Transmitting and Receiving DATV with a LimeSDR and a Modified $20 DVB-S Receiver
Over on YouTube user Corrosive has uploaded a video showing how he can use the recently updated DATV Express software to transmit Digital Amateur TV (DATV) with a LimeSDR Mini, and receive it with a cheap US$20 DVB-S satellite set top box that he's modified with a custom firmware update. Corrosives work is excellent as it allows anyone to get started in DATV amateur radio cheaply. He writes:
Last week I noticed the windows DATV express software for windows had been updated to include several SDR platforms [appears to now support the LimeSDR and LimeSDR Mini, as well as the PlutoSDR] https://www.datv-express.com/CustomPage/Downloads
Using my new LimeSDR Mini I wanted to try this out. I went online and purchased a cheap DVB-S Satellite set top box on eBay branded as a KOQIT K1Mini.
In order to allow the KOQIT K1Mini DVB-S set top box to receive DATV frequencies, Corrosive has released a firmware update on GitHub that removes all satellites listed in the receiver, and replaces it with six DATV channels for amateur television use. He writes:
I decided to split the 3 23cm ATV frequencies into 6 at half the bandwidth for digital.
The receiver with my firmware configures the device to see a 9750LO LNB, by placing a simple antenna on the receiver instead of an LNB the 1.2 ghz amateur frequencies are shifted by 9750mhz and can be scanned as if they were a satellite transponder.
If you don't have a TX capable or DATV Express compatible SDR like the LimeSDR or Pluto, then we note that RPiTX (software that allows a Raspberry Pi to transmit RF without any additional hardware) also has DATV transmit capabilities that could in used in their place.
Lol even if he was not, the FCC is not going to bust down any doors over this.
At most the endorsement bureau would send a nagging letter telling him to stop.
Dude have you ever listened to the ham bands? People break rules there all the time. And when the FCC actually does anything (usually only after someone either interested with a government or commercial op OR is such a racist dumbstick they would make Donald Trump blush) it takes them years and they collect a fine.
*interfered
They are a ham, they have a call sign, they are transmitting on an amateur radio band (between 1240 MHz and 1300 MHz), what are you seeing that I am missing ? The only thing that I can think of, as a non ham, is that they did not include their call sign in Morse as a beacon on top of the their transmission once every five minutes, but I did not see anything to suggest that they were not doing that either.
Illegal intentional radiator ( http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/Drone%20Video%20Transmitter%20Complaint%20FINAL%20for%20filing%2001%2011%202017.pdf ), 5,7 or 11 years in federal prison, thank god he left a full face pic and an IP for the SRU team to trace back…make sure you don’t wear earplugs to bed…you’ll want to hear the full breach of the front door as they blow it off its frame and be sure to keep your hands raised really, really high….
I’m a licensed amateur, and I did ID on frequency before and after recording so it is legal.
There are so many misconceptions to your post. For one, he’s clearly a Ham radio operator and has clearance to do this. Even if he wasn’t, the FCC isn’t going to send a special forces team to kick his face in. You need to watch less movies. They would investigate it and then send him a letter warning him to knock it off. If he persisted then they would visit him in person. If he still persisted then they would drop a big fine on him and confiscate all of his radio equipment, even the legal stuff. These enforcement actions are much more boring than what you’ve dreamed up in your imagination.