RTL-SDR - Revision history

Techbot at 11:03, 5 September 2021

2021-09-05T11:03:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:03, 5 September 2021
Line 325:		Line 325:

	What has been successfully tested so far is the reception of Broadcast FM and air traffic AM radio, TETRA, GMR, GSM, ADS-B and POCSAG.		What has been successfully tested so far is the reception of Broadcast FM and air traffic AM radio, TETRA, GMR, GSM, ADS-B and POCSAG.
			= Starting Point RTL_Map =
			* https://github.com/orhun/rtl_map

			==Installation ==
			=== Dependencies ===

			libusb1.0 (development packages must be installed manually, see libusb.info)
			gnuplot (must be installed manually, see installation page)
			librtlsdr (cmake / automatic installation & linking)
			fftw3 (cmake / automatic installation & linking)

			=== Clone Repository ===

			git clone https://github.com/orhun/rtl_map

			=== Building with CMake (recommended) ===

			cd rtl_map
			mkdir build
			cd build
			cmake ../
			make
			sudo make install
			sudo ldconfig

			=== Building with GCC ===

			gcc rtl_map.c -o rtl_map -lrtlsdr -lfftw3 -lm

			== Usage ==
			Command Line Arguments

			-d, set device index (default: 0)
			-s, set sample rate (default: 2048000 Hz)
			-f, center frequency (Hz) [mandatory argument]
			-g gain (0 for auto) (default: ~1-3)
			-n number of reads (default: int_max.)
			-r, refresh rate for continuous read (default: 500ms)
			-D, don't show gnuplot graph (default: show)
			-C, continuously read samples (default: off)
			-M, show magnitude graph (default graph: dB)
			-O, disable offset tuning (default: on)
			-T, turn off terminal log colors (default: on)
			-h, show help message and exit
			filename (a '-' dumps samples to stdout)

			==Example ==
			Print samples to file

			[k3@arch ~]$ rtl_map -f 88000000 -D capture.dat
			[01:00:26] INFO Starting rtl_map ~
			[01:00:26] INFO Found 1 device(s):
			[01:00:26] INFO #0: Generic RTL2832U OEM
			Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
			[01:00:27] INFO Using device: #0
			[01:00:27] INFO Gain set to 14.
			Supported gain values (29): 0.0 0.9 1.4 2.7 3.7 7.7 8.7 12.5 14.4 15.7 16.6 19.7 20.7 22.9 25.4
			128.0 29.7 32.8 33.8 36.4 37.2 38.6 40.2 42.1 43.4 43.9 44.5 48.0 49.6
			[01:00:27] INFO Center frequency set to 88000000 Hz.
			[01:00:27] INFO Sampling at 2048000 S/s
			[01:00:27] INFO Reading samples...
			[01:00:27] INFO Done, exiting...

	= Useful Links =		= Useful Links =

Techbot: /* Software */

2021-09-05T10:51:51Z

Software

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:51, 5 September 2021
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	rtl_fm -f 90100000 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| play -r 48000 -t s16 -L -c 1 -		rtl_fm -f 90100000 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| play -r 48000 -t s16 -L -c 1 -

	~~aplay~~ is no longer supported by sox on windows		play is no longer supported by sox on windows

	rtl_fm.exe -M fm -s 200k -A fast -r 48k -l 0 -E deemph -f 97.29M \| sox -V1 -b 16 -c 1 -e signed-integer -r 48k -t raw - -t waveaudio default		rtl_fm.exe -M fm -s 200k -A fast -r 48k -l 0 -E deemph -f 97.29M \| sox -V1 -b 16 -c 1 -e signed-integer -r 48k -t raw - -t waveaudio default

Techbot: /* Software */

2021-09-05T10:51:13Z

Software

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:51, 5 September 2021
Line 121:		Line 121:

	rtl_fm -f 90100000 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| play -r 48000 -t s16 -L -c 1 -		rtl_fm -f 90100000 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| play -r 48000 -t s16 -L -c 1 -

			aplay is no longer supported by sox on windows

			rtl_fm.exe -M fm -s 200k -A fast -r 48k -l 0 -E deemph -f 97.29M \| sox -V1 -b 16 -c 1 -e signed-integer -r 48k -t raw - -t waveaudio default

	If you want to do more advanced experiments, the [[GNU Radio]] collection of tools can be used to build custom radio devices. GNU Radio can be used both from a GUI perspective in which you can drag-and-drop radio components to build a radio and also programmatically where software programs written in C or Python are created that directly reference the internal GNU Radio functions.		If you want to do more advanced experiments, the [[GNU Radio]] collection of tools can be used to build custom radio devices. GNU Radio can be used both from a GUI perspective in which you can drag-and-drop radio components to build a radio and also programmatically where software programs written in C or Python are created that directly reference the internal GNU Radio functions.

