Scanner School Podcast + Webinar: This is Why You Need an SDR

Scanner School is an online site providing tutorials, podcasts and reviews all about the radio scanning hobby. They are currently planning a Webinar for February 23, 2021 titled "Why Every Scanner User Needs an SDR: The #1 Underrated Tool that should be in your setup". You can sign up to the webinar here. In addition to the upcoming webinar they have also already released episode 165 of their podcast titled "This is Why You Need an SDR". The topics covered in the podcast are listed below.

• An SDR means that anything normally handled by the hardware of the radio is now handled by the computer, and the physical hardware serves as an interface.
• The only limitation on the SDR hardware you buy is the frequency range and the amount of RF it can digest.
• SDR receivers have come a long way since they were first hacked into existence.
• SDRs used to be difficult to set up, but that’s no longer true.
• You don’t need advanced computer skills to run SDR software.
• SDR software can run on PC, Linux, Mac, Raspberry PI, and even Android.
• An SDR is more flexible and less expensive than a traditional radio.
• You can turn a $30 USB stick into something as powerful as an SDS200 in an afternoon.
• All you need to get started is an SDR USB stick, a computer, and the free starter software SDR Sharp.
• Once you get set up with FM broadcast stations, aviation, and other analog systems, Phil’s SDR course will go into how to set up digital reception.
• If you download DSD+ Fast Lane or Unitrunker you can monitor trunking systems.