Honest Discussion - ALL opinions/choices respected (SDR dongles - vs- standard radios).

[Omega-TI]

Radio is a hobby that is different things to different people. Some like to tinker, learn and build upon what they have, while others, due to time constraints, money, family or work obligations, or whatever else, may prefer a different path in their hobby. Some people are new to the hobby, others may be gurus, but still, let's respect everyone's personal choices and levels without getting snarky, condescending or outright rude. Okay, now that that is out of the way...

What aspects of the hobby currently appeal to you more... SDR radio dongles, (like the RTL-SDRblog) or regular radios? Have you spent more money developing a dongle over time than a full-fledged communications receiver would have cost? Do you get more satisfaction out of one over the other? If so, why (for YOU)? If you own both, which do you use the most?

To start this off, I'm six of one and a half-dozen of the other. My SDR dongle was like "radio crack", it sucked me back into the hobby and gave me many features for dirt cheap that appear on way more expensive radios, but the overall performance on my "bare bones" unit left me wanting. So I find (FOR ME) that separate radios for different tasks, within my price range, have given me better results than the dongle. Now I know people have invested hundreds in multiple dongles, monster antennas and other stuff, so I'm also very interested in what they have to say, as it might convince me along the way in my next step in the hobby.

 

[Boombox]

For me the issue is that computers don't last longer than 10 years or so, unless you're lucky. Most radios last longer than that. If you're prepared for the eventuality that your dongle or SDR will become useless when your computer dies, go for it. I know a lot of guys out there swear by SDRs, and a lot of the heavy hitter DXers and utility listeners use them. Factor it all in. I would think that an SDR is probably a better investment than a large desktop which could cost more and may not age well.

It depends on what aspect of the hobby you're in. More SW stations may start leaving the airwaves even before the sunspot cycle peaks, so there's that. SDRs are great for utility listening, where a Tecsun, Grundig, or Sangean will do quite well for MW, SWBC, and some ham monitoring.

 

[pb_lonny]

I prefer a real radio as my working life is IT, the LAST thing I want to do is anything IT related.

 

[KB2GOM]

I prefer knobs to a keyboard, voices to data, and antenna-to-antenna signals to those that come through the internet.

 

[NC1]

Mainly what I use is my Yaesu FTdx 3000, but just for listening I am very happy with my SDRplay RSP1A. The fact that they both work together is a big plus and the setup could not be better for my purposes.

 

[Boombox]

I myself stick with the portables. I'm not into the hobby enough to get an SDR. One guy on here says that SDR's have more of a lifetime than your computer, as SDRs may have proprietary boxes that last a long time, and they update their software, so they have more of a lifetime than I suggested earlier.... but still, a decent portable and a decent antenna (with diode protection, of course) will serve you quite well, and for MW all you need is a good loop.

RFI being RFI, you'll be dealing with that no matter which sort of receiver you use.

I do well with a DX-398 and DX-390, and most of my MW listening is on a PR-D5 or Panasonic RF-B45 or DX-375, SWBC is on a Grundig G2. There is a lot that can be heard with just those sorts of radios.

Utility guys would probably say most of those radios aren't set up for receiving Utes.... and they may have a point.

 

[Dirk_SDR]

I have analog radios e.g. the Grundig Satellit 3000, but my actual hobby is SDR.
So for me it's not a question of good/better or principle, but just my favorite.

 

[Mophead]

I have not powered up my perfectly fine R75 in months. I have my wellbrook loop plugged into my SDRplay Duo.

 

[Turbo68]

I had a few sdr main intrest for me is hf aircraft my hf & wideband receivers do a better on listenning i do have only an SDRplay RSPduo which i leave it running all time on L-Band with Jaero.

Regards Lino.

 

[dlwtrunked]

Radio is a hobby that is different things to different people. Some like to tinker, learn and build upon what they have, while others, due to time constraints, money, family or work obligations, or whatever else, may prefer a different path in their hobby. Some people are new to the hobby, others may be gurus, but still, let's respect everyone's personal choices and levels without getting snarky, condescending or outright rude. Okay, now that that is out of the way...

