The lovely design language of AllScan hardware

I like AllScan hardware products. As I noted a few weeks ago, I own and use several AllScan devices. Find AllScan products at https://allscan.info/.

Why do I like them? They are designed and built for a purpose. The maker, David Gleason NR9V, is an accomplished builder. That shouldn’t come as a surprise considering his extensive audio and engineering background. With every product, his focus is first and foremost on audio quality. Good audio was one reason I dove into the AllStarLink world and David’s AllScan products continue to make this experience better for me.

AllScan devices expose useful information and controls to the user. Some boxes hide almost everything, so when you use those devices, it feels like you are using some mysterious thing. David labels everything and uses LEDs to indicate activity that will help you use the device. I note that he even pays attention to how bright the LEDs are so that they aren’t too distracting. That’s a level of care for the user experience that I appreciate.

David’s “design language” combines modern materials with simple configurations. If the device calls for being in a box, he puts it in a sturdy box, with nice screen printing to help you navigate the options available. If the circuitry doesn’t really need to be in a box, he uses a single PCB board that is plainly visible yet tries to be understated.

I particularly like his ANF101, a full-duplex AllStar node. Mine sits proudly beside my workbench where I see it every day and enjoy the spare elegance of the device. This design style shows up in other AllStar nodes he builds, with cables and connectors and LEDs and the PCB plate made visible for the user. I guess you could call this an industrial DIY aesthetic. Whatever you call it, I like it.

A very compact simplex AllStar node is the ANH85. I happen to think this is a beautifully spare implementation of a very capable AllStar node.

Part of David’s design philosophy seems to be to retain some level of traditional radio look and feel. His UCI (USB Communications Interface) products are designed to be used with real amateur radio microphones and speaker-mics. Instead of tapping the space bar on your computer, you actually key up with a hand mic or desk mic. This makes the AllStar experience feel very much like traditional radio, even though you are actually using a modern analog-to-digital system that allows licensed hams to communicate clearly and swiftly around the entire planet. This marriage of real microphones with modern capabilities for amateur radio over the internet hits the center of the target for me.

One way he incorporates “normal” amateur radio microphones is with his interface devices. I have the AllScan UCI120 (UCI = USB Communications Interface) that I use with an old 8-pin Kenwood desk microphone. It sounds great.

And here is the AllScan URI160 (URI = USB Radio Interface) that also supports HTs with K1 connectors:

David’s line of URI devices deliver a wide range of capabilities:

AllScan gear works very well. It often looks simple. It’s durable. There is a subtle hint of wanting to repurpose older gear if it will be capable and reliable, but at the same time, David uses modern materials and engineering to improve the final product. I find the configurations attractive, especially those devices where the insides become part of the visible product.

It’s been an amazing journey to watch as David’s product line has grown. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned a lot about audio, AllStarLink, mini PCs, Raspberry Pi single board computers, connectors, RFI, microphones, speakers, and much more, mainly by using his products. It has been a master class in subjects I knew relatively little about.

This brief article is really a thank you to David for doing so much to bring great audio quality to amateur radio. I expect he will continue to do so and I look forward to seeing what new things his fertile mind and proficient crafting will produce. You can find AllScan products at https://allscan.info/.

AllScan images used with permission.