WR-G305e PC Blax-Box-Receiver 9 kHz - 1800 MHz

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Overview The WiNRADiO WR-G305e is a software-defined PC-based wideband receiver (9 kHz to 1800 MHz, expandable to 3500 MHz with an optional downconverter). It represents an external version of the WR-G305i receiver, with equivalent performance. The PC-based receiver is USB-controlled and compatible with modern desktop and laptop computers with USB interface. An optional serial interface is also available. The WiNRADiO G305e: A truly ground-breaking scanner that will surely amaze you.

Features  Frequency range from 9 kHz to 1800 MHz        Software-defined demodulation  Extraordinary sensitivity  Tracking front-end filters  Excellent strong signal handling  Real-time spectrum analyzer  Spot-on tuning in 1Hz steps  Accurate signal strength indicator  Fast scanning speed  Multiple squelch modes  Very low phase noise  DRM decoder option  3.5 GHz downconverter option  USB interface (serial optional)  Plug and Play installation With the Professional Demodulator Option, the many additional features include:  Continuously variable IF bandwidth 100 Hz - 15 kHz  User adjustable filter selectivity  WiNRADiO Digital Bridge™ compatibility  Built-in test and measurement instrumentation  Interactive block diagrams

The WR-G305e is another member of our award-winning family of G3 software defined receivers. A Software Defined Radio (SDR) is such where demodulation and the last IF (intermediate frequency) processing are done entirely in software. Usually this means using a DSP, but in the case of the G305e, this processing is done on a PC. Most modern PCs are now faster and more powerful than many DSPs were only a few years ago. So, if you own a PC, the chances are that you already own an important part of a software defined radio receiver!

In addition to the flexible and friendly user interface, with its numerous functions and facilities not normally available on conventional receivers, the WiNRADiO G305e receiver excells particularly by the ability of its demodulators: While the Standard Demodulator provides performance of a highly respectable general-coverage scanner, including a real-time spectrum scope, synchronous AM demodulation and other features, the optional Professional Demodulator offers even more: continuous IF filter bandwidth adjustment (in 1 Hz increments), interactive block diagrams with two additional audio spectrum scopes, and even built-in signal measurement facilities.

What's included? The standard WR-G305e package includes:  WR-G305e receiver  Application software  Comprehensive user's manual  Low-noise linear power supply  Start-up antenna  USB cable  BNC-to-SMA adapter

No lengthy and frustrating installation needed: Run the installation program, plug the receiver in and experience scanning the bands as you never did before! System requirements:  PC with 500 MHz Pentium CPU or faster  One free USB socket  Windows 98/ME/2000/XP  Sound Blaster 16 (or compatible sound card)

An optional DRM decoder/demodulator is also available.

G305 demodulators are DSP software plug-ins which fit into the G305 control panel. All the last IF (intermediate frequency stage) and the demodulation stage functions are performed in software. Having been freed from hardware constraints, this brings about unprecedented level of flexibility and performance to the receiver. The G305 is being introduced with two demodulators, with others to follow. The Standard Demodulator is included as a standard part of the package, while the Professional Demodulator is optional.

The G305 Standard Demodulator provides excellent performance with minimum adjustable parameters, and facilities exceeding those of a demodulator of a conventional shortwave receiver in this price range (such as real-time spectrum scope). The optional Professional Demodulator goes yet another step further and offers additional demodulation modes, and fully user-adjustable demodulation parameters, complete with interactive block diagrams of the internal structure of the demodulator, an additional dual real-time spectrum scope with vector voltmeter, SINAD and THD measurement, and many other facilities. This is a serious tool for a serious experimenter.

G305 Standard Demodulator Standard Demodulator with Wide-FM option installed.

This demodulator is supplied as standard part of the G305 receiver package. It features AM, AMS (synchronous AM), AMN (narrow band AM), LSB, USB, FM6 (6 kHz FM), FMN (15 kHz FM) and CW modes, with fixed bandwidths (the FMW mode is optional). There is a real-time spectrum scope which shows the actual situation on the received band. An interesting feature is Software AGC (i.e. digital AGC, in addition to the conventional analog AGC). The dual-loop AGC of the G305 receiver makes it possible to process the weakest as well as the strongest signals with equal clarity. As the power of an ordinary PC does not yet allow to process the bandwidth of a wide-FM modulated signal (broadcast FM) directly, the option to receive wide-FM is offered separately. The Wide-FM Demodulator Option is based on conventional hardware (i.e. it is not software-defined) as an independent "receiver in a receiver". If this option is installed and selected, the real-time spectrum scope shows the demodulated signal audio spectrum instead of the radio frequency spectrum.

