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Software Defined Radio
The WR-G33EM is the first Software Defined Radio specifically
designed for marine applications.
A Software Defined Radio (SDR) is one where most of the radio signal
processing is performed in software, using digital signal processing
methods, rather than using traditional hardware parts, resistors,
capacitors, diodes, etc. The received signal is digitized early in the
signal processing chain, and any further processing, demodulation and
decoding of the digitized signal is then performed entirely in software.
There are many advantages to this approach, especially the
flexibility of demodulation modes - new modes can be added easily by
simply upgrading software. The G33EM also performs better than a
comparable conventional receiver, thanks to advanced signal processing
techniques which make it possible to implement sharper selectivity
filters, and more accurate demodulators and decoders than conventional
hardware.
The performance of a Software Defined Radio receivers is also more
consistent, stable and reliable because component tolerances and aging
do not play such an important role as in a conventional receiver.
And finally, the G33EM receiver offers far more features and
facilities than a conventional receiver. For example, the real-time
spectrum analyzer with continuously variable bandwidth, graphical notch
filter and IF recording are some of the many features which were
previously unavailable on a conventional marine radio, in particular at
such an affordable price level.
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