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This is worth the cost for a couple hours of entertainment.

Actually, it's finally proving to be quite the investment. I can decode everything from APRS, VHF/UHF Packet, P25, ACARS, MOT2, EDACS, MPT1327, POCSAG/FLEX (Pagers) and MDC1200...

Lately, I'm using it for ADS-B to monitor air traffic with PlanePlotter. It's pretty cool. I'll post a screenshot when I get home. (The E4000 RTL sucks for ADS-B though. You need the improved R820T version.)

http://www.coaa.co.uk/planeplotter.htm

Just ordered one up.
Looking forward to playing around with it.

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This would be useful for monitoring AIS maritime digital packets as well (for those of you near the PS waterway.

Thanks for the reminder. MultiPSK just enabled decoding for AIS. I'll give it a shot later tonight.

Cool! It's a lot of fun. The first-time installation can be a pain if you've never done it before. Do NOT use the CDROM that comes with the adapter. You can pretty much throw away the remote, disc and antenna whip (keep the cable though.)

When you get it, let me know and I'll link the tools needed.

I bought one as well, just for grins. I noticed the pricing is now $16.99. Fortunately I got my order in while it was still $14.99. Fast shipping, the guy already has it in the mail.

Nick
The SDR arrived today. What are your suggestions to get this puppy running? Are the links that the seller provided on his Ebay page worth while? Thanks

This is good to get you started: http://rtlsdr.org/softwarewindows

I did my configuration manually but you can use the batch file from the above web site. I just prefer knowing what the BATCH file is doing. ;)

Here are the instructions for a manual installation:

D/L and run the zadiag tool. This will get the driver configured.

D/L both the DEV build and RTL plugin from the sdrsharp web site: http://sdrsharp.com/index.php/downloads

1. Move the DEV build binaries to a new folder on your desktop (name it with the build number, e.g. SDR#1114)
2. Do the same with the PLUGIN binaries
3. In the PLUGIN folder, go into the CONFIG subdirectory and copy this file into the SDR# folder -- this will overwrite the default file.
4. Cut and paste the PLUGIN binaries to the SDR# folder (move the files) -- you can delete the PLUGIN folder now
5. Download this zip file: http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/raw-attachm ... ebInfo.zip
6. Go into that zip file and copy (overwrite) the binaries (to your SDR# directory) from the appropriate platform type of your Windows -- either 32-bit or 64-bit
7. Launch SDRSharp -- you should be able to choose RTL USB and press PLAY. (Be sure your antenna is connected.)
8. In the CONFIGURE button (prior to pressing play) I have no checkboxes and move the slider to the far RIGHT for max gain. My particular R820T unit needs an offset of 75ppm for calibration. It seems to be smaller at the lower frequencies and higher at the top end. (So 71 for AM VHF and 80 for 1Ghz.) You'll need to "know" a specific frequency and use that to get your number.

Have fun!

Chalk me up as having ordered one
Just what I need, another radio... :roll:

Nick
Thanks for the suggestions. Got it up and running very quickly thanks to you. I still have a lot of playing to do but just out of curiosity how did you get the audio or signals to other programs so that they can decode the audio coming from the SDR? Is it via the "virtual cable" program that I believe you mentioned in an earlier thread?

By the way for anyone that is interested - there is quite a few MCX adapter cables available on EBay just in case you didn't want to compromise the included antenna. Oddly enough it seems to be a good performer for 700-1200Mhz range so I'm thinking of putting on an SMA or BNC connector and use it for one of the scanners.

Yes it's called VAC -- Virtual Audio Cable. It's not free but it does work and is priced fairly. I would definitely try the demo and make sure it's working for you. It may take a bit of tweaking on certain systems. In the demo mode, it will pass audio but every 10 seconds or so there is a "trial" voice played.

http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.htm

The other option is to buy a new audio adapter. Most on-board audio chipsets don't expose a "WAVE" device. In most cases, if you have this WAVE device you can simply direct any application to use that as an input.

I use an Asus PCIe Sonar DX card and it has this feature. I do use both VAC and the WAVE device at times depending on the decoding software, etc.

This doesn't appear to help as SDRSharp.exe.config in the 1114 DEV build has the RTL USB device commented out:
<!-- <add key="RTL-SDR / USB" value="SDRSharp.RTLSDR.RtlSdrIO,SDRSharp.RTLSDR" /> -->

Overwriting the version in the PLUGIN folder (which oddly enough doesn't have the RTL USB commented out) appears not to make a difference as it loads /SDRSharp.exe.config from the main directory, not /CONFIG/SDRSharp.exe.config.

Perhaps this step was intended to be the other way around ? Or their build is broken ?

Rich, I'm not sure I follow what you're doing.

The file in the CONFIG folder is the RTL-specific which has the RTL enabled. You just copy this one over to the SDR# directory. This replaces the file.

I don't know the specifics, but the author couldn't include the RTL code in his package due to some legal matter. So this is why he has to do it in two packages.

UPDATE: I see... no, I was saying to overwrite the file in the SDR# directory -- not the CONFIG directory. Sorry I can see why you would think that. It was not worded well.

Got mine today and in 5 minutes, I am decoding WCCCA here in Oregon!

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