Is LimeSDR Any Better Than An Ettus B200?

[Merovingian]

I have an Ettus B200 and was looking at getting a LimeSDR because I was wanting something that can display at least a 30 MHz span of the spectrum between 54 and 84 MHz. The B200 can technically only go down to 70 MHz but I know it can go lower with degraded sensitivity.

I use SDR Console for my radios and was reading on it's homepage that "To use the Lime on frequencies below 30MHz the Lime's LO is set to 30MHz and frequencies below that are "faked" by increasing RF rate, down-sampling it to requested sampling rate and moving it with NCO so it looks like it is at requested LO." If I were to buy a Lime I would eventually also use it for listening to frequencies below 30 MHz as well so I don't know how Lime's treatment of the signal would affect anything.

It seems a lot of the Lime's specs. are somewhat similar to the B200's (12 bit) and all, I don't really need the transmit functions. If I already have a B200, is it very worthwhile to spend money on a Lime if I only push the B200 down to 50 MHz? I don't know how insensitive the B200 will get at 50 MHz. I haven't found anything better than a Lime for a reasonable cost. Anyone with experience with both have any opinions? Recommendations?

Thanks

 

[AuggieActually]

You might consider an upconverter, also. The commonly available options are the Ham-It-Up and Airspy's SpyVerter R2.

 

[Merovingian]

Thanks. I had considered one but I have never used one, I sort of understand how they work but I'm not sure how to set it up or how well they work.

 

[radiopi]

You did not mention what kind of software or interface you are using with the SDR - that's an important factor in addition to hardware specifications.

 

[Merovingian]

You did not mention what kind of software or interface you are using with the SDR - that's an important factor in addition to hardware specifications.

At the beginning of the second paragraph I said I use SDRConsole.