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Software Defined Radio SDR for 11 Meter

Hey guys, just an FYI:
If you plan to run an SDR, alongside your radio, and use it to monitor your own transmissions as well as listen to external signals, you NEED something like this: https://mfjenterprises.com/products/mfj-1708b-sdr

If you don't use something like this, you are running the risk of letting the smoke out of your SDR. They are not designed to cope with that much strong/nearby signal (your TX radio will overload the RX of the SDR, possibly damaging it). The https://mfjenterprises.com/products/mfj-1708b-sdr and similar boxes solve that problem.

73
 
To Greg T,

An SDR is basically an all-band receive radio (converter) capable of listening to anything from DC to whatever the limit of your SDR converter is, on whatever software program you want to use. It can and has been used as a spectrum analyzer by many. The better the antenna being used the better the signal, your small antenna would not last long before you decided to connect to your big antenna, but to monitor yourself anything would work. The main thing to remember is that you can not connect a "T" between the antenna to the radio and the SDR converter.....you would kill the SDR with RF from the radio. A switch box between the antenna to the radio or SDR is fine, but MFJ sells an adapter to do that automatically, and have heard that they have their problems.

My SDR converter of choice came from DX-Patrol (back in 2015) still going strong and always on, it was their first unit and they have since updated it. The connection to the computer is a USB cable. Of course, they use drivers, and it's either all explained with your converter of choice or online. Youtube has many videos, many of which have the SDR connected to the inside of the ham radio, but that is not what you want.

I use it on a Windows10 computer, depending on the SDR program you want to use, I use HDSDR. Like any other program, they update all the time adding more options. They have more options than you can even think of using. You have to remember it's all in the software you use, the converter is the receiver adapter that connects to the USB port on the computer.

The program that you choose to run (and there are many) would have digital filters that let you adjust your receive in many ways, and a Zoom feature to let you expand your frequency range (2Mhz plus range). You could sit and monitor from 26.000 to 28.000 to see where the action is, provided you had a good antenna connected to the converter, or you could Zoom in to just the span of a few Kc, which is very small (don't think you would ever go that small).

One other feature is "Record", if you record anything and you had Zoom wide open, you could go back and play it. What you could listen to is whatever is shown on the playback (mine are wav. files), if people were on 27.025 and you were recording on the action 27.385, you would be able to listen to what was said on 27.025 or anyplace else that was on your recording just as if it were "Live".

If you just wanted to monitor yourself that's fine, but you soon get tired of that and start listening to all the other action that your radio can't see. Great for late at night when there is no one on the air, and someone keys down, that little blip is shown on your screen, but the Zoom has to be set wide enough to catch them, even if they are on the free bands.

Do your research on the subject, I'm sure there are others here that have done it and how they did it.
You can start here if you want:
https://www.nooelec.com/store/nesdr-smart-xtr-hf-bundle.html
All the antennas included may never get used by you, but it is a good price.

I could go on and on, but you would never regret getting an SDR setup...

73
Excellent stuff, Dr. Exactly what I needed to know. I'm going to pick something up so I can begin by monitoring and recording my own Transmissions, and then move on up later. I still have my Sigma Silver Rod 5/8 sitting in the shed that I can stick up about 10 ft or so and use that. House acceptable are these units to overloading the front end?
 
Greg T,

Once you get the SDR and decide which software you want to use (HDSDR is very easy to use with many options), and start with the small antenna, you'll have that Sigma up in no time. In fact, you better put it up now before the snow flies...LOL.
Just follow any and all instructions, and you"ll have it running in no time.

Good luck.....

73
 
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Greg T,

Once you get the SDR and decide which software you want to use (HDSDR is very easy to use with many options), and start with the small antenna, you'll have that Sigma up in no time. In fact, you better put it up now before the snow flies...LOL.
Just follow any and all instructions, and you"ll have it running in no time.

Good luck.....

73
Thank you, sir. Much appreciated. I've always been a techie with just about any type of electronics, or hot rods, computers, Etc but this is something new to me. I will have one before christmas, guaranteed. Thanks again!
Would this be a decent start??

SDR
Or, SDR
 
Last edited:
Greg T,

Both of your picks are called "Dongles" you would have to read the fine print for descriptions of the performance and frequency spans it would get you. You would still require cable adapters to go to SO-239. It all depends on how much you want to spend, and are happy with your results when done.

The only thing, as I've said before, is your choice of software that you want to use. There are many to choose from, and I chose HDSDR. You buy the hardware and run the free software with it.... that's it. If it needs a driver they are all available online with instructions on how to install them.

Many before you, including myself, knew nothing about SDR but we got through it by ourselves, and now have it.

You will have its own outside antenna eventually for 10 meters and 11 meters (maybe 12 meters too), which is the best way to go. Who knows you may find out that different antennas will cover more frequencies. A 3-way switch box would give you two more antenna options such as a Discone for VHF/UHF, and a long wire to cover the HF bands (that would be 300Hz to 54MHz). If all you want to do is monitor your output you won't need the outside antenna.

Do your research, which I see you have started, and get what you need all at once so that you don't have to wait longer to install it.

Hope this helps...

73
 
  • Like
Reactions: Greg T
Greg T,

Both of your picks are called "Dongles" you would have to read the fine print for descriptions of the performance and frequency spans it would get you. You would still require cable adapters to go to SO-239. It all depends on how much you want to spend, and are happy with your results when done.

The only thing, as I've said before, is your choice of software that you want to use. There are many to choose from, and I chose HDSDR. You buy the hardware and run the free software with it.... that's it. If it needs a driver they are all available online with instructions on how to install them.

Many before you, including myself, knew nothing about SDR but we got through it by ourselves, and now have it.

You will have its own outside antenna eventually for 10 meters and 11 meters (maybe 12 meters too), which is the best way to go. Who knows you may find out that different antennas will cover more frequencies. A 3-way switch box would give you two more antenna options such as a Discone for VHF/UHF, and a long wire to cover the HF bands (that would be 300Hz to 54MHz). If all you want to do is monitor your output you won't need the outside antenna.

Do your research, which I see you have started, and get what you need all at once so that you don't have to wait longer to install it.

Hope this helps...

73
Excellent! Thanks much! I'm going shopping... LOL
 
For starters I would get the rtl-sdr blog branded one from Amazon. It doesn't drift when hot and they are cheap. I have a few and they are as very good especially for the money. About $30 I think.
I purchased one of those, works great except around 26-30 MHz. I'm getting what seems to be some kind of broadcast stations overloading the receiver when I connect it to my Windom antenna. Doesn't seem to happen if you use the little rabbit ears that came with the dongle. I'm guessing it's due to the FM broadcast station that's about 2 miles as the crow flies from here. Anywhere else HF to VHF it works great.
 
The fun part is the software installation and hoping I don't totally screw up the pc
If you use a "live" Linux bootable environment you won't need to risk changing anything on your PC. And IMO Linux is by far the better OS to SDR with. But in windows you will just need to make sure you get the right drivers installed. Check the rtl-sdr blog for step by step instructions. That should get you going in Windows pretty easy.
 
Just wanted to add a point that may be controversial but if you are digging into SDR for the first time go Linux. Windows just sucks for damn near everything but gaming and the software (free software) that Linux offers for the HAM and SDR user are unmatched. I can't think of anything I could do via SDR under Windows that I couldn't do much better on Linux. If you want to learn something learn to run your SDR on Linux and skip the shit OS and old and buggy software and drivers.
 

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