Software Defined Radio

[Mudderoy]

I know many of you think that I'm insane, and for some, or most, this will just confirm it. To a few, well you might be interested. I recently read an article, okay I looked at the pictures and what was written under them... about a little USB TV tuner that you could buy and use for other things. Something called a SDR, Software Defined Radio. The SDR means you can use software on your computer to control this little device and do much more than watch TV with it. Well in fact you can't watch TV with it because it was designed for TV stations in other countries. Different format and frequency, but I digress...

What you are seeing here is a "water fall" displace of radio signals being received by this little device and the software (that some folks and MIT designed) displaying them. What you can't get from this picture is the audio that I am listening to about a 58 year old patient that was involved in an automobile accident and how he is being taken to the hospital. Yep, scanner stuff!

By the way this little miracle of modern day technology cost $20, free shipping from China, off of eBay. Software cost? Free. :D

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[4.3LXJ]

OK, so exactly what can you listen to with this device?

[bluedragon436]

I've heard of the SDR's.. I've looked at the FiFi SDR kit... now if only the website wasn't in Germany.. LOL.. What SDR unit are you using to tune in??

[Mudderoy]

OK, so exactly what can you listen to with this device?

Think of it like a scanner Steve.

[Mudderoy]

I've heard of the SDR's.. I've looked at the FiFi SDR kit... now if only the website wasn't in Germany.. LOL.. What SDR unit are you using to tune in??

I'll have to collect the information.

[bluedragon436]

Do you still have to run tuned ant. to run these setups?? I wouldn't mind doing a SDR setup... I love listening to scanners and such... going to try and make my own ant. setup to add to my hand carry scanner.. for when I'm at home, or even better if I can hook it to a sucker cup... then I can use the same setup stuck on the window of the XJ too...

[Mudderoy]

The Real RTL2832U+E4000 chip DVB-T USB Stick Receiver RTL2832 RTL-SDR Digital

:link: (http://www.ebay.com/itm/281028734498?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649)

[thesupercroc]

Sweet just got one ordered and on the way!

Like I need another radio lol :smiley-laughing021:

[bluedragon436]

Might have to pick one of these up to play with after payday... Found a few on Amazon... but none near as nicely priced as that one on Ebay...

[thesupercroc]

Tony
What soft ware are you using?

[prerunner1982]

Before I looked at the link, I was wondering how the USB "drive" was going to be worth a darn as an antenna. Now that I checked out the link I see it comes with a desktop antenna. :thumbsup:

It states it has a tuneable range of 64-1700Mhz. Which covers quite a bit:

VHF
30–88 MHz: Military VHF-FM, including SINCGARS (only about 1/2 of this would be receiveable (64-88Mhz)
72–76 MHz: Radio controlled models, industrial remote control, and other devices. Model aircraft operate on 72 MHz while surface models operate on 75 MHz in the USA and Canada, air navigation beacons 74.8-75.2 MHz.
88–108 MHz: FM radio broadcasting (88–92 non-commercial, 92–108 commercial in the United States) (known as "Band II" internationally)
108–118 MHz: Air navigation beacons VOR
118–137 MHz: Airband for air traffic control, AM, 121.5 MHz is an emergency frequency
137-138 Space research, space operations, meteorological satellite [4]
138–144 MHz: Land mobile, auxiliary civil services, satellite, space research, and other miscellaneous services
144–148 MHz: Amateur radio 2 Meters band
148-150 Land mobile, fixed, satellite
150–156 MHz: "VHF business band," public safety, the unlicensed Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS), and other 2-way land mobile, FM
156–158 MHz VHF Marine Radio; narrow band FM, 156.8 MHz (Channel 16) is the maritime emergency and contact frequency.
159.81-161.565 MHz Railways [5] 159.81-160.2 are railroads in Canada only and is used by trucking companies in the U.S.
160.6-162 Wireless microphones and TV/FM broadcast remote pickup
162.40–162.55: NOAA Weather Stations, narrowband FM
174-216 MHz television channels 7 - 13 (VHF-Hi), known as "Band III" internationally. A number of DTV channels have begun broadcasting here, especially many of the stations which were assigned to these channels for previous analog operation.
174–216 MHz: professional wireless microphones (low power, certain exact frequencies only)
216–222 MHz: land mobile, fixed, maritime mobile,[6]
222–225 MHz: 1.25 meters (US) (Canada 219-220, 222-225 MHz) amateur radio
225 MHz and above: Military aircraft radio, 243 MHz is an emergency frequency (225–400 MHz) AM, including HAVE QUICK, dGPS RTCM-104
329-335 MHz: Air Traffic Control VHF Glide slope

