SDRplay Limited has today announced the launch of a new Software Defined Radio product – the RSP1A. The SDR-play RSP1A is a major upgrade to the popular RSP1 and is a powerful wideband full featured 14-bit SDR which covers the RF spectrum from 1 kHz to 2GHz. Due to its exceptional combination of performance and price, the RSP1 has proved to be a very popular choice as an “entry level” SDR receiver. Since launching the RSP1, we have learned a great deal about what people are looking for in SDR receivers, and where possible, we have incorporated these improvements and new features into the RSP1A. The RSP1A therefore delivers a significant number of additional features which result in benefits to amateur radio enthusiasts as well as significant benefits for the scientific, educational and industrial SDR community. Here are the main additional features of the RSP1A compared to the original RSP1: ADC resolution increased to 14-bit native for sample rates below 6MHz, increasing to 16 bits with decimation. Enhanced RF pre-selection (greater filter selectivity plus 4 additional sub-bands compared to the original RSP1) for reduced levels of spurious responses Improved LNA architecture with variable gain. The RSP1 had just a single gain step. Improved intermodulation performance Performance extended to cover 1kHz to 2GHz with a single antenna port. Bias-T facility Improved frequency stability incorporating a 0.5ppm TCXO (software trimmable to 0.01ppm) Selectable broadcast AM/FM/DAB notch filters RF shielding within the robust plastic casing When used together SDRplay’s own SDRuno software, the RSP1A becomes a high performance SDR platform. The benefits of using the RSP1A with SDRuno include: Highly integrated native support for the RSP1A Calibrated RF Power Meter with more than 100dB of usable range Calibrated S-Meter including support for IARU S-Meter Standard The ability to save power (dBm) and SNR (dB) measurements over time, to a CSV file for future analysis The IQ output wav files can be accessed for 3rd party applications SDRplay has also worked with developers of the popular HDSDR, SDR-Console and Cubic SDR software packages to ensure compatibility. As with the RSP1, SDRplay provides multiplatform driver and API support which includes Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and Raspberry Pi 3. There is even a downloadable SD card image available for Raspberry Pi3 which includes Cubic SDR. The RSP1A is expected to retail at approximately £76 (excluding taxes) or $100 (excluding taxes) http://www.sdrplay.com/
I love my RSPlay2 but I am concerned they may be confusing the customer base. The frequent switching of models is odd. Perhaps it's growing pains and I do like they are improving the product at a reasonable price point. It does leave previous buyers with an out dated product. I hope they incorporate the ability to upgrade the firmware even if they require a fee after a point. It really is a great product and I mainly use it as a pan adapter for my rigs. ( Even my 7300!). It works great as a stand alone receiver.
Firstly, the RSP1 was first launched in August 2014. It has been a very successful product for us and hopefully much enjoyed by many of our customers. We decided that after more than three years of production, technology had moved on and it was time to bring our entry level product up to date. Demand for the RSP1 had fallen off and we hadn’t built production for some time and rather than build more when stocks were exhausted, we felt that the time was right to refresh the product. The RSP1 is not obsolete. It has simply been discontinued from production and replaced with the RSP1A. We will continue to support all of our RSP1 customers and support the RSP1 in all of our software updates. The RSP1A is not a replacement or an ‘upgrade’ for the RSP2 or RSP2pro. There will be no RSP1Apro (metal case version). The RF performance of the RSP2 and the RSP1A are quite similar and published reviews have shown this. In some regards, the RSP2 is superior (lower noise figure) and in other ways the RSP1A is better, as it is a year newer. The RSP2 is more feature-rich and we believe is still the best solution for those that want to use multiple antennas at an affordable price. It also has the ability to sync up the clock to multiple devices or to a GPS clock, which you will never be able to do with the RSP1A. Which is the better product for any individual will depend upon their personal interests, circumstances and reception environment. In the world of SDRs an outdated product means it no longer receives updates to the software and or API/Driver.
We NEVER pre-announce new products. The reason for this is quite simple. Until we commence production there is no certainty that we will actually launch a new product. We are constantly evaluating new product concepts and ideas and at any given point in time. We build lots of prototypes and experiment with ideas. The decision as to whether to put a device into production or not is based upon an assessment of the market conditions at any point in time and whether we feel a product is the right one. Ramping production is not a decision that we take lightly. The costs of production tooling, building inventory and qualifying a new product are very high and so we need to be confident that the timing and the product are right.
I bought an RSP1 about two years ago, and was very impressed overall. Since I had a lot of interest in VLF~MF, and doing experiments with diversity-reception (requires sync'ed receivers), I bought two RSP2s in January of this year - I use them rather intensively, and I'm very happy with them. Happy enough that I am planning to buy two more to build a 'remote setup' identical to what I am running in the shack. Please don't change your release methodology. Ever. Your engineering team clearly has a good handle on both the technology, and what is desirable in a high-performance receiver. Allowing the marketing team to distract them from their work will not improve the process; on the contrary, it will dilute their focus on the technology, and force them to make compromises with regards to "market readiness". You've proven that you produce excellent products and provide excellent support, to a quickly growing user-base. The hardware itself is outstanding, offering functionality not elsewhere available unless you are able and willing to pay 10X as much, i.e. the integrated Sync in/out ports and the software-controlled LNA - features typically only found on Lab-Grade equipment. On the software side, the SDRUno application is stable and very easy to use - excellent for the beginner to intermediate user. Going further, your integration support for Linux via the API - on both PCs and the Raspberry Pi hardware platform - outstrips what any other SDR vendor in the <$800 price class is providing, giving advanced users the opportunity to do a host of interesting things, like record lots of spectrum and do post-processing to look for specific signals asynchronously; things like 'spectrum hashing' - for the purpose of long-term propagation studies, and also for long-term studies of specific-frequencies searching for utilization patterns; etc, etc. lastly, the easy to use API creates an open door for community development of new applications to 'ride' on top of your hardware and API for a wide variety of niche uses. I've never imagined myself a software developer, but your API is simple enough to use that I've begun writing code to use it directly for certain spectrum-capture functions, and I see a path whereby that can grow into an entire application specific to my needs. With the RSP as my 'good foundation', I'm able to build what I need for what I want to do, which is a very exciting prospect. Warmest 73 Chuck, N1KGY
How did you make it as panadapter for 7300? Can you transmit with it? Now am a little confused. RSP1a or RSP2 for my upgrade.
You use this along with a mini circuits splitter combiner https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/inr-rx7300
Oh yes, sorry. I was thinking external antenna. The Inrad device was primarily developed after the complaining that the 7300 did not have a second antenna input. I ordered an RSP1A. It was shipped today. Looking forward to using it.
I wouldn't recommend this for an Android smartphone. The app is only a miserable toy. Also tried Linux program on laptop. Spent way too much time with no results. No joy.
Not sure if you know this but both the 1 and 2 have updated drivers for SDRtouch. The 1a driver is not been released yet. This discussion is about the 1a
