Ladies and Gentlemen.... Here are some of the comments received concerning my question about DSP boxes: This is just my opinion, and not worth much, I'm sure! I bought a Timewave, the most expensive one about a year ago, and used it with my OMNI-V. I found that there was no time on cw that the DSP made any difference in copy. The automatic notch worked well on ssb, however. Maybe my situation is different than others, so the responce from others may be different. I used the Timewave a couple of weeks, then sold it to a sattelite buff, where he claims it is terrific. I now have the OMNI-6, and the internal DSP is about as good. Can't see any value in hf operation. If we actually get IF DSP (not at the demod level, as in the TS-970), then we can expect a great amount of value, but until then, I'll depend on the old tried & true methods. Good Luck - de KL7HF I used the original W9GR DSP (from QST article) for several years, and Dave even programmed a ROM to preferred center freqs. But now I have the new NIR-12 from JPS. About 3-4 filters working at once, noise reduction, bandpass peak and high/low cutoff. Works great. I reccommend it. 73, Larry N6AZE DSP Blaster(TM) K6STI's new $100 DSP Blaster(TM) provides DSP filtering without DSP hardware. DSP Blaster is software that uses your PC and a 16-bit Creative Labs sound card to replace DSP boxes costing hundreds of dollars. DSP Blaster provides high- and low-pass SSB filters, CW/DATA bandpass filters, CW peaking filters, adaptive noise reduction, automatic notch filtering, and automatic gain control. The DSP filters provide sharp cutoffs and low stopbands to eliminate adjacent-frequency QRM. Adaptive LMS noise reduction minimizes background hiss, power-line noise, and audio distortion to make listening much more pleasant. DSP Blaster displays the received-audio spectrum. Use the display to select filter cutoffs and to obtain insight about the signals you're hearing. It's fascinating to correlate spectral features with the sound of a voice. Use the scope-like waveform display to investigate audio-distortion problems. DSP Blaster draws a system block diagram. Move the mouse cursor over a filter block to display its properties. Click to alter them or to activate the filter. You can run DSP Blaster by itself, pop it up over another application like a logging program, or hot-key a new filter configuration without switching to it. DSP Blaster requires a 486 or better, math coprocessor, VGA, mouse, and Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16, Vibra 16, or AWE32 sound card ("compatible" cards won't work). The faster your computer, the more filters you can cascade, the sharper their cutoffs, and the lower their stopbands. But even a 486/33 can provide highly effective filtering. DSP Blaster is $100. Add $5 overseas. I accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, U.S. checks, cash, and money orders. E-mail your order to k6sti@n2.net and I'll e-mail a copy of DSP Blaster right back using uuencode, MIME, or BinHex. Brian Beezley, K6STI 3532 Linda Vista, San Marcos, CA 92069 (619) 599-4962, 0700-1800 PT k6sti@n2.net 73--Brian, K6STI k6sti@n2.net I have a timewave 9+ and like it. However, a friend of mine had a timewave 9 and recently purchased the nir-12. He immediately sold the 9 and says the nir unit is far superior. He is using his with an icom 765 with all of the filters and says it is a huge improvement. 73 Wayne KC5DVT ehayes@vnet.ibm.com I am using the Timewave 59+ and find it to be more useful on CW than on Phone. There are times when the Timewave "lifts" CW signals out of the noise floor that I absolutely would not be able to copy otherwise. I wish I could tell you what it is about the SSB side that makes it less effective. I find that in phone contests I use the DSP much less often than in the CW contests -- usually only for "zeroing in" on a signal which is in the middle of heavy QRM. Bottom line: Is it worth it? You bet. Hope this helps. - Jay/K4OGG I have a Timewave DSP 9+ which I think the world of. There have been many times when the dsp unit will make someone that was marginal, readable. This is especially true when there is a lot of noise. From what I have heard the 9+ is better than the DSP 9 because of agc. Provides slightly more selectivity on cw than my built in filters but you probably wont want to tune with them selected or call CQ for that matter (not everyone is going to be on freq). They are sharp. 73 de Dave, N0IT I only have experience with the DSP 9. I bought one a couple years ago. It does get rid of heterodynes well, but it didn't really reduce the noise (QRN). That may be due to the fact that the TS-930s is a relatively quiet receiver already, and my QTH is not all that noisy. I do have occasional high noise on 80 meters, especially in the summer, but I'm not sure any DSP would help with that. The filtering seems to cut out quite a bit, but I found that I preferred my 500 Hz filter in conjunction with the adjustable filetr knob on TS-930s over the DSP. For these reasons I would say that the DSP 9 is probably a good product, but I found that I liked the 930s as is. (By the way, if you really want a DSP 9, maybe we can make a deal...) There are, of course, fancier models out there like the DSP9+. 73, Dave Clemons, K1VUT I have the Timewave 9+ and used it very much with my TS-830. It really helps to dig around especially on 160/80 for the weak ones. Many times it was the difference between copy and no copy. I have since bought a 1000mp and it has superb dsp built in. I am now using the Timwave on vhf for weak signal stuff. For my money the Timwave 9+ is the way to go. The higher end models have too many adjustments but the 9+ is easy to configure and you soon settle on a few good settings. This is what Yaesu did in the mp. You have several choices of filter slopes and peaks and you optimize and then with a touch of a button -BAM it's DSPed!! Good luck 73 Dan W8CAR I built the W9GR DSP unit and it works great, I have the Timewave 9+ with the FT-990 and it works wonderful. Bil AA8GL I just picked up a JPS NIR-10 DSP Box at a Garage Sale and of course had no paperwork or manual. I have "fiddled" with the knobs but I am not impressed. Would anybody out there have a manual that could tell me the basic settings for this thing and how to tune it etc. Thanks 73 Gary k7ox@usa.pipeline.com I'm surprised no one has mentioned the DSP kits that are available thru W9GR. I've been using the ten function model for three years now and wouldn't be without it. It is not a cure all but it DOES make operating on noisy bands and in contest situations much more comfortable. One drawback is you gotta put it together yourself but the price is right! (about half of a dsp-9) 73, Bob NW6N I tried a Rat Shak DSP unit which was on sale a few months ago with my TS-930. To make a long story short, I could find no reason to keep it, so took it back for a refund. It was worse than useless. Walt kk6nr (P.S., for some reason QST liked the Rat Shak unit. I can't figure out why.) An added advantage of the W9GR model is that it is backed by a nice, honest guy. Dale E. Long - N3BNA dale.long@internetMCI.com These are some of the comments that have been on the reflector.... Hope I didn't miss anyone.... 73 Lee Buller k0wa@southwind.net