Category: Applications

RTL-SDR Now Supported by MATLAB

The Communications System Toolbox in MATLAB 2013b now supports the RTL-SDR dongle. MATLAB is a scientific computing software product which scientists and engineers use for complex technical computations and simulations.

The RTL-SDR radio support package enables you to design wireless receivers using real world signals. Using Communications System Toolbox™ in conjunction with an RTL-SDR USB radio, you can design and prototype systems that process real-time wireless signals in MATLAB® and Simulink®.

Wireless engineers, students, and hobbyists can learn to receive and decode real-world radio signals using this low cost RTL-SDR hardware connected to your computer.

Key Features:

  • RTL-SDR radio as an I/O peripheral to receive streaming RF signals
  • Configurable center frequency and sample rate
  • NooElec™ NESDR Mini USB Stick (R820T) and NooElec NESDR Nano USB Stick (R820T) SDR devices with frequency range 30MHz – 1.8GHz
  • Compatible with other RTL-SDR USB radios (eg., Terratec T-Stick E4000)
  • Several application examples for getting started:
    • FM Mono / Stereo with RTL-SDR
    • FRS Receiver with RTL-SDR
    • Spectral Analysis with RTL-SDR radio
    • Frequency offset calibration with RTL-SDR

Icecream Box Raspberry Pi RTL-SDR Receiver

Over on our Facebook page Micheal Kent has posted about his raspberry pi based RTL-SDR receiver which runs rtl_udp. There’s not much more information on this project, but the video he posted shows what appears to be a Raspberry Pi and RTL-SDR dongle mounted inside an icecream box. There are two knobs mounted on the outside that control the brightness of an LCD screen which shows the tuned frequency, and another knob which controls the frequency itself.

Video Tutorial: Setting Up Satellite Tracking with SDRSharp and Orbitron

YouTube user HamradioSat has put up a video tutorial showing how to connect SDR# and Orbitron together. By interfacing the two, Orbitron can then be used to automatically tune to the doppler corrected frequency of a satellite passing overhead in SDR#. Orbitron is a free satellite tracking software program.

This can be useful for simplifying the tracking of NOAA weather satellites and downloading their live images.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7Ut-HvnRb8&feature=youtube_gdata

Using the RTL-SDR as a Cheap TV Satellite Finder

Finding the correct direction to point a satellite for TV reception can be difficult without the right equipment. YouTube user MegaOscarVideos shows us in the video below how he uses an RTL-SDR to accurately aim his satellite for TV reception.

He uses a TV satellite dish with an LNB connected to a bias-T circuit as the receiver, which is then connected to the RTL-SDR. As the satellite is moved he looks for the direction at which the signal level in SDR# increases the most.

RTL SDR as cheap TV Satfinder

GR-RDS: An FM-RDS Receiver for GNU Radio which supports RTL-SDR

GR-RDS is a GNU Radio program which can be used for the decoding of FM RDS data with the RTL-SDR. It has recently been updated to support GNU Radio 3.7.

RDS is an acronym for Radio Data System, which is used in FM radio transmissions to embed information such as radio station and programme/song information. Some conventional FM radios display this information on an LCD screen.

One the authors of GR-RDS has also recently posted a video on YouTube showing it in action with an RTL-SDR source block.

FM RDS Reception with GNURadio and RTL SDR

Meteor Detection with the RTL-SDR

YouTube user Tim Havens has uploaded two videos showing his meteor detection results with an RTL-SDR dongle. Tim uses a stock R820T dongle, and a 6 element yagi antenna with LNA.

For the software he uses Spectrum Lab and SDRSharp.

Update: Tehrasha from the comments section has found a page by Tim Havens showing a little information on his meteor detection setup.

RTL SDR R820T and Meteor Detection

Orbcomm Reception with the RTL-SDR

YouTube user Drvarnick has uploaded a video showing how he receives Orbcomm satellite data with the RTL-SDR. To do this he uses a a homemade 1/4 wave antenna, SDR# and the Orbcomm-Plotter software by COAA.

COAA describes Orbcomm satellites as

a satellite communication system (www.orbcomm.com) providing two-way data and positioning service to small, portable user terminals in the VHF frequency bands. You can use a simple VHF radio receiver (scanner) tuned to the band between 137 and 138 MHz to pick up the strong signals from these satellites. With OrbcommPlotter you can decode the telemetry and find out the positions of the satellites, their operational status and their uplink and downlink channels. Unlike most satellite signals, there are so many Orbcomm satellites that there is likely to be one within range of almost any spot on Earth at any time of the day or night.

Receiving ISS Data Comms with the RTL-SDR

YouTube user mutezone has uploaded a video showing some data communication packets from the International Space Station (ISS) being received with the RTL-SDR. To receive the packets he used SDRSharp, and piped the audio using a virtual audio cable to the Qtmm AFSK1200 Decoder.

I tried to get the ISS (International Space Station) data comms on 145.825 MHz while the satellite was in orbit close to my location & it worked, even though it can go off frequency due to atmospherics & such. On this day, I caught it when it orbited twice around my location in the space of almost three hours. The data comms was decoded on the 2nd attempt. The antenna I used was an omni placed outdoors, & also using a TV + radio signal booster.
For anyone interested in getting the ISS, you have to wait until it orbits close to your location, & I fully recommend a decent aerial that should be placed externally. You can check the ISS tracker websites to see live updates of when & where it will orbit. Here is a link to one website…

http://www.isstracker.com

List of frequencies link…

http://www.issfanclub.com/frequencies