SDRplay Spectrum Analyzer Software Updated to V1.0a

Steve Andrew, the author of the SDRplay Spectrum Analyzer software has recently released an update which enables several new features. This software allows you to use SDRplay SDRs to scan a wide swath of bandwidth by rapidly scanning in 10 MHz (or less) chunks over the SDRplay's frequency range. The SDRplay team write:

We are pleased to announce the availability of V1.0a of the Spectrum Analyser software developed by Steve Andrew specifically for the RSP line of products. This is a very-much upgraded version of the original alpha release and includes many new features as well as removing the limitations imposed on the previous version. New features include multiple traces, a versatile marker system with maths, peak find and display functions, Zero or non-Zero IF options and an upgraded tracking generator system. Currently support are: 

RSP1
RSP2/RSP2pro
RSP1A
RSPduo (single tuner mode)

SDRplay Spectrum Analyzer
SDRplay Spectrum Analyzer
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Othernet Dreamcatcher On Sale for Only $49

Over on the Othernet website the Dreamcatcher hardware is currently on sale for only US$49. This is the lowest we've ever seen it for sale.

If you weren't already aware, the Othernet project aims to bring live data such as news, weather, video, books, Wikipedia articles and audio broadcasts to the world via a free satellite service and cheap receivers. Although an internet connection provides the same data, Othernet's satellite broadcast is receivable in remote areas, will continue working in disasters, and costs nothing to continually receive roughly 200MB of data a day. The trade off is that the service is downlink only, so the data that you get is only what is curated by the Othernet team.

Currently the public service is in a test period and is only available in North America. Europe has come online recently too, however they write that the current version of Dreamcatcher that is for sale may not be optimal for receiving the EU signal.

While currently active, they write that the Othernet satellite service is not guaranteed to continue long term. However even if the service discontinues, the Dreamcatcher can still be used as a TX/RX capable LoRa radio. In a previous post we demonstrated a fun application with two Dreamcatchers and a LoRa chat application.

Othernet Dreamcatcher
Othernet Dreamcatcher
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Building a Transmit/Receive Relay System for a “Boat Anchor” Transmitter and SDRplay

Over on YouTube user ElPaso TubeAmps has uploaded a video showing his transit/receiver relay system that allows a "boat anchor" (old radio) ham radio transmitter and SDRplay SDR receiver to coexist. In order to protect the SDRplay's front end from being destroyed by a ham radio transmitting on the same antenna, a relay should be used to ground the SDRplay during a ham radio transmission. He writes:

How to build a small chassis and relay system to switch the antenna from the SDR input to ground and open the speaker connection from the PC to the speakers during transmit. I use "boat anchor", i.e. separate VFO for transmitter and receiver equipment and this video is about that type of connection and is not for transceivers.

SDRPlay, RTL-SDR, Transmit-Receive , PC Speaker, T/R Switch

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SigintOS: A Linux Distro for Signal Intelligence

Recently we've heard of a new Linux distribution called SigintOS becoming available for download. SigintOS is an Ubuntu based distribution with a number of built in signal intelligence applications for software defined radios such as RTL-SDRs and other TX capable SDRs like the HackRF, bladeRF and USRP radios.

The distro appears to be very well executed, with a built in GUI that grants easy access to the some common sigint tools like an FM and GPS transmitter, a jammer, a GSM base station search tool and an IMSI catcher. SigintOS also has various other preinstalled programs such as GNU Radio, gr-gsm, YatesBTS, wireshark and GQRX.

The OS also teases an LTE search and LTE decoder which to access requires that you get in contact with the creators, presumably for a licencing fee. Regarding an LTE IMSI catcher they write:

LTE IMSI Catcher is not myth!

Due to the nature of LTE base stations, the capture of IMSI numbers seems impossible. LTE stations use GUTI to communicate with users instead of IMSI. The GUTI contains the temporary IMSI number called T-IMSI. This allows the operator to find out who is at the corresponding LTE station who is authorized to query T-IMSI information.

Can the GUTI number be found?
Answer Yes!

