Buy RTL-SDR Dongles (RTL2832U)
Where to Buy RTL-SDR RTL2832U DVB-T Tuner Dongles
At RTL-SDR.com we sell significantly improved premium RTL-SDR dongles but keep our profits low and offer free shipping in order to maintain low retail pricing. We strongly believe that our V3 and V4 dongles are currently the best 'bang for your buck' RTL-SDR dongles available on the market. Please see the V3 features pdf datasheet here for full information on the improvements made, and our V3 or V4 user guide for information on using special features of our dongle. (V4 datasheet and guide coming soon!) If you are new to RTL-SDR check out our about page first. Briefly, our dongles come with the following improvements:
- <1 PPM temperature compensated oscillator (TCXO) – Accurate tuning and almost zero temperature drift (2 PPM max. initial offset, 0.5-1 PPM temperature drift)
- SMA female antenna port – Generic dongles use the less common MCX or PAL antenna ports. SMA is more common, so more adapters and antennas are available for it. It is also more durable and has lower RF insertion losses.
- 4.5V USB powered bias tee - This allows the RTL-SDR to power low noise amplifiers (like the LNA4ALL, HABAMP, RTL-SDR Blog ADS-B LNA) and active antennas through the coax cable. Can be enabled in software (see V3 / V4 users guide).
- HF Direct Sampling Mode (V3) or HF Upconversion (V4) - Listen to 500 kHz - 28.8 MHz with direct sampling on the V3 model, or upconversion of the V4 model. There is a built-in 25 MHz low pass filter, but additional HF filters may be required for optimal performance (e.g. to attenuate strong MW AM).
- Aluminium case and passive cooling - These units come stock with an aluminium case and passive cooling via a silicon thermal pad. This stops reception failing due to heat when used above ~1.5 GHz.
- (V4 Models) - Improved front-end filtering. The V4 model is less prone to being saturated by strong broadcast stations.
- Improved Antennas - We provide an excellent dipole antenna starter kit for newbies. Use the included mounts and extension cable to mount the dipole in good position for optimal reception. Receives terrestrial and VHF satellite signals.
- Various additional improvements compared to other RTL-SDRs – R820T2 tuner, higher quality passive components, a choke on the USB line to reduce USB noise, a much improved PCB design for significantly less internal spurs and noise, various break-out pads, improved ESD protection, additional bypass capacitors and ferrite power line chokes, improved front end matching circuit, a modified power design for improved long term reliability, modified PLL circuit for better stability at 1.5 GHz and above, and a better LDO.
US Shipping | Worldwide Shipping (EU Excluded) | EU Shipping |
Purchase on Amazon and receive FREE domestic shipping for orders over $25 and free two-day shipping for Prime subscribers! Or use our international cart for FREE shipping from China. | FREE economy-registered air mail from China! Paid express shipping from China is also available. Please double-check your address and enter it using English characters only (except for mainland China customers please use Chinese characters). | EU customers we apologize however due to high VAT compliance costs from July 1st 2021 we cannot ship directly to you from our webstore anymore. Please order directly from our eBay or Aliexpress stores where VAT will be automatically collected and remitted by the marketplace. Alternatively, see local resellers below. Thank you. |
International Shipping Options Free Economy Post: Ships from our warehouse in China. Takes anywhere from 1-8 weeks to most countries (usually 2-4 weeks, but near Christmas months or in some rare cases 6-8 weeks). Please see the shipping notes below for information about potential delays. Express Mail: Shipped with DHL/UPS/EMS/Aramex/FedEx. Fast delivery times to most countries, typically 1-2 weeks.
Payment Options We currently support PayPal, Credit Cards, and digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. Apple Pay is also supported via Stripe.
Local Resellers We now have resellers selling a selection of our products who are based locally in the [UK], [Germany], [Germany 2], [Italy], [Italy 2], [India], [Spain], [Brazil], [France], [Ukraine], [Poland], [Poland 2], [Sweden], [Sweden 2], [Netherlands], [Netherlands 2], [Switzerland], [Serbia], [South Africa], [Australia], [Australia 2] & [New Zealand] who can provide fast local tax free shipping. There is also sometimes stock from resellers on [Amazon EU]. Please note that these are independent resellers who may only carry a selection of our stock, and can charge independent prices.
Current International Shipping Notes Russia/Belarus: Due to war sanctions we are no longer able to ship these products to Russia or Belarus. EU Customers: Please order from our official Aliexpress or eBay stores using the icons next to the Add to Cart button. Due to new VAT TAX laws from 1 July 2021 we can no longer support EU customer orders directly from our website without incurring excessive compliance costs. You must order from a marketplace like eBay or Aliexpress which supports VAT collection. Thank you. EXPRESS MAIL: We are currently shipping most DHL/UPS orders with FEDEX due to improved delivery times. Packages typically ship out the next day, but tracking uploads may be delayed until the end of the week. Counterfeit Warning No one in particular owns the "RTL-SDR" concept, so anyone can sell their own RTL-SDR dongles. On this site and on various marketplaces we sell our own custom modified and improved RTL-SDRs under our brand "RTL-SDR Blog" and "RTL-SDR.COM". On marketplace sites like eBay/Aliexpress etc scammers may be falsely selling their own dongles under our brand names. The dongles with blue or green cases or square rectangular silver cases with four screws, or those advertised as "Pro" are not ours. Those dongles use poorer quality components, are designed cheaply, and may not have all the V3 features. We cannot provide support for counterfeits and these do not help support the running of the blog and the design of new products. The best place to purchase RTL-SDR Blog V3 or V4 dongles is directly from our store on this page, or the local resellers listed above. Affiliate Link Disclosure We use eBay and Amazon affiliate links which gain us a small commission per sale. Affiliate links are used with our own products and some third party recommended products displayed in the store below. |
Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog brand R828D RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA V4 Dongle, 1x Dipole Antenna Base with 60cm RG174, 2x 23cm to 1m telescopic antenna, 2x 5cm to 13cm telescopic antenna, 1x 3 meter RG174 extension cable, 1x Flexible Tripod Mount, 1x Suction Cup Mount.
The best value RTL-SDR on the market! Several improvements over generic brands including use of the R828D tuner, triplexed input filter, notch filter, improved component tolerances, a 1 PPM temperature compensated oscillator (TCXO), SMA F connector, aluminium case with passive cooling, bias tee circuit, improved power supply, and a built in HF upconverter.
