Trade-offs: price -vs- headache factor (SDR dongles -vs- a real scanner radio).
There is a lot of talk about hooking up multiple SDR dongles into hubs, using multiple power supplies, gobs of cabling, antenna splitters, with software configuration nightmares, etc. So my question is, how many dongles is enough? How much per dongle? How much for the hub? How much for the extra power supplies? How much for all the cabling and antenna hardware? In the end, wouldn't be easier if to just purchase a Scanner?
Now there are pros and cons in everything, sure a scanner might be much easier, but what happens if the local municipality changes formats? I mean an SDR is programmable, but the headache and time factor involved in learning, and setting up a kludge system is out of reach for many. Prices may also affect one's decision as well.
So now the personal choice section of this poll, but feel free to add your own comments below.
There is a lot of talk about hooking up multiple SDR dongles into hubs, using multiple power supplies, gobs of cabling, antenna splitters, with software configuration nightmares, etc. So my question is, how many dongles is enough? How much per dongle? How much for the hub? How much for the extra power supplies? How much for all the cabling and antenna hardware? In the end, wouldn't be easier if to just purchase a Scanner?
Now there are pros and cons in everything, sure a scanner might be much easier, but what happens if the local municipality changes formats? I mean an SDR is programmable, but the headache and time factor involved in learning, and setting up a kludge system is out of reach for many. Prices may also affect one's decision as well.
So now the personal choice section of this poll, but feel free to add your own comments below.
