Adapting my 800MHz Scanner Antenna for Use with DVB-T Tuner Dongle for SDR

[sstephenson]

Hi Guys,

Today I received a brief introduction into the world of SDR from a buddy at work. He had a Realtek RTL-SDR RTL2832U Elonics E4000 DVB-T Tuner dongle hooked up to his laptop and was using the antenna that came with it. I was immediately impressed by the possibilities, so I went ahead and ordered one.

I'd like to be able to hook up one of my 800 MHz rubber duck antennas with a BNC connector to the dongle, and was wondering if there is a convenient desktop kind of arrangement that I might be able to use that would support the antenna and allow me to hook up the necessary female BNC to male PAL adapter. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[tlcoffee]

I spliced a cable with a MCX to a PL259. Got it hooked up to a discone outside. I don't like the MCX but the dongle is so small that I'm afraid to attach anything larger to it that might bend or break the usb connector.

I looked around and I couldn't find anything out-of-the-box regarding different antennas for the dongle. the one it comes with is not very good. I think you'll just need to either splice it to something you want or buy a cable with the appropriate connectors you want to use.

 

[kq6ea]

Radio Shack sells a PAL to F connector adapter (part# 278-261), and then you add an F to BNC adapter (part# 278-256) and you're good to go.

73, Jim

 

[n2pqq]

Is this what your looking for ?

Then just lean it against something .



BNC Jack to MCX Plug Right Angle Pigtail Cable RG316 | eBay

 

[kq6ea]

His dongle doesn't have an MCX connector....it has a PAL (Euro TV) connector.

 

[kc0kp]

Hi Guys,

Today I received a brief introduction into the world of SDR from a buddy at work. He had a Realtek RTL-SDR RTL2832U Elonics E4000 DVB-T Tuner dongle hooked up to his laptop and was using the antenna that came with it. I was immediately impressed by the possibilities, so I went ahead and ordered one.

I'd like to be able to hook up one of my 800 MHz rubber duck antennas with a BNC connector to the dongle, and was wondering if there is a convenient desktop kind of arrangement that I might be able to use that would support the antenna and allow me to hook up the necessary female BNC to male PAL adapter. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for your help.

I bought one of these:

1pc IEC 169 2 PAL TV Aerial Male to BNC Female Adapter USA SDR Adaptor Jack | eBay

 

[kq6ea]

Thanks for finding those. It's a lot better solution than using two adapters like I proposed.

I just ordered 5 of them.

73, Jim

 

[sstephenson]

Thanks a million for all the help guys. It's greatly appreciated. What I ended doing was buying a magnetic base assembly for a small WiFi antenna and adding adapters so that I could mount my 800 MHz scanner rubber duck antenna on it. That gives me a fairly stable desktop mount with a better antenna than the one that comes with the dongle (in the 800 MHz range anyway). Later I'll want to hook up an outdoor antenna, but this gives me something to play with to get started.

 

[foxtail]

I just cut the stock ant. and soldier on a bnc connector. I also zip tied the mcx wire on the unit itself, that way there isn't any stress on the connector. I have some ferrite coils I want to try on the usb cable to see if it helps bring the noise floor down. Later.