truckdrivermn
Member
Hey all. I've been lurking for some time now so here goes my first post.
Since I've retired from trucking I've been looking for a little hobby to do with my boy (he's 6) I've known about SDR for some time now so I figured I'd drop the ball on a $25 dongle off Ebay. No brand name, DVB-T+DAB+FM. It came with a junky telescoping antenna.
Now, I'm no computer wiz or radio wiz. I'm a CB guy, from a lifelong spell in the trucking industry. I work on a few here and there on the side (I have the proper equipment and knowledge) as well as my ever changing "radio room" Its also been a life-long passion to get my Ham lic. Thats this weeks goal.
Anyway, my half brained CB knowledge set aside, This SDR setup kinda wants to make me pull my hair out. About all I can get on the antenna that came with the dongle is FM broadcast. And my WX stations closest to me are weak but audible. I made up a discone antenna it brought in the WX stronger.
But as far as what my son and I were really interested in IE: Air traffic (were 4 miles from a airport) the police/fire freq that are still analog around here and some Ham bands (from what I understood anyway) we get nothing but steady tones and static. We can clearly see the signals are there and what not but can't tune anything in.
Were using SDR # and HDSDR. Also SDR Touch on my Android (No luck as well)
Now remember Im about as dumb and one can get with this stuff. I'm learning, or trying to. Restoring a CB seems easy when it comes to this so far. And I didn't narrow things down very good but that's about all I got. I thought I'd ask on one of my "CB" forums that I know a few guys got into SDR and got laughed out. I didn't know I was supposed to be born with all the smarts to get this right.
Any pointers?
Thanks much!
Jared
Since I've retired from trucking I've been looking for a little hobby to do with my boy (he's 6) I've known about SDR for some time now so I figured I'd drop the ball on a $25 dongle off Ebay. No brand name, DVB-T+DAB+FM. It came with a junky telescoping antenna.
Now, I'm no computer wiz or radio wiz. I'm a CB guy, from a lifelong spell in the trucking industry. I work on a few here and there on the side (I have the proper equipment and knowledge) as well as my ever changing "radio room" Its also been a life-long passion to get my Ham lic. Thats this weeks goal.
Anyway, my half brained CB knowledge set aside, This SDR setup kinda wants to make me pull my hair out. About all I can get on the antenna that came with the dongle is FM broadcast. And my WX stations closest to me are weak but audible. I made up a discone antenna it brought in the WX stronger.
But as far as what my son and I were really interested in IE: Air traffic (were 4 miles from a airport) the police/fire freq that are still analog around here and some Ham bands (from what I understood anyway) we get nothing but steady tones and static. We can clearly see the signals are there and what not but can't tune anything in.
Were using SDR # and HDSDR. Also SDR Touch on my Android (No luck as well)
Now remember Im about as dumb and one can get with this stuff. I'm learning, or trying to. Restoring a CB seems easy when it comes to this so far. And I didn't narrow things down very good but that's about all I got. I thought I'd ask on one of my "CB" forums that I know a few guys got into SDR and got laughed out. I didn't know I was supposed to be born with all the smarts to get this right.
Any pointers?
Thanks much!
Jared