AirSpy

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mtindor

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airspy.com | A tiny and efficient software defined radio

I was just reading about AirSpy on their webpage. Does anybody here have one of these yet?

Many people do, including myself. Although I'm not prepared to provide scientific data that it is better than some other option. For $200, there is nothing else out there that can touch its performance. That's my take. Others may be disagree, and that is their choice.

Mike
 

woodpecker

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This should be moved the receivers forum really.

The Airspy is quite a good receiver for the money, my first was faulty. The replacement is still slightly less sensitive than a Nooelec R820T2 dongle but Airspy has much better dynamic range than a dongle.

If the sensitivity were a bit better it would be fantastic, maybe not a fair comparison but its nowhere near the sensitivity performance of a Winradio G39 at 450MHz.
 

osros

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Mine is on the way to me so no results to report yet, My needs are simple so far so I'm sure it will fit the bill. I hear good things about the Airspy so adding it to the gear.

If you have a specific use in mind you may want to say so, and others can have better feedback based on your needs.

Cheers
 

sm0vec

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I also have one, which indeed is really good also for Digital Voice Decoding applications. However most digital signals I want to capture sare strong enough to handle with cheaper RTL SDR's, so I'm mainly using the Airspy to find new and weak signals.

Something worth to notice is though that the Airspy is quite sensitive for noise and lag on the USB bus. Despite I have a quite modern and proven low noise PC I had to buy a separate USB PCI card, but with that card the Airspy works like charm.
 

widowsson

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How long to ship

How long did it take for you guys to get your Airspy? Mine shipped on 01/05/15, so I'm just wondering when to expect it.

Did it come via USPS or UPS or FedEx?

Thanks, fellas.
 

Voyager

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Mine "shipped" on 1/2, but it's still showing as being in Hong Kong, and I can't get anyone at AS to answer inquiries. I can't even register for the forum because it says the email server is down when I try to get my password (I never got the original email when I registered, so I don't have the temporary password).

I asked on this forum and on the email list, but all I get is silence. I hope the AS isn't that deaf.

To add to this mess, I asked ahead of time where it would be shipping from, and never got a reply. I might have opted for the air shipment given that it looks like it won't be here until summer. I've received RTLs shipped from HK in less than a week.

The worst part is the non-response from anyone but iMall who confirmed that it had shipped, but could not offer any other info.

Those guys might be great at designing SW, but they need to hire someone to answer inquiries.
 

blhamlin

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I ordered with the first batch and only paid for registered mail. Took about 3 weeks to come in through USPS. Tracking is pretty much non-existent if you didn't use DHL. But it did arrive and was well packed.
 

Voyager

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Yea - I'm hoping it will suddenly appear in the mailbox and it was the tracking that was lagging. But it still would be nice to hear from someone. I've had economy mail get here in less than 3 weeks. Usually that only takes 2, and registered usually takes about a week. Only once did I have a package that took 8 weeks, and I highly suspect it was not shipped until after I nearly ran out of time to file a complaint on eBay.

For all I was told, it could have been shipping from Omaha. I had no idea it was shipping from Hong Kong.
 

Voyager

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And yet you have nothing bad to say about the Siren debacle or any other Uniden failing.

Go figure...

There is a difference between no reply and no shipment vs replies promising shipment as soon as they receive something.

TRUE, I did not say a word between the time I paid for the AS and the time they were WAITING for the product from the manufacturer. In BOTH cases I treated them exactly the same.

I could have complained that I paid for the AS but didn't get what I paid for, but I knew they were waiting for the stock from the manufacturer. I didn't threaten to sue them and demand an AS even though I knew they didn't have them yet.

How this case is different is that they now say they DID ship, and I so far haven't seen any evidence that they did what they said they did.

"And it's been over a month" (a dig at the extended timelines others use)
 

AA6IO

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Sounds like it might be time for AirSpy. I use the RTL dongles for a lot of DSD+ decoding, but the dynamic range is obvious less than stellar. The FunCube has great dynamic range (IMHO), but the 192 Khz is really limiting. Have been playing with HackRF, but really less than impressed with what I can do practically with its limited dynamic range.
Time to order another SDR (AirSpy) and give that a go.
Steve AA6IO
 

FLANO

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Got my AirSpy ahead of my friend. I chose DHL shipment. Worth the money to get it in my hands :)

I have been playing with it and comparing to the FCDP+. Working on ID'ing a local DMR TRS used by one of the local mines :)

Was able to ID a couple of DMR frequencies used by our local tribe for school busses.

I even found a NEXEDGE frequency with voice, but limited success. Could be me not quite tuned to it.

Having fun, none the less.

Thanks AS !
 

Voyager

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Some NexEdge systems use FDMA so the frequency may be shifted from the licensed carrier frequency (+/- 6.25 kHz at UHF)
 

RRR

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Bit Defender blocks Airspy and any link I click pointing to it.....
 

Voyager

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GOOD move selecting DHL. If I would have known it ships from HK or would have been such a fuster cluck, I would have opted for that shipment method, too. You will likely have yours before I do, and mine shipped at the beginning of the month.
 

garys

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Mine arrived in Jamaica, NY at the mail sorting facility on the 15th. It should make it's way north by the end of the week. (I hope)
 

osros

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I ordered with the first batch and only paid for registered mail. Took about 3 weeks to come in through USPS. Tracking is pretty much non-existent if you didn't use DHL. But it did arrive and was well packed.

This is where I'm at, totally missed or not see the option to use a difference carrier and did not know it was coming from HK, I would have given the shipping more thought. I got my notice of tracking on Jan 7 on the HK side. I'm still waiting and looks like will still be a while, still new to SDR I love my Elad FM2 for HF and excited to do the same for vhf/uhf with the airspy my needs are simple so I get a lot of enjoyment just snooping around the bands.
 
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