PMSDR - a new low cost SDR receiver

Recently I bought a new General Coverage HF receiver the PMSDR.
This professional designed and produced Software Defined Radio product is created by IW3AUT and produced by RF System in Italy.

 

 

Having used the receiver now for a few weeks I must say that the price
/quality ratio is very good.
It is a very sensitive receiver and outperforms my other receivers Racal RA17L and the Icom R71E.
After having read also the very positive comments and tests as described on several German Ham-forums this receiver is a serious competitor of the
SDR-IQ and the bigger ones like Perseus and SDR-14.

 

Above a screenshot during a early morning TA-DX listening session with some weak TA signals on 1290,1300,1310,1320 and 1330.
(= from a recorded file)



About the PMSDR:
The PMSDR is a Software Defined Radio for the entire VLF-LF-HF field.
The principle of this receiver based on QSD as a mixer that mixes the RF
signal to an intermediate frequency signal in the audio field. The
intermediate frequency signals are further processed by the soundcard of
your PC or notebook. The sound card digitizes the signals after they are
further processed by the SDR software. The SDR software filters and
demodulate the signal.

The PMSDR characterized by its high sensitivity that over the entire
frequency (100 kHz - 55 MHz) is almost constant (ca. 0.25 uV/-120 dBm,
switched filter, 2400 Hz bandwidth (S + N) / N = 3dB).
Such sensitivity is achieved without making the entire preamplifier dynamic
area of the sound card is used. Even with a standard 16 bit sound card, as
these are built into the current generation notebooks
and PCs, values around 100 dB are achieved!
All these values are achieved by using low-noise OPA's and a modern
programmable oscillator.
The effect of the PMSDR has 4 band-pass filters to 30 MHz, these filters
can also be disabled.

The band-pass filters work less well below 700 kHz, there are additional
band filters is recommended.

You only have one PC with a soundcard (stereo input) and a USB jack. The
receiver is powered via the USB port.

The ultimate control of the receiver is powered by the
supplied program WinRad "under Windows XP and Vista, but it also works with" PowerSDR-IQ "and the Linux operating" SDR-SHELL ".
Updates through the USB port can easily be uploaded.

The kit is delivered pre-assembled. All SMD components (175 pieces) are
mounted and the microprocessor is preprogrammed.
You only need to assemble the conventional components such as LEDs, strips, connectors, crystal etc.

The size of the entire receiver are only 10 x 8 x 4.6 cm (W x L x H) and
comes complete with software, housing, cables and LCD display.
The various components can also be supplied separately.



As I am not a technician myself my local PMSDR supplier was willing against some small additional costs to build a complete lCD-box as per above picture.

Quick Band Selection