Comes with our portable dipole antenna kit. Great for beginners as it allows for terrestrial and satellite reception. Easy to mount outdoors and designed for portable and temporary outside usage. Please do not use outside during poor weather conditions.
NOTE: This is the newer V4 design, and it requires updating to the latest drivers to work. Before purchasing, please ensure that you understand that not all applications work with the V4 yet! Compatibility with most popular software is now okay, but some niche programs are still lagging with support. Please consult the V4 users guide for more information.
Please see the RTL-SDR Blog V4 Release post for more information.
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Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog brand R828D RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA V4 Dongle.
The best value RTL-SDR on the market! Several improvements over generic brands including use of the R828D tuner, triplexed input filter, notch filter, improved component tolerances, a 1 PPM temperature compensated oscillator (TCXO), SMA F connector, aluminium case with passive cooling, bias tee circuit, improved power supply, and built in HF upconverter.
NOTE: This is the newer V4 design, and it requires updating to the latest drivers to work. Before purchasing, please ensure that you understand that not all applications work with the V4 yet! Compatibility with most popular software is now okay, but some niche programs are still lagging with support. Please consult the V4 users guide for more information.
Please see the RTL-SDR Blog V4 Release post for more information.
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Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog brand R860 (R820T2) RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA V3 Dongle, 1x Dipole Antenna Base with 60cm RG174, 2x 23cm to 1m telescopic antenna, 2x 5cm to 13cm telescopic antenna, 1x 3 meter RG174 extension cable, 1x Flexible Tripod Mount, 1x Suction Cup Mount.
The best value RTL-SDR on the market! Several improvements over generic TV tuner brands including use of the R860 (R820T2) tuner, a 1 PPM temperature compensated oscillator (TCXO), SMA F connector, aluminum case with passive cooling, software switchable bias tee circuit, additional ESD protection, lower overall noise and built in direct sampling for basic HF reception.
Comes with our portable dipole antenna kit. Great for beginners as it allows for terrestrial and satellite reception. Easy to mount outdoors and designed for portable and temporary outside usage. Please do not use outside during poor weather conditions.
We are now shipping the new black enclosure design with the dongle plus antenna set!
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Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog brand R860 (R820T2) RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA V3 Dongle.
The best value RTL-SDR on the market! Several improvements over generic TV tuner brands including use of the R860 (R820T2) tuner, a 1 PPM temperature compensated oscillator (TCXO), SMA F connector, aluminum case with passive cooling, software switchable bias tee circuit, additional ESD protection, lower overall noise and built in direct sampling for basic HF reception.
Amazon USA local warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
KrakenSDR - 5 Channel Coherent RTL-SDR. Automatic coherent calibration. Rugged Enclosure. Low noise design. Improved software!
KrakenSDR can be used for applications that require coherence such as radio direction finding (RDF). For RDF we provide a free software stack, including a companion Android app that can be used for live mapping and triangulation of direction finding bearings.
Please see our CrowdSupply page for more information about this product.
Discovery Dish can be used to receive L-band weather satellites like GOES, GK-2A, FengYun, NOAA/Meteor HRPT, METOP, and more!
Other feeds include a hydrogen line feed for radio astronomy and an Inmarsat feed.
Please see our CrowdSupply page for more information about this product.
Includes 1x YouLoop balun "Tee", 1x Coax Inverter Connector, 2x 1 meter semi-rigid coax loop cables, 1x 2m semi-rigid coax feedline.
This is a super portable passive HF/VHF loop antenna designed for super low NF/MDS receivers like the Airspy HF+ Discovery. It also works to some extent with the RTL-SDR V3 in direct sampling mode if you enable RTL AGC. But for radios without super low MDS specs, the signals can be boosted on by using any external low cost HF amplifier, or even our wideband LNA. The receiving range is 10 kHz to 30 MHz on HF, and up to 300 MHz on VHF.
Note: This antenna is designed for portable use and is not weatherproof. Permanent mounting can be achieved with weather proofing tape.
Please see the product release post for more information, or the description on the Airspy website.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
BLACK FRIDAY SALE 25% OFF.
Includes 1x Active RHCP L-Band Patch Antenna (Covering 1525 - 1660 MHz) in Weather Proof Enclosure, 1x 2 meter RG174 extension cable, 1x Flexible Tripod Mount, 1x Suction Cup Mount.
This is version two of our active (amplified + filtered) high performance RHCP patch antenna designed for receiving L-Band satellites such as Inmarsat, Iridium and GPS. Easily mountable outside on a window, surface, stick, tree branch etc. Comes with easy to use mounting solutions and extension coax, and is enclosed in a fully weather proof plastic cover.
Requires 3.3 - 5v 20mA bias tee power. The RTL-SDR V3 provides 4.5v so is suitable.
Please see the Release Post for more information about the product. Note that antenna now ships with gray coloring - not black.
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Includes 1x Dipole Antenna Base with 60cm RG174, 2x 23cm to 1m telescopic antenna, 2x 5cm to 13cm telescopic antenna, 1x 3 meter RG174 extension cable, 1x Flexible Tripod Mount, 1x Suction Cup Mount.
Our new portable Dipole antenna set with mounting kit. Allows you to easily get the antenna up high and outside where reception will improve significantly. The dipole base mounts onto a standard 1/4" camera screw, so it can be mounted on to a variety of already available mounts. Included is a flexible tripod and suction cup mount.
Designed for portable and temporary outside usage. Please do not use outside during poor weather conditions.
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Includes 1x QO-100 Bullseye TCXO LNB
This is a TCXO stabilized LNB for the QO-100 geostationary amateur satellite and other Ku-band satellites. Manufactured by Othernet. Standard LNBs used for QO-100 require modifications to be made to the circuit as the crystal needs to be replaced with a TCXO in order to avoid frequency drift. The Bullseye LNB comes with a highly stable TCXO which has less than 10 kHz offset even in outdoor conditions.
The Bullseye LNB is the world's most precise and stable DTH/consumer Ku-band down converter. Even a VSAT LNBF costing hundreds of dollars more is no match for the performance of the Bullseye 10K LNB. Each unit is calibrated at the factory to within 1 kHz of absolute precision against a GPS-locked spectrum analyzer. Under outdoor conditions, the stability of the LNB is well within 10 kHz of offset. As a bonus feature, the Bullseye 10K provides access to its internal 25 MHz TCXO through the secondary (red) F-connector. This reference output can be used to directly monitor the performance of the TCXO over time.
