WR-G33DDC Excalibur Pro

The WR-G33DDC EXCALIBUR PRO is a top-class performances SDR receiver, that is a Software Defined Radio, with direct sampling developed to cover in real time the frequency range from 9 KHz to 50 MHz and acquiring up to 4 MHz width of instantaneous band entirely available to recorder the RF spectrum on the computer and implement multiple simultaneous active demodulations. This WiNRADiO device is the advanced version of the WR-G31DDC EXCALIBUR to which it is characterized by some upgrades and additions:

• Expanded acquired bandwidth, 4 instead of 2 MHz
• Addition of a low noise preamplifier
• Addition of a preselector with configurable filter bank
• Increased selectivity, now adjustable up to a minimum of 1 Hz
• Improved frequency stability
• Addition of Pause function
• Addition of measurement functions

Performance in terms of sensitivity, dynamics, selectivity, and tuning management are all excellent. The World Radio TV Handbook (WRTH) has named it the best radio in 2012 considering it "... an undoubted advancement in the state of the art of receivers ..." and this award is certainly deserved. Among the prominent elements there is the Pause function, a novelty in the equipment of this type, which makes it possible to stop and resume at a later time the reception according to convenience.

Three independent demodulators can be activated within the acquired band, which allows you to follow multiple stations at the same time. The internal architecture has at its center an ADC converter operating at 100 Msps with a resolution of 16bits. The combination of an exchangeable pre-amplifier with high linearity at the input of the converter determines performances of absolute importance on the resistance to intermodulation. The use of the dithering technique also subtracts energy from the spurious components generated by the ADC without appreciably conditioning the sensitivity. The SFDR dynamic range reaches as much as 107 dB, a clock phase noise of -145 dBc/Hz@10 KHz extends the integrity of that performance even at near frequencies. The front-end uses a preselector that can operate automatically or be freely configurable by the user. There are a total of 119 combinations of filters that are built by acting on the software, 91 are filters with band-pass response, while 28 are equally divided between low-pass and high-pass types. Of course there is the bypass option which excludes the preselector if required. The front-end uses 34 miniature relays for the various signal switching, these devices ensure the absence of distortions, thus maintaining the high value of +31dBm in the 3rd order intercept (IP3), one of the key parameters in the receiving system.

The EXCALIBUR PRO includes a real-time spectrum analyzer operating in the full range of 50 MHz with 1500Hz of resolution. This function is active together with other spectrum analyzers. One dedicated to the acquired band, up to 4 MHz wide, with a resolution of just 1 Hz. One dedicated to the tuned channel, wide up to 62.5 KHz with a resolution of 1 Hz. Finally the analyzer for the demodulated audio spectrum, 16 KHz with a resolution of 1 Hz. This equipment provides a complete and elegant overview when monitoring radio signals at different levels of detail. The user can intervene on the configurations that in addition to the standard display include the cascade mode (waterfall) and the zoom on limited frequency portions. The acquired part is shown highlighted on video, this can be selected via the keyboard or with the mouse and then shown in another window within which three independent channels can exist. For each channel, selectivity, IF-sfift, PBT, notch and other reception functions can be managed.

Special feature of the EXCALIBUR PRO, not present in the EXCALIBUR model, it is also a group of software applications that transform the device from a pure receiver to a measuring instrument. These functions allow to detect the frequency error, SINAD, THD (distortion), modulation index. In concrete terms, this makes it possible to use the WR-G33DDC as an RF test system, integrating the already considerable potentials as a spectrum analyzer.

The WR G33DDC also being a complex receiver proves intuitive in use thanks to a graphic interface that impeccably organizes both the information and the access to the many control functions such as noise-blanker, squelch, various tuning options, modes, memories (with support EIBI and HFCC databases). The device has a USB2.0 port for connection to the PC, integrated in the hardware there is a high-pass filter with a cutoff frequency of 1.8 MHz (attenuation of 60 dB minimum at 0.5 MHz) insertable if in your area are present high-powered MW stations. With the aim of minimizing the noise of electrical origin, the external power supply, supplied, is linear and non-switching. Requirements for the PC are a 2.4 GHz quad-core CPU or higher and a minimum operating system Windows XP. It can be usefully used a PC of lower performance as a dual-core 2 GHz but having to reduce the acquired band and the number of simultaneously active channels.

WR-G33DDC Excalibur Pro performance and practical notes :

This WiNRADiO receiver is undoubtedly the result of an accurate and advanced design, the performances are remarkable and will not fail to satisfy the most demanding DXer. It is necessary to fix the absence in the software package supplied of the DNR function for which the installation of an auxiliary program is required. A small note on a impeccable curriculum.

WR-G33DDC Excalibur Pro price

We have collected for your convenience the WiNRADiO WR-G33 Excalibur Pro sale price (Euro) and its trend over time. Useful to guarantee a cheaper purchase of this radio and to put it for sale in the second-hand market. Of course offers, accessories, warranty terms and conditions can lead to different figures.

Price	Date	Condition
EUR 1979.00	2021-oct	Brand-new
EUR 1790.00	2019-sep	Brand-new
EUR 1796.00 (1599GBP)	2019-aug	Brand-new