Rf space sdr-iq

[SCPD]

Give hdsdr a go.

HDSDR Homepage
http://www.hdsdr.de/download/HDSDR_install.exe

Install it but do not run it yet

Download this
http://www.sdradio.eu/weaksignals/bin/SDR14-IQ.zip

Put the zip file you extract into the hdsdr directory usually
c:\program~1\hdsdr
run the register.bat after the dll is added to the system
then run hdsr

 

[datainmotion]

Hi Brandon received my Rfspace SDR-IQ had a few problems loading up on my laptop but i am running it now on my main computer and definetley its a keeper do not have a clue about the adjustments but i am listenning to hf aero.

Regards Lino.

There should be a SpectraVue User Manual .pdf file on the CD that ships with the unit. If not, you can view/save it from here.

Enjoy!

 

[datainmotion]

Brandon quick question about your setup. When you use your sdriq and hdsdr what is your gain set at for HF & IF?

Thanks

I usually leave IF at 18
As for RF, anywhere near AM BCB I have it @ -10, otherwise I'll run it up to 0 or sometimes +10

 

[Turbo68]

Iv had the SDR-IQ for a few weeks very happy excellent performance hooked up to my Wellbrook-ALA1530..

Regards Lino.

 

[w2xq]

Does anyone have experience with the sdr-iq handling a strong MW signal? The sdr-iq looks interesting, but I am about 4 airmiles from a 50kwD/1kwN 4-tower station on 640 kHz. Unfortunately I am in the prime lobe. I note it overloading the VR-500 when extending a whip antenna. Back in the day when developing software for the NRD-535 with a 300-ft inverted-L wire, I measured the 640 signal strength at an interpolated 90db/s9 and audible up to the 4th harmonic. A notch filter got 640 down to 50db/s9, good enough to live with, but the problem still gives me pause. Thanks.

 

[datainmotion]

Tom,

I sit about 3-4 miles from two different MW transmit sites, one of which swamps the SDR-IQ with -4dBm (S9 +60) from its constant 5kW. Both transmitters hit my sloper abeam, if that makes any difference.

I do get harmonics from a couple AM stations at night, all the way down to about 40 kHz and up to about 3 MHz. However, at night, I also have no problem picking S2 stations out between the big boys on the SDR.

Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

You would think with something this expensive that it would be better at rejecting overload like this - however, that being said, there are still a few companies that make MW rejection filters. If you don't use your SDRs in this band, it might be a worthwhile investment...Mike

 

[w2xq]

Mike, thanks for the info on the behaviour. At night, agreed, no problem. I can hardly hear the 1kw ND. Somehow I'd like to play with an SDR before making the investment. And Mike JJZ... you probably don't recall (heck to get old <grin>), but for me ICE customized MW filters for both the receive on the NRD rx's and the Kenwood TS-940 (a tx/rx job filter) with a notch at 640 kHz. Both filters were necessary. I could measure several volts on a VOM in series between the antenna(s) and grounds (2 8' 1/2"-dia copper ground rods about 18" from the equipment). The 300' inverted-L had 2/3's of its length up at 90 ft, collecting quite a bit of r.f.

 

[ka3jjz]

I certainly DO remember them, Tom - and there are a few others (Kiwa, most notably) that also has 'em.

At those signal levels, I'd consider moving - you never know what all that RF is going to do to you (big sXXX eating grin)...Mike

 

[w2xq]

Damage already done.

 

[Turbo68]

Hi bought another Rfspace SDR-IQ recently ran it against an Aor-Alpha,Icom-R9500,Ten Tec-340 antenna Wellbrook-ALA1530 hooked to a Stridsberg-MC104 4 port passive multicoupler to my surprise the SDR-IQ on certain hf aero frequencies was more clearer than others even on Volmet station 5505 shanon 6754 Trenton,10051 new york looks like im hooked on SDR..

Regards Lino..

 

[Token]

You would think with something this expensive that it would be better at rejecting overload like this - however, that being said, there are still a few companies that make MW rejection filters. If you don't use your SDRs in this band, it might be a worthwhile investment...Mike

Mike, the SDR-IQ is the least expensive DDC SDR on the market, and is the least frilly. It has only three filters in the front end and they are very course. Yeah, I could see having to add an MW filter if I lived in a high MW RF environment. Fortunately my closest MW station is over 5 miles away, and 5 kW during its high power periods.

