Looking for some advice. I'm not new to radios or how TRS work. But I never set up an RTL-SDR.

[RadioChief55]

I want to monitor this new system. I have some of the FD's TG's that aren't in the DB yet. Most will be E so I know I can't hear them, but I'm told the dispatch and a FG TG will be in the clear.
Here's the system. https://www.radioreference.com/db/sid/12994
I was looking at the nooelec rtl-sdr v5 on Amazon. I also saw there is a bundle with a HAM UP or HAM DOWN. Do I need that?
Will one nooelec rtl-sdr v5 work for this system and 2 TG's or do I need 2 of them?
What else do I need hardware wise?
What software is recommended?
I read through posts in FB groups and in the RR forums and it confused me even more.
Thank you

 

[dave3825]

The site freqs span just under 4.5mhz. You just need 1 dongle if using DSDPlus fastlane single dongle mode. 2 dongles to use SDRTrunk. The latter can receive and record multiple talkgroups simultaneously and they can be played back with Trunking Recorder or RDIO Scanner. DSDPlus with one dongle will only capture one tg at a time. Not sure what DSDPlus with 2 dongles can monitor since I have not used that combo in a long time. There is also DSD FME but I am not familiar with its requirements. Those 3 are for Windows. If Linux then SDRTrunk, OP25 or Trunk Recorder. You do not need any Ham It Up stuff.

 

[RadioChief55]

The site freqs span just under 4.5mhz. You just need 1 dongle if using DSDPlus fastlane single dongle mode. 2 dongles to use SDRTrunk. The latter can receive and record multiple talkgroups simultaneously and they can be played back with Trunking Recorder or RDIO Scanner. DSDPlus with one dongle will only capture one tg at a time. Not sure what DSDPlus with 2 dongles can monitor since I have not used that combo in a long time. There is also DSD FME but I am not familiar with its requirements. Those 3 are for Windows. If Linux then SDRTrunk, OP25 or Trunk Recorder. You do not need any Ham It Up stuff.

Thank you for this info. I appreciate it. Is there a prefered RTL-SDR dongle to use?

 

[HopperD]

Thank you for this info. I appreciate it. Is there a prefered RTL-SDR dongle to use?

I have both the RTL-SDR attached in the photo and the nooelec with Ham It Up. For me the RTL-SDR works a little better.

Although you don't need the nooelec Ham It Up converter, it definitely does help to upcovert incoming signals by about 20% in my opinion.

The RTL-SDR has a built in HF upconverter which works great for me.

I hope this answers your question.

 

[dave3825]

Pretty much all user preference. Rtl Sdr is one of a few I don't own. I have many NooElec, a few Airspy, one HackRf and even cheap china blue no name. The NooElec are nice because of the size and it allows them to sit close to another in usb hubs. The Airspy, HackRf, Sdrplay give you more bandwidth than the 2.4 Mhz dongles. There are also the Orange FlightAware dongles that have a built in 20db amp as well as their competition, Airplanes Live.

 

[RadioChief55]

Thank you for this info, I'm just going to be using it to monitor Phase 2 TRS, one in the 460 range and the others in the 700 and 800 range.