Airspy HF+/Discovery

Airspy HF+/Discovery

Airspy HF+ 360° Demonstration

HF+ vs NetSDR

Introduction
September 28, 2017 Airspy has announced the HF+ as 'a paradigm shift in high performance HF radio design' and this is very true. The HF+ has a target price under $200. Here are some screenshots comparing the HF+ with the NetSDR which is arguably the best HF SDR available today and is the SDR of choice here in the SDR-Radio.com office.

The tests were made using a Wellbrook loop antenna, model ALA1530LNP. the antenna was connected directly to the receivers for tests on VLF and NDB, for higher frequencies a Stridsberg MCA104M antenna multicoupler was used.

Compare the screenshots and decide for yourself just how good the HF+ is.

Note: VHF screenshots for the HF+ will be added later.
  • NetSDR with ultra low noise reflock
  • Airspy HF+

Abuse

Here's the HF+ in action, located in the office / playroom / shack.

AGC

Level "Low" tells the AGC to start adding attenuation 6 dB earlier than level "High" as the signal power increases. Level "High" gets you more sensitivity while "Low" gets more linearity.

Note that the tuner has unit uses hysteresis to prevent the ATT from jumping back and forth between two successive levels. This means you will have to wait a few seconds to see the effect of changing the threshold.

VLF

HF+
NetSDR

NDB

HF+
NetSDR

40m CW

HF+
NetSDR

41m Broadcast

HF+
NetSDR
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