Submit a Story/Contact

If you would like to submit something that relates to cheap SDR (a project, blog post, something interesting you have found), please email us at [email protected].

We will look at your submission and if we think it is a good fit for our blog make a summary post about it, making sure to link and credit your original source. If you don't have your own website or blog, don't worry, just write about your project in an email and we will host any images or documents related to your project for you. Usually we will get to your submission within a few days.

Please note that we will not accept payments or incentives in return for any type of post except for product samples for an honest review. If you are interested in writing a non-commercial guest post for us, please also contact us on the above email address.

Product/Shipping Support

If you have a general question about RTL-SDRs or SDRs or third party software we ask you to please ask in our forums. If you email us we may not respond to questions about third party software as this should be asked in the forum.

If you need troubleshooting support please first ensure that you have been through our Quickstart guide and the troubleshooting section on it, as well as our V3 users guide. Common questions like how to use the HF mode and how to activate the bias tee are explained on the V3 users guide. 

If you have a question about shipping of an item please first read the shipping policy on our store and see if it answers your question. The shipping information is just under our product listings. If it is a request for tracking details please first check your old/deleted/spam mails for the order confirmation email which contains the tracking details. There will have been two emails from our email at [email protected], the second of which contains the tracking details.

If you suspect a lost postal item please contact your local postal agency first and inquire there. They have more information than we have. If they confirm it as lost or not received after a long time then please let us know and we can open an investigation on this side as well. Usually we must wait at least 6 weeks from the date posted before we can open a lost parcel investigation.

For everything else such as confirmed lost postal items, warranty claims and support inquiries that aren't covered by the quickstart or troubleshooting guide then please contact us at [email protected]. We aim to always reply within 1-2 business days. If we don't respond within 3 business days then the mail may have gone to our spam folder. Please try to email again using different keywords. We do check our spam filter once a week just in case, but some messages could still be missed. Remember, if you have questions about third party software, please ask in the forums only.

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Daniel Hageman

Hello I purchased an RTL-SDR V3 Dongle from the RTL web site. I received the product and have been trying to install the device on my computer. I have followed the directions to the tee and in no way can I get this device to work. In checking the device the computer is telling me that there no drivers installed on my device. Is there anyone out there that can help me. Thank you in advance to anyone who can help. If you can you please reply to my email thank you again. email is [email protected]

Doccpu

What operating system? what version sdr software?

Daniel Hageman

Hello I purchased an RTL-SDR V3 Dongle from the RTL web site. I received the product and have been trying to install the device on my computer. I have followed the directions to the tee and in no way can I get this device to work. In checking the device the computer is telling me that there no drivers installed on my device. Is there anyone out there that can help me. Thank you in advance to anyone who can help. If you can you please reply to my email thank you again.

Jenny Sherman

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Dr. Muhammad Manshad Satti

I would like to conduct a TETRA Network Security of a City (Around 250 Radio Sets) in DMO and TMO ops. Kindly Advice me the Security Scanner (Window or Linux) Open Source is prefer but if it is not too expensive , I shall pay. Please note that it is NOT a Performance test and Drive Test to check the Coverage, SNR, SWR or VSWR and fading etc. It is purely Cyber Security Test , ensure Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability. Non repudiation is 4th Items would like to test. Based on Assessment the triage for securing this network will be suggested.

Dave F

Yes, I used to have a good set up 30 yrs ago tho moonraker beam n omni n switch box so could ‘flop back n forth’ n rotor to turn the beam n point at peeps an make them come in better magically. did like this https://moonrakeronline.com/skyscan-desktop-25-2000mhz-scanner-antenna
but did end up ordering YouLoop HF loop antenna and 20 feet of 70ohm COAX n connectors need for
F to SMA Adapter – GOLD & NICKEL
RG6 feedline (Black) with F connectors – 20 feet

