RTL SDR Dongle

[@bodazaphfa]

I’m just getting into SDR and boy oh boy, what a rabbit hole. I’m starting with an RTL-SDR V3 with a dipole kit and just today, I received my Moonraker desktop multi-band antenna and Airspy loop. Something tells me this isn’t going to be where my journey ends!🤣 Thanks for the video!

[@M0OPI]

I've been doing it a year and still falling down that same rabbit hole 🤣

[@bobbyd6680]

Wish I ran across this video before I tried setting up my SDR and Airspy programs. This was so much clearer and easier then following the setup instructions and the AirSpy site's instructions. I think I'm going to delete all the files on my PC and start over following Gadget Talk's recommendation.

[@copycarvers]

your way of talking is awsome I love the way you explained everything

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Thank you so much 😀

[@starrybob70]

Beautifully explained in simple to follow terms, actually have got something now

[@smokeandsteamxsw9831]

Finally! I found someone that can help! I am going to listen with both ears 'mom used to say'! Carry on sir.

[@zugel]

Very nice explanation. Looking forward to try my dongle.

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@jimmytrayver2747]

Thank you sir for this great video! You make setting up this dongle easy and understandable.

[@jeanphi0078]

Thank you very much for your Video. I am interested by the antenna. Whch kind of antenna do you suggest to get a reception on the whoel range of frequencies. By the way your mentioned a book at the end of the viedo. I did not catch perfectly, where can we bought it.

[@SheltonDCruz]

Very well presented - thanks!

[@AZPapa25]

Interesting video. Thank you. I'm thinking of stringing a long wire dipole under my eaves. Will my solar energy panels on the roof give any interference?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Hard to say. I've heard some are really noisy and others not as bad. I have panels on my roof and an end-fed half wave under my eaves that seems to get out well on 20 meters for my ham transmitter. Keep in mind, these dongles work best with VHF frequencies and above. They'll do OK with lower frequencies with different sampling - I don't recall if it was I or Q in the settings. Some other brands have HF add-ons. For VHF and UHF, the antenna components that come with the kit will do well to start.

[@greggaieck4808]

Gadget talk the antenna kit is cool

[@johnneufeldt6734]

You didn't mention whether this SDR dongle will work on all USB speeds including the first, slowest version USB 1.0, so I'm guessing that it will since the slow USB 1.0 is supposed to have a speed of about 12 Mb/sec and 12 Mb sounds like more than enough data capacity per second for what amounts to sound data (non-video). Also, now that I'm thinking about it I wonder if it allows the user to record a section of frequency spectrum, for example while the person is sleeping, so it can be examined later for what activity was happening in that spectrum range?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Can't speak to the USB speeds but SDR # will record what they call I/Q files for you to examine later. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@richard180961]

Great video explaining clearly all the steps required to setup the device in Windows. Fantastic, I now have my system up and running. One small bug thing that I noticed, and wonder if others user may have a similar problem: I have created a frequency library in the frequency manager section , some WFM NFM AM etc. I noticed that when double clicking from AM or FM mode stations, the frequency Will change, but the modulation method does not, and will not hear any transmissions, until I double click again on that entry. Could this just be a bug in SDR# Airspy software.

[@GLITCH_-.-]

It is a bug and sadly not yet fixed

[@bodazaphfa]

Yessir, I’ve got that bug too. It’s still present as of my download and install the first week of February 2023. I’ll just adapt and overcome.

[@surenbono6063]

...I can receive local radio via the smartphone with stereo antenna but no waterfall spectrum selector...can't find a proper apps...and need freq between 20hz - 5Ghz...imagine receiving 10Ghz sat broadcast on the smartphone.. Rx only

[@tokaihto3350]

Those dongles are good only to transmit the most powerful FM stations. They are blind for FM stations that you can capture with 40 or 50 $ radios like retekess or hxdata

[@curtchase3730]

Can dongle be used for public service "trunking" comms?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Not sure. The dongle is just the part that gathers the signals. It's the software on the computer that converts signals to information. I suspect it is a software capability, issue.

[@rbnhd1976]

As I understand it (complete noob here) you use 2 sdr radios with a software, 1 radio for control signal, 2 for transmissions, I haven't tried it yet but this is what I want to, basically a homebrew scanner on an old laptop and hopefully portable to boot

[@curtchase3730]

@@rbnhd1976 Thanks! Yes, learned that is a good way to get trunked comms!

[@jj2me]

Great video, and thank you for the advice. Curious, which antenna did you use durring your demonstration?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

As I recall, I used the long telescoping arms that came with the kit.

[@umilemorano4469]

@@GadgetTalk4U Hello, I need your help to set up the antenna. I need a complete video-tutorial with all the steps. I have all the pieces.

