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

[Jeff Luszcz]

Thanks

I've been very happy playing with my softrock rx ensemble ii for hf and nooelec tv28t for VHF and UHF. 

Reddit.com/r/rtl-sdr has been very helpful as well

Let me know if you want a hand getting these up and running. I've got them up on both windows and macos with varying success. 

73
  Jeff N2TIQ


On Jul 12, 2013, at 11:02 AM, "giovanni_re" <john_re at fastmail.us> wrote:

> ----- 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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