Techbot at 17:48, 2 September 2021

2021-09-02T17:48:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:48, 2 September 2021
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	= Software =		= Software =
			driver download: https://zadig.akeo.ie/downloads/

	Much software is available for the RTL2832. Most of the user-level packages rely on the [[librtlsdr]] library which comes as part of the rtl-sdr codebase. This codebase contains both the library itself and also a number of command line tools such as rtl_test, rtl_sdr, rtl_tcp, and rtl_fm. These command line tools use the library to test for the existence of RTL2832 devices and to perform basic data transfer functions to and from the device.		Much software is available for the RTL2832. Most of the user-level packages rely on the [[librtlsdr]] library which comes as part of the rtl-sdr codebase. This codebase contains both the library itself and also a number of command line tools such as rtl_test, rtl_sdr, rtl_tcp, and rtl_fm. These command line tools use the library to test for the existence of RTL2832 devices and to perform basic data transfer functions to and from the device.

Techbot at 08:48, 2 September 2021

2021-09-02T08:48:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:48, 2 September 2021
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	rtl_fm -f 96.3e6 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| aplay -r 48k -f S16_LE		rtl_fm -f 96.3e6 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| aplay -r 48k -f S16_LE

	On a Mac, a similar command that works is as follows. This assumes that the sox package is installed~~, 'port install sox':~~		On a PC or Mac, a similar command that works is as follows. This assumes that the [[sox]] package is installed

	rtl_fm -f 90100000 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| play -r 48000 -t s16 -L -c 1 -		rtl_fm -f 90100000 -M wbfm -s 200000 -r 48000 - \| play -r 48000 -t s16 -L -c 1 -

Techbot: /* Specifications */

2021-09-01T19:26:40Z

Specifications

Show changes

Techbot: /* RTL-SDR Radio Scanner Applications */

2021-09-01T19:09:44Z

RTL-SDR Radio Scanner Applications

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:09, 1 September 2021
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	= RTL-SDR Radio Scanner Applications =		= RTL-SDR Radio Scanner Applications =

	== The RTL-SDR can be used as a wide band radio scanner. Applications include: ==		The RTL-SDR can be used as a wide band radio scanner. Applications include:

	Use as a police radio scanner.		Use as a police radio scanner.

Techbot at 19:09, 1 September 2021

2021-09-01T19:09:11Z

Show changes

Techbot at 18:59, 1 September 2021

2021-09-01T18:59:02Z

Show changes

Techbot: Created page with "RTL-SDR is a very cheap ~$25 USB dongle that can be used as a computer based radio scanner for receiving live radio signals in your area (no internet required). Depending on t..."

2021-09-01T18:48:44Z

Created page with "RTL-SDR is a very cheap ~$25 USB dongle that can be used as a computer based radio scanner for receiving live radio signals in your area (no internet required). Depending on t..."

New page

RTL-SDR is a very cheap ~$25 USB dongle that can be used as a computer based radio scanner for receiving live radio signals in your area (no internet required). Depending on the particular model it could receive frequencies from 500 kHz up to 1.75 GHz. Most software for the RTL-SDR is also community developed, and provided free of charge.

What is Software Defined Radio?

Radio components such as modulators, demodulators and tuners are traditionally implemented in analogue hardware components. The advent of modern computing and analogue to digital converters allows most of these traditionally hardware based components to be implemented in software instead. Hence, the term software defined radio. This enables easy signal processing and thus cheap wide band scanner radios to be produced.
What are some RTL-SDR Radio Scanner Applications?