NOTE: Requires a 12-19V bias tee power injector, the V3/V4's 4.5V bias tee is NOT for this LNB. 11.5 - 14V enables vertical polarization and 16 - 19V enables horizontal polarization.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog Broadcast FM Band-Stop Filter and 1x SMA male to SMA male adapter.
Blocks the broadcast FM band between 88 - 108 MHz with over 50dB of attenuation. Insertion loss is less than 0.5 dB between 0 - 1 GHz, and mostly less than 1.5 dB between 1 - 3 GHz. A broadcast FM block filter can help if you have very strong broadcasts in your area that are overloading the SDR dongle. Also known as "FM Trap". Note, designed for RX use only, although several customer tests have confirmed that up to 5W can be put through this filter without issues (but please note that TX damage is not covered by warranty).
See the product release page, for more information and tests.
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Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog Broadcast AM High Pass Filter and 1x SMA male to SMA male adapter.
Designed to block the broadcast AM band between 500 kHz - 1.7 MHz with over 50 dB of attenuation. The 3 dB roll-off point is between 2.5 - 2.6 MHz. Works great with the direct sampling mode on our V3 dongles. This is a high pass filter and not a notch, so VLF will not work. Note, for RX use only.
See the product release page, for more information and tests.
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Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog ADS-B Triple Filtered LNA (Bias Tee Powered) and 1x SMA male to SMA male adapter.
This is a high performance filter and LNA combination for 1090 MHz ADS-B reception with 27dB of gain, a noise figure of around 1dB and over 60dB's of out of band attenuation. Designed to be used with bias tee power from our RTL-SDR Blog V3 dongles with the LNA mounted as close to the antenna as possible. It is triple filtered with a low loss high pass filter on the front end, and two 1090 MHz SAW filters placed in between and after the high performance low noise figure two stage MGA-13116 LNA. The triple filter design should help avoid dongle or LNA overload in noisy/strong signal environments.
Please note again: Requires 3 - 5v, 150mA bias tee power. The RTL-SDR V3 provides 4.5v so is suitable.
See the product release page, for more information and tests.
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Chinese worldwide out of stock.
Includes 1x RTL-SDR Blog Wideband LNA (Bias Tee Powered) and 1x SMA male to SMA male adapter.
This is a general purpose SPF5189Z based wideband LNA. Works from 50 MHz to 4 GHz with a noise figure of less than 1dB. Requires bias tee power, but there is an internal header which can be used to switch to external power, although for external power wires you'll need to drill a hole into the enclosure. If you're looking to improve ADS-B performance we recommend our Triple Filtered ADS-B LNA shown above.
Please note again: Requires 3 - 5v, 90mA bias tee power. The RTL-SDR V3 provides 4.5v so is suitable.
Please see the product release page for more information.
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Includes 1x SMA Pigtail adapter set (6 adapters)
Set of six SMA pigtail adapters with 20cm of RG316 cabling. Contains five SMA to female (Type N, UHF, BNC, PAL, Type F) adapters and one bonus SMA male to SMA male adapter which is often used to connect to devices like upconverters.
Amazon USA warehouse local in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
Includes 1x SMA straight adapter set (6 adapters)
Set of six straight adapters with. Contains five SMA to female (Type N, UHF, BNC, PAL, Type F) adapters and one bonus SMA male to SMA male adapter which is often used to connect to devices like upconverters. Less loss than the pigtail adapters.
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Includes 1x Semi-Rigid RG402 SMA Antenna Adapter Set (10 adapters)
Includes 10 RF RG402 adapter cables. SMA Male to SMA, BNC, Type N, Type F, UHF Male + Female adapters. RG402 is a semi-rigid cable. Maintains shape after bending. Please do not bend too close to the connector to avoid breakage. Great for tidy cable management in enclosures!
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Includes 1x black aluminum metal enclosure with two labelled side panels, 1x black semi-hard shell carry case, 1x thermal pad to keep the RSP1A cool and mechanically stable inside the enclosure, 1x accessory set including enclosure screws, GND lug bolt set and 3M anti-slip rubber feet.
This is a premium black metal upgrade enclosure for the SDRplay RSP1A, or RSP1. Helps block RF interference and protects the RSP inside the sturdy enclosure.
Please note this DOES NOT include the SDRplay RSP1A.
Amazon USA local out of stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse out of stock.
Amazon USA warehouse out of stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
A comprehensive guide to the RTL2832U RTL-SDR software defined radio by the authors of the RTL-SDR Blog. This book is about tips and tutorials that show you how to get the most out of your RTL-SDR dongle.
The paperback includes the eBook via the Kindle matchbook program. Amazon Prime customers can borrow the book for FREE. Also available for purchase from Amazon sites in UK, DE, FR, IT, ES, JP, IN, CA, BR and MX.
[expand title = "Shipping Information / Policy (Click to Expand)"]
If you suspect a lost postal item please contact your local postal agency first and inquire there. Usually they have more information than we have. If they confirm it as lost or not received after a long time then please let us know at [email protected] and we can open an investigation on this side as well. Usually we must wait at least 6 weeks from the date posted before we can open a lost parcel investigation.