Clicking the Setup button, another window opens, making it possible to adjust the necessary minimum number of parameters for optimum performance:

The user adjustable parameters include the sound card selection, sampling rate (48000 samples/sec is recommended, 44100 can be also used), and the sound card input gain. A clipping (input level overload) indicator and a CPU usage meter are also provided for the user's convenience. With a minimum of initial set-up, the demodulator (and so the G305 receiver) are ready to go!

G305 Professional Demodulator Professional Demodulator with Wide-FM option installed.

This advanced demodulator is offered as an optional extra. It adds DSB and ISB modes, additional Audio AGC settings and continuous IF bandwidth adjustment (from 100 Hz to 15 kHz). There are also user-definable IF bandwidth preset buttons at the bottom. Many more exciting facilities are hidden under the Setup button: Optimized filter settings make it possible to increase the receiver sensitivity typically by 2 dB on AM, SSB and FM; and by up to 10 dB on CW.

The Professional Demodulator Setup window offers many additional facilities: In the section on the left, user-specified AGC constants and Secondary output have been added. The secondary output makes it possible to pass the demodulated signal data directly to third-party signal processing applications, for example software decoders. For this, the WiNRADiO optional Digital Bridge™ Virtual Sound Card is useful to facilitate such seamless connection. In the section on the right, the demodulator parameters (such as the digital filter lengths which directly influence the receiver's selectivity) can be adjusted by the user. There are separate "tabs" for independent setting of each of the eleven demodulation modes. There is also a facility to graphically adjust the desired passband of the audio filter, and a set of ten convenient user-definable IF bandwidth presets separate for each demodulation mode.   At the top, there is a block diagram showing the structure of the currently selected demodulator (each modulation mode has its own demodulator). Below, there are also two spectrum analyzers. Left clicking on any of the color points inside the block diagram will connect the left spectrum analyzer to the associated point (the color of the point will change to red). Right clicking will connect the right spectrum analyzer (the point color will turn blue). At bottom left, there is a Vector Voltmeter showing amplitude and phase differences between the two selected points, at the cursor frequency. There are also THD (total harmonic distortion) and SINAD (signal-plus-noise-plus-distortion to noise-plus-distortion) meters, to complement this unique instrument.

G305 Wide-FM Option Professional Demodulator with Wide-FM option activated.

With the standard G305 receiver, the FMW mode button is disabled and the wide FM demodulation mode is not available. This is because wide FM demodulation is not possible to be provided as part of the G305 software-defined radio system, within the constraints imposed by the processing power of a standard personal computer. However, wide-band FM demodulation capability is available as a factory-installed option. This is in fact a self-contained "hardware-defined" receiver which shares only the main receiver's front-end and first mixer, but has an independent wide-band analog processing circuit with a conventional "hardwired" demodulator. If the Wide FM Option is installed, the FMW button becomes active. The demodulator spectrum display shows real-time spectrum of the demodulated audio. In the Professional Demodulator there is a user-definable audio filter, displayed superimposed over the audio spectrum and graphically adjustable.

The G305 Professional Demodulator can be purchased later as a separate option, or bundled together with the G305 receiver, with a cost advantage. The model number of such bundled product is WR-G305i/PD (PCI version) or WR-G305e/PD (USB version).  The G305 Wide-FM Option is factory-fitted and should be specified at the time of purchase. Retrofitting requires shipping the unit back to the factory and attracts additional cost. The model numbers of units fitted with the Wide-FM option are WR-G305i/WFM (PCI version) or WR-G305e/WFM (USB version).  The model numbers of receivers supplied with both the Professional Demodulator option and the Wide-FM option are WR-G305i/WFM/PD (PCI version) or WR-G305e/WFM/PD (USB version).