Many SDRs intentionally do not have filters. For example the G31DDC Excalibur in normal operation does not have a BPF filter. The reasoning is that if you are trying to sample a wide bandwidth you naturally cannot have filters. The G31DDC does have a selectable MW filter, but it is a much newer design and significantly more expensive than the SDR-IQ.

T!

 

[Token]

Hi bought another Rfspace SDR-IQ recently ran it against an Aor-Alpha,Icom-R9500,Ten Tec-340 antenna Wellbrook-ALA1530 hooked to a Stridsberg-MC104 4 port passive multicoupler to my surprise the SDR-IQ on certain hf aero frequencies was more clearer than others even on Volmet station 5505 shanon 6754 Trenton,10051 new york looks like im hooked on SDR..

Regards Lino..

I have two SDR-IQs here (and the SDR-14), and have for several years, they are pretty good bang for the buck. Although on paper they are significantly less sensitive than my other SDRs and traditional radios I find that in average use it simply does not matter very much. And below 20 MHz it seldom shows up as an issue.

Yeah, if I am chasing a very weak signal I will use say the G31DDC Excalibur or the Perseus instead. But for average monitoring the SDR-IQ is plenty good enough...if the other limitations such as bandwidth are acceptable for your needs. And the audio out of SpectraVue combined with the completely adjustable filters of an SDR are very, very good.

T!

 

[Turbo68]

Hi Token have to admit steel like tunning the rotary to find signals..

Regards Lino..

 

[E-Man]

Hi bought another Rfspace SDR-IQ recently ran it against an Aor-Alpha,Icom-R9500,Ten Tec-340 antenna Wellbrook-ALA1530 hooked to a Stridsberg-MC104 4 port passive multicoupler to my surprise the SDR-IQ on certain hf aero frequencies was more clearer than others even on Volmet station 5505 shanon 6754 Trenton,10051 new york looks like im hooked on SDR..

Regards Lino..

In my Shack my R75 is my go to radio, I find it almost always more sensitive than my SDR-IQ.

I finally gave SDR-Radio a go, and I gotta say, so far I really like it. It really has a nice feature set. I am using the Beta 1.5 build 940 without any issues. The install was painless, without the registry monkey business of some programs.

Check it out here:

SDR-RADIO.com > Home

 

[Token]

In my Shack my R75 is my go to radio, I find it almost always more sensitive than my SDR-IQ.

Yeah, playing near the noise floor in a moderate to low noise situation the R-75 is going to smoke the SDR-IQ, the noise floor of the R-75 is about 10 dB better than the SDR-IQ. Once you get into signals a bit above the noise floor of the R-75 the advantage goes to the SDR-IQ, linearity, better filtering, more adjustable, wideband display, etc. The R-75 is also more sensitive than the Perseus, but the gap is much smaller. The Excalibur has a better noise floor, and better sensitivity (the two do not always go together), than the R-75.

I find that the SDR-IQ is a good addition to the R-75, they work well together. In my case, when talking only about those two radios, the SDR-IQ does most of the work, and the R-75 digging out the signals that are a little too marginal for the -IQ. But by far, the Excalibur is my go to radio, almost to the exclusion of the others except for setting on frequencies.

T!

 

[Turbo68]

I was using the 2 Icom-R75,2 Rfspace SDR-IQ got lots of hf aero on 5634,5643,6556,8867,8879,8942 plus singapore volmet 6676,raf volmet 11253 will have a lot of time to listen on long weekend..

Regards Lino..

 

[E-Man]

Yeah, playing near the noise floor in a moderate to low noise situation the R-75 is going to smoke the SDR-IQ, the noise floor of the R-75 is about 10 dB better than the SDR-IQ. Once you get into signals a bit above the noise floor of the R-75 the advantage goes to the SDR-IQ, linearity, better filtering, more adjustable, wideband display, etc. The R-75 is also more sensitive than the Perseus, but the gap is much smaller. The Excalibur has a better noise floor, and better sensitivity (the two do not always go together), than the R-75.

I find that the SDR-IQ is a good addition to the R-75, they work well together. In my case, when talking only about those two radios, the SDR-IQ does most of the work, and the R-75 digging out the signals that are a little too marginal for the -IQ. But by far, the Excalibur is my go to radio, almost to the exclusion of the others except for setting on frequencies.

T!

Thanks for the info on the receiver ratings. I had a difficult time in deciding which receivers to go with. I used info on this site, with input from you and others to make my purchase decisions.

I am very happy with my current setup, especially since using SDR-Radio control software with my SDR-IQ. I usually start my DX secession with signing on to #wunclub, looking for signals on the SDR-IQ, and then zeroing in with the R-75.