Category: Applications

RTL-SDR as a Cheap Panadapter

For people already with expensive ham radios, the RTL-SDR can be used as a cheap panadapter. A panadapter is device that allows you to visually see the RF spectrum and waterfall being received by the ham radio. There are multiple (expensive) commercial panadapters available, but combined with a PC or laptop, the RTL-SDR will work just as well.

In this video YouTube user akdude47 shows a tutorial on setting up the RTL-SDR as a panadapter for a Yaesu FT-857. The setup involves connecting the IF output of the radio to the RTL-SDR, and putting in some settings into HDSDR.

How to setup a RTL SDR with HDSDR and a FT-857 for a panadapter and second receiver.

Receiving the FO-29 Amateur Satellite with RTL-SDR

In this video YouTube user Roland Zurmely (PY4ZBZ) shows communications with the FO-29 amateur satellite using his RTL-SDR and a 6 element UHF Yagi antenna. The Fuji-OSCAR-29 (FO-29 a.k.a JAS-2) is an amateur radio satellite that allows voice communication via single side band, and has a voice downlink frequency of 435.8 MHz and uplink frequency of 145.9 MHz.

In this video, the RTL-SDR was used as the satellite receiver, and a conventional FT857 radio with 4 element VHF Yagi was used to transmit to the satellite uplink.

RTL1090 Beta 2 Updated to Build 102

Popular ADS-B decoding software for the RTL-SDR RTL1090 has updated it’s beta version to build 102. This new build has the following improvements

– Decoder improved by brute force 1-bit error correction and brute force DF11 and DF17 override for unknown DFs. This may be tough stuff for slow computers. If your computer slows down considerably return to a previous version please.

– Tabs introduced – List/Table selection moved to Tabs.

– Stats tab added: this brings back the previous status bar info about USB packets per second.

– II/SI tab added. This tab adds the ability to quickly scan the Mode-S interrogator codes around. A “radar1090.txt” file can be added to the rtl1090 folder that holds II/SI code decodings. A sample file is attached. The II/SI collection can be reset by a right mouse click action. The recently seen codes and the last aircraft responding with that code are display in red onwhite.

– Context menu (right mouse click) for text window, “listhold” established by menu selection, revoked by mouse click.

You can download the latest beta from http://rtl1090.com

RTL-SDR Receiving ISS EVA Comms

Over on the Radio Antics blog, Andrew has posted about how he was able to receive Russian International Space Station communications during an EVA (Extravehicular Activity aka Spacewalk). He used a simple random wire antenna mounted in his loft and an RTL-SDR with SDRSharp tuned at 143.625 MHz.

See his recorded video below.

ISS - Russian EVA-33 Comms (RTL-SDR)

Decoding Pagers on the Raspberry Pi with RTL-SDR

Hackaday has brought to attention a tutorial written on the Raspberry Pi forums by Sonny_Jim showing how to decode pager transmissions on the Raspberry Pi. In the tutorial he also shows how to set up a web server to be able to view the decoded transmissions in a web browser.

He uses a RTL-SDR and Raspberry Pi and pipes the output of rtl_fm into the multimonNG software to decode the messages.

Tutorial: HF Decoding Tour with the FUNcube Dongle Pro+

On the FUNcube Dongle blog/store amateur radio enthusiast DK80K (a.k.a Nils) has sent in a link to a 16 page pdf file showing a comprehensive tour on the FUNcube Dongle Pro+’s capabilities on the HF spectrum.

He gives an overview of many digital ham and HF utility modes including DRM, WSPR, RTTY, Olivia, MFSK16, PSK31, Pactor, Packet, Hellschreiben, ROS, SSTV, HF ACARS, SSB, CW, DSC/GMDSS, SITOR-A/B, Globe Wireless, Time Signals, ALE, Baudot, FAX and Stanag 4285.

The FUNcube is a software defined radio similar to the RTL-SDR, but with better sensitivity and noise performance, but at a higher price (around $200 USD). These modes can also be received with the RTL-SDR and an upconverter such as the Nooelec Ham-It-Up upconverter.

Download his pdf here (Mirror)

Receiving SSTV with RTL-SDR

Over on the Radio Antics blog fellow RTL-SDR enthusiast Andrew has been using the RTL-SDR to receive Slow Scan Television (SSTV) amateur signals. SSTV is a method ham radio enthusiasts use to send small images to one another. The images often contain their ham call sign overlaid on the image.

Andrew was able to receive several SSTV images using an R820T dongle tuned to the 27 MHz (11 meter) band. He also used a Funcube Dongle+ and got similar results.

Check out his post for some of the images he received, and his video below for an example of the receiving process.