WR-G305e Receiver Options

The following hardware options are available for the WR-G305e receiver: Wall-mounting bracket (WR-G3E-WMB)   This wall mounting bracket makes it possible to mount the WR-G305e receiver to a wall or under a desk, thus saving desk space. Also useful for installation in boats and vehicles. An elegant and useful accessory. Serial interface option (WR-G3E-SIO)   This option allows you to connect the receiver to a PC using the serial (RS-232C) interface rather than the standard USB interface. The receiver works somewhat differently with the serial interface: While with USB interface the receiver relies on its own built-in analog-to-digital converter to digitize the signal, with the serial interface option the input digitization is performed by the PC sound card. Wide-FM option (WR-G305-WFM)   Professional Demodulator with Wide-FM option activated.   With the standard G305 receiver, the FMW mode button is disabled and the wide FM demodulation mode is not available. This is because wide FM demodulation is not possible to be provided as part of the G305 software-defined radio system, within the constraints imposed by the processing power of a standard personal computer. However, wide-band FM demodulation capability is available as a factory-installed option. This is in fact a self-contained "hardware-defined" receiver which shares only the main receiver's front-end and first mixer, but has an independent wide-band analog processing circuit with a conventional "hardwired" demodulator. If the Wide FM Option is installed, the FMW button becomes active. The demodulator spectrum display shows real-time spectrum of the demodulated audio. In the Professional Demodulator there is a user-definable audio filter, displayed superimposed over the audio spectrum and graphically adjustable.

WR-G305e Specifications

Receiver type DDS-based dual-conversion superheterodyne with software-defined last IF stage and demodulator Frequency range 9 kHz - 1800 MHz (3500 MHz with optional downconverter) Tuning resolution 1 Hz Mode   AM, AMN, AMS, LSB, USB, CW, FMN Optional: ISB, DSB (See Note 1.) FMW (See Note 2.) Image/Spurious Rejection 60 dB IP3 0 dBm @ 20kHz MDS -135 dBm Spurious-free Dynamic Range 90 dB Phase noise -148 dBc/Hz @ 100 kHz RSSI accuracy 5 dB RSSI sensitivity 1 µV Selectivity (-6dB) (See Note 3.) AM 6 kHz AMN 4 kHz AMS 4 kHz LSB, USB 2.5 kHz CW 500 Hz FM3 3 kHz FM6 6 kHz FMN 12 kHz FMW (optional) 230 kHz Scanning speed 60 channels/s max Sensitivity (AM/SSB/CW 10dB S/N) (FM 12dB SINAD) (See Note 4.) Mode 0.15-500 MHz 500-1800 MHz AM, AMS 1.7µV 1.85µV LSB, USB 0.35µV 0.37µV CW 0.2µV 0.25µV FM3, FM6, FMN 0.7µV 0.8µV FMW (optional) 2.0µV 2.0µV Intermediate frequencies IF1: 109.65 MHz IF2: 12 kHz Roofing filter 2 x 4-pole 15 kHz BW crystal filter Frequency stability 10 ppm (0 to 60° C) Antenna input 50 ohm (SMA connector) Output 12 kHz IF2 output (sound card Line Input compatible) Interface USB (1.0 and 2.0 compatible) (serial interface optional) Dimensions Length: 164 mm (6.46") Width: 96 mm (3.78") Height: 41 mm (1.61") Weight 467 g (16.40 oz)

Notes: 1. The Professional Demodulator offers two additional demodulation modes, DSB and ISB. 2. The Wide-FM Option provides a separate wide-FM demodulator. The wide-FM demodulation is performed in hardware, using conventional hardware-based demodulation techniques, in order to ease the requirement of PC processing power which would otherwise be required for a signal of this bandwidth. In other words, the Wide-FM Option is an entirely separate receiver on its own right. 3. The Professional Demodulator offers continuously adjustable IF bandwidth from 100 to 15000 Hz in all narrow-band modes. The optional Wide-FM demodulator has a fixed bandwidth of 230 kHz. 4. The AM sensitivity is specified at 30% modulation for 10 dB S/N ratio. For 80% modulation, typical AM sensitivity of WR-G305i is 0.60 µV in 0.15-500 MHz range. The Professional Demodulator improves sensitivity further by making it posible to extend filter lengths, and adjust the IF bandwidth for optimum reception of the received signal: This results in a typical improvement by 2-3 dB on AM/SSB/FM and up to 10 dB on CW. The WR-G305e receiver is truly one of the most sensitive receivers available, yet with an excellent dynamic range. The following table illustrates the effect of the AM modulation depth and the Professional Demodulator on typical sensitivity figures:     AM Sensitivity (10 MHz, 10 dB S/N) Demodulator 30% modulation 80% modulation Standard 1.7 µV 0.6 µV Professional 1.5 µV 0.45 µV   Specifications are subject to change without notice due to continuous product development and improvement.