USA For US customers we highly recommend purchasing our products from Amazon. Amazon will provide you with fast local shipping and shipping is free for orders over $35. If you are a Prime subscriber you also get free 2 day shipping. US customers may also purchase from our international checkout and choose free shipping from China and we will send via priority air mail (ePacket EMS). |
International (All countries outside the USA except sanctioned countries like Iran and NK) Please enter your address using English characters only! Please note that we have an approximate 1-2 day working day processing time before international parcels get shipped (even express orders). Note that we cannot ship to internationally sanctioned countries such as Iran and NK. These orders will be cancelled. International orders bought on our cart will be shipped from our warehouse in China. Shipping is free. Shipping can take anywhere from 1 - 8 weeks, but typically it is between 2 - 4 weeks. It will normally reach the higher end of the scale during the peak season which is the months surrounding December. Please note that delivery time is also highly dependent on the efficiency of the postal and customs agencies within your country, and please understand that this processing time is totally out of our hands. Countries such as South Africa, Italy, Canada, Brazil, and middle eastern countries are known to sometimes have extremely slow postal and customs agencies. If you need faster shipping please select an express option. Please note that we cannot cancel an international shipment that has shipped out. This is not allowed by the postal services. International buyers are reminded that as with any international parcel you are fully responsible for any duties or customs clearance fees required by your country, and that you take full responsibility for the legality of importing. If you have questions about the declared value and customs fees please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Please watch the tracking information and contact your postal agency if there are any significant delays. If your parcel does not arrive within 4 weeks (6 weeks during December/Christmas period and for known slow countries) and the tracking looks stuck, then please contact us at [email protected] and we will open a postal investigation and resend or refund your item. Express air courier shipping is also available but this costs much more and we only recommend this for larger shipments, or for countries that don't support priority air mail. With this option we will normally use FEDEX, but for some countries may use an alternative. Depending on your country your package should arrive within 2-8 business days with express shipping (plus a 1-3 working day processing time). If you wish to use this option then please select your country from the shipping options in the cart. Note that most express couriers will not deliver to a PO BOX and they may charge additional fees for duty/customs processing. Also please note that there is often a slightly longer initial processing time with express couriers, as they are often slow to provide us with the tracking information. You can expect the tracking info to be provided 2-5 working days after your order. Note that depending on the weight, cost and destination country of your order we may upgrade your shipment to a faster shipping method for free. We will normally only do this for larger orders. How do I track my shipment? Please use the tracking link in the second order completed email that you will receive from us. Please note that tracking updates may initially take a few days to start working after receiving the shipped status. |
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[expand title = "Product Support (Click to Expand)"]
If you have a general question about RTL-SDRs or SDRs we ask you to please ask in our forums.
If you need technical support please first ensure that you have been through our Quickstart guide and troubleshooting section further down on it, as well as our V3 users guide. Common questions like how to use the HF mode are explained on the V3 users guide.
If you have a question about shipping of an item please first read the shipping policy (above) and see if it answers your question. If it is a request for tracking details please first check your old/deleted/spam mails for the tracking email which is provided by PayPal. You should have two mails from PayPal. The first showing ‘in process’, and the second 1-2 working days after showing the tracking details.
If you suspect a lost postal item please contact your local postal agency first and inquire there. Usually they have more information than we have. If they confirm it as lost or not received after a long time then please let us know and we can open an investigation on this side as well. Usually we must wait at least 6 weeks from the date posted before we can open a lost parcel investigation.
For everything else such as lost postal items, warranty claims and support inquiries that aren’t covered by the quickstart or troubleshooting guide then please contact us at [email protected]. We aim to always reply within 1-2 business days.
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[expand title = "Warranty Information (Click to Expand)"]
We will provide a two year warranty on any manufacturing defects. Please note that if you do any modifications to the PCB (e.g. soldering on it) then any warranty will be voided, so please ensure your dongle is working before trying these.
If you suspect a manufacturing fault please first ensure that you have been through our Quickstart guide and troubleshooting section further down on it, as well as our V3 users guide. Common questions like how to use the HF mode are explained on the V3 users guide.
If you've been through the troubleshooting guide and still suspect a fault please contact us through Amazon if you bought there, or email us at [email protected] if you bought from our cart. Be sure to include your order number and name. Please include details of the fault and a picture of the fault if it is physical damage. If the unit is faulty we will issue either a full refund or send a new unit out depending on your preference.
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[expand title = "Wholesale Information (Click to Expand)"]
We can provide bulk rates for order of over 10 units. If you want to buy 10+ units please contact us directly at [email protected] for a wholesale quote.
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Recommended accessories from other sellers
Note that some of the links below are affiliate links which help support the costs involved with the running of this blog. However, all the products listed are what we actually do recommend regardless.
Antennas
Probably the most important part of a radio system is the antenna. There is no one size fits all antenna, every different design will have a trade off. For instance, wide band antennas can receive more frequencies, but will have less gain at any one particular frequency. If you want to receive everything then get a wide band antenna. If you want to receive one frequency with optimal reception, find a tuned narrow band antenna.
Discones are wideband antennas. This makes them ideal for the RTL-SDR as using a Discone will allow you to receive at almost any frequency with decent performance.
A 1090 MHz ADS-B antenna from FlightAware. Is weather proofed and has 5 dB of gain. Uses an N-type antenna connector. See our review post for more information.
Upconverters
The lowest frequency an RTL-SDR can comfortably tune to is about 24 MHz. An upconverter allows you to use your RTL-SDR on HF frequencies which are between 0 - 30 MHz. They work by shifting frequencies between 0 - 30 MHz "up" by a fixed amount into a frequency range that is receivable by the RTL-SDR.
Currently we recommend the SpyVerter as the upconverter of choice. Although it was designed to be used with the Airspy, it works perfectly with the RTL-SDR. It uses a 120 MHz oscillator, has excellent filtering and can be powered via USB cable or via the bias-tee on our RTL-SDR Blog dongles. The SpyVerter uses an innovative new architecture that reduces overloading, has better SNR than other options and can operate all the way down to DC.
With the above performance and features, the included metal case and adapters and at a similar or even lower price compared to other upconverters we think this one is the best value. See our review post for more information.
An alternative to the SpyVerter is the upconverter designed by SV1AFN.
It based on the ADE-1 mixer chip, uses a 200 MHz oscillator, has good filtering and works almost down to DC.
Another recommended option is the Ham-It-Up Upconverter.
This one like the SV1AFN is also based on the ADE-1 mixer, but uses 125 MHz oscillator and is based on an open source design. There is also a metal case available on Amazon and eBay. However, currently we would recommend the SpyVerter or SV1AFN over this option.
RF Filters
RF filters connect between your antenna and RTL-SDR dongle. They help to significantly reduce out of band interference and noise which is very helpful when trying to improve signal strength.
FlightAware sell a very affordable ADS-B band pass filter. Many users have reported significantly improved reception when they started using this filter. This is probably the best filter to get if you are interested in ADS-B. See our review post for more information.
We also highly recommend the ADS-B HABAmp for receiving ADS-B signals. This is a filter + LNA combination that works very well and will significantly improve ADS-B performance.
We've tested these ourselves with the activatable bias tee in our units and found them to definitely work very well.