The RTL-SDR can be used as a wide band radio scanner. Applications include:

Use as a police radio scanner.
Listening to EMS/Ambulance/Fire communications.
Listening to aircraft traffic control conversations.
Tracking aircraft positions like a radar with ADSB decoding.
Decoding aircraft ACARS short messages.
Scanning trunking radio conversations.
Decoding unencrypted digital voice transmissions such as P25/DMR/D-STAR.
Tracking maritime boat positions like a radar with AIS decoding.
Decoding POCSAG/FLEX pager traffic.
Scanning for cordless phones and baby monitors.
Tracking and receiving meteorological agency launched weather balloon data.
Tracking your own self launched high altitude balloon for payload recovery.
Receiving wireless temperature sensors and wireless power meter sensors.
Listening to VHF amateur radio.
Decoding ham radio APRS packets.
Watching analogue broadcast TV.
Sniffing GSM signals.
Using rtl-sdr on your Android device as a portable radio scanner.
Receiving GPS signals and decoding them.
Using rtl-sdr as a spectrum analyzer.
Receiving NOAA weather satellite images.
Listening to satellites and the ISS.
Radio astronomy.
Monitoring meteor scatter.
Listening to FM radio, and decoding RDS information.
Listening to DAB broadcast radio.
Listening to and decoding HD-Radio (NRSC5).
Use rtl-sdr as a panadapter for your traditional hardware radio.
Decoding taxi mobile data terminal signals.
Use rtl-sdr as a high quality entropy source for random number generation.
Use rtl-sdr as a noise figure indicator.
Reverse engineering unknown protocols.
Triangulating the source of a signal.
Searching for RF noise sources.
Characterizing RF filters and measuring antenna SWR.
Decoding Inmarsat STD-C EGC geosynchronous satellites.
Listening to the ISS (International Space Station).

Furthermore, with an upconverter or V3 RTL-SDR dongle to receive HF signals the applications are expanded to:

Listening to amateur radio hams on SSB with LSB/USB modulation.
Decoding digital amateur radio ham communications such as CW/PSK/RTTY/SSTV.
Receiving HF weatherfax.
Receiving digital radio mondiale shortwave radio (DRM).
Listening to international shortwave radio.
Looking for RADAR signals like over the horizon (OTH) radar, and HAARP signals.

Note that not all the applications listed may be legal in your country. Please be responsible.
What is the RTL-SDR frequency range?

This is dependent on the particular tuner variant used in the dongle, and the particular implementation. Some dongles, like our RTL-SDR Blog V3 also utilize the direct sampling mode which can enable reception below 28 MHz.
Tuner Frequency range
Elonics E4000 52 – 2200 MHz with a gap from 1100 MHz to 1250 MHz (varies)
Rafael Micro R820T/2 24 – 1766 MHz (Can be improved to ~13 - 1864 MHz with experimental drivers)
Fitipower FC0013 22 – 1100 MHz
Fitipower FC0012 22 – 948.6 MHz
FCI FC2580 146 – 308 MHz and 438 – 924 MHz (gap in between)

Table Source: Osmocom

As you can see from the table, the Elonics E4000 and Rafael Micro R820T/2 dongles have the greatest frequency range.
What is the RTL-SDRs sample rate?

The maximum sample rate is 3.2 MS/s (mega samples per second). However, the RTL-SDR is unstable at this rate and may drop samples. The maximum sample rate that does not drop samples is 2.56 MS/s, however some people have had luck with 2.8MS/s and 3.2 MS/s working well on some USB 3.0 ports.

Dropped samples are okay if you are just visualizing the spectrum, but will cause problems if you want to demodulate/decode signals.

Useful Links

http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr - Official RTL-SDR Osmocom website

http://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR - Reddit RTL-SDR forum

www.rtlsdr.org - RTL-SDR community Wiki (not updated in a while)

http://www.dxzone.com/ - A good ham related database useful for research

http://www.dangerousprototypes.com - A blog about open source hardware projects that often has SDR related posts.

http://www.hackaday.com - A blog about DIY hardware that also often has SDR related posts.

http://radioforeveryone.com/ - Formerly known as "SDR4Mariners". Another blog about RTL-SDR and radio projects.

http://labyrinth13.com/ - Strange Beacons. Radio user who records and makes videos about several interesting signals he finds. Often uses an RTL-SDR.

https://www.elecrow.com/ - Full Raspberry Pi Kit. Probably useful for an RTL-SDR carry kit.

For a comprehensive book about the RTL-SDR you may be interested in our eBook available on Amazon.

The Hobbyist's Guide to the RTL-SDR: Really Cheap Software Defined radio.