apache-labs.com

Hi All,

I am considering the purchase of a 7000DLE i7 MkII .

Any comments that anyone would care regarding this rig would be appreciated.

Thanks & 73,
Paul N2PK

Will this be your first openHPSDR architecture radio?

No, Scott.

Been using PowerSDR mRX PS for a couple years now with a Red Pitaya and ready
for an SDR upgrade.

Also, have space limitations and that mainly drives my interest in the i7 version.

73,
Paul N2PK

That makes the answer easier.

The answer is, you will enjoy significantly improved receive and transmit RF performance. You will be able to use the latest version of PowerSDR mRX PS and utilize all of its various features. Even better, you will probably find yourself migrating to the more experimental "Protocol 2" firmware and running the even more capable Thetis client software.

Other than that there's not much to add. It is essentially two completely federated systems inside one box: the radio hardware and the i7 NUC PC. You even have to connect their individual Ethernet ports together, the two components are not integrated in any way except mechanically.

Personally I prefer having a separate PC. It is easier to work on, upgrade, provision additional monitors, etc.

Many thanks, Scott. yes, Looking forward to better performance.

How has Windows 10 worked out for you and other 7/8kDLE users with
both PowerSDR and THETIS?

Also can PowerSDR and THETIS be used alternately, if desired, for
comparisons at least in the beginning? Or do firmware differences
make that difficult?

73,
Paul N2PK

One other query:

I currently use PSDR, the Red Pitaya, and two nominally identical RX antennas for beam-forming.

I had read that some users seemed to be having difficulty doing that with their 7000DLE's.

Have all those problems been either explained and/or resolved - ie no sync hardware issues?

73,
Paul N2PK

Windows 10 is preferred.

You cannot jump back and forth quickly between PowerSDR and Thetis. You have to change the firmware each time

There have never been any problems with beam forming ("diversity") on any Apache hardware, including the 7000 series. Do not confuse operator error with actual reality

Thanks, Scott.

Can anyone answer these questions re the embedded i7 NUC:

1. What size in MB is its hard drive?
2. Is its hard drive mechanical or SSD?
3. Which version of windows 10 is installed?

Thanks,
Paul N2PK