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.
Amazon USA warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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.
Amazon USA warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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!
Amazon USA warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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 LOW stock.
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.
Amazon USA warehouse out of stock - back late July 2024.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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.
Amazon USA warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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 out of 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.
Amazon USA warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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.
Amazon USA warehouse in stock stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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.
Amazon USA warehouse out of stock.
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.
Amazon USA warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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.
Amazon USA warehouse in stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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!
Amazon USA warehouse out of stock.
Chinese worldwide warehouse in stock.
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 received all my components in a VERY timely manner. Software setup was explained perfectly and was very simple.
But my antenna kit arrived WITHOUT the telescopic antennas. Who do I contact to get these sent out?
Hi, if there was an error in packing, please contact us at admin rtl-sdr.com with your order ID number and we’ll get it sorted.
Is there an ETA on when the ADS-B Triple Filtered LNA will be back in stock?
Unfortunately, the ADS-B LNA will not be stocked again as the chip we need for it has been discontinued. We are working on a replacement product, but it will be something a little different and we’re just finally entering the prototyping stage now, so it’s at least a few months away.
Hi. I am a computer engineer working as a software engineer. I don’t have a HAM license and I would like to start listening to CW using SDR. I have studied some theory at the university, a couple of decades ago. Consider I have to start from scratch with SDR. What is a good equipment I can use not requiring a license (receiver only?). From what place can I learn how to utilise SDR? Thanks.
Put the money in a antenna either a mini whip or long wire with a balun
My home was connected to a satellite dish via a coaxial cable. Can I use the installed cable by using a coaxial-to-sma converter to use a RTL-SDR?
Downloading RTLSDR Driver
host=’github.com’, url=’/rtlsdrblog/rtl-sdr-blog/releases/latest/download/Release.zip’
0 total bytes written to tmpRelease.zip.
Downloading Zadig
host=’github.com’, url=’/pbatard/libwdi/releases/download/b721/zadig-2.4.exe’
0 total bytes written to zadig.exe.
Archive: tmp/Release.zip
End-of-central-directory signature not found. Either this file is not
a zipfile, or it constitutes one disk of a multi-part archive. In the
latter case the central directory and zipfile comment will be found on
the last disk(s) of this archive.
unzip: cannot find zipfile directory in tmp/Release.zip,
and cannot find tmp/Release.zip.zip, period.
The system cannot find the file specified.
Press any key to continue .
how can i fix this in install-rtlsdr
and i have unzip the zip file
The folder it is trying to write to may be blocking the download, try creating a folder in the root directory eg: C:\SDR and install your SDR software there, try the installation again.
Hi i have a question i ordered 2 sdr dongles and just 1 antenna kit and a Y splitter. i want to listen to local police will i need a LNA or would i be fine with what i got? Thank u
I WOULD LIKE TO BUY RTLSDR BLOG R820T2 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO (DONGLE ONLY )
Is the inventory of the RTL-SDR Blog V4 at Amazon Ontario, Canada legit, or should I buy direct?
Thanks for your help!
If it says Sold By ‘RTL-SDR Blog’ then it’s legit. Sometimes Amazon will ship to Canada rapidly from US stock, and sometimes they actually have stock already in Canada.
Thank you for the quick reply and info! Much appreciated! 🙂
Please ignore previous comment. Have just discovered my rtl-sdr is a fake V3
It’s us preventing the transaction from going through by setting an impossible price. Some countries still don’t have good postal service options after the pandemic. Please contact us via that email and we can get Fedex or DHL quotes for your area.
and buying from turkey no problem?
For Turkey you will want to checkout with Stripe, as PayPal is not available in Turkey. But shipping to Turkey should be fine.
will it ship to india if i order from ebay ? i am asking because im worried because its shipping from china.
Shipping is fine. I believe India only banned the Aliexpress platform, not other platforms.
on aliexpress there are only three items. i cant find what i need.
From top of this page:
“Chinese New Year Holidays: Please note that international shipping from our web store, eBay and Aliexpress will stop for Chinese New Year between around February 6 – February 22.”
There seems to be a problem with our Aliexpress listings at the moment. Looking into it.
This problem should be fixed now.
Your AliExpress links on this page are getting forwarded to different store and product IDs. Is that known/expected? I bought from the “new” AliExpress store (1101427871) and want to make sure the V4 dongle I got is genuine!
I’m not sure why you see 1101427871 but that number does appear to redirect to our store ID: 4523039. If you want to confirm email us with your order ID number and we can check.
this is an odd request, but does the RTL-SDR site carry any decals, stickers, or magnets so I can put on my laptop?
The V3 dongle documentation does not mention what antenna to connect to it, at least I have not seen it, what is best: a long wire antenna or a loaded antenna for the frequency band I want to listen to?
The best antenna depends entirely on your application/frequencies of interest. So we can’t suggest a single antenna to use in the documentation.
I live in Pennsylvania, USA. I ordered my V4 kit and got it in 2 days.
I bought the V3 RTL-SDR Dongle. I went to the getting started guide for the V3. I’m not able to find the software. When I click on the link. It keeps looping back to the original page.
The information is not very understandable. No phone number…I do better with talking with a person.
Look at this tutorial https://youtu.be/uNT5AnNfmg8?si=T3gqrziheGeGer6p
I am thinking of purchasing the rtl sdr v4 kit. Will it ship to India ? And I don’t know about the custom duties. Will it be high or low ? I am worried about the shipping because India banned many Chinese apps and that included AliExpress.
hello, will antenna kit will work with blue dongle?
The blue dongle with the MCX connector? It will work, but you will need an MCX to SMA female adapter.
Does anyone know where to get the actual Rafael Micro R860T IC? I’m in need of a couple!
😀
For anybody wondering, from the worldwide warehouse (ie. buying directly on the rtl-sdr site) the dongle took exactly 2 weeks to arrive in Sydney, Australia from the shipping date (was shipped on first business day after purchase).
Came using 4px and PFLogistics for the last mile. If you need it really fast, AliExpress Standard shipping might be a few days faster but I think you would also be subject to a sales tax.
So far happy with the purchase, highly recommend
V4 (dongle only) on Amazon is delayed many times, when finnaly it will be available to delivery? Thanks
The stock has arrived at Amazon, but Amazon can take a while to process the packages. Sometimes they are fast, and sometimes they are very slow. The thanksgiving break is also slowing them down a bit more than usual.
Much too expensive for poor people in poor countries where wages and pensions are not enough to buy radios and the like!
V4 and antenna kit is out of stock in aliexpress despite this page claims in stock. Are they trying to get rid of V3’s there?
I live in Germany and would like to order the RTL-SDR V4-set with antennas. Unfortunately AliExpress tells me, that deliveries to my country aren’t possible.
Can you please tell me what’s the reason?
Germany has enforced a rule for Aliexpress where we must register with the government for any plastic packaging. We are tying to sign up for this program to reenable German orders, but the system keeps glitching on us. We are awaiting a resolution from the agency, but it’s taking a long time for them to sort it out.
In the mean time, please try to order from eBay.
I had this suspicion, but wanted to know for sure.
Thank you very much!
Hi
Man kann nach AT bestellen (wo Ich wohne). Wenn du was mit einen Black Friday Rabatt brauchst lass es mich wissen. Du müsstest nur eine neue “Fake E-Mail Adresse” Anmelden und diese hier als Antwort posten das Ich dich erreichen kann.
Lg
Hi zurück nach AT.
Vielen Dank für das Angebot, aber die Bestellung über ebay lief glatt und das Paket war nach 10 Tagen Lieferzeit bei mir.
Viele Grüße
(Many thanks for the kind offer, but the order via ebay went smoothly and the package was with me after 10 days delivery time.)
When might the wideband lna be back in stock on AliExpress? Thanks.
Back in stock now, thanks for your patience.
I have purchase one bullseye 10K LNB, but it seems working on LO9750MHz only, how to switch to LO10600MHz? need some one advice. BR
the stores in Holland don’t work / or are not active anymore!
The Vandijiken store is gone, but the second store in NL called Elektor is still active. I’ve removed the vandijiken store now.
Hello admin, the Vandijken store is still active. They went from a .com to a .nl registration. See the link https://www.vandijkenelektronica.nl/ .
Greetings, Arie
In the UK order from aliexpress in china all you pay is the price and normal VAT, if you buy from the EU or non vat collecting countries and its pulled by customs you will be charged vat and a collection duty of around 10 pounds, its a chance you take but they are getting hot on vat collections for imported goods now.
I would like to get a quotation for 10 RTL-SDR devices. I sent a request via email but have not received the quotation yet. I am trying to purchase the devices using a grant. So I need to submit a quote before making a purchase. Would it be possible to get a quotation, please?
Thanks
Gandhi
I believe we already emailed you but if not, please email again.
I’m not even going to comment on anything specifically here. I’m just going to say thank you. After being out of the “radio” game for many years, my RTL SDR v3 has sucked me back in with a vengeance and I’m having more fun with it than ever. I used to have to spend a lot of money to get a sliver of the enjoyment I get with this inexpensive piece of technology. What an awesome product with incredible support!
Glad to hear you are enjoying RTL-SDR!
I ordered RTL-SDR Blog Semi-Rigid RG402 SMA Antenna Adapter Set and got RTL-SDR Blog SMA Straight Antenna Adapter Set instead. Useless to me and a loss of 12 bux. Now Im afraid to order what i need from here.
Hello contact us at admin rtl-sdr.com with your order details and we’ll of course replace any packing error.
L-Band antenna –
After being installed for less than six months, the case has warped and no longer seals against the environment, making it useless since it needs to be outside to pickup the satellites. For $60, this should have never happened. If you are planning to use this as anything other than a decoration, I recommend that you look elsewhere, or be prepared to take it apart and provide your own case that is actually designed to be exposed to the elements without warping. This experience has completely changed my opinion of rtl-sdr as a QUALITY minded company.
In six months the unit will still be under the two year warranty. The newer grey cases are made with a better mix of plastic that are less susceptible to warping in direct sun. If yours warped the manufacturer will certainly replace it.
You need to look at the HackRF One link to Amazon. It goes to a dead link, and you won’t get credit for that.
The link I am referring to is at the end of the product list on https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/
It looks like the latest Nooelec v5 copied your RTLSDR v3 direct sample design. Take one apart and compare. Just a heads up as I’m grateful for what yall do.
Thanks. Yeah I’ve seen one now and it is almost identical. The one obvious change I see is that they used a slightly different transformer which has less attenuation at the lower HF frequencies. In our V3 the curve is purposely tuned to have attenuation at the lower end to reduce BCAM overload, as well as LF noise which is very damaging to sensitivity in real world tests, given that most people are interested in the HF bands at 2 MHz+.