David n5utv

nescr smart and ham it up idiosyncracies.
Never got below 25mhz via i or q to work via the dongle only.
Testing the nooelec for insertion loss.
If i am listening to wx at 162.550
signal noise
via dongle -20 -45 pretty good with the 18″ whip.
with hamitup
no power upconv -20 -45
no power thru -20 -45

powered thru -20 -45
power stndby none -50 but 500khz to 15mhz seems with poor selectivity on strong stations But 10mhz time heard well at 135.000 with +- 10khz tunemax.

no diff passthru with no power . does it use a unpowered relay to bypass?

tried 94.1 fm with up converter off and on ( 94.1+125 = 215.1) no go so prob limited input freq. no insertion loss noted at 94mhz or 162.5 mhz. nice.

but can hear wwv time of 10mhz at lsb 135! am 135.010 its only 10 khz wide or so but other stuff at same time are 300khz wide. terrible selectivity. get 3 or 4 stations on top of each other from 134.850am to 135.250am are they just way too strong?

(argh windows cant even get fixed font text lineup anymore.)

David n5utv

Boy now that i read that post i see what windows turned my ramblings into. Was 2 am and i was tired but its ugly. Short to say the ham it up had no insertion loss for the straight thru powered or unpowered that i could tell and unpowered it let fm and the wx station at 162.550 thru in other position. powered it did do a upconversion but lots of images or something that were 300khz wide in am modulation. tho it heard time at 10mhz fine only 10khz wide. going to try it with a preselector or tuned external front end. All in all my adventure with sdr is interesting and i am glad for the rtl-sdr site. Have used on a desk top running windows 10 and an old mac laptop running ubuntu . nice for mobile.

jon

Was merrily listening to the voice channel at a local store and went to look for other signals in the ~400 Mhz band…

And suddenly nothing’s there. Even the saved frequencies i had from earlier today are gone. Nothing higher, nothing lower, the only thing I can pull in are local FM stations.What happened?

Dave

good idea…just rabbit ears sittin ‘makes them collapse themselves’ an weight of leanin at all seems to unscrew them n constantly havin to try to tighten down again..didnt wannna use pliars n not be able get it off when need to try the ;little antenna on the same mounts ….but I am able to get 162,550,050 but sometimes its way off frequency n have had to change pps -8 once n +87 another time so its hard to find the right frequency when its all over the place AND IF U TICK INVERT SPECTRUM ‘sudenly a radio channel I was listening to quit playing ‘ like its showin a mirrror image an ‘COULDNT FIND THE SAME SPOT AND SO IT LOST THE SONG.. maybe the pps of +87 NEEDED BE -87 instead I’m not sure to be honest … BUT i kept addin bookmark for weather n the tryin to retune it in with pss but changes all the time

Dave F

great idea.. why oh why does skinless version of SDR sharp not have the <> bar on top ..IT JUST HAS THE 1 PUSHPIN THING N FREE TUNING ..so You need do the side to side to side scrollin n LAND EXACTLY ON FREQUENCIES SOME HOW .. there no scanning by ‘1kh 2.5 5 10 etc….so it makes it hard as heck to do anything in there .. cant go to channel 1 for cb radio n ‘jump in 10s to 26965 26975 26985…. to pop in for a listen for example .. IN SKIN FREE VERSION ..I would need to zoom in n click exactly on the frequency OR TYPE IN THE FREQ …so for ‘checkin in real quick whats hapenin on cb radio in ‘skinned SDR’ WE JUST GO TO CHANNEL 1 N JUST 10KHZ n do it 40 times n we done ..IN THE SKINLESS WE ARE FORCED TO TYPE IN 40 DIFF FREQUENCYS OR ..have them added to frequency list n click thm each time want to use them ,,,this is why keep deletin it cause I like the closed menus of it but ITS MISSING A CRUCIAL PIECE IT NEEDED navigation is key

David n5utv

I find sdr sharp likes to change things depending where you are tuning. going between usb,lsb, narrow fm am etc with different bandwidths. sometimes its too smart for its own good. if you are narrow fm at 400mhz it would change to wide fm in the 100mhz area. But you need narrow fm for stations in 400mhz to hear many of them. Some times its not what you would want. Be sure the settings for what you are looking for are right on. some times its unclear or totally off like 200khz wide narrow fm or other odd thing. When you change where you are receiving it changes the settings. It keeps changing the frequency steps from 100khz tune steps to 5hz steps when i scan over a ham band which is a pain some times.

