Airspy mini vs RTL-SDR

[maus92]

Finally got some time w Airspy. First impressions vs SDR. Dx’d some tropo on FMB and P25 TRS. Compares driving a school bus vs sports car, two buck chuck vs a Napa Cab so on. Very fine device.

Trying to figure out what warp adjust did on UT had to go -5.5 to zero in on CC center.
Can’t imagine new device was off frequency.

Yes good times ahead.👏

-5.5 correction is awful large - are you sure you are tuning to the proper frequency? My crappiest Airspy only requires a -1.2 correction, the others are around -0.8 to -0.4

 

[Ubbe]

My 5 year old RTL-SDR's both have -1,5ppm correction but I bought two new a year ago and both needs -4ppm correction. That's equal to a +2KHz error at 400MHz and twice that at 800MHz. I don't know why they can't calibrate them more accurate at the factory. Perhaps they have changed a component supplier in the oscillator and didn't care to check if it needed a different value to be used.

/Ubbe

 

[rr60]

-5.5 correction is awful large - are you sure you are tuning to the proper frequency? My crappiest Airspy only requires a -1.2 correction, the others are around -0.8 to -0.4

Right? As I adjust warp more negative, it walks IQ right to center. The IQ symbol starts like an eye, as I adjust warp to -5.5, pops up into tightly clustered constellation. P25 LSM. Yes I have tuned on freq. -5.5 warp working for other systems too. New out of box.

 

[cabbar]

I have been using both airspy mini and rtl-sdr v3 for about 3 years. In L band, airspy mini gives better results than rtl sdr. 6 mhz bandwidth puts airspy mini in a more advantageous position in the iridium spectrum.Airspy mini and spectrum spy are a perfect duo for finding active stations. I think it deserves every last penny I paid for it.