Apache Labs re-introduces the Anan-10E?

Over a decade ago, the old, original Anan-10E was my gateway drug into the world of SDR transceivers. It was a fantastic performer and changed the way I operated, especially as a CW DXer.

I foolishly sold it during The Purge (along with my Norcal 40A, Heathkit HW-9, etc).

For those 10 years, the Anan-10E has not been available new and is as scarce as hens' teeth on the used market. The original price was $995.

In the meantime, the Hermes Lite 2 came along - also a fantastic performer. I use mine almost daily as my digital-mode rig.

And now, much to my surprise, Apache Labs is re-introducing the Anan-10E - this time, for $800.

Maybe.

The website mentions a 2-week time-to-ship date. Buyers indicate it will likely be much longer. At any rate, it's free to pre-order and I've done just that.

At first glance, the Anan-10E and the Hermes Lite 2 appear similar. They are both based on a Hermes board and the same software (Thetis and/or openHPSDR) runs them. Both of these open-source platforms have been honed over the years by a dedicated team of very competent coders. It is mature, effective, intuitive and, dare I say, bulletproof. And free.

They are also easy to set up and are not knocked into left field by Windows updates like Flex radios. Other software is available for Linux users (at least for the HL2).

What sets the Anan-10E apart from the HL2 is that the Anan-10E has a 14-bit processor vs. the 12-bit in the HL2. This results in 20dB more dynamic range for the Anan. And the Anan has a 15-20 watt output vs. 5 watts with the HL2.

If you've ever wanted to dip your toe into the world of full-on SDR radios - and you should, if you operate digital modes - either of these two radios would make a great choice.

As a CW op, I appreciated the Anan-10E's ability to allow me to easily visualize where to put my transmit VFO during split (for rare DX) operations. It was a game-changer for me and I worked a lot of very rare DX with 5 watts that I don't think I'd have gotten with a traditional rig, due entirely to being able to see the whole picture of where to call. This was in the days before most rigs had bandscopes.

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eMail received 12 May from Apache Labs:

Milestone	Progress
PCB Fabrication	All printed circuit boards have been received from our manufacturing partner and passed incoming inspection.
Enclosure Tooling	Final mechanical drawings have cleared quality control. The aluminum enclosures have now moved into full‑scale production.
PCB Assembly	Surface‑mount assembly is slated to begin in two weeks

 

Shipping Plan

• Batch Size: We will ship in lots of 50–100 units to ensure each radio is fully tested and calibrated before it leaves the factory.
• First Batch: Target dispatch in ≈ 5 weeks.
• Second Batch: With more than 200 pre‑orders in queue, we expect the remaining units to follow ≈ 7–8 weeks from now.

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