This product is great for if you are using an upconverter together with your RTL-SDR, or other SDR. Contains seven band pass filters that range from 1.6 - 2.5 MHz, 2.5 - 4.7 MHz, 4.7 - 7.5 MHz, 7.5 - 14.5 MHz, 14.5 - 21.5 MHz, 21.5 - 33 MHz and 33 - 56 MHz.
Low Noise Amplifiers
If you have long runs of coax cable then a low noise amplifier (LNA) can help to significantly improve your reception. Coax cable is lossy and the longer it is the more your received signal is attenuated. By adding an LNA near the antenna this loss can be reduced.
The LNA4ALL is a very affordable wide band low noise amplifier that is very commonly used with the RTL-SDR. Has the ability to be powered externally from any voltage between 6V - 9V, or with a simple modification with 3V - 5V in bias tee mode.
We have tested the LNA4ALL in bias tee mode with the activatable bias tee in our units and found it to work well.
There are also several low noise amplifier circuits that can be found very cheaply for sale on eBay and most will do a good job. Unfortunately most don't provide a bias tee option like the LNA4ALL or HABamp does. Currently we recommend LNA's based on the SPF5189Z chip as they have wideband good performance, and are cheaply produced.
Other Accessories
Ideally you want to get the RTL-SDR dongle as close to the antenna as possible. Normal USB cables have a length limit of about 5m before they stop working, but with an active USB cable this can be extended up to 10 to 15 meters.
We recommend these Monoprice cables as they have been reported to work successfully with the RTL-SDR dongle.
We recommend using RG6 coaxial cable for most links between your antenna and RTL-SDR. RG6 is low loss cable and it is also very cheap because it is used commercially with satellite TV installations.
RG6 is 75 Ohm cable. Note that the mismatch between 50 and 75 Ohm impedances is completely negligible for RX applications.
Noise and interference can sometimes be induced in the USB cable itself which can show up in the RF spectrum. To stop this noise use clip on ferrite cores on the USB cable. These cores help to suppress unwanted currents in the USB shield.
A USB on-the-go (OTG) cable is required to use the RTL-SDR on Android phones with software like SDR Touch and Wavesink. We recommend trying to find cables that come with power plugs so that you can use it with a power pack. Using an RTL-SDR can increase CPU usage which can quickly drain a mobiles battery.
If you are using a long wire or random wire antenna with a HF modded RTL-SDR or an upconverter you should use a 9:1 impedance transformer to get good SWR.
There are also several other alternatives available on eBay that use a larger iron core.
A wideband noise source can be used together with an RTL-SDR dongle to perform measurements on filters and to measure the SWR of an antenna.
See our tutorial here for more information.
Recommended alternative SDRs
Airspy SDRs have high performance RX capabilities with mid tier pricing. Their units really shine when used in tough RF environments, such as in RF environments with strong and weak signals together. The Airspy is an excellent upgrade from an RTL-SDR dongle.
See our review post for a comprehensive comparison between the Airspy, SDRplay RSP and HackRF.
Another good mid range SDR is the SDRplay RSP line of receivers. These SDRs are great value for the price and can receive HF frequencies without an upconverter. Previous iterations were behind the Airspy in terms of overall performance, but the RSP1A and newer models are on par.
See our review post for a comprehensive comparison between the Airspy, SDRplay RSP1 and HackRF.
The HackRF One is a relatively low cost TX/RX capable SDR. It is designed for radio experimenters and it has a very wide band frequency range from 1 MHz to 6 GHz, and a wide bandwidth of up to 20 MHz and an 8-Bit ADC. It is probably the most versatile SDR that exists at the moment, but in a compromise it does not have the best quality RX or TX performance. Thus it is perfect for experiments like reverse engineering and testing RF devices, but it is not intended to be used as a commercial radio or ham radio.
I was about to order the “RTL-SDR Blog R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA Software Defined Radio with 2x Telescopic Antennas” from Amazon when it became unavailable. They still have the dongle by itself, but I was hoping to get the antennas as well. Are they available separately? Or will the SDR+antenna item be restocked soon? (Your description says the Chinese warehouse will be restocked in a couple days; I don’t know about Amazon.) Please advise.
Since the release of “RTL-SDR V3” nearly half a year, it is expected the new version (V4) devices in the near future?
There’s no plans for a V4 at the moment, but do watch this space as we are working on some interesting new related products.
I am a frequent visitor to Hong Kong from the UK. In fact I am here at the moment. Is there any physical outlet here where I can purchase the RTL SDR v3 and accessories? I was expecting to find such a place in Sham Shui Po but have had no luck.
JT
Sorry we don’t have any physical outlets, we’re an internet shop only. Some distributors and shops who buy wholesale might have physical outlets, but there are none in HK yet. You could always order to your hotel, but it costs the same to ship it directly to the UK.
Many thanks for your reply
JT
Delayed International Parcels: Please be aware that there are several delays in the international mail system at the moment for parcels sent out during late November and for the whole of December, even for priority ePacket EMS parcels. The main delay is with local customs agencies. Please be patient and give them time to arrive, as we have no control over customs processing times. Here are some additional reasons for the December delays.
1) Christmas rush causing too many parcels and the backlog is still clearing, 2) Lack of aircraft space causing parcels to be delayed, 3) Congestion from lack of staff and space at customs and security screening on both ends, 3) Heightened security protocols in place at most western customs and security agencies causing huge delays, 4) Smog in China grounding several flights causing increased congestion, 5) Strike action from the post in the UK causing significantly increased congestion, 6) Poor winter weather causing many delayed flights.
Our logistics agents, other peer sellers and ourselves have noted that in some cases US and other countries customs are holding EMS parcels without tracking updates for 6(!) or more weeks, before releasing them with no reason given for the delay.
An official statement from the post for the USA is shown below, and the same applies to most other countries too:
Earlier we informed you that due to service limitations imposed by airlines, coupled by extremely heavy peak volumes, there is presently congestion for airmail to some destinations in US. As a result we’re currently encountering delays on all outgoing mail and parcel delivery services to US. On behalf of the designated operator of the United States of America we would like to inform you that all of the five offices of exchange of the United States Postal Service are open and receiving mail. Please note that there are no embargos. Due to limited ground-handler staffing and equipment, coupled with the heavy peak volumes, all offices of exchange are experiencing heavy congestion. We will continue to take measures to minimize the impact and we will keep you informed of developments.
