SDR-4++ Dual diversity general coverage SDR receiver

The SDR-4++ is an HF general coverage dual diversity SDR receiver covering from 0.85 to 70.5 MHz.

It has a Si570 low noise synthesised VFO, relay switched band pass filtering, NXP high linearity RF bipolar amplifiers and built-in USB soundcards.

It uses two of our SDR-4+ receivers using a common oscillator so that both receivers are phase coherent for receiver diversity or radio propagation analysis using two separate antenna systems.

Key design features include:

Antenna isolation transformer with a 50 ohm impedance input for use with coax fed antennas

RF overload protection up to 150W for 10 seconds

Extra antenna isolation when the receiver is powered down

Relay switched RF band pass filters

RF amplifier using a NXP high linearity RF bipolar amplifier in the receiver front end

Crosstalk isolation between the receivers better than 50 dB

Built-in 16 bit USB stereo soundcard gives 89 dB dynamic range. Typically 8 bit SDR dongles have 45 db and 12 bit SDR receivers have 70 dB dynamic range. The total dynamic range is limited by the sound card so the receiver has a socket to connect to a external 24 bit sound card if required

3.5mm IQ audio output from each receiver for connection to external high sampling rate sound cards

CCW SDR-4+ Receiver
3.5mm soundcard audio output from each receiver for headphone monitoring or connection to datamodes program

3.5mm soundcard audio output with outputs from both receivers for headphone monitoring or connection to datamodes program

Built in a compact aluminium case 175 x 106 x 45 mm for full RF shielding

Specifications:

Frequency range: 850 kHz to 70.5 MHz

Input impedance: 50 ohms

Clipping RF level: -13 dBm

Maximum frequency display: 48 kHz internal sound card, up to 192 kHz external sound card

CCW SDR-4+ Receiver
Minimum discernable signal: -140 dBm

Input IP3: +10 dBm (measured with two -20 dBm carriers with 20 kHz spacing at 14 MHz, attenuator off)

Receiver modes: Depends upon the SDR software used with the receiver

Supply voltage: 5 Volts (from USB ports)

Supply current: 420 mA (from USB ports)

Connectors: Two BNC female (RF in 50 ohms), three USB B ports, five 3.5mm stereo jacks

Overall dimensions: 185 mm (L) x 110 mm (W) x 50 mm (H)

The images on the right show a SDR-4++ receiver using two HDSDR sessions to display each receiver channel simultaneously. For the demonstration the receiver on the top waterfall uses a vertically polarised Fractal Vertical antenna. The receiver for the bottom waterfall uses a horizontally polarised terminated inverted V dipole. The images show typical displays on medium wave broadcast, short wave and the last image shows an Over The Horizon Radar (OTHR) transmitting in the 20m amateur band. It is interesting to note the difference in interference pick-up between the two antennas and also that some signals appear on one antenna and not the other.

CCW SDR-4+ Receiver
Monitoring the dual receiver output with headphones is interesting. Background white noise appears as a wide stereo field while wanted signals appear in the centre of the stereo image. It was easier to read a weak signal low down in the noise especially during fading as often fading is due to polarisation changes over ionospheric paths. When antennas of different polarisation are used with this receiver the effects of fading are minimised.

The SDR-4++ dual receiver guide can be downloaded as a PDF file here .

A typical SDR-4++ receiver test sheet can be downloaded as a PDF file here .

The SDR-4+ USB driver installer can be downloaded as a zip file here . The USB installer program loads a driver certificate then the driver file so that it works on the latest versions of Windows.

The SDR-4+ and SDR-4++ setup program can be downloaded as a zip file here . This installer program stores the USB drivers in a folder C:/SDR-4+ and places the ExtIO files in the HDSDR and Winrad folders in Program Files and Program Files (x86).

This is a link to our CloudMe folder allowing the files included on the CD shipped with each receiver to be downloaded here .

The SDR program we recommend for first time users of SDR receivers is HDSDR which can be downloaded here .

Authors of SDR software programs or other radio programs can add support for the SDR-4++ to their software using the SDR-4+ interface specification.

Contact Cross Country Wireless via Email address hidden from spambots for more details.

Price 306,95GBP