[CQ] Fwd: [BerkTIPGlobal] Fwd: [mdarc] SDR on the cheap / useful links...

[giovanni_re]

----- Original message -----
From: NO6W <grickerd at comcast.net>
To: mdarc at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [mdarc] SDR on the cheap / useful links...
Date: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 06:08:00 -0000

Software Designed Radio has been, until the last year or so, expensive
enough to exclude those of us who do not have unlimited budgets.

All that has changed with the discovery of a 'hack' for a television
receiver dongle built in China and marketed to Europe.  Engineers
discovered that the RTL2032 chip has a quadrature output feature that
can be pressed into service.  it uses a standard USB interface, and it
is only about $25.

I could say a lot more, in fact did... but I accidentally flushed nearly
a whole page of commentary and I won't try that again.

So, cut to the chase, here is a series of useful links for exploring
something that is way cool, and now too cheap not to do....

The grand-daddy site:
http://www.rtl-sdr.com/ <http://www.rtl-sdr.com/>
http://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/
<http://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/>
http://www.rtl-sdr.com/tutorial-drm-radio-using-rtl-sdr/
<http://www.rtl-sdr.com/tutorial-drm-radio-using-rtl-sdr/>

upconverter hardware
http://www.nooelec.com/store/ham-it-up-v1-0-rf-upconverter-for-software-\
defined-radio.html
<http://www.nooelec.com/store/ham-it-up-v1-0-rf-upconverter-for-software\
-defined-radio.html>

Alternative SDR receivers with advantages over the Chinese dongle
approach:
http://www.funcubedongle.com/ <http://www.funcubedongle.com/>

http://www.afedri-sdr.com/ <http://www.afedri-sdr.com/>
http://www.hamradioscience.com/afedri-sdr-net-2-3a-review/
<http://www.hamradioscience.com/afedri-sdr-net-2-3a-review/>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SU5lrZ-dXM
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SU5lrZ-dXM>
This one is my current crush. Much faster, higher resolution A/D
conversion.
Mega drool factor, especially because with its ethernet interface you
get a full MHz bandwidth decode.
Also you can give it an IP address and put it on the 'net.
Also it looks like a seriously well-built piece of hardware.

All of these can use several freeware Software Radios, including SDR#
(S-D-R-sharp) and HDSDR.

Quickly:

1. the RTL-SDR approach, while cheap ($25 for VHF and UHF, $80 with
upconverter board to add HF), is NOT user friendly.  difficult driver
installation mainly.  There are other limitations like limited RF
dynamic range (easily handled with manual adjustment) and a wide open
front end, prone to images of nearby strong RF sources... for instance
KCBS locally.

2. the FunCube dongle is becoming wildly popular, and with a price point
just under $200, simpler installation (no strange drivers needed) and no
upconverter board needed for HF

3. Afedri: see comments above.  Price under $300 with shipping from
Israel.

All that said, even at $300 this is too cheap not to do.  The old
superhetrodyne TX/RX packages we have been using forever are walking
dinosaurs.  These new SDR radios are so inexpensive that they are going
to be priced right out of the market.

These new devices are the perfect way to become familiar with where the
hobby is going.  Get your hands on, and get a jump start on
understanding sample rate, recursion, bit resolution, aliasing, all
kinds of other new concepts.

These receivers are also the perfect way to introduce someone to the
radio hobby by way of SWL use.  No licence required for playing
fantastic hardware portability and convenience, and all kinds of
intriguing listening modes and signals add up to a great selling tool. 
I can see handing a kid one of these, coaching him on its use and the
internet resources, and watching him or her go bananas.  Seriously.

Good luck.  As I discover more, I'll be adding to this.

Glen Rickerd, NO6W <http://www.qrz.com/db/NO6W>


---- Original message -----
From: "giovanni_re" <john_re at fastmail.us>
To: BTG <BerkTIPGlobal at googlegroups.com>
Subject: [BerkTIPGlobal] Fwd: [mdarc] SDR on the cheap / useful links...
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 10:03:38 -0700

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