This might seem a bit of a misnomer given the title of this thread … or it could just be we're all older than we like to think. I'm referring to SDR radio (Software Defined Radio.) You'd hardly think this could enter the description of
'Old radio gear' but .. given the speed of software and computer equipment advancement,
'Old' has become time dilated.
Since going on the air as an amateur, less than a year ago, I've become interested in SDR to the point of obsession. Much more than a year ago, I'd never heard of it other than some sort of novelty on various websites …. a particularly good one is:
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/
to give you a taste.
So I've invested in a small SDR radio (not much bigger than a Swan Vestas matchbox) and I'm stunned at its capabilities. Still gobsmacked by this one day I was mooching about on Ebay and I noticed what was classified as an ancient SDR radio, a FLEX 3000, so more out of curiosity (as much about the software the box itself) I bid on it and was the only bidder !!
FLEX are still going, but this set is long out of production. It connects to the computer by firewire, which I had to buy a PCIE card for as my machine didn't have that port. Connected it all up, installed the PowerSDR software and away you go. It's utterly stunning.
The blue box you can see is the FLEX. I put the Handbook by it to give you an idea of its size, (much larger than the other SDR set.) The software display that controls it is alongside. The world map shows the position of the Sun, the Moon and the ISS against and it has bells and whistles to infinity and back again and every kind of display from spectrum analyser to waterfall to others that are downright weird.
The FLEX is not just a receiver, it's a 100 watt transceiver, hence the meaty power supply.
I still can't quite get over these advances since my days sailing with an R50M
Yet this FLEX is now an old banger !! …..