[@wjess3569]

Great explanation.. Thanks. Comment tho.. 146.520 should not have any repeaters.. it is a simplex frequency. Are these devices available for the HF bands.. say 10m-80m?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

146.520 is, indeed, a simplex freq. There are repeaters less than a megahertz away, though, so they are in the area. Sorry. a bit of a quibble. Your question about lower frequencies is a good one. Some brands of SDR dongles require an attachment such as the Nooelec Ham it up. The RTL-SDR can be set to direct sampling and Q branch to access HF freqs directly without an attachment. I show this and discuss briefly in my initial Pan Adapter video published in January 2021 where I use the RTL-SDR to provide a waterfall for HF. It's at about 20:35 in. Cheers!

[@wjess3569]

@@GadgetTalk4U Thanks, I'm so old school it's pitiful.. Still living in the analog world.. Hopefully, I'll learn a bit.. grin.

[@georgesamaras2922]

I see educated innovative grandpa i click .. Im a simple student

[@eficaceromania]

Amazing video, thank you

[@rahmanbabaofficial2009]

Great video.and thank you for the advice.sir please tell me this sdr mobiles calls listen or not?

[@GadgetTalk4U]

This SDR dongle is for receiving only. It does not transmit. I hope I understood the question correctly. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@rahmanbabaofficial2009]

ok. thank you.but sir Can you advise me about such a device?which device use for the mobile calls listening?

[@thomasmanson1119]

“Quick-start guides”? Where or how do I find these? Thanks, 73 Tom KC3QAC

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Thomas, start at the RTL-SDR web page. Be sure to go to the page with the "-" in the URL. Amazon also has a book on the RTL-SDR. I used that one and it was pretty good. Much of it is exercises or experiments using the dongle. Here's a link to the quick start page on the RTL-SDR site. Lots of good stuff there. Thanks for watching. www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/

[@lithinm1998]

Hey, really informative video, no one explained the antennae so well. I have a question, can I use that dipole antenna to transmit using my HT and will it be good? 73 VU3EVY

[@burnstudios]

I would not use the supplied antenna with the sdr dongle for transmitting, its not tuned to just one frequency. If you are using vhf/uhf you can make a very simple 1/4 wav vertical antenna. Plenty of videos on here showing you how to make one.

[@justkelly6992]

New dongle, different brand, cannot get it to load software, I'm buying an Icom.

[@MrJohnreader]

Good video thanks

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@preyingjaws]

correction: 146.52 is national simplex frequency

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Sorry, br. there is nothing to correct. Nothing I said during that portion of the video is incorrect I simply choose that freq to get the SDR# software into the ham 2 meter band. This video is a tutorial/overview of the SDR dongle and SDR#, not a discussion of the 2 meter band plan. Cheers.

[@preyingjaws]

@@GadgetTalk4U I recognize this was an example that you used. Ham's are very protective of their frequencies and their uses.

[@GadgetTalk4U]

@@preyingjaws Point taken. I'm an Extra class operator myself. My opinion is that SWL can be an entry point I to Amateur radio for some. Good for the hobby. Thanks for responding. Cheers.

[@lildarker4044]

thankyou, wish i came here first lol

[@HamTechRadioScannerDrones]

Brill

[@greggaieck4808]

Gadget talk your Rtl sdr dongle I cool

[@joerogers4227]

Working 8 hours today and still rtl-sdr not working in cubic sdr. Can't change freq. range etc. Want to be able to see ham bands. retired computer specialist and can't find step by step docs for cubic sdr. youtube videos to short and does say how to do it. At this pace I will be bald in only 5 more min. Can''t find good help to cofingure, so far t he only thing I have heard is an fm station. SDR must be a fake

[@GadgetTalk4U]

I have found some software works better and is easier to set up than others. I've used SDR# and HDSDR works with the dongle. If you haven't already, explore the RTL-SDR web site. Good stuff and links to set-up and explainer videos. www.rtl-sdr.com/big-list-rtl-sdr-supported-software/

[@Hungry_Hunter]

@@GadgetTalk4U I found airspy RTL SDR software worked well after all the drivers and clicking on this and running that. I'm running windows 7 so that could have been part of my problem.

[@AliReza-zx8km]

Nice......

[@GadgetTalk4U]

Thanks

[@muhammadslwaey8829]

شكرا

[@LosPeregrinos51]

Was enjoying that right up until you played with the volume and then gave up.

[@SDck5940]

Nearly everyone runs Windows, but not EVERY one. How about the rest of the world?

[@williammckinney3362]

Too many ads. I will look elsewhere.

[@RuffianSoldier]

use an adblocker or opensource youtube client like a smart person