One from Royal Mail which equally applies to other carriers too:
Start date: Early December
End date: Ongoing
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has recently advised us of operational difficulties at the Chicago port of entry which may result in delay to the delivery of international mail from other countries including some Royal Mail items. US Zip codes affected are, 4xxxx, 5xxxx,6xxxx and 7xxxx. Multiple local logistical and customs issues have caused this situation and USPS are working with all concerned to return services to normal. Royal Mail is also doing everything possible to minimise any further potential delay.
We apologise for any delays which are beyond our control and will update this information as soon as we know more.
Hello, I cannot track the delivery, on China Post site
maybe I entered the wrong page ?
What is the tracking number? You can track it on 17track.net, aftership.com or track-chinapost.com. EMS parcels can also be tracked at http://www.ems.com.cn/mailtracking/e_you_jian_cha_xun.html. Make sure to use the “Track Multiple Shipments” box there, as the single shipment tracking is broken and not giving up to date information. Also remember that tracking numbers normally take a few days to activate.
Hello
http://track-chinapost.com/ works OK, thank you !
You put a nice feateure in V3 with io pins expose but
how to drive them ?
I discover that rtl dll have io functions, but
not exported ???
http://lea.hamradio.si/~s57uuu/mischam/rtlsdr/ports.html
Hello, no E-4000 dongle shipping to EU via
Amazon ?
Does the v3 RTL-SDR dongle support DVB-T2? Or is a version planned that will support it? I ask because terrestrial TV transmission in India uses DVB-T2.
Regards
sidhu1f
I got my rtl-sdr.com dongle today and i tested it for short time in Direct Sampling mode.
Testing time – 12:00 (24 hrs metric), antenna: ~10 m wire /w out Balun, from window to maple.
1600×900 resolution images are presented.
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1479893171/91d7d9c8/15069245.png – generic chinese
http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1479893197/87deacf9/15069254.png – “silver”
When i saw an increased noise level in “silver” dongle, i wanted to start swear. But later i saw – your dongle can get signals, which i can’t get with generic even at night time, with good propagation conditions! And MCX connector in generic dongle have small “insert in\out” cycles.
Hello, rtl-sdr.com owners!
I can’t buy RTL-SDR V3 dongle from Ukraine.
“Sorry, but your Visa x-NNNN was declined. Please add another debit or credit card to complete your purchase.”
(NNNN is last four digits of my Visa card, not for publication).
Paypal marks all transactions with your store as ‘Denied’.
I can’t imagine what is I’m doing wrong 🙁
The payment is handled by PayPal and not us, so I don’t really have any insight into what could be wrong. Are you sure that your credit card is enabled for international use? It would be best to call your bank to investigate.
You want to have debit card that will support international transaction.Some banks don’t accept paypal addition due to their security policies.So check with bank.
Hi,
I’ve ordered the “RTL-SDR Blog R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA Software Defined Radio with 2x Telescopic Antennas” kit more than a month ago. The EMS tracking says “Your item was delivered(UNITED KINGDOM GBGU 9) at 2016-10-06 08:44:00” but I haven’t received it yet. Is this normal and what should I do if not?
Thank you.
No that’s definitely not normal. If it says delivered but you received nothing then its possible that your local postal service made a mistake and delivered your parcel to the wrong address. If that happens you’ll need to contact your local post ASAP and give them the tracking number to sort it out. Any problems please contact us rtlsdrblog_AT_gmail_DOT_com.
I don’t want to be an alarmist, but 3 out of 5 of my batch 2 dongles are dead. It looks to me like the RTL chip is cooking. Perhaps its my hub, but I don’t thin so.
Hmm that’s odd, we’ve actually be seeing a much lower return rate with batch 2 compared to all other batches we’ve made in the past, and upon testing we find that most returns are not faulty.
If you really did get three bad ones then of course please contact us on Amazon or rtlsdrblog_AT_gmail_DOT_com to issue a return and replacement.
Is there a problem with V.3 batch 2 (NYS 2016-9)? It’s performance is lacking compared with my 4 other dongles, spurs everywhere and gain fade outs make this a disappointing purchase.
There are no known problems with V3b2. From testing only about 0.35% of the batch has been faulty so far.
Are there still ink rubbing off issues?
The ink issue has been fixed.
My blog filter is stuck in China and there is no progress since 10/10. It doesn’t even seem to have reached the airport. Is there a way to know what’s going on?
Hi Max, please email us (rtlsdrblog_AT_gmail_DOT_com) your order ID and tracking number. But note that intl. airmail does take anywhere between 1 – 4 weeks on average to arrive (maybe longer now that its getting close to Christmas), and it’s very normal for there to be long periods without tracking updates.
Now (Oct/10th) that the worldwide site has been re-stocked and is accepting orders again, could you confirm if the V3 dongles are the “Batch 2” ones as mentioned in the V3 user guide? (with a resettable fuse on the Bias tee)
thanks!
Claudio
Yes all b2.
Hi,
Does the new V.3 RTL-SDR circuit board have pads to which I can attach a switch so I can manually turn on and off the Bias-T power ? Just like in the previous version.
No pads sorry, but if you’re decent with soldering you could simply remove the bias tee LDO, and wire in a switch in its place.
Have you thought to make 2 separate connectors for HF and VHF? I think 95% ppl use different antennas for HF and VHF (you can do a survey).
PS. Nice filter, if I saw only the frequency response, I never would have thought that it is based on SMD components.
It’s possible, but cost would probably increase and the PCB might need to be enlarged as there are people who need those mounting holes on the corners. If you look on eBay there have been some direct sampling modified dongles out for some time now that that have two SMA connectors.
The good thing about one SMA connector is that you can use a signal external antenna switch to switch between many antennas if you like.
just bought fm trap. thank you sir for coming up with all these high quality devices and addons.
at this point i have spent enough money on rtl gadgets to have bought a nice shortwave radio. but i prefer the modular route. i can set it up anywhere and tinker with it endlessly. anyway, thanks again for a great product and a fantastic site. – paul from toronto
Good price for the FM band stop filter.
I just ordered one.
I hope you’ll keep on developping such SDR accessories in the future.
I already get RTL-SDR dongle V2 and V3.