Carter

I bought one of these kits in May. I got all the software installed as per the quick guide, used a USB extension to lessen strain on the dongle and put the antenna in a window. The only signals I can pick up are commercial FM. I have attached long wire antennas to it (like I use with my Zenith Transoceanic) for shortwave stations, but NOTHING. I sat my Transoceanic beside the laptop running the SDR software and it picked up all kinds of Shortwave stations and the SDR….NOTHING!. I am scanned the ENTIRE spectrum available to me in the software. Only commercial FM will come in. I have adjusted the gain, nothing. I have completely reinstalled the software….Nothing.

Dave

still dont work for me … usin the bat shows it works an yet the software DONT DO NOTHING DIF …CHANGE MODE INSIDE THE SOFTWARE TO Q VS QUAD AND ‘SCAN 400 khz to 28 mhz range N I DONT HEAR NOTHING BUT STATION N RADIO BLEEDIN THRU SOME AREAS ALONG THE WAY (nothing but FM RADIO’ IN BOTH MODES but stronger n all channels show up in quad mode n other mode hear bleed thru and can tell its still radio ‘dj soundin folks not a ham user or ‘SHORTWAVE BROADCAST .. this has nothing at all NO TRUCK DRIVERS ON A CB CHANNEL … I have enable to n disable that thing a ton of times an so when read the console software had support I downloaded it an eagerly tried …ODD THING IS ‘2 DIFF SETTINGS IN IT FOR THE SAME THING HAD TO SET BIAS ON N ‘THEN Q MODE ON DIFF MENU ITEM … an i did it n went to 400khz n scanned n scanned ‘small steps an loooked n looked NOTHN BUT SPIKES of static or bleed over from radio comin over carrriers ….so ‘whether it pretends to CHANGE SETTINGS IN THE DOS PROMPT or CHANGE THEM INSIDE THE console’ either way ITS NOT MADE A DIFF AND GROWIN FRUSTRATED BIGTIME.

David

what sdr dongle are you using? the typical 2368+r820t2 or fc0012 are deaf to anything below about 25mhz.

Dave

I also ordered this too Spyverter R2 just waitin on delivery

Dave

thanks I hope this one works ok YouLoop HF loop antenna
I do want to maybe gt a Tram® Tram® Scanner 25mhz-1,300mhz Vhf/uhf Super Discone Base Antenna Plus Cb Transmit Bands ..cause have been lookin at gettin a galaxy base as wll so could do 2 things with 1 or more

David n5utv

why does sdrsharp become airspy when you run it and the screen looks different from the example at
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/sdrsharp-users-guide/
THo the software (airspy) is working great with a cheap dvb-t using a fc0012. Listening to WX at 162.550.
Does the software do a freq scan then do a signal receive?

David n5utv

Thankyou for your response. I got a couple chinese dongles working. one has a r820t and the other a fc0012. The noise levels are different and I have yet to get the i or q sampling to work. THey are deaf below 22mhz. got the downconverter so will try with that. I can getwwv at 162.550 with a long wire antenna in the attic which i use for hf. going to try assorted vhf antennas cut to the various bands or a wide range discone. Antenna designs would be a good subject fo articles. multiwire dipoles or discones would be the 2nd choice to band cut dipoles. An old vhf tv beam would be great. Do any articles cover the internal workings of the rtl2832 or the receiver chips?