How to find GUTI and T-IMSI numbers?
Can be found with the help of SigintOS …

For detailed information [email protected]

The image comes as a 2GB ISO file, and it's possible to run it in WMWare or VirtualBox.

SIGINTOS IMSI Catcher
SigintOS IMSI Catcher
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QIRX SDR Beta 2.0.1.0 Released: Improvements to DAB Scanner, Recorder and Spectra Display

QIRX SDR is a multimode SDR program compatible with the RTL-SDR. One of its defining features is that it has a built in DAB+ decoder. Recently beta version 2.01 of QIRX SDR was released which has some scanner, recording and spectra display improvements. We note that the beta version appears to be a DAB decoder only, with no multi-mode features. The new features and improvements include:

Scanner:

  • Configurable w/r to the Muxes to be scanned and/or included in the usual set of Muxes being used.
  • New algo, considerably faster
  • "Scan forever" feature, interesting for DX-ers wishing to observe Muxes over a longer time, particularly together with TII logging.
  • Selectable waiting time after recognition of a Mux, for TII logging.

Recorders:

  • TII Recorder: File structure improved, now directly importable into Excel, with TAB as separator.
  • Audio Recorder (DAB+ only): Format selectable between WAV (as usual) and pure AAC (with ADTS headers). The latter allows for high-quality recordings compressed by at least a factor of 10 compared to WAV. The popular Foobar2000 app is able to play these files. Not seekable yet though, because embedding in a suitable container is not yet implemented.

Spectra:

  • CIR with different scales (Samples, Distance, Time)
  • Indication of the correlation peaks used for the "FFT Window" determination in the CIR spectrum.
QIRX SDR Beta 2.0.1.0
QIRX SDR Beta 2.0.1.0
 
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SignalsEverywhere: SDRAngel PlutoSDR Transmit Tutorial

Over on his YouTube channel SignalsEverywhere, Corrosive has uploaded a new video tutorial showing us how to transmit with a PlutoSDR and SDRAngel. His tutorial goes over the initial set up steps, selecting a modulator and changing modulator settings. He then goes on to demonstrate transmitting CW Morse code, using a CTCSS squelch tone and transmitting a Robot36 SSTV image via Virtual Audio Cable and MMSSTV.

SDRAngel Transmit Tutorial with PlutoSDR

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Receiving Voice Communications From the Soyuz MS-12 Expedition to the ISS

On March 14 the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft mission was launched and this carried three astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Back on the ground, YouTube creator Tysonpower was able to receive the voice communications of Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin while the Soyuz spacecraft was approaching the ISS. To do this he used an Airspy SDR and home made QFH antenna, and he notes that reception could just have easily been achieved with an RTL-SDR.

Tysonpower has uploaded a video explaining what he received along with a subtitled and translated recording of the communication. More information also available on his blog post.

[EN subs] Empfang von Cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin im Soyuz MS-12

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Conference Talk: Linux, Raspberry Pi, RTLSDR, LAME and Open Source (A Recipe For Responding to Natural Disasters)

The SCaLE conference on open source and free software was recently held on March 10 in Pasadena, California. One of the talks by Ben Kuo AI6YR was titled "Linux, Raspberry Pi, RTLSDR, LAME and Open Source (A Recipe For Responding to Natural Disasters)". This talk was streamed live, and is archived on YouTube.

In the talk Ben discusses how RTL-SDR's can be useful in disaster response by putting radio communications onto online audio streaming sites like Broadcastify. He notes how difficult it was for residents affected by the California wildfires to get up to date information on how close the fire was to their house from news stations and authorities. In contrast information on the internet came in much faster and more accurately. He notes in particular how listening in to firefighter radio communications via online streams uploaded by RTL-SDR users can give the fastest and most up to date information to concerned residents.

Ben also mentions how it can also useful to track the movement of fires via the ADS-B flight tracking data transmitted by fire fighting aircraft. By watching the aircraft movements the spread of the fire can be determined.

In the YouTube video stream, Ben's talk starts at about 3:31:00 and the video below should start at that time. The three other talks recorded in this stream are all ham radio related and may also be of interest to you.

Room 212 Sunday Mar. 10 - SCaLE 17x

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