ms

$ 1.949

www.icomamerica.com

15

Icom IC-7600, November 2009

N/M

N/M

122 dB

102 dB

106 dB

88 dB

+31 dBm

+13 dBm

-31 dB

-48 dB

13 ms

$ 4.976

www.icomamerica.com

16

Icom IC-9100, April 2012

-101 dBc

-77 dBc

142 dB **

111 dB

108 dB

87 dB

+29 dBm

+2 dBm

-29 dB

-64 dB

61 ms

$ 3.650

www.icomamerica.com

17

Icom IC-7800 V2, March 2007

N/M

N/M

144 dB **

117 dB

108 dB

86 dB

+38 dBm **

+22 dBm

-32 dB

-52 dB

15 ms

$ 12.499

www.icomamerica.com

18

FlexRadio FLEX-1500, December 2011

N/M

N/M

107 dB

107 dB

100 dB

86 dB

+31 dBm

+13 dBm

-22 dB

-48 dB

200 ms

$ 649

www.flexradio.com

19

Yaesu FTdx9000MP, July 2010

N/M

N/M

137 dB

102 dB

99 dB

85 dB

+28 dBm

+7 dBm

-37 dB #**

>-75 dB #**

32 ms

$ 11.629

20

TenTec R4020 QRP, February 2011

N/M

N/M

N/M

N/M

84 dB

84 dB

-10 dB

-10 dB

N/M

N/M

N/M

$ 249

21

TenTec Omni-VII, July 2007

N/M

N/M

137 dB

134 dB

91 dB

82 dB

+11 dBm

+6,5 dBm

-27 dB

-55 dB

20 ms

$ 2.695

22

Icom IC-R9500, January 2008

N/M

N/M

144 dB **

109 dB

5kHz/92 dB

81 dB

+32 dBm

-4dBm

N/A

N/A

N/A

$ 17.000

www.icomamerica.com

23

Yaesu FTdx9000C, March 2006

N/M

N/M

128 dB

97 dB

101 dB

78 dB

+35 dBm

+1 dBm

-34 dB #

-80 dB #**

35 ms

$ 5.779

24

Yaesu FT-450D, November 2011

N/M

N/M

134 dB

88 dB

97 dB

76 dB

+16 dBm

-21 dBm

-25 dB

-50 dB

17 ms

$ 999

25

Yaesu FT-950, March 2008

N/M

N/M

128 dB

98 dB

95 dB

71 dB

+21 dBm

-4 dBm

-35 dB

-56 dB

25 ms

$ 1.449

26

Alinco DX-SR8T, June 2011

N/M

N/M

100 dB

83 dB

94 dB

70 dB

+1 dB

-30 dB

-28dB

-53 dB

50 ms

$ 519

27

Yaesu FT-2000D, October 2007

N/M

N/M

136 dB

87 dB

98 dB

69 dB

+26 dBm

-16 dBm

-41 dB #**

-65 dB #

37 ms

$ 3.549

28

Icom IC-7200, June 2009

N/M

N/M

140 dB

83 dB

99 dB

67 dB

+23 dBm

-11 dBm

-32 dB

-58 dB

30 ms

$ 1.396

www.icomamerica.com

29

Yaesu FT-450, December 2007

N/M

N/M

134 dB

90 dB

97 dB

67 dB

+13 dBm

-31 dBm

-30 dB

-48 dB

40 ms

N/A

30

Yaesu FT-2000, February 2007

N/M

N/M

126 dB

92 dB

95 dB

64 dB

+16 dBm

-22 dBm

-32 dB

-60 dB

27 ms

$ 2.819

31

Icom IC-7000, May 2006

N/M

N/M

112 dB

86 dB

89 dB

63 dB

+6 dBm

-27 dBm

-33 dB

-58 dB

12 ms

$ 1.299

www.icomamerica.com

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 reciprocal mixing dynamic range

2 kHz reciprocal mixing dynamic range

20 kHz blocking gain compression

2 kHz blocking gain compression

20 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range

2 kHz 3rd-order dynamic range

20 kHz 3rd-order intercept

2 kHz 3rd-order intercept

Transmit 3rd-order IMD

Transmit 9th-order IMD

Rx-Tx turnaround time (SSB tx delay)

Listprice in USD (2011/2012)

Company's site

Min/max of scale

60/140 dB

60/140 dB

70/140 dB

70 - 141 dB

50/110 dB

50/110 dB

-40/+35 dB

-40/+35 dB

-20/-35 dB

-20/-70 dB

50/10 ms

Receiver

* = Blocking exceeded the levels indicated

** = Below/above measurable levels

# = Class A operation

$ = 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 dynamic range:

ARRL Lab reports three dynamic range measurements that determine a transceiver’s overall performance.

Along with blocking gain compression dynamic range and two tone third order dynamic range, we must consider RMDR while evaluating how well a receiver hears.

Which of these measurements is the most important factor in comparing receivers depends a lot on how you plan to use that receiver. For hearing weak signals at or near the receiver’s noise floor,

receiver noise typically is the limiting factor. For the reception of stronger signals under crowded band conditions, two tone third order DR is the most important number.

To assess a receiver’s ability to perform well in the presence of a single, strong off-channel signal (common within geographical ham radio “clusters” or with another ham on the same block),

blocking gain compression DR is usually the dominant factor.

Reciprocal mixing is noise generated in a superheterodyne receiver when noise from the local oscillator (LO) mixes with strong, adjacent signals . All LOs generate some noise on each sideband,

and some LOs produce more noise than others. This sideband noise mixes with the strong, adjacent off-channel signal, and this generates noise at the output of the mixer.

This noise can degrade a receiver’s sensitivity and is most notable when a strong signal is just outside the IF passband. RMDR at 2 kHz spacing is almost

always the worst of the dynamic range measurements at 2 kHz spacing that we report in the “Product Review” data table.

3rd order 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 MAR.16.2013

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 no 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.