Creating an SDR from a TEF6686 Car Radio FM/AM Chip
A recent IEEE Spectrum article details how hobbyist PE5PVB has repurposed an NXP TEF6686 automotive FM/AM tuner chip into a software-defined radio with a tuning range of 65 MHz - 108 MHz and 144 kHz - 27 MHz.
PE5PVB developed custom open-source firmware for TEF6686 dev boards, allowing them to tune beyond their original design frequency range. He then went on to develop a version that included a screen. Eventually, the Chinese manufacturers caught on to the potential of the design and are now producing a full handheld version that is available on Aliexpress at a current sale price of US$61.26.
Reviews of the product are all positive, and it appears to be one of the best choices for a portable handheld DXing radio.
I bought one immediately after reading the IEEE article. Where I live at least it’s absolutely useless on AM with the supplied whip antenna, but connected to a YouLoop it is a magnificent receiver. I am hoping that the firmware will be developed over time to provide additional capabilities if this is possible. The display is great fun to watch while tuning around – there’s a lot going on in it.
Update as of February 2025 – I just updated the firmware to v. 2.11 and now there are more settings exactly as I had hoped. This is a wonderful radio.
The 6686 was always designed to cover the frequency ranges shown above unless PE5PVB has widened them outside of these published ones?
When it is a SDR – can you receive SSB, WSPR, FT4 and raw IQ data, plot waterfall diagrams etc?
No, only AM and WFM
That will keep me from getting this .
does it also support DAB+ ?
TEF6688 datasheets mention support for HD/DRM but with companion chips.
namely with: SAF360x which supports HD Radio/DAB/DAB+/T-DMB/DRM