Here’s that tuner: http://amzn.to/101Yf1z (this has the RTL2832U chipset) Here’s the gqrx, the software I was using: http://www.oz9aec.net/index.php/gnu-…
Video Rating: 5 / 5

This is a tour through using SDR to receive HF: http://wiki.spench.net/wiki/RF http://spench.net @spenchdotnet http://twitter.com/spenchdotnet HF with ultra-…

50 replies
  1. Gough Lui
    Gough Lui says:

    I’ve had a few locks but since it’s all encrypted, it’s pretty useless.
    Sorry, I’m writing this as I watch – I see you’ve mentioned CODAR. I’ve
    also seen sweepers with discontinuities as well – and sweepers which isn’t
    very linear either towards the higher bands usually sweeping downward. Very
    nice constellation plot on that Stanag signal – and now I see you used
    Sigmira too. Great video! Really enjoyed watching this 😀 Been a bit busy
    myself, but unfortunately not with radio …

    Reply
  2. FirstToken
    FirstToken says:

    The slow rate sweeper at 11:25 in the video is a sounder, it might be
    associated with JORN. If you pay close attention after it leaves one freq
    it steps up or down (one direction or the other, a given one always travels
    in one direction only) 1 to 2 MHz and sounds again. And then another 1 or 2
    MHz and again, etc. The steps are not always even 1 or 2 MHz steps, but are
    often close to that size.

    Reply
  3. balint256
    balint256 says:

    Yes, you certainly can! Please have a look at my latest video: “Ultra-cheap
    SDR: HF with RTL2832 and transverter” (link in video description).

    Reply
  4. Gough Lui
    Gough Lui says:

    Whistlers – I tend to get them around here, and it’s almost certainly
    man-made. Ionosondes maybe, someone suggested that I reference the time it
    crosses WWV/WWVH’s 10Mhz signal and I will find that they are supposedly
    very regular! 1:43 – that’s HFDL aka HF-ACARS used by long haul aircraft.
    The single “alignment” tone before the data burst is a giveaway – you’re
    tuned a bit too low so it might not have been that easy to spot by ear. The
    fact they’re clustered is because they are in the aviation

    Reply
  5. Martin King
    Martin King says:

    the sweeps are chirp transponders they go from 4hz up to 30mhz they show on
    a display the f1 f2 f3 layers for good propergation for tx rx ccts

    Reply
  6. balint256
    balint256 says:

    I haven’t used Excalibur/Perseus myself, but I imagine they’re both pretty
    good. First place would be to check their specs on sensitivity, etc. Then
    read about what other users have reported regarding performance. That said,
    the USRP is in a class of its own because (as you say) it’s just so
    flexible. Apart from the transverter+WBX, you could also build your own
    pre-amp (e.g. using the one in the Genesis radio kit), and use it in front
    of the LFRX – I think that could work really well too!

    Reply
  7. Andrés Arrieta
    Andrés Arrieta says:

    If you haven’t seen this video check it out. This is exactly why I love
    radio communications:
    HF and Software Defined Radio: HDSDR + USRP + GNU Radio + RFMap

    Reply
  8. USRP
    USRP says:

    Check out this video of HDSDR + USRP + GNU Radio + RFMAP:
    HF and Software Defined Radio: HDSDR + USRP + GNU Radio + RFMap

    The video is really well done, and Balint does a great job of explaining
    things as he goes along. Even if you are familiar with USRPs and GNU Radio,
    this is a really neat example of looking through the HF band and checking
    out signals!

    Reply
  9. William Smith
    William Smith says:

    Saw this was posted mid-March. It looks pretty interesting. 🙂

    HF and Software Defined Radio: HDSDR + USRP + GNU Radio + RFMap

    Reply
  10. Rua Whitepaw
    Rua Whitepaw says:

    How do you record “raw airwaves” like this? Wouldn’t it create really big
    files because you need such a high sampling rate to capture a decent sized
    frequency range?

    Reply
  11. Quentin Le Calvez
    Quentin Le Calvez says:

    Is there a tutorial for installing/using gqrx with the same tuner as you?
    I’m new to linux and I can’t manage to use gqrx like you do 🙁

    Reply
  12. DimmeDriver
    DimmeDriver says:

    The only thing I get here in Sweden are radio stations. We are pretty
    boring over here, I was up all night scanning the whole spectrum manually.

    Reply
  13. Elia R.
    Elia R. says:

    I’d guess the chipset is pretty universal and used in many DVB-T receivers
    so you could look out for one on eBay or Amazon

    Reply
  14. Arild M Johannessen
    Arild M Johannessen says:

    From amazon it looks like 25-1700 MHz. I wonder how wide band you can
    monitor? Is it just a few hz either side of your center freq or are you
    able to monitor all at once?

    Reply
  15. TheBadFred
    TheBadFred says:

    I’m not quite sure if this is possible here in Germany. Anyway I saw that
    you wear your basecap oldschool style, like me.

    Reply
  16. JediBFA
    JediBFA says:

    We are using an SDR at Mach 30 to build a low cost spacecraft
    communications receiver. It is open source hardware, hosted on Open Design
    Engine. Look for the gs-001 project.

    Reply
  17. Stephen Fink
    Stephen Fink says:

    What type of antenna are you using? I just got a dongle with the RTL2832U
    and R820T chipset. I receive the FM commercial band very well. But can’t
    seem to tune much else in yet. I’m assuming it is the little antenna that
    came with the dongle. I think this will be a lot of fun once i get
    everything set up. 

    Reply

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