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Amazing and cheap SDR receiver.
- Thread starter Captain Kilowatt
- Start date
Gentlemen, Thank you for all the information. I just received my R820T and downloaded the software and also have the Ham it up Upconverter but am still waiting for the cables. The R820T with the software has a better spectrum analyzer than my radio. This thing is cool. Listened to local radio FM on the laptop with the cheap antenna they provide. Can't wait to hook up the real Hf stuff to it. This is going to come in handy. Being a beginner, this is a great way to get into electronics.
Thanks
Thanks
I got HDSDR to work but it was glitchy, I found a 3rd party .dll that worked. The best so far SDR Console v2 it does have a learning curve!
Just got the NooElect dongle, have spent hours trying to get it going and it's deaf. Remote does absolutely nothing. After the first software download (SDRsharp.exe, etc...), the only thing it would hear was me on simplex a few feet away. Uninstalled & reinstalled several times, played with the filters, etc... and no difference.
Next I followed the directions in this thread and downloaded "SDR Console V2" (including the three dll files) and it doesn't even hear me several feet away. It doesn't seem to see/hear a thing. I get a little flicker on the display when I TX, but zero audio.
Tried the link http://v2.sdr-radio.com/Configuration/RTLSDRs.aspx and it was dead for me too. I also found the files elsewhere and was able to get "RTL SDR (USB)" into the drop down menu, followed the rest of the directions and this thing is totally deaf using SRD V2...
I'm wondering if I got the bunk one...
Next I followed the directions in this thread and downloaded "SDR Console V2" (including the three dll files) and it doesn't even hear me several feet away. It doesn't seem to see/hear a thing. I get a little flicker on the display when I TX, but zero audio.
Tried the link http://v2.sdr-radio.com/Configuration/RTLSDRs.aspx and it was dead for me too. I also found the files elsewhere and was able to get "RTL SDR (USB)" into the drop down menu, followed the rest of the directions and this thing is totally deaf using SRD V2...
I'm wondering if I got the bunk one...
I wonder if you are doing, or rather NOT doing, the same thing I did at first. After setting it up and running SDR Console V2, on the main screen of SDR Console look in the upper left corner and you should see the word "RADIO" just above where it says "INPUT" Click on the word RADIO and a window should open up showing the type of SDR dongle you have. Click the word "START" in the lower left corner of the pop up window to start the SDR running.
Is the volume turned up?
Sorry but I had to ask.
Stranger things have happened. If you are seeing signals on the waterfall you should be hearing something. OK Again in the top of SDR Console V2 you should see the Demodulation window and the words MUTE ALL with a pic of a speaker. Clicking on that toggles the audio output. Also just slightly down and to the right of this is the audio output control. Make sure it is not disabled (grayed out) and that the volume is turned up. This button is controlled by the MUTE function mention before.
There are two waterfalls. The bottom is like a general spectrum scope showing the band in general. You need to click on one of them to transfer it to the top waterfall which is the signal that you want to demodulate. This should be centered in the window labeled as A or B depending on the VFO you are using. I suggest trying it on the FM broadcast band because the signals are much wider and easier to receive at first.
I actually checked every mute switch, etc... that I could find before posting. I've had that online "oh duh" moment a few too many times not to look for the obvious before posting. lol
Same thing in FM broadcast. Nothing but a hiss/white noise for audio, which doesn't change even with the antenna unplugged. The screen DOES change when the antenna is unplugged, but as far as audio, same either way.
Do you see anything glaring below?
On the remote, does yours do anything with this program?
Same thing in FM broadcast. Nothing but a hiss/white noise for audio, which doesn't change even with the antenna unplugged. The screen DOES change when the antenna is unplugged, but as far as audio, same either way.
Do you see anything glaring below?
On the remote, does yours do anything with this program?
I have noticed if I have both waterfalls centered on the same frequency I get a high noise level. Keep your bottom spectrum off center of your top one. I do not know why there is noise in the middle of my bottom spectrum?
Also with 12khz wide on your FM broadcast your not going to hear much try 192kHz wide FM
Your can look for NOAA there narrow FM (8Khz) around 162.000 - 163.000
Also with 12khz wide on your FM broadcast your not going to hear much try 192kHz wide FM
Your can look for NOAA there narrow FM (8Khz) around 162.000 - 163.000
Bingo... It wasn't hearing anything at 12khz. Widened it up and there was the broadcast station (rough, but there). Playing with it further on UHF and widening it up to 48khz, I discovered that the VFO is "off". Sliding the top spectrum down about 25khz brought the signal in. Again rough, but there.
At least I'm confident enough that it "works" that I'll move forward with ordering the adapters to get a real antenna on it.
Thanks for the direction.
I was about ready to throw in the towel.
As said the remote is useless as this dongle was originally designed as a terrestrial digital television receiver until someone realized with the proper software it will function as a super wide-band receiver. The remote was used with it like you would use a regular TV remote.
I never considered that you would not have had the proper bandwidth set. That is just something that I do without even thinking.
You signals do look quite weak and you will have much better luck with anything for an antenna than what came with it. I am just using a Radio Shack discone for now mounted about ten feet above my back deck. Better and/or higher antenna to follow.
You can correct the frequency discrepancy by clicking on the RADIO CONFIGURATION tab at the top and then clicking on one or more tabs to adjust the offset that you need to correct the displayed freq. versus the actual freq. Use an NOAA signal for this as the frequency should be fairly accurate or better yet an FM broadcast station as they MUST by law be within 1 KHz making it about 10 parts per million at most. You may have to do it a few times to fine tune it but once done it is good. I have mine set to +64ppm and it is band on. YMMV on this due to calibration.
BTW I just cut the antenna off the cable and wired a BNC connector to it so I could connect to an antenna as the three inch 800 MHz antenna is useless.
I never considered that you would not have had the proper bandwidth set. That is just something that I do without even thinking.
You signals do look quite weak and you will have much better luck with anything for an antenna than what came with it. I am just using a Radio Shack discone for now mounted about ten feet above my back deck. Better and/or higher antenna to follow.
You can correct the frequency discrepancy by clicking on the RADIO CONFIGURATION tab at the top and then clicking on one or more tabs to adjust the offset that you need to correct the displayed freq. versus the actual freq. Use an NOAA signal for this as the frequency should be fairly accurate or better yet an FM broadcast station as they MUST by law be within 1 KHz making it about 10 parts per million at most. You may have to do it a few times to fine tune it but once done it is good. I have mine set to +64ppm and it is band on. YMMV on this due to calibration.
BTW I just cut the antenna off the cable and wired a BNC connector to it so I could connect to an antenna as the three inch 800 MHz antenna is useless.
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