A DAB band stop filter and a LNA would be usefull too.
my kit came with a damaged antenna base. The coax connector that ties the antenna base cable to the dongle is missing the center pin so I am unable to receive any rf signals. I know this is the issue as when I take a short length of copper wire and gnetly inset it into the center of the antenna connector on the dongle, I get radio stations loud and clear. How do i get a replacement antenna base?
Which kit are you talking about?
It is not damaged, it has a rp-sma connector instead of a sma
http://www.getfpv.com/media/wysiwyg/product-detail-images/sma-rpsma.jpg
Hi Kevin, please contact us on our support email at rtlsdrblog_AT_gmail_DOT_com to get a replacement started. Please include your order ID too. Also, if possible please send pictures in the email so we can show our supplier too.
Hello.
I’m interested to order vs SDR.- “” “RTL-SDR Blog R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA Software Defined Radio with 2x Telescopic Antennas” “”
$ 24.95, on Italian money € ur about 23 ..
Problem … try to order on Amazon and i see .. “Not available for shipping on ..”
The I am living on italy …….. and Amazon is wonderful Also for no high expenses –
How can I do to have you here in Italy, someone in germany, switzerland Italy to HONEST prices? .. Here literally make the bins, (disappointments)
Thanks to those of you answer me in email.
PS. When you update to better use, as they often do not recognize the drivers. v1450
Amazon is for US buyers, you have to click on Worldwide Add to Cart and then move to the top of page to complete the order. It arrives in Italy in less than 3 weeks with free registered airmail
Why can’t you use the worldwide shop that is on this very page that you commented on? Amazon will not ship overseas (and would be costly if they did), and is for USA customers only.
I didn’t understand your last comment about updating the drivers. Seems like you’re referring to SDR#? We don’t make SDR#, that is made by others.
I recently received two of the new V3 dongles from rtl-sdr and I have to say they are a huge improvement over the two NooElec dongles that I have been using, My reception and decode of a ProVoice system, using Unitrunker and DSD+ is much better with these new dongles! Also the quality of the dongles and the included antennas seem much better as well. Very happy I made the switch.
I work with wireless microphone systems and we often use active antennas or in line amplifiers in our RF equipment. The wireless receivers or antenna splitters that we use, provide Bias T power up to 15V to supply active equipment.
I would like to use an RTL-SDR dongle connected to an output of the antenna splitter so I can see real time the signal received with the antenna in the system. Do you know if the Nooelec NESDR Mini2 I own can handle that 12-15V in it’s input? And could the new V.3 dongle? If not, what can I use to block that DC current to use an RTL-SDR with that purpose?
Thanks!
I think the Nooelec models are the same as the generic ones and don’t have a DC blocking capacitor on the front end, so you’d probably blow up the ESD diode if you put voltage into it. On our V3 i’d recommend also not allowing more than 5V to enter the dongle as you might damage the bias tee. The ESD diode we use is rated up to 15V though. Ideally, you should use an external DC blocking capacitor to stop voltage from entering the dongle. Have a look at this for more info http://lna4all.blogspot.co.nz/2016/08/diy-dc-block.html.
Great info. This will work fine for my purposes.
Thanks!
Hello. At first thank you so much for your web! I can see that “RTL-SDR Blog R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA Software Defined Radio with 2x Telescopic Antennas” is sold out for international post (I am from Czech Republic, Europe Union). Will you please enable international post again? Hope yes, but if not then is it better to buy (e.g. over ebay) “NooElec NESDR Nano 2” or “NooElec NESDR Mini” or “NooElec NESDR Mini 2”? Thank you so much, Martin
Hi Martin, I’m from Slovak republic so …
I’m also waiting when they will be restocking and sending RTL-SDR to worldwide. Few days before I’ve decided to write them an email. Their response:
” Restocking is likely to occur next week, around August 8-12. “
Hi everyone.
I’m from Estonia and I’ve been waiting for them to restock it for 1 month now or so, because I think this is the best possible kit on the market. Really looking forward to it.
Sorry we’re a little delayed, but it’s looking good for this week.
Could you think about putting hardware revision numbers on the dongles. It would make it easier to keep track of the most current dongle in the reviews, promotions, etc. Thanks
Hi Bill, yes we are doing this for the next unit releasing in a few weeks. Before it was easy to tell the difference between revisions as we went from MCX dongles (V.0) – > SMA dongles (V.1) -> metal cased SMA dongles (V.2). But now most of the changes are internal so we’ve given it a (V.3) label on the enclosure.
Why don’t you guys add an LNA to your dongles like the flightaware ones have?
Generally you don’t want the LNA to be right in the dongle. The LNA needs to be placed near the antenna. This is why we have the bias tee instead (for powering a remote LNA like Adams LNA4ALL). When you place it near the antenna the LNA will help overcome the losses from the coax cable and any filters, switches, connectors or adapters in the signal path. If you place it at the dongle, then none of those losses will be overcome. There is still a reduction in NF from placing the LNA anywhere in the chain, but it placing it by the antenna is significantly better. The reduction in the NF from the LNA helps the FlightAware dongle for ADS-B since ADS-B reception is sensitive to even small gains in SNR, but you need to use a separate ADS-B filter to overcome any overload caused by the extra gain from the LNA.
Plus if we do add an LNA by the dongle, then this ruins it for people who want to do it properly and get optimal reception by placing the LNA by the antenna. Because then with an extra internal LNA in dongle there might be too much gain in the system causing overload, or the linearity from having too many LNA’s would be degraded sufficiently causing more overload, or there might not be enough power budget left for the bias tee to power an external LNA. Even FlightAware advises that their dongles should be used with a filter or overload will occur, and we don’t want to lock people into to requiring that they buy a filter for every band they want to listen to.
In addition there’s the increased power draw and increased heat from the LNA (low NF LNA’s draw lots of power), meaning that longer USB cables may not work due to the larger voltage drop from the higher current, and the circuit life may be shorter from the heat.
So in short, the LNA should be external to the dongle, so that you can place it near the antenna.
We are working on selling our own remote bias tee powered LNA, but it is still taking some time to get into manufacturing.
Very good, and don’t forget the external FM band stop filters; possibly with two options: 1. single pieces complete with SMA/F connectors, 2. lot of 5 pcs. without SMA connectors
Hi,
Does the new V.3 SDR circuit board have pads to which I can attach a switch so I can manually turn on and off the Bias-T power ? Just like in the previous version.