Andrew Stillson

cannot get this thing to work at all,follow directions from website does not work at all with directions supplied 2 days wasted trying everything.can i get my money back this is junk i would not recommend

john geer

Where do i start? ok i have 2 whole days under my belt of using this item. And i have to say this might be one of my all time biggest let downs. After watching tons of youtube video’s and going at it step by step with the video, i am not getting anything unless its normal FM band for radio. in all my attempts at doing exactly what the video’s are doing. i’m not getting any sound, HF AM 2 meter and 70 cm absolute zero. Now i know i was not expecting much with the antenna kit that came with it. But i figured i would get something, boy was i wrong. Not anything that resembled a persons voice or song on anything other then 88-108fm. Let me be clear this includes me moving the dipole length 1 inch at a time on both sides, and working through every single signal i can see, including flipping through the bands on a signal adjusting the bandwidth and changing sampling modes. Still nothing. I really wish that these HAM Radio guys would say in there video, if your not a ham guy already don’t bother, get a baofeng instead. Sorry but it makes not sense why it works on the video’s but mine will just not work. again i assume my antenna won’t allow me to do much , but nothing? Not even the AM station about 2 miles away? in my 32 hours of trying, i still have not heard a human say even 1 word, or anything that sounds like a song. unless its on the FM Stations, no vhf/uhf/hf. nothing. [email protected]

David

vhf and uhf are line of site and limited to 50 miles or so. there are few Hams out there in most areas and during the typical day there will be few people chatting on the radio. Most have a job or use a cell phone. Unless its a gathering on a repeater there is not more there. most dongles are deaf below 28 mhz so unless you have a specific one that is supposed to do below 28mhz you wont hear much else other than fm stations. maybe the weather report station at around 162.550 but they tend to be weak. Hf bands are very weak right now and there is not nuch there even with a $1000 radio at the best part of the day.

Raymond Kunert

I can’t get the rtl-sdr v3 to work. When I open sdrsharpx86, the bat file is not present. When I start the program, I get “no device”. What am I missing? been at this for a week now!

Thanks.

Dave

Can you please get a reseller in Canada?

Chris

Yes, that would be awesome for us Canucks.

Dan

I have a Yaesu FT 950
Want to Plug a Cable into the RS232 CAT Port & with the USB Connector on the other End be able to have a Spectrum Monitor Display.
I do not want anything complicated or that is high maintenance.

Paul B

I ordered and promptly received a V3 dongle, but had a bit of a minor hardware issue. Two emails later, my problem was resolved and I am extremely happy with the product and support. Performance-wise, it’s better than any other dongle I’ve tested, on HF it works very well, and on all frequencies, it is devoid of the ‘funnies’ other dongles exhibit.
Thanks for the great product, and product support. I happily recommend the product and company based on my overall experience.

Ben

I ordered thru your online store last nov 7.
the destination is philippines and the item is coming from china.
tracking the parcel/item. currently the item is london as of Nov 20.
it that the usual route?

Lori

Ben, did you eventually get your order? My package has been sitting in London for a month now with no updates… 🙁

sting3r

I have ordered this product through amazon….the rtl-sdr bundle and twice it has been shipped missing parts. Dont waste your time with this seller….they dont inspect orders at all.

Kev

I can tell you that I have ordered many times from rtldsr and only once did I receive a missing piece last month. After contacting rtlsdr on amazon, two days later I had a second entire dipole antenna SET for free. Not even just the missing piece they sent the whole damn SET. Shit happens but they made it better. Now if only I could say the same about trying to get warranty from another sdr store that will remain unnamed for now….

Ed Warner

Piece of useless crap. Don’t buy this unless you are software nerd and even then you’ll find it daunting.

Anonymous

I tend to agree, until someone convinces me otherwise. I kept wondering if the SW was infecting my PC. And the guide was just trying to get me to use someone else’s SW.

n3cga

Okay… Let’s be fair. I got mine to work last night; I was tired and frustrated, but kept at it. A confusing thing to me, I think, was the apparent extraneous information in the Start-up User’s Guide and all of the SW files that are extracted; but it works if one calms down and reads the configuration instructions. Looking forward to playing with the SW and learning more how to use it and what the capability is. It seems like a radio tinkerer’s dream; the technology is fascinating and definitely cheaper than a Flex Radio. The Forum looks helpful.

Richard Davidson

following the instructions on rtl-sdr.com gets me two unzipped files that norton swears there are two heurestic viruses. I cannot even run them again to get the spelling of the virus names.Windows 7

Sooo, I tried it on my android phone. I get good reception. RTL-sdr runs, but gets very hot.

