Tuesday, March 02, 2021

Winradio G31DDC - Now With SDR Console

July 2010: I received my first Winradio G31DDC from Waters & Stanton in the UK. I was looking for an SDR at least as good, or preferably better than the Perseus SDR, and this was it. Armed with a 16-bit ADC and slightly better sensitivity, it was Winradio's attempt to cater for the DX community rather than professional customers. 

I didn't fancy the graphical user interface though. And what's worse, for one used to making IQ recordings, both live and scheduled, its software failed miserably. First, the IQ files could not be date- and timestamped. Why on earth....? Second, the scheduling option was audio ONLY! Why, oh why.

Later on, the G33DDC appeared which solved these "issues", but at more than double the price. The GUI itself was still not what I wanted, and no third-party software was in the pipeline. Then came the Jaguar software for Perseus, a giant leap for DX-ers who want to schedule, record and analyze IQ recordings. So, both Winradios were sold.

Fast forward to 2021: SDR Console and Simon Brown decided to work on the G31DDC. By coincidence I had a G31 belonging to an estate, waiting to be sold, and decided to wait out Console support. I got a beta version in mid-February, and it worked well, although without an antenna. When I drove to the KONG HQ last weekend I brought the G31DDC with me, and got it playing with a beverage antenna. 

Let there be no doubt: This is a first class SDR. Console is a very good overall SDR software, and the combo works extremely well. Since I DX the MW band almost exclusively, the Perseus/Jaguar combo will remain my favourite setup. But for most DX-ers, the G31DDC + Console combo is hard to beat. Not least because it's an active product from an active manufacturer who is in the radio game for the long run. 

I just had to buy the G31DDC.

And support for the G33DDC is nigh!



10 comments:

Damien Read said...

At long last Bjarne, this is great news. l was hoping for HDSDR compatibility eg UQ of 2Mhz recordings, really pleased,great news

Stephanie Battaglino said...

This is wondeful news, Bjarne!

As I mentioned on the IRCA list I guess I need to get my G31DDC out of mothballs - and soon!

Stephanie Battaglino
Palm Desert, CA

Damien Read said...

Is this available to download yet? Struggling to find it on SDR site

Bjarne Mjelde said...

Damien, very soon I think, when version 27 is out. I was testing a beta, maybe I should have mentioned...

Paul Steckler said...

I have the Excalibur, sitting in a closet for the time being.

I'll need to dust it off when Console is available!

Damien Read said...

Looks like this will be really popular Just a tip, uf you can,try running your G31 or G33 from a 12volt cwr battery, you will be surprised by the drop in noise floor.

Bjarne Mjelde said...

The PSU is regulated so should be quiet. I'm powering my G31 from a Diamond power though. We routinely use battery-operated remote DX.

Damien Read said...

You only need a noisy psu, or a xbox to create a noisy household powerline,
of course you won't need or see the benefits, if don't have issues to start with.

Bjarne Mjelde said...

Our KONG HQ is very clean. Despite 9 PCs, 9 Perseus, many preamps, antenna selectors and lots of other stuff, we have methodically cleaned the location as good as it's possible. It's almost as running off-grid.

Damien Read said...

Last time I checked, l get -102db using mains, which is not bad, however on battery -118db. My worst offended was my router psu, l swapped it out for a linear type. Noise levels are that bad in the average UK home, l had move to the end of my garden to DX. Your so lucky Bjarne