SDR-Console V3 Preview Updated to Support the SDRplay RSP2

Recently Jon from the SDRplay team wrote in to let us know that SDR-Console V3 (preview version) has just been updated and it now supports the RSP2. The RSP2 is the successor to the popular RSP1 software defined radio. It has improved filtering, more input ports, improved LNA, and just overall improved performance. See our initial RSP2 review here. They write:

Many thanks to Simon Brown for updating SDR-Console V3 Preview to fully support both the RSP1 and the RSP2- you can download the software from http://sdr-radio.com/v3_preview_downloads (be sure to click on the software link under where it says ‘Downloads’ unless you want to download the software from the advertisers who support Simon’s work!)

As new YouTube demo videos of SDR-Console V3 in action become available, we will add them to the playlists on our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/SDRplayRSP

The RSP2 now supports its native SDRUno software, HDSDR through an extIO module, CubicSDR and now SDR-Console V3.

The RSP2
The RSP2
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frustum

What is the point of having a LNA inside of the dongle? I realize the prefilter inside the RSP has loss, but the chipset no doubt has a preamp as well. Why add gain (and some amount of noise) with a LNA when the existing preamp in the chipset could just be boosted 3dB (or whatever)? I thought LNAs made sense at the far end of the feed line to compensate for coax loss.

Adam

Exactly, moreover the LNA is placed before the filter bank so the NF is reduced at the end. They include the LNA gain adjustments to reduce the possible IP3 problems or even the saturation problems. So far the best what they cen get fom the hardware used.

Trim

Correct. The used tuner has a very modest dynamic range at usable noise figures, so they make it less sensitive by reducing the gain and delegate all the IMD battle to an external LNA. Of course, this limits the damage to some extent, but ultimately reduces the performance of the radio. Every time you mess with the signal, you degrade it a bit more, and palliative hacks come at a cost.