Hi I just got my rtl-sdr from amazon, but its not working.
I get Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed) .
Tried on USB 2 and USB 3 ports on two different computers (both windows 10, laptop / desktop)
I also tried a raspbery pi , but when I connect it the pi hangs, when I reboot, lsusb shows nothing:
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo lsusb
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Standard Microsystems Corp. SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9512 Standard Microsystems Corp. LAN9500 Ethernet 10/100 Adapter / SMSC9512/9514 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
What can I do ?
thanks
Hi Leandro, please check our reply to the email you sent. We will send you a replacement unit.
Thanks!, got your email.
Hello, I wonder if you sell the separate telescopic antenna since I already have a dongle and plan to buy only the telescopic antenna and aluminum case
Sorry we don’t sell the antennas separately at the moment.
Hi, when is the dongle kit with 2x Telescopic Antennas going to be in stock in amazon? , it says June 12 but its still out of stock. Can Someone recommend similar antennas on amazon so I can buy just the dongle? , thanks!
It should be soon, the products are with Amazon now, we’re just waiting on them to process the boxes and put the units on the shelves ready for shipping. However, the time they take is somewhat unpredictable which is why we write around June 12.
Hi, Does anybody know a good replacement for the MCM FM trap filter? It seems this one is not available for sale anywhere now…
Thanks!
Try https://www.sv1afn.com/band_reject_88_110_mhz.html, though there is no case and you’ll need to solder the SMA on yourself. We’re working on a FM trap to sell too, but still a few months away from being ready to sell.
How good are NooElec dongles
NooElec blue aren’t bad but I recommend putting them in a metal case with a heatsink.
Aluminum foil will work but it blocks air flow which can make it get hot.
An Altoids tin and a thermal pad should work OK. Be sure to ground the case to the USB and antenna shields.
Also the RTL-SDR.com dongles are better, in my humble opinion, simply because they use an SMA connector. The adapter from MCX to whatever is going to cost you some money (I used a $10 SMA-MCX cable) and also some signal loss.
Hello,
I just wanted to make you aware of a problem I had with one of your dongles that I bought on Amazon last year. I posted about it here (with photos):
http://forums.radioreference.com/software-defined-radio/334365-rtl-sdr-r820t2-rtl2832u-tcxo-dongle-cold-solder-joint.html#post2586594
This is just an FYI for you.
Hello, thanks for the feedback. There was a small number with this QC problem in the original batches, but this should not be a problem in the newer batches anymore. However, if anyone discovers a problem like this again just contact us at [email protected] and we’ll sort it out.
Hello Admin, i sent already 2 messages, but no response, can you please reply ?
can you please let me know if i buy “NooElec NESDR Mini 2 SDR & DVB-T USB Stick (RTL2832 + R820T2) with Antenna and Remote Control.”
will this work supports all features as “RTL-SDR Blog R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA” the first itme in this page ? please suggest as i am unable to get that from amazon at my location ? please suggest.
Or can you please let me know if i order this to UAE how long it will take to deliver ?
Thanks
Hi Ash,
Sorry, I thought I already replied to you elsewhere. That unit is functionally the same ours but ours comes with extras like a TCXO and metal case which may be useful to you, or not. Why don’t you use our international store on this very page? Our specs and shipping info are listed on this page too, and you can compare and check.
International air mail shipping times are impossible to predict, it’s unfortunately just the way the world works. It could take 1-4 weeks usually. Please use express shipping if you need it faster. Amazon will also probably ship via international air mail, but from the USA.
Hello, can you please let me know if i buy “NooElec NESDR Mini 2 SDR & DVB-T USB Stick (RTL2832 + R820T2) with Antenna and Remote Control.”
will this work supports all features as “RTL-SDR Blog R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA” the first itme in this page ? please suggest as i am unable to get that from amazon at my location ? please suggest.
Thanks
Hi,
Do any of these support AM radio?
Typical RTL-SDR’s don’t support reception of MW broadcast AM radio (but of course can demodulate any AM signals in software). However, you could try an experimental driver https://www.rtl-sdr.com/new-experimental-r820t-rtl-sdr-driver-tunes-13-mhz-lower/, which may get you strong broadcast AM radio, if an appropriate antenna is used. Other options include applying the direct sampling mod, buying an upconverter, or buying a more expensive SDR with HF capabilities.
Hello. I transferred money for 4 dongle 3 days ago but have not received the letter sending yet. Tell me please with whom I can contact to find out the transaction details?
Hello Valeriy, I see your order was only placed two days ago on the night of May 4 (China time) and it was put into processing for packing and shipment by DHL on May 5. DHL usually begins the export process the next working day after packing & processing and then gives us the tracking 1 working day later, so you should receive the tracking number on Monday. It will come in a shipping confirmation email from PayPal. Hope this info helps you, if there are any problems please see the “Shipping Information” section on this page, or contact us directly at [email protected].
Thank you!!!
Hello, Please when would the R820T2 RTL2832U be available. I urgently need it for my research. Thanks.
They will be back in stock in around 1-2 weeks. If it’s super urgent contact us at [email protected] as we still have a small amount of spares in stock.
Quick newbie question:
I’m looking to receive broadcast AM using the direct sampling mod. Can I directly solder a loop antenna (similar to those found on boomboxes or A/V receivers) to the breakout pins? Or do I need anything in between the antenna and the RTL-SDR, like a transformer or balun? Thanks.
You can, but i’d highly suggest using a balun or impedance transformer or at least a 1:1 to give some effective ESD protection.
But what about impedance matching? Is a 1:1 transformer best, or should I use a different ratio?
1:16 seems to work well for most people. The impedance of the chip is quite high.
The R820T2 dongle with TCXO works very well, but the lowpass IF filter doesn’t work compared to the older R820T dongles. I am using the SDR driver with IF bandwidth control and it works well on my old R820T, reducing the bandwidth for better out-of-band rejection, but the bandwidth is wide open on the new R820T2 dongle. With SDR#, I can see a narrow bandwidth when set to 2.4 MHz sampling and 350KHz IF bandwidth on the R820T, but not on the R820T2. Was something changed to disable the IF filter ? Can it be changed back ?