Andy B

I get the same, virus reports in the zip file. Checked on other versions of anti-virus and all report the same

Mike

same, MS tags spyserver.exe as a virus

Paddy

I just checked and the current version (1764) gets a clean bill of health:
(ref: https://bit.ly/34yCMs6 )
Looks like the AI and Neural networks used by the Virus/Malware detection programs has adapted.

Paddy

Odd someone edited my post and changed the HASH from
56ba670278 14c3c523754aa 266b9d2752a 2dd8880c64 b3689aa5bb 11b820fcf2 ( sdrsharp-x86-v1764.zip ) to
de6bbbe162 854272668b4c3 e31cefdc636 3cf7eef688 2cabe0c650 6e18630852 ( raxp_RTL-SDR Panoramic Spectrum Analyzer.7z )

Paddy

I used to believe in using URL shorteners, but since I found out that they are used to collect metadata to sell, I mostly use full URL’s so that at least people who care (which is a very small number) know what site they are clicking on with a link. Next time I’ll use a “a href” html tag to reduce the amount of text, which I should have used.

Carl

Trogen.Gen.NPE
The file was release 15 days ago.

Evgeniy

New plugin Simple APCO for SDR# from Vasiliy Belyakov. N oneed dsd. http://rtl-sdr.ru/page/novyj-plagin-simple-apco

Lawrence Gordon

Good Evening,
I just purchased 2 of your (yes yours) units via AMAZON, and would like to know what the current consumption is.
Thanks,
LG

Billy

I put “site:rtl-sdr.com datasheet” into a search engine and got this document
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RTL-SDR-Blog-V3-Datasheet.pdf
which says: Typical Current Draw:270 –280 mA

Shane

Hi, I have just sent you an email re: DSD interface with SDR# as its not working. Followed your videos exactly. The email has a picture attached.

Thanx

Shane

Muhammad Nagrah

 admin, I just placed a PO need to update the shipping address. I have emailed at admin rtl-sdr as well

Mike Bennett

Hi. Just ordered yesterday as new customer. I should have ordered via Amazon since they have items in stock and I’m in US. Can you please refund my purchase via PayPal, then will order via Amazon? Unless the China shipment is within a week or so. Thanks

landry

Hello,

I would like to know how to make kukuruku work with the current Linux system version 20.04 of lunbutu, unbuntu … if you have a solution on the installation and the configuration I am taker thank you for your help

larry cagle

I have five of your wonderful little RTL-SDR dongle radios which we use for Amateur Radio Meteor Scatter Research. I would buy more of them if I could find a way to use it as a frequency selective signal strength indicator. I need the data that produces the signal strength in db from the s-meter function. I am using HDSDR for the 5 i have now but i would use any software i could get to stream the signal strength data and time stamp into a file or out a port of some kind so it could be recovered. I am typically running in USB or CW mode with 2.7 khz or 200 hz filter so all the info i need from the stream is just the continuous output of the signal strength, preferably in db.

Thanks for a great little product that has never let us down.

Larry, K4WLO

Linux or Windows acceptable

Anonymous

Geez, the body font on your site is nearly UNREADABLE. Just remove the font-weight: 300 from the CSS, and all will be well . . .

ply4me

Hello admin when you gonna ship my order #44141 , please send it ASAP

ply4me

thanks sir for your reply actually i just order some stuff from aliexpress and they all get shipped ,
Regarding your order number: ******002386 , we have shipped your item(s) via Cainiao Super Economy for Special Goods and the tracking number is LP001734738 ,
try this service sir or any you find work .
Thank you

ply4me

Sir thanks for shipping my order but i still cant track it even u ship it on 14/5 ; any help !

Morrison Robert A

Amazon does not have your RTL-SDR (RTL2832U) dongles. They seem to feature only NooELEC components. Did I miss something? Thanks. Rob

rodyeo.dyndns.org

There seems to be typo error in your GitHub repository instructions guide… https://github.com/rtlsdrblog/rtl-sdr-blog

Typo error … git clone git clone git://github.com/rtlsdrblog/rtl-sdr-blog.git

Typo fixed … git clone git://github.com/rtlsdrblog/rtl-sdr.git

Michele Throckmorton

I need to set your company up as a vendor for Shawnee State University. Is there someone I can email our vendor form to so they can complete and email back to me?

