How many people have tried using the DVB-T tv dongles as a cheap SDR? I have the E4000 version setup here and it's working surprisingly well. This version isn't too sensitive on the frequencies above 1 GHz so I'm waiting for an 820T version to arrive. Nice little project for under 20 dollars.

KC0EBL

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Re: CHeap SDR
By: Apogee to All on Wed Feb 13 2013 14:34:07

How many people have tried using the DVB-T tv dongles as a cheap SDR? I have the E4000 version setup here and it's working surprisingly well. This version isn't too sensitive on the frequencies above 1 GHz so I'm waiting for an 820T version to arrive. Nice little project for under 20 dollars.

I've got an (I think) E4000 dongle here myself. It's fun to mess around with, and very cheap indeed. So far I've only just used gqrx to scope around and listen to stuff (and found the finding the offset to know what actual frequency I'm tuned to somewhat annoying,) and have yet to find anything else to do with the thing.

echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230

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Re: CHeap SDR
By: Apogee to All on Wed Feb 13 2013 14:34:07

How many people have tried using the DVB-T tv dongles as a cheap SDR?
I have the E4000 version setup here and it's working surprisingly
well. This version isn't too sensitive on the frequencies above 1 GHz so I'm waiting for an 820T version to arrive. Nice little project for under 20 dollars.

I've got an (I think) E4000 dongle here myself. It's fun to mess around with, and very cheap indeed. So far I've only just used gqrx to scope around and listen to stuff (and found the finding the offset to know what actual frequency I'm tuned to somewhat annoying,) and have yet to find anything else to do with the thing.

echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230

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I was able to get mine set properly using a combination of known good frequencies. I've managed to decode several digital modes, airplane tracking via ACARS is pretty cool, and also used it to identify a repeater that was 20 KHz off frequency in the area. Currently attempting to get good audio decode from the local P25 digital public safety frequencies. It's getting there but still only about 30-50 % decode. Plugged directly into the computer the
dongle was practically worthless but on a USB extension cable (and a better antenna) it is very usable.

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Re: CHeap SDR
By: Apogee to All on Wed Feb 13 2013 02:34 pm

How many people have tried using the DVB-T tv dongles as a cheap SDR? I
have the E4000 version setup here and it's working surprisingly well. This version isn't too sensitive on the frequencies above 1 GHz so I'm waiting for an 820T version to arrive. Nice little project for under 20 dollars.

Cyan brought one over and we played with it using FM broadcast and GNU radio. A lot of effort went into a failed attempt to listen to the local releaters with it - it seems to not be accurate enough to lock in to the narrow amateur signals.

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Re: CHeap SDR
By: Apogee to All on Wed Feb 13 2013 02:34 pm

How many people have tried using the DVB-T tv dongles as a cheap SDR? I have the E4000 version setup here and it's working surprisingly well. This version isn't too sensitive on the frequencies above 1 GHz so I'm waiting for an 820T version to arrive. Nice little project for under 20 dollars.

Cyan brought one over and we played with it using FM broadcast and GNU radio. A lot of effort went into a failed attempt to listen to the local releaters with it - it seems to not be accurate enough to lock in to the narrow amateur signals.

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I can hear all the local repeaters just fine here, have you tried using the nightly builds of SDR Sharp?
http://sdrsharp.com/downloads/sdr-nightly.zip
Seems to work very well once you get your frequency offset entered correctly.

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Re: CHeap SDR
By: Apogee to All on Wed Feb 13 2013 14:34:07

I have a DVB-T with the Elonics 4000 tuner in it on an Ubuntu 10.10 system with gnuradio and gqrx for the gui. Running it on a N9TAX J-Pole it easily hears all the local repeaters, VHF SSB, APRS traffic, the POCSAG pager traffic from the hospital, decodes P25 via dsd, and I even caught a few packets off the ISS. For $20 these things are seriously hard to beat.

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Where can they be purchased in Ontario Canada?

73
de ve3tkb

Re: CHeap SDR
By: Apogee to All on Wed Feb 13 2013 14:34:07

I have a DVB-T with the Elonics 4000 tuner in it on an Ubuntu 10.10 system with
gnuradio and gqrx for the gui. Running it on a N9TAX J-Pole it easily hears all
the local repeaters, VHF SSB, APRS traffic, the POCSAG pager traffic from

the

hospital, decodes P25 via dsd, and I even caught a few packets off the ISS. For
$20 these things are seriously hard to beat.

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/S

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Re: Re: CHeap SDR
By: Terry Bendell to opusx on Mon Apr 01 2013 01:41:00

Where can they be purchased in Ontario Canada?

I bought mine on eBay, from someone in Niagara Falls. I believe it was an American who had an arrangement with someone on the other side of the border.

echicken
electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230

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Re: Re: CHeap SDR
By: echicken to Terry Bendell on Mon Apr 01 2013 10:37:13

I purchased mine via dx.com direct from china for about $19. They also have the R820T chipped tuners for $13, which will do 10m without modification.

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