Diversity Reception

Thanks for the question, Larry. One issue with optimal combining is that the algorithms generally need an indicator of SNR that can be used in the optimization process. With digital modes and CW, that's not too terribly difficult to get: digital modes have a BER for example. This is harder with sideband. Imagine that you're trying to listen to station A and you are receiving station B over the top of A and it's coming from a different direction. Both are SSB signals. How does the algorithm know who is noise and who is signal?

Having said all this, we did announce last year a list of features we're going to be putting in SmartSDR 4.0. Included is "Diversity noise cancellation." This will work similar to what we've done in the past with the ability to independently move the phase and amplitude differences in the two signals being combined. By carefully adjusting these, you can null-out interference from a particular direction, etc. We're not close enough on v4.0 to provide a release date, but this is in our plan for v4.0.