HAYSSAM KAMAL

We are a system integrator for Public Administration use.
I’m looking for to buy 2 devices : 2g, 3g and 4g lte imsi and imei capture
Any suggestion or offer ?

Conundrum

Hi, also noticed the 1.4 GHz problem when hot. I’ve blobbed both chips with low temperature solder, but not sure what else to try.
Is there a way to make a fan which doesn’t interfere with the radio? My cunning idea is to sync the clock with fan rotation so that the interference can be “tuned” so as not to appear in the band of interest.

Mike Blaine

Can I use two rtl-dongles on the same computer running simultaneously?

Michael Blaine

Can I run two rtl-sdr dongles on one computer simultaneously each using different software? (Window 7 system)

Angus

yes you can as long as each dongle has a different serial number. Serial numbers can be changed via rtl_eeprom. I am running 3 dongles on a win 7 machine without issue. good luck.

Steve Hubbs

Please help. Cannot receive HF. Using HDRSharp with a 50ft long wire. Connected to a 9 to 1 balun. Can tune across the band, but not receiving any short wave of WWV signals at all, just background static. When I go to the FM band, the sensitivity is very low, only very strong signals come through.
Thanks for any help that can be given. I am new to SDR, more familiar with the old “boat anchor” type communications receivers.
Again, thanks
Steve

Steve Hubbs

rtl-sdr v3 using gqrx, current version, on rpi3 using raspian. Able to tune HF frequencies with no problem, but cannot receive stations. Funny thing is, at first I was able to get a few stations out of the tropics, but no longer able to. It was at this point, I noticed only the strong FM stations came in. I don’t know what I could have done wrong. I thought it would be a case of installing software, doing updates, plug in, and go. Like I said, I’m old school, very old. First SW radio was a transoceanic portable then a Collins 5iJ. Very old school. Any help in getting this to work would be very much appreciated.
Steve

Steve Hubbs

Did the direct sample instructions, which enabled me to tune HF. Did make use of the RF slider to see if that helped. Didn’t really help. Not even able to receive any Ham operators, very odd. Did notice that the unit was running very hot as opposed to running warm. Ordered another unit, should be here tomorrow. Any thoughts on what I may have done wrong? Oh, and the voltage going to the dongle varies between 4.72 volts and 4.86 volts.
Thanks
Steve

Kent Britain

That is Kent Britain, call sign WA5VJB giving the antenna talk.

Alex was a vendor at DEF CON, he did not give a talk.

Celia Hahn

Has any NOAA satellite ‘listening’ software been ‘upgraded’ to be accepted by a machine running the latest Apple OS “Catalina – V10.15. It needs to be 64 bit compatible. I am using CubicSDR at the moment to to listen to terrestrial FM.
Is there any APT software that will work on this type of MAC set-up?
Thanks in advance for your attention and cooperation.
I have already ordered your book.

marcibyc

I am interested in buying the Pluto SDR and not finding the link to make the purchase, can you help me?
Sicerelly
Marci

LamaBleu

You can purchase ADALM-PLUTO at Digikey, Arrow or Mouser.

Virender

Hi admin,

Sdr-console added bias-t option for RTL-sdr v3 dongle in there new updates. It’s good features now I can enable/disable bias-t while using dongle.

Virender

HF Mode, Tuning also added in SDR-console.

HF mode is also known as Direct Sampling, The dongle supports HF reception at frequencies below 28.8 MHz by disabling the tuner chip and connecting an antenna to the In-phase ADC input of the RTL2832.

Virender

Hf mode not working on RTL-SDR v3 on SDR-console ☹️

Virender

Now working ?

Skains

I hope you get your product instead. I’ve owned a lot of radios and paid a lot more for them, and this has been the most fun by far. Sucks you had some trouble but I bet you will love it when you get it.