ESC is a unique diversity reception feature that is only available on a FLEX-5000 with the 2nd Receiver installed (RX2). Since the two receivers are essentially identical in performance and design and they are phase and frequency locked to the same DDS, you have the ability to do synchronous diversity reception.
Synchronous diversity reception can null or enhance a signal of interest by manipulating the phase and magnitude of a separate synchronous signal derived from the RX2. Therefore ESC provides software based beam steering (signal enhancement) capabilities and noise elimination (null forming)
To use ESC, you must meet the following Requirements:
- FLEX-5000 with an RX2 installed
- The latest version of PowerSDR v2.x software
- A separate antenna connected to RX2 that is diverse in either distance from the primary receiving antenna connected to RX1 by at least 1/2 wavelength on the frequency if interest for optimal results and/or an antenna that is diverse in polarity from the RX1 antenna. You can not use the RX1-Tap antenna selection for RX2 and have diversity reception
Here are the basic instructions for operating ESC.
Connect a second antenna to the RX2-In connector on the radio and change to it in the Antenna form so RX2 is on that antenna. Test out RX2 to make sure it is receiving properly.
Then you start ESC from the PowerSDR menu bar.
Once the ESC form is visible, then you click on the SYNC button to sync RX2 to RX1 and then click ENABLE. ESC is now operational.
The ESC form looks like a bulls-eye target with a "BB" in the center. You click on the "BB" and start moving it around the circle half way between the center and the edge (this changes the phase of the combined signals) until you either null the offending signal (null forming) or enhance a weak signal (beam steering).
Once you find the phase "sweet spot" for the signal you are trying to enhance, then you move the "BB" towards the center or towards the edge of the target to change the amount of magnitude (gain) of the combined signals to reach an enhancement maximum.
This may sound a bit complicated, but once you do it a few times, it becomes second nature and you can null form or beam steer a signal of interest easily.
You can also see the effects of it on RX1 as you reduce noise/offending signals or increase the signal strength of a weak signal.