SDRTrunk Setup and Use Tutorial

Over on his blog John Hagensieker has uploaded a tutorial that shows how to set up SDRTrunk with RTL-SDR dongles. SDRTrunk is an application that allows you to follow trunked radio conversations, and decode some digital voice protocols such as P25 Phase 1. It is similar to Unitrunker and DSDPlus combined into one program. It is also Java based so it is cross platform and so can be used on Linux and MacOS systems as well.

John’s tutorial contains many useful screenshots, so it should be great for a beginner. He starts from the beginning, with finding trunking frequencies over on radioreference.com, then goes on to the installation and use on Linux. He also later explains how the Airspy can be used instead of multiple RTL-SDR to cover 10 MHz of bandwidth so that multiple systems can be monitored.

SDRTrunk Running and decoding a P25 Phase 1 System
SDRTrunk Running and decoding a P25 Phase 1 System
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Vlad

This program works in Saint-Petesburg area or only in EU?

KJ4DGE Greg

Yes to doing MPT1327 Analogue. The program does have to use the JMBE compiled library but that is in the tutorials. It took me a while to slow down and follow everything but it is worth it IMO. The nice part about it is yes, you can monitor voice and data at the same time without added plug-ins and it runs as a Java app so it can be used across many platforms. It does need I believe to run under a PC that uses 64bit OS such as Windows 10. The other nice thing is the interface with radio reference. If you have an account there to download .CSV files it will configure a system and populate the software for you. Of all the things I have tried to use for P25 trunking through software, this has to be the best.

roman

05 march 2020.
It’s perfect! No more bleeding eyes from how unitrunker interface looks like, no more bleeding ears because of dsd+ sound decoding quality. Yes, it is still beta, but it’s working like a charm. And it’s free.

John

Hey I need obtaining a frequency that the byproduct encrypted or encoded

Lee

I would love to find one piece of SDR software that will trunk track, monitor all frequencies, and decode digital without having to write or rewrite software and reconfigure your audio system with several different pieces of software. It seems as though this one should have been that piece of software but in the process of trying to install it and its decoding software, I downloaded a ton of unneeded junk programs (following the youtube tutorial) and I crashed my computer. SDRtrunk looked promising but evidently not. Unless I am missing something. I am running windows 10 64bit. Maybe its only made for one of those off brand operating systems that you download for free from questionable sites? Eh, that was my experience with it.

John

Will this work with my SDR Play 2 Pro?

Vincent Bos

I find this tutorial to be very easy to follow but could you please provide me with tips to do trunking with one dongle.

Blade

I can’t recommend it. Corrosive had this setup and it would often overflow with a single SDR dongle.

enCrypt

Nice, does this follow MPT1327 Analogue trunking?