dmchalmers
Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2019
- Messages
- 407
ok guys an ladies totally new to this but whats a good reading resource on SDR ? Whats a dongle? Yeah i know it prob. a stupid question. Just point me in right direction please
beginner resourses
- Thread starter dmchalmers
- Start date
- Status
vagrant
ker-muhj-uhn
Use the RadioReference Wiki for potential answers. There is a search area at the top as well as sections below with quite a bit of information.
A "dongle" can be various things, but based on you asking in this forum a dongle is typically a device with a USB plug that receives a range of RF signals. It can plug directly into a computer USB port and one would use software to control it. There are inexpensive dongles such as the RTL-SDR device (which fits the dongle term) around $25, or an improved SDR device like the SDRPlay products ranging from $110 to $280. There are additional SDR devices and they can be bigger, better and more costly. Devices like that I would not consider a "dongle", but the more you know the better.
I use the inexpensive $25 dongle above for dedicated receive of one frequency, but it is not limited to that. Still, I prefer to use the SDRPlay devices for monitoring due to their improved features. There are other devices as well. It is easy to start off with lower cost dongles and if that suits your hobby fun, there is room to grow depending on your budget.
That being said, your antenna is more important than a dongle. A $1000 SDR device will only perform as well as the $5 antenna it is connected to, just with more features.
A "dongle" can be various things, but based on you asking in this forum a dongle is typically a device with a USB plug that receives a range of RF signals. It can plug directly into a computer USB port and one would use software to control it. There are inexpensive dongles such as the RTL-SDR device (which fits the dongle term) around $25, or an improved SDR device like the SDRPlay products ranging from $110 to $280. There are additional SDR devices and they can be bigger, better and more costly. Devices like that I would not consider a "dongle", but the more you know the better.
I use the inexpensive $25 dongle above for dedicated receive of one frequency, but it is not limited to that. Still, I prefer to use the SDRPlay devices for monitoring due to their improved features. There are other devices as well. It is easy to start off with lower cost dongles and if that suits your hobby fun, there is room to grow depending on your budget.
That being said, your antenna is more important than a dongle. A $1000 SDR device will only perform as well as the $5 antenna it is connected to, just with more features.
dmchalmers
Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2019
- Messages
- 407
Thank you for your reply. Its hard to get honest reliable info some times, i had to search an search till i found on you tube how to use sentinel an still not up on all of it yet.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
- Status
