[ARDF] Fun and Frustration

[Charles Scharlau]

In orienteering, a compass is pretty much a compass, and shoes are shoes,
and gaiters are gaiters. If you're going to try the sport just once, it
hardly matters what you use.

ARDF, unfortunately, is different. A cheap, simple receiver, is generally
more difficult to use and provides poorer results. Thus low tier is
generally going to frustrate and discourage the beginner.

In my opinion, we need highly integrated receivers that provide high
performance and a simple interface... AND are readily available at a low
cost. The only way I see of accomplishing that is to move as much
functionality as possible into software, and take advantage of a hardware
platform that is widely available from high-volume manufacturers. Most
likely the high and low tier differences will find their home in the
software application(s) that we download.

What I'm proposing isn't available now. I'm looking several years into the
future. But it looks like almost all the parts are available now. Only the
little gizmo SDR front end, and its interface to a smart phone, currently
needs to be developed and commercialized... and the software developed to
make it simple to use. The price of the receiver is likely to fall as smart
phone (and other "smart" devices) come down in price, as they most surely
will.

73,
NZ0I

On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 9:23 AM, Mike (KA5CVH) Urich <ka5cvh at gmail.com>wrote:

> On Wed, Oct 7, 2009 at 3:57 PM, Charles Scharlau
> <charles.scharlau at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > First let's consider an 80m receiver design.
>
> Mike wrote
>
> While this is all good if we want to expand ARDF, IMHO, we need to
> think about what its going to take to get people to come.
>
> I contend we need to think about a two (primary) tier level of
> equipment.  Lets compare ARDF to classic orienteering for a moment.  A
> beginner orienteer probably isn't going to have a lot of o-gear like
> gaiters, proper clothing and a thumb compass.  They may have just a
> base plate compass and some duct tape wrapped around their ankles to
> keep stuff out of their shoes.  As they continue to compete they
> acquire items to make them better competitors at what ever level they
> are comfortable with.
>
> Tier 1 - Reliable yet inexpensive, plug & play receivers that do not
> require a mass amount of money and a BSEE to be able to assemble, test
> and align.  The performance does not have to be top shelf but good
> enough to compete with.  If the competitor finds they don't like ARDF
> its easy to sell and pass on to someone else.
>
> Tier 2 - A combination of kits and home brew designs where the average
> builder can assemble and either has the equipment or can borrow what
> ever is needed to test and align their project.  Tier 2 would actually
> be the spring board for entrepreneurs to build and market as Tier 1
> products.
>
> --
> Mike Urich
> http://ka5cvh.com
> http://twitter.com/KA5CVH
>
> You know you're over the target when you start taking flack.
>
> Life is hard, church shouldn't be!
> http://fairmontpark.org
>