SDR Touch brings RTL-SDR to Android

SDR Touch is an Android app which allows the rtl-sdr dongle to be used on an Android device. A USB OTG (on-the-go) cable is required to connect the android device to the tv dongle. The blurb on the app authors website reads

(SDR Touch) Turns your mobile phone or tablet into an affordable and portable software defined radio scanner. Allows you to listen to live on air FM radio stations, weather reports, police, fire department and emergency stations, taxi traffic, airplane communications, audio of analogue TV broadcasts, HAM radio amateurs, digital broadcasts and many more! Depending on the hardware used, its radio frequency coverage could span between 50 MHz and 2.2 GHz. It currently demodulates WFM, AM, NFM, USB, LSB, DSB, CWU and CLW signals.

SDR Touch - Live radio on your Android device

If you do not have an rtl-sdr dongle yet, you can find a good place to grab a compatible one for about $20USD from the Buy RTL-SDR page.

Currently, it seems that USB, LSB, CWU and CLW are experimental and may not fully work. In a recent update squelch, gain and offset control have been added to the app. SDR Touch is still early in its development and as such many features may still be missing. A list of upcoming features and supported tuners are shown on this developers forum thread on xda.

Most newer devices with Android 4.0 or higher should work with SDR Touch. Devices with older versions of Android may work if rooted. Some Android devices also may not provide enough power through the USB port to power the tv dongle. A USB OTG cable with an extra power port may be required to power the dongle. An extra power port may be a good idea regardless, as an app like SDR Touch is prone to draining the battery fast.

SDR Touch has been having some licensing issues which has resulted in its removal from the Google Play store. It can still be downloaded for free from the authors website. Upgrading to the Pro version for £5.99 removes a trial timer on the graphical spectrum  viewer feature.

A lot of people seem keen to use SDR Touch as an Android in car radio on their tablet. The SDR Touch author has promised to integrate more features such as a Frequency Manager which will help with this use.

Here is a test with a rtl-sdr R820T dongle on a HTC One X Android Jellybean phone

SDR Touch with RTL SDR (RTL2832), HTC One X, Android 4.1 Jellybean

Test with a rtl-sdr R820T donge on a Motorola Xoom

Test with an unknown DVB-T rtl-sdr dongle on a Nexus 7

Nexus 7 with DVB-T Tuner

And here is a SDR Touch video review

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

21 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Richie. HJ

I wonder if someone could help me. I’m failing to run my RTL-SDR on my Motorola Z3 mobile phone. The driver tells me, “No compatible devices found.” The RTL-SDR works well on the laptop.

I can use a whole host of apps and programmes using a NooElec R820T on the phone

What am I missing?

If something’s could please provide an answer, suggest something else to try or point me in the direction of a FAQ answer or blog, I would be most appreciative.

de G0RHJ

RichieHJ

I suspect that it could be a power issue. That is, the RTL-SDR needs more power than the phone can provide. Would a OTG Power Cable be the answer?

Viktoras

On the smartphone Huawei p20, Android 8.1 does not work gestures, only the upper part moves, I change frequency only with the “jump” button. On others my phones all ok

VDK

It would be very nice if someone add DMR rx to sdr touch;)

Billy Bob

$200 for an SDR dongle ? HAHAH I paid $25 for one.

Eric

It’s $20 he said, you ignorant fuck

Bill Coleman

Samsung young 2 with sdr touch and otg cable does not work.A random exercise making this gadget work.Not happy Jan!

Tim

Have you tried a USB OTG POWER cable? Mine did not work with normal OTG but a OTG power cable did the trick

K4NAM

Had anyone got SDR Touch to work on an Verizon Android Tablet? I am using a OTG cable and a RTL-SDR that uses the RGL2832U Chip and SDR Toch will not recognize the device. The correct driver is installed. I just got my Verizon Android Tablet (Ellips 7) for Christmas so it is the latest model. Thanks for any help – Tom

AD5NL

My understanding is that the issue (usually) is USB Host Mode. You might have to root your device and possibly install a custom ROM.

I intend to do this with my LG Stylo phone soon. When I figured out the problem a few weeks ago, I was “on call” at work and didn’t want to risk breaking my phone while I was responsible for after-hours phone calls. Now that this is over, I guess I just need to get around to it (it’s on my “to do” list).

Nelson Livingston

I like your call sign.
Nelson. AE5NL

Emily Taylor

I just got it for free torrented pro

abram

RTL-SDR combined with a program called “digital speech decoder” (dsd) can be … Download the latest “Windows Port with P25/DMR Filter”.

syrle

hum boss can you give some idea on how to locate a radio transmitter.. i would like to use my laptop as the hardware and of course i will need a software too. what software is best to do that. i like is a radar that you will be able to see your location in the center and the position of the transmitter when they do the PTT.. thanks alot …
kindly reply me in my gmail account or in my fb account(realone) facebook.com/ww.anon.phi

Roger

The RTL stick does work with the new Nexus 7 2013 via an OTG cable. You need to install the driver and the app from play store. I have the full version install which gives additional options.

Tomas

Hello, will this software work with the new Asus Google Nexus 7 2013 ?
I can not find anywhere if the new Nexus 7 has the USB capabilities to operate the RTL stick.

Stephanie

Please post a video showing the driver installation. When it doesn’t work, I can’t get the driver working with my galaxy note 2 and terratec cynergy tstick+ and it would be helpful to know if I am missing any steps. Thanks.

kf7vop

Please make a version that can use a networked rtl stick

Ray

You can on this version. Just scroll the top menu buttons allong from the right. And there’s an add button for netwirled rtl server.