Australia has gone from a leading manufacturer of radios
and components to almost exclusively importing electronics
– usually displaying the ‘made in China’ label. With an
upsurge of new technology like MP3, GPS, Bluetooth and
much more, it’s a revelation to find an Australian
company designs and manufacturers high-tech
world-leading innovative radios, making an
impact worldwide.
by Kevin Poulter
WiNRADiO
®
An Australian Success Story
68 Silicon Chip
siliconchip.com.au
W
iNRADiO receivers are no ordinary radios, as
they link to computers for awesome performance.
Why have few Australians heard of WiNRADiO? Because 95% of its products are sold
overseas, to clients like the US and UK Defence
Departments.
Originally a small Melbourne-based start-up,
WiNRADiO introduced its first product, an ISAbus based receiver WR-1000i back in 1995 at the
Sydney PC show. The receiver won the show’s
‘Best New Hardware’ award. Featuring a frequency
range of 150kHz to 1300MHz, the product was
the world’s first commercially available wideband
scanning receiver for the PC.
Radio receivers and computers have kept a respectful
distance apart until recently. The main reason for this was
the electromagnetic ‘storm’ of noise emanating from computers, making PCs unfavorable to radio reception. There
is also the dissimilar technologies and jargon.
To a computer aficionado, a “megahertz” is the frequency
the CPU runs at, not something you actually tune to.
Engineers at WiNRADiO made the first successful attempt
to marry radio and computer technologies with innovative
concepts, resulting in international radio-related patents
and trademarks.
Significantly, they made the computer an essential component of a radio receiver, with their latest designs adapting
the computer to cover almost half of the radio operation.
This means much of the conventional receiver circuits
normally accomplished with an array of components (such
as intermediate frequency filters and demodulators) have
been replaced with software running on an ordinary PC.
With WiNRADiO receivers, all that’s needed is their
“front end” USB box or a PCI-bus card, for almost any
PC to be instantly transformed into a powerful VHF/UHF
scanner or a shortwave receiver.
It’s not just for Government services. Many enthusiasts
or audiences like to listen in to shortwave and other bands.
Shortwave is still the only mass-media capable of reaching
the world without supporting infrastructure. Now, with
the advent of digital DRM technology, shortwave is finding
new markets and applications.
siliconchip.com.au
The WR-G313
Let’s look at their WR-G313 HF receiver, popular amongst
serious radio users, such as major broadcasting corporations, defence establishments worldwide and amateur
radio enthusiasts. The London-based “Word Radio TV
Handbook” rates radio receivers annually and awarded
the G313 a five star rating.
The receiver comes in two forms: an internal PCI card
(G313i), as shown at the top of this page or as an external
USB box (G313e) – shown underneath.
Their performance is identical – the only difference is the
hardware interface. The external G313e unit is housed in
a small (164 x 96 x 41 mm) case, while the internal model
is based on a 3/4-length standard PCI bus card, ready to
to plug in and use.
The only hint that they are a radio receiver is an SMAtype connector marked “antenna”. On the USB model,
remaining external features are simply the power and USB
connectors, power switch and blue LED.
Frequency range of the WR-G313 is 9kHz to 30MHz,
optionally expandable to 180MHz.
Plug-and-Play installation is simple and similar for
both models: just connect the device, insert the supplied
CD ROM, and let Windows guide you through the usual
device driver installation process. On completion, a rather
impressive control panel appears (shown next page).
January 2007 69
The screen
At first look, there’s quite a resemblance to conventional
radio receivers, with the tuning dial “knob”, frequency
display and signal strength meter.
A closer look reveals even more bells and whistles – eg,
Notch filter and Noise blanker, plus a number of unusual
demodulation modes. These advanced features, such as
the real-time spectrum display which shows the actual
spectrum of the station you are tuned to, are not typically
found on any conventional radio. Further, press one of
the yellow triangle buttons beside the on/off switch and
an additional “sweeping” spectrum analyser neatly slides
out at the bottom:
Computer technology enables even more interesting
goodies, not seen on a receiver before. For example,
pressing the Test button will reveal a comprehensive test
facility, normally only found on expensive laboratory test
instruments:
70 Silicon Chip
The spectrum of the demodulated signal is displayed
in real time, enabling measurement of the frequency error
and modulation parameters of the received signal. Using a
signal generator, with the receiver in the SINAD function,
you can even measure its own sensitivity.
Pressing the Study button on the main panel reveals some
of the technology. Demodulation is performed entirely by
software, using “Software Defined Radio” technology. Each
demodulation mode, like AM, FM and SSB, is performed
by applying different mathematical formulas on a digitised
IF (intermediate frequency) signal.
So the diode and capacitor, for decades used as an AM
demodulator, are now replaced by a mathematical formula.
This makes the demodulation much more accurate and
consistent and not affected by component non-linearities,
temperature dependency and aging.
The WiNRADiO G313 receivers show the internal
structures of these “virtual” demodulators and even allow
exploring in detail what’s happening to the signal during
the demodulation process (see the AM demodulator image).
siliconchip.com.au
Here’s a look inside the USB version of the G313. At left is the control
section with its PIC microprocessor and AD DSP, while the RF section is
shown above right.
Left or right-clicking on the block structure diagrams
allocates the left or right spectrum to the two respective
spectrum analysers. There’s also a vector voltmeter at bottom left, to display the amplitude and phase differences
between the two signals.
With many conventional receiver functions taken over
by the PC, what’s actually inside the box? Above is a look
inside the USB-based G313e model.
The control board includes an Analog Devices digital
signal processor plus a PIC microcontroller running the
receiver. The other side, shown above right, is even more
interesting.
The receiver RF circuitry is divided into several sections.
On the left there’s the receiver’s front end, which connects
to the antenna. The amplified and filtered RF signal feeds to
the mixer and the first IF (intermediate frequency) stage at
bottom centre. At top centre is the master oscillator, based
on DDS (Direct Digital Synthesis) technology and at bottom
right, the second mixer and IF stage. All this produces a
12kHz intermediate frequency output, which is further
filtered and processed by the DSP and the host PC.
The biggest achievement is running a radio near or even
inside a PC – traditionally, a major source of electromagnetic interference. Surprisingly, there’s no trace of PC
interference with WiNRADiO receivers but they are not
about to reveal to all how this trade secret is achieved.
3.5GHz with an optional downconverter), with fast scans
and highly useful scanning-related features like CTCSS
and DCS squelch. Its likely that digital trunking decoders
are also on their way.
In addition to the basic receivers, WiNRADiO produces
many software options, such as a number of signal processing and decoding applications – for example, a DRM
decoder, which neatly “plugs” in place of the standard
“virtual demodulator” window.
VHF/UHF
WiNRADiO also makes VHF/UHF scanners. The latest
low-cost G305e model ranges from 9kHz to 1.8GHz (or even
To support their equipment, the company manufactures
a range of antennas and other accessories. For much more
information, including a full price list, visit the WiNRADiO
website: www.winradio.com.au
Where from?
WiNRADiO G305 is described as aVHF/UHF model –
which of course it is – but it covers down to 9kHz!
siliconchip.com.au
On the WinRadio website you will also find all the other
models and the peripherals and options (and there are
plenty of those!)
Of the models mentioned here, the WR-G313i sells for
$1333.27 and the WR-G313e $1599.93, while the PCI version of the G305 is $733.27 and the USB version $866.60
(all prices are plus GST).
SC
January 2007 71