What aspects of the hobby currently appeal to you more... SDR radio dongles, (like the RTL-SDRblog) or regular radios? Have you spent more money developing a dongle over time than a full-fledged communications receiver would have cost? Do you get more satisfaction out of one over the other? If so, why (for YOU)? If you own both, which do you use the most?

I have many radio receivers (HF and VHF/UHF). Next to me know are an R9500, R8600, AR-DV1, AirSpy R2, and AirSpy HF+ Discovery. The only ones on a the moment are they AirSpys and I am not sure when the others were last one. Reason: The work well, there is good (even free) software for them, and I even keep one in the car. The 2022 WRTH (World Radio Television Handbook) give the AirSpy HF+ Discovery (at a small fraction of the cost) the same 5-star rating as the R9500 and that is better than the rating for the R8600.

 

[PDXh0b0]

if I got my hands on an unblocked AOR or Icom it would be my favorite. I can access my SDR's anywhere, so that fills the need of portability(except since moving, internet speed is lacking) Price, all my sdr's and related components were purchased via Oregon container deposit returns thru bottle drop (if you voucher at a participating retailer, like Fred Meyers, you get 20% more ,which I use to purchase Amazon & eBay cards) I am still under $1200 invested. a year and a half into the pandemic, I did the numbers, I spent less on the sdr hobby than I would have spent on my Trimet Hop card. That said, I bought three different lots of PC's (usually 5 plus towers/laptops per lot) and made 5 working units capable of handling the demand of sdr related software, these do take up more room.

Now living where I am, best radio is my PRO-2044 & WS1010 being CRESA911 only has ambulance & fire unencrypted, which i get the majority of anyways.

 

[GB46]

I've always wanted to decrease my dependence on this computer for radio monitoring. For that reason, and also because I prefer the old-school challenge of hearing stuff on a real, standalone radio, I don't use or own an SDR. That said, computers don't always become inoperable over the years. This little laptop was purchased in 2011, and is still giving me the same excellent service. I'm also still using Windows 7 with no problems at all. I have an even older computer, one of those so-called Pocket PCs that run Windows Mobile. Naturally I don't use it for my radio activities or on the web, but it was built in 2005 and still runs flawlessly.

I monitor some SW broadcast stations, but since they are gradually leaving the air for the internet, most of my time these days is spent listening to voice-based utility stations and decoding digital signals, such as HFDL, Navtex and ham FT8. All of these are just as easy to monitor on my Sangean portable using only its whip antenna, as on my R75 with 23 ft. of wire inside the apartment.

Of course, I prefer the R75 (now more than 22 years old), because of its stability, selectable tuning steps and smooth tuning dial. The Sangean is admittedly a bit off frequency on some stations (+/- 30 Hz on average), and fine tuning isn't much help due to the 40 Hz step. Decoding HFDL is still no problem, however, even though the spectrum display, as well as the decoded transmissions, show me how far off frequency the Sangean is.

Anyway, as was said earlier, the choices all depend on individual preferences and needs, so no one is right or wrong in this discussion.

 

[bearcatrp]

GB46, your right with the R75. Its a fine HF receiver. I use my R8500 with discone on HF. When I find a weak station, My R75 gets fired up to fine tune to that frequency. Its on a wire. Soon to be on a loop. I prefer actual radios vs computer SDR. Am old school. Like tuning that big knob. Laptop to big to lug around for SDR. Have hand held radios to cover mobile operations.

 

[GB46]

I've always wanted to decrease my dependence on this computer for radio monitoring.

Looks like there's an obvious contradiction here, considering what I wrote about monitoring digital signals, which requires my computer.

 

[GB46]

GB46, your right with the R75. Its a fine HF receiver.

I just googled to find its list price back in 2000. It was $600 US, and an exorbitant $1,445 Canadian. Our dollar at that time was low against the US dollar, but not that low! I thought I had been overcharged by the dealer in Toronto, but it appears I actually got a discount; he charged me $1285 Canadian.

 

[a417]

Dongles for the stuff that's not supported by my physical radios, or is too dynamic to be programmed into them (system discovery, analysis, mobile etc).

 

[ka3aaa]

radios don't require computers with the exception of programming them to make them operate unlike sdr's that do.

 

[Token]

What aspects of the hobby currently appeal to you more... SDR radio dongles, (like the RTL-SDRblog) or regular radios? Have you spent more money developing a dongle over time than a full-fledged communications receiver would have cost? Do you get more satisfaction out of one over the other? If so, why (for YOU)? If you own both, which do you use the most?

To start this off, I'm six of one and a half-dozen of the other. My SDR dongle was like "radio crack", it sucked me back into the hobby and gave me many features for dirt cheap that appear on way more expensive radios, but the overall performance on my "bare bones" unit left me wanting. So I find (FOR ME) that separate radios for different tasks, within my price range, have given me better results than the dongle. Now I know people have invested hundreds in multiple dongles, monster antennas and other stuff, so I'm also very interested in what they have to say, as it might convince me along the way in my next step in the hobby.

Remember that there is more to SDR than RTL SDR Dongles.

I shifted from traditional radios to mostly SDR based monitoring before RTL SDRs were a thing, but I have always kept traditional radios also.

To understand where I am at, I have many SDRs, WinRadio G31DDC, G33DDC, and G35DDC, Elad FDM S-2, Persues, RFSpace SDR-IQ, SDR-14, NetSDR, Afedri dual, Kiwi, SoftRock, Airspy HF+ Discovery, as well as 10 - 12 RTL SDR dongles. But I also have many traditional radios, Icom R-75, JRC NRD-545, Various Yaesu's from the FRG-7 to the FRG-7700, Icom R7000, R7100, R8500, and R8600 (OK, the R8600 is an SDR, shaped like a traditional radio) and a bunch more I am not going to list. And then I have the boat anchors, big old, tube type rigs, from the 1930's on, starting with things like the Hallicrafters SX-16 all the way up to the last examples of the breed, things like the R4-C. Yes, the collection of receivers here numbers in the hundreds, most of them functional, and some used regularly. I still have the very first receiver I got in 1967, a 3rd hand Hallicrafters SX-99, and I still turn it on a few times a year.

And none of that is talking about ham specific gear, were I also shifted some stuff to SDR, although the only ham radio I have that must be (as opposed to optionally can be) tied to a computer is the Flex 5000a.

With all that said, RTL SDR Dongles offer the best bang for the buck to entry into radio. I don't like them, but that is personal preference, at their price point there is nothing that compares. If you go into them with your eyes open, knowing you cannot get Rolls Royce quality at a Yugo price, they are more than acceptable.

Sure, dynamic range issues abound, and images are pain in the butt, but what else, at that price point, does better?

And once you step up from RTL Dongles the performance of SDRs can and often does equal the very, very, best of traditional radios.

But, what do my RTL SDRs do? Local VHF/UHF monitoring, ADSB reporting, passive radar projects, etc. I don't use any of them for HF, although I have, in the past.

T!

 

[Randyk4661]

Having been in this hobby for nearly 50 years now, I use both for different reasons.

I have three primary scanners that I use to monitor radio traffic for my areas.
I also have an SDR that I use for the spectrum analyzer and also for the local fire dept dispatch pagers.

There are pluses and minuses for both. Honestly I can't see using an SDR as a scanner, not in any large metro areas atleast.

 

[KB2GOM]

if I got my hands on an unblocked AOR or Icom it would be my favorite. I can access my SDR's anywhere, so that fills the need of portability(except since moving, internet speed is lacking) Price, all my sdr's and related components were purchased via Oregon container deposit returns thru bottle drop (if you voucher at a participating retailer, like Fred Meyers, you get 20% more ,which I use to purchase Amazon & eBay cards) I am still under $1200 invested. a year and a half into the pandemic, I did the numbers, I spent less on the sdr hobby than I would have spent on my Trimet Hop card. That said, I bought three different lots of PC's (usually 5 plus towers/laptops per lot) and made 5 working units capable of handling the demand of sdr related software, these do take up more room.

Now living where I am, best radio is my PRO-2044 & WS1010 being CRESA911 only has ambulance & fire unencrypted, which i get the majority of anyways.

I might be wrong, but I'm not sure that "unblocked" would make much difference since (I believe) most cell phone signals have gone digital.