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Apache Labs SDR Transceivers

Moleculo

Moleculo

Ham Radio Nerd
Apr 14, 2002
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1,871
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If you haven't heard or taken a look at the Apache Labs SDR HF Rigs, you should. The specs on these rival the specs of the best rigs on the market, including the Elecraft and Flex brands, boasting Dynamic Range figures of up to 125db!

Shown below is the base 100 watt model, the ANAN-100:
T500_1026_1.jpg


1026_1057_ANAN200d.jpg

The rig uses the PowerSDR application on your PC/MAc.

Specs for this rig:

  • Rugged Extruded Aluminum Housing, Weight: 4.5Kgs approx, Dimensions: 265.5mm (W) x 220mm (D) x 80mm (H)
  • RD100HHF1 Mosfet 100W Linear amplifier (160M-6M)
  • Combination of 7 LPF and 5 HPF Banks for front end Filtering (User Configurable as well)
  • 6M LNA
  • Software Configurable Triple antenna ports
  • SWR Bridge, enables Forward and Reverse Power plus SWR to be displayed using suitable PC software.
  • T/R, LPF Switching using mechanical relays (gold plated contacts)
  • Reverse Polarity protection with resettable fuse
  • All cables, Hardware and instructions to make a complete transceiver with Hermes
  • Continuous, uninterrupted, receive coverage from 10KHz to 55MHz.
  • Supports Real-Time display of entire sectrum from 0-55mHz (with suitable PC software)
  • Supports 2 fully independent receivers (sharing the same antenna - and with suitable PC software)
  • Each receiver can display 48/96/192/384/1152kHz of spectrum
  • Blocking Dynamic Range (ARRL Method) no detectable gain compression below ADC overload
  • Transmit and receiver image rejection > 100dB
  • Transmitter two-tone 3rd order IMD of -31dBc on 20m @ 100W PEP output
  • 100W RF output on 160 – 6m amateur bands
  • Built-in high performance preamp, with a noise floor typically -135dBm in 500Hz
  • Software-selectable 31dB input attenuator in 1dB steps
  • High performance receiver – same specifications as the HPSDR Mercury receiver (ie Dynamic Range typically 125dB)
  • FPGA code can be updated via the Industry Standard TCP/IP network Ethernet connection
  • Seven user-configurable open-collector outputs, independently selectable per band and Tx/Rx (for relay control, etc - with sequencing via PC code)
  • Separate open-collector PTT connection for amplifier control, etc, with sequencer
  • Microphone PTT jumper-selectable from tip or ring connection
  • Bias for electret microphones via jumper
  • Four user-configurable 12 bit analogue inputs (for ALC, SWR etc)
  • Three user-configurable digital inputs (for linear amplifier over temperature, etc)
  • I2C bus connector for control of external equipment
  • Full QSK operation (performance dependant on associated PC and control software)
  • Low-level transmitter output for transverter use via user-selectable output attenuator
  • Stereo audio outputs at line and headphone levels
  • In-built 1W stereo audio amplifier for directly driving speakers
  • Direct, de-bounced connections for a Morse key (straight or iambic) and PTT
  • Low phase noise (-137dBc/Hz @ 1kHz) 122.88MHz master clock, which can be phase-locked to an internal 10MHz TCXO or external fequency reference
  • Low phase noise (-140dBc/Hz @ 1kHz at 14MHz) 122.88MHz master clock,
  • which can be phase-locked to an internal 10MHz TCXO or external frequency
  • reference
  • Industry Standard TCP/IP network Ethernet interface supports static, APIPA or DHCP IP address
  • Hermes responds to ping and ARP requests and auto senses network connection speed
  • Eight (8) Layer PCB design for the most professional, state-of-the-art, design available.
 
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Reactions: REV LOCASH

This one looks pretty interesting! I like the Ethernet control vs. Firewire. Did you buy one, or have one available for a review?

73,
Brett
 
The price on these things from both Apache and FlexRadio are astronomical. Woof! I don't doubt their quality nor engineering; but I must question their marketing strategy, Six grand is not a little pricey - eh?

Considering the trend in open source hardware development and the number of Ham electronic hobbyists, the cost of these should come down some within the next five years or so. Would think so, as the SDRs have such great features; a strong selling point.

Just what components are they using on these boards that are so pricey? Top of the line FPGA's? Custom logic or multiplexers? Even then, they aren't more than a hundred or so, and that is for the cutting edge FPGA device. Me thinks it is geared around a huge profit margin just so that some can say they have the best cutting edge gear. Reverse sales psychology.

Sure would like to know what chips they are using to make the cost so high.

One thing about SDR radios, is that they were highly dependent upon the sound card quality to determine the range of the bandscope - for one. Quite sure these compact units cannot supply that. IOW - still too many compromises for an obscene price tag - IMO.
 
Last edited:
Robb said:
The price on these things from both Apache and FlexRadio are astronomical. Woof! I don't doubt their quality nor engineering; but I must question their marketing strategy, Six grand is not a little pricey - eh?

Considering the trend in open source hardware development and the number of Ham electronic hobbyists, the cost of these should come down some within the next five years or so. Would think so, as the SDRs have such great features; a strong selling point.

Just what components are they using on these boards that are so pricey? Top of the line FPGA's? Custom logic or multiplexers? Even then, they aren't more than a hundred or so, and that is for the cutting edge FPGA device. Me thinks it is geared around a huge profit margin just so that some can say they have the best cutting edge gear. Reverse sales psychology.

Sure would like to know what chips they are using to make the cost so high.

One thing about SDR radios, is that they were highly dependent upon the sound card quality to determine the range of the bandscope - for one. Quite sure these compact units cannot supply that. IOW - still too many compromises for an obscene price tag - IMO.
Click to expand...

Price and having to have a newer/better computer kept me away from SDR. Plus, I still like knobs on a rig. ;) And I just dropped a load of money on a new rig, so I'm sticking with what I got (hopefully) for many years to come.

I am intrigued by the technology though, but for now I'm only playing with SDR via a cheap dongle, which is ok by me. I figure their initial research, testing, and making a production version cost quite a lot. They don't sell a lot of these (compared to the "other" guys), so their price is naturally going to be higher. And why market yourself cheaper than Flex if your features are better and it outperforms theirs? Technology always gets cheaper over time... remember when hi-fi VCR's were close to a thousand bucks? Same way with SDR, or at least I hope. There seems to be a fusion coming along (like the Alinco) of a "real" rig with SDR capability, and IF outputs are standard on some rigs, too. Like it or not, it's bound to be the wave of the future in one form or the other. All that being said, most of the guys that I talk to on 40 meters have abandoned their Flex rigs. Hmmm...

73,
Brett
 
Robb said:
Six grand is not a little pricey - eh
Click to expand...

The Apache Labs Anan-100 is $2489 and the top of the line Anan-200D is $4289. Where are you getting $6K from?

Robb said:
One thing about SDR radios, is that they were highly dependent upon the sound card quality to determine the range of the bandscope
Click to expand...

I think you might be confusing Padadapter requirements with the SDR PC requirements. The SDR doesn't use the PC soundcard for the bandscope display; it uses the capabilities of the rig, which the PC sees as a soundcard. These Apache Labs units will display 1152khz of spectrum, which is enough to display the entire 40 meter band! (A Panadapter does use your sound card, though)

https://apache-labs.com/download_file.php?downloads_id=1017
 
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I like radio knobs as much as the next guy, but my little FLEX-1500 is shear pleasure to operate. I can only imagine operating their other higher end models. I plan on doing that one of these days, hopefully.
 
Moleculo said:
The Apache Labs Anan-100 is $2489 and the top of the line Anan-200D is $4289. Where are you getting $6K from?



I think you might be confusing Padadapter requirements with the SDR PC requirements. The SDR doesn't use the PC soundcard for the bandscope display; it uses the capabilities of the rig, which the PC sees as a soundcard. These Apache Labs units will display 1152khz of spectrum, which is enough to display the entire 40 meter band! (A Panadapter does use your sound card, though)

https://apache-labs.com/download_file.php?downloads_id=1017
Click to expand...
Gee; sorry I was off by a mere thousand. It won't happen again. Even at $5k or even $4k it still too high for many to get into SDR.

As far as the sound card goes and the Apache bandwidth, I cannot say. I can tell you that using a low grade sound card with the SDR-1000 or even the SoftRock 40 TX/RX Ensemble will greatly limit bandwidth. The last two can be had as a kit w/o the sound card for a $100 but are limited to 3 bands.

Might give Apache a call, Mole.
Maybe they would like the idea to have someone impartial to review it?
 
Mudfoot said:
I like radio knobs as much as the next guy, but my little FLEX-1500 is shear pleasure to operate. I can only imagine operating their other higher end models. I plan on doing that one of these days, hopefully.
Click to expand...

What amp are you using with this one? The entry level rigs would be more in my budget if I could use an amp for about 100 watts out.

73,
Brett
 

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