UHF:
225–420 MHz: Government use, including meteorology, military aviation, and federal two-way use[3]
420–450 MHz: Government radiolocation and amateur radio (70 cm band)
433 MHz: Short range consumer devices including automotive, alarm systems, home automation, temperature sensors
450–470 MHz: UHF business band, General Mobile Radio Service, and Family Radio Service 2-way "walkie-talkies", public safety
470–512 MHz: TV channels 14–20 (also shared for land mobile 2-way radio use in some areas)
512–698 MHz: TV channels 21–51 (channel 37 used for radio astronomy)
698–806 MHz: Was auctioned in March 2008; bidders got full use after the transition to digital TV was completed on June 12, 2009 (formerly UHF TV channels 52–69)
806–824 MHz: Public safety and commercial 2-way (formerly TV channels 70–72)
824–851 MHz: Cellular A & B franchises, terminal (mobile phone) (formerly TV channels 73–77)
851–869 MHz: Public safety and commercial 2-way (formerly TV channels 77–80)
869–896 MHz: Cellular A & B franchises, base station (formerly TV channels 80–83)
902–928 MHz: ISM band, amateur radio (33 cm band), cordless phones and stereo, radio-frequency identification, datalinks
929–930 MHz: Pagers
931–932 MHz: Pagers
935–941 MHz: Commercial 2-way radio
941–960 MHz: Mixed studio-transmitter links, SCADA, other.
960–1215 MHz: Aeronautical Radionavigation
1240–1300 MHz: Amateur radio (23 cm band)
1452–1492 MHz: Military use (therefore not available for Digital Audio Broadcasting, unlike Canada/Europe)

[bluedragon436]

I've downloaded glSDR on my Droid tablet and Galaxy S3... And from my research I've done... It looks like SDR# (read as SDR Sharp) (http://sdrsharp.com/)...

[thesupercroc]

I've downloaded glSDR on my Droid tablet and Galaxy S3... And from my research I've done... It looks like SDR# (read as SDR Sharp) (http://sdrsharp.com/)...

Thanks I received tuner on friday so i have not had any time to play with it yet.

[bluedragon436]

Thanks I received tuner on friday so i have not had any time to play with it yet.

That's plenty of time to have been messing with it!! Why isn't it up and running yet?? LOL... JK... I hope that link will help you get what you need to get it up and running... Here is another link (http://rtlsdr.org/softwarewindows) that I think will give you a hand... and will help anyone else that is just getting started off with the SDR setup... I can't wait till I get back from this trip.. to order up the tuner setup and get it setup on my computer at home..

[prerunner1982]

Thanks I received tuner on friday so i have not had any time to play with it yet.

Soo..... did you take it out and play with it yet? :shocker:

[thesupercroc]

Soo..... did you take it out and play with it yet? :shocker:

I have played with a bit the radio traffic around is fairly spare so i was using it with fm broadcast signals.

still playing with all the settings .

[prerunner1982]

Also a better antenna would help with the signals you are trying to receive. If the antenna provided is for a certain freq range (i.e. TV signals) then it may not pick up the signals as well for what you are wanting to listen too.

A tri-band amateur radio antenna may work better. I don't know how difficult it would be to make it to plug into the SDR though. Of course for the relatively cheap price tag you probably can't complain for what you get and what it does.

Tony, would you agree on the antenna or has it worked well for you so far as is?

[89Laredo]

So... What did I find at 400mhz DSB, and is there a way to decrypt it?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i0s53umhqw5tn9x/SDRSharp_20130821_050213Z_400000kHz_AF.wav

[prerunner1982]

I can't see the file, but what was the exact frequency?

[89Laredo]

Exactly 400mhz

[89Laredo]

Btw. I'm using this powered antenna with the gain turned all the way up. Works pretty good. Lol
http://pimages.solidsignal.com/ANT301_medlrg.jpg

[prerunner1982]

haven't found anything on exactly 400mhz, but there are quite a few Government agencies using frequencies near that range.

DEA - around 418mhz
Federal Protective Services - 408.200
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago - 406.700
US Army Corp of Engineers - 407.300
US Dept of State - 409.525
US General Services Admin - 406.875
US Postal Inspectors - 407.725

These are all P25 and likely encrypted so not likely to decode them.

[Mudderoy]

Exactly 400mhz

If I remember correctly seems like remote temp sensors us that freq. Home weather stations, and digital clocks with the outside temp reading...

[prerunner1982]

I did find a few home weather stations that operated at 433mhz.

[89Laredo]

Hmm... Not that big of a deal, I just thought it was interesting since there isnt much happening around here.
I did get it uploaded to youtube though.
http://youtu.be/0CgeRnGdmmg

The image is just a place holder...

[prerunner1982]

If you are looking for things to listen to and have not done so already Radio Reference 9http://www.radioreference.com/) has a large database of frequencies and who they are allocated to. Live feeds as well.

[matt0106]

All of this seems pretty cool, but "I ain't got time fo dat."

[prerunner1982]

Adapter to connected a larger antenna with a PL 259 connector to your SDR dongle.

Amazon.com: RF coaxial cable UHF SO239 PL259 female to MCX male right angle connector RG316 20CM: Computers & Accessories@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/418yXDyyzgL.@@AMEPARAM@@418yXDyyzgL

[Mudderoy]

Happened across this today, downloaded SDR-SHARP and loaded the drivers for my terratec USB receiver. Check out the station and song info upper left corner.

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