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- Oct 27, 2002
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I've known about this app for quite some time but haven't had an Android device until a recent update to an HTC One M8. Using an OTG (on the go) cable and installing the app and the RTL2832U driver from the Google Store I was able to get it going without any headaches.
It's pretty nifty to be able to run a RTL dongle from a smartphone, and for anyone that likes to tinker I'd recommend it. Don't expect miracles and spot-on tuning; there is no provision for PPM offset, but it definitely works. The demo affords you a very short period of time that pretty much is enough to let you know it's working and then points you to the purchase of a software key to unlock the full features. The key is approximately $10.
The audio is crisp and clear through my phone's speakers, and it would probably sound better with the earbuds that were included with the HTC One. Tuning can be a little quirky as your finger is used to not only tune but also adjust bandwidth. Once you get used to the method it's relatively simple. You can also "jump" to any frequency the dongle is capable of receiving by clicking on the Jump button and typing in the frequency in MHz.
It is definitely a battery eater and for obvious reasons, you are powering the RTL dongle with the OTG cable. I watched my battery drop from 40% to 35% in about 15 minutes! There is of course no way to simultaneously use SDRTouch and charge the phone as the same mini-USB jack is used. When you plug your OTG cable into that jack the phone will tell you you're in "Host Mode" and that no changes can be made to the phone. When the app itself runs it will prompt you as to whether or not you want to use the RTL2832U driver and give you an option to make that the default so you no longer see the prompt.
So, you'll need:
Android based smartphone (or tablet) running greater than 3.1 O/S
On The Go (OTG) cable. Easily found on eBay or Amazon
The SDRTouch app from the Google Play Store
The RTL2832U driver from the Google Play Store
Procedure:
1. Plug in the OTG cable.
2. Plug the RTL dongle into the OTG cable.
3. Run SDRTouch. When prompted to run the RTL2832U driver do so.
4. In demo mode you'll be able to briefly tune around the FM broadcast band.
5. You'll be prompted to purchase the software after that and sent to the Google Play Store.
Worth the small price of admission, seems like it'll be a fun thing to have around for quick and dirty tuning in certain situations.
More info is available at the website, SDR Touch - Software Radio for Android .
And because it's 2015 and we must, "I'm not affiliated with the company just a pleased end-user of the product yada yada yada...."
It's pretty nifty to be able to run a RTL dongle from a smartphone, and for anyone that likes to tinker I'd recommend it. Don't expect miracles and spot-on tuning; there is no provision for PPM offset, but it definitely works. The demo affords you a very short period of time that pretty much is enough to let you know it's working and then points you to the purchase of a software key to unlock the full features. The key is approximately $10.
The audio is crisp and clear through my phone's speakers, and it would probably sound better with the earbuds that were included with the HTC One. Tuning can be a little quirky as your finger is used to not only tune but also adjust bandwidth. Once you get used to the method it's relatively simple. You can also "jump" to any frequency the dongle is capable of receiving by clicking on the Jump button and typing in the frequency in MHz.
It is definitely a battery eater and for obvious reasons, you are powering the RTL dongle with the OTG cable. I watched my battery drop from 40% to 35% in about 15 minutes! There is of course no way to simultaneously use SDRTouch and charge the phone as the same mini-USB jack is used. When you plug your OTG cable into that jack the phone will tell you you're in "Host Mode" and that no changes can be made to the phone. When the app itself runs it will prompt you as to whether or not you want to use the RTL2832U driver and give you an option to make that the default so you no longer see the prompt.
So, you'll need:
Android based smartphone (or tablet) running greater than 3.1 O/S
On The Go (OTG) cable. Easily found on eBay or Amazon
The SDRTouch app from the Google Play Store
The RTL2832U driver from the Google Play Store
Procedure:
1. Plug in the OTG cable.
2. Plug the RTL dongle into the OTG cable.
3. Run SDRTouch. When prompted to run the RTL2832