GROUP DESIGN PROJECT - A portable SDR unit.

[Omega-TI]

Okay, we are coming up on vacation season. We might want to take our hobby on the road, so let get EVERYONE'S ideas and input. No idea is too little, too small or too wild. Maybe we'll all come to a consensus and end up with something real cool that we all want to own.

The idea is to construct a receiving unit with all off-the-shelf parts for portable, or at least able to carry in a case.

We'll need a monitor...
A SDR dongle (which one)...
Maybe a Raspberry PI, unless you guys know of something better...
An OS package/software available in a ready to download and install package.
Antenna...
Power options...
Keyboard and/or touchscreen options...
All necessary cables...

Dunno what you guys think of price limitations or if it's even a factor. What will we end up with?

 

[Omega-TI]

What do you guys think of << this monitor >> (if the RPi is the way we go)? It's a heck of a lot larger than the Mala**** monitor built in to their SDR radio that sells for around the same price.

I can see the price will exceed what many people here are willing to go for a dedicated unit, essentially a build it yourself communications receiver. At this point I'm sure no one would want to go with anel-cheapo RTL-SDR V3 class SDR, but a more expensive and capable unit. Suggestions?

 

[Dirk_SDR]

Ok, good idea!
We are on our way to sth like this:

RDR53

 

[32dave]

I bought these adapters to hook up the dongle to my phone and once I figure out how to get sdr++ working I can just use my phone. Tried to upload pictures but, I guess the server can't handle it

 

[Omega-TI]

I bought these adapters to hook up the dongle to my phone and once I figure out how to get sdr++ working I can just use my phone. Tried to upload pictures but, I guess the server can't handle it

Try reducing the size of the image to under one meg. This can be done by turning a PNG into a JPG and even reducing the size of the image. Or, use a different site to host the image and link to it.

 

[bubbaearle]

I have assembled a fairly self contained unit using the following components:

Raspberry Pi4 4GB - good luck finding one if ya don't have one already
Official Raspberry Pi 7" display
SmartiPi Touch Pro case
RTL-DSR V.3 - installed inside case
Rii wireless mini keyboard w/touchpad
MLA 30+ Loop Antenna
Anker SoundCore Bluetooth speaker
Anker 26800mAh power bank

Pi OS 64 bit bullseye - very good, detailed software installation instruction here
SDR++
CubicSDR

The 7" display needs a bit of resolution tweaking in the config file.
I set mine to 1024 x 614.

CubicSDR is pretty small, but you'll be right up on the screen while in use.
SDR++ looks much better and works just as well.

I reckon I have about $250 - $350 tied up in it, various cables, SD cards, miscellaneous parts and such.

The pic shows it & my laptop running SDR++ listening to 3916 Trivia on 80M
Pi4 w/RTL-SDR V.3
Laptop w/RSP1a

 

[a417]

Would embedding an RTL-SDR into the frame of an off the shelf unit count? Cause that's what I've done here...
It's not built from off the shelf parts, but it works.

 

[DC31]

Interesting….

I have no real desire to bring my setup on vacation with me but I have some thoughts on how I might do it. Since I am now on vacation and the fish aren’t biting, here goes.

I use the rpi4 with a nooelec SDR stick at home. Pack that into my camper (usb power port has been installed). With RealVNC setup I can vnc into it from the iPad so that takes care of monitor and keyboard. At this point, I am not sure if I can set up the rpi wifi so that I can vnc directly into it or if maybe I need to include a wifi router that they would both connect to. The router option I know can be done. Send the output audio to a bluetooth speaker/earbuds and VOILA! You have done it with almost no cables. And none of this requires any internet access either.

 

[bubbaearle]

My plan was to build a self contained unit I could power with a battery bank or from an inverter in a vehicle for use while camping or just out away from all the RFI noise of town.

I'd like to take it up to Mt. Magazine and see what the reception is like up there. I have my MLA 30+ loop on a cheap tri-pod so I could have that in the back of my truck with the Pi & display unit on my dashboard.

I've also used it to listen to the NOAA weather radio while watching weather radar connected to my Wi-Fi hotspot on my phone during a pretty severe storm that knocked out power.

 

[Omega-TI]

Would embedding an RTL-SDR into the frame of an off the shelf unit count? Cause that's what I've done here...
It's not built from off the shelf parts, but it works.

Got a picture?