SDR

[poltergeisty]

What is this SDR I hear about? Can I get a link to this unit? How do you use it? I do know what unitrunker is, but I haven't used it in a few years. Does it now track the control channel for voice?

Okay, so I found this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Realtek-RTL...iver-Tuner-FM-DAB-PAL-F-adapter-/300838890703

Now how do I go about trunking a P25 control channel? I might be able to set up a feed for my home town as the one that used to be there isn't anymore. I live in Loveland, Colorado. But by 2015 they plan on ENC. I hope the fire department doesn't though. I don't foresee it.

Edit- Did some research and found out a Funcube decodes 16 bit instead of 8, but the Funcube is 100 bucks. I can buy a scanner for that price! So I take it you need two Realtek DVB adapters to track a P25 trucked radio system? I need step by step instructions. Thanks!

Found this. http://www.hamradioscience.com/trunk-tracking-with-rtl-2832u-dongle-and-unitrunker/

 

[kc0kp]

I am using one of these....bought from a stateside supplier, though. On Sale Practical Rtl SDR FM DAB DVB T Dongle Stick RTL2832 R820T SPC 0155 | eBay
And one of these: DVB T USB TV Rtl SDR FM DAB Radio Tuner Receiver Stick Realtek RTL2832U E4000 | eBay
I am not using it to scan but I am using it to decode an EDACS control channel with a program I wrote.
I suggest you play with one first to get your feet wet before jumping into scanning with it. They do have a lot of limitations on sensitivity and have poor front end protection. You may be able to decode Thorodin from your house but local sites may wipe it out on occasion. If you are only dealing with the local sites, it probably will work real well.
As for the economics, a scanner will probably be more cost effective but what you will learn from getting it to work with SDR is priceless.

 

[DaveNF2G]

Keep searching. The answers to all of your questions have been given (in some cases multiple times) in forums here on RR and in the SDRSharp and other groups over on Yahoogroups, plus some standalone web pages and wikis that have been created for the SDR hobby community.

 

[poltergeisty]

Someone made a tut in the SDR forum that I was reading as well. I completely forgot about the SDR forum.

 

[pgnsucks]

I for one would like to see a new thread on SDR as new units come out as well as newer software.

The technology is I believe going to constantly be changing. While a discussion may be up to date for a month or two that could easily change.

What my hope would be is that the Moderators would break the thread up at various appropriate oppurtunties that are up on the subject matter.

I have run one unit in a Windows-Vista yet still not had any luck with Win 7 64 bit.

If the thread were broken up maybe I might find a way to address the Win 7 issue.

 

[ka3jjz]

To answer the question of what a SDR is...

Software Defined Radios - The RadioReference Wiki

I have attempted to gather all the links for the units and related software here, but obviously there's more out there than is listed. Feel free to add/correct/delete from this page - that's what it's for

You might find it more profitable to read the past threads, not just the current ones in this forum. Generally someone will start a new thread if something new comes out, or if new or modified software is released. It's not all jumbled up into one big thread. Don't fall into the trap of reading only the new posts - you may miss out on important information that was presented in the past.

As an example, the popular HF digital decoding software MultiPSK can now address certain SDRs with its new release. A new thread was started for this.

Mike

 

[rbm]

I have run one unit in a Windows-Vista yet still not had any luck with Win 7 64bit.

If the thread were broken up maybe I might find a way to address the Win 7 issue.

I've run as many as six concurrent instances of SDR# on a Win 7 64 bit machine.

Download the zip file here:
http://sdrsharp.com/downloads/sdr-install.zip

Unzip it to a folder of your choice and then double click on install.bat and let it run.
That will create a folder named 'sdrsharp' with the latest files.
(The listing below was downloaded and tested less than five minutes ago.)

You'll have to run zadig one time to install the driver. (In administrator mode)

And for completeness, here's where to find the Windows install instructions.
zadig Archives - rtl-sdr.com
or here:
Windows Software [rtlsdr.org wiki]

You can download and run 'rtl_test.exe' from here to test the driver/dongle installation.
(It's included in the RelWithDebInfo.zip file)
http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/attachment/wiki/rtl-sdr/RelWithDebInfo.zip
http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~ee123/fa12/rtl_sdr.html

I know that's a lot of stuff, but taken one step at a time it will work.

Here's a listing of the files created in the folder.

The image shows the zadig driver I'm using.

Volume in drive D is 2T_Backup
Volume Serial Number is 4C9E-3A1C

Directory of D:\sdrsharp-6\sdrsharp

06/18/2013 11:24 PM <DIR> .
06/18/2013 11:24 PM <DIR> ..
04/27/2013 10:22 PM 100,915 frequencies.xml
01/20/2013 01:42 PM 68,096 libusb-1.0.dll
02/16/2010 11:02 AM 37,376 libusb0.dll
07/12/2012 03:43 PM 1,121 LICENSE.MIT
07/12/2012 03:44 PM 2,540 LICENSE.MSRSL
07/12/2012 03:46 PM 375 LICENSING
06/10/2011 07:58 PM 773,968 msvcr100.dll
11/12/2011 06:13 PM 81,920 PortAudio.dll
04/20/2013 10:26 PM 47,616 rtlsdr.dll
10/08/2012 01:29 PM 13,824 sdriq.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 18,432 SDRSharp.CollapsiblePanel.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 8,192 SDRSharp.Common.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 12,800 SDRSharp.DNR.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 122,880 SDRSharp.exe
05/05/2013 07:41 AM 3,104 SDRSharp.exe.config
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 22,528 SDRSharp.FrequencyEdit.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 34,816 SDRSharp.FrequencyManager.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 78,848 SDRSharp.FUNcube.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 32,256 SDRSharp.FUNcubeProPlus.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 38,400 SDRSharp.PanView.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 104,448 SDRSharp.Radio.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 26,112 SDRSharp.RTLSDR.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 16,896 SDRSharp.RTLTCP.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 18,432 SDRSharp.SDRIQ.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 6,656 SDRSharp.SoftRock.dll
06/18/2013 11:20 PM 22,528 SDRSharp.WavRecorder.dll
09/17/2009 04:59 AM 67,584 SRDLL.dll
07/20/2011 12:37 AM 6,560,164 zadig.exe
28 File(s) 8,322,827 bytes
2 Dir(s) 299,562,799,104 bytes free

 

[pgnsucks]

I've run as many as six concurrent instances of SDR# on a Win 7 64 bit machine.

Thank you Very much for the information I will be putting it to use very soon

 

[poltergeisty]

Didn't know my thread got moved. :lol:

 

[loumaag]

Didn't know my thread got moved. :lol:

Your "thread" didn't get moved. Your OT post in another thread got split to it's own thread in the appropriate forum. :roll:

 

[pgnsucks]

Your "thread" didn't get moved. Your OT post in another thread got split to it's own thread in the appropriate forum. :roll:

Well I thank you Lou, I really like the SDR thread getting broken/started again it's a good idea in my opinion. Hopefully with really long threads you might consider or the members might consider breaking them up just a little:lol:

 

[poltergeisty]

So will a Thinclient with a 1 GHz proc. decode P25? Do I need two SDRs to track? I do have a Pro 2042 with a tap. Would that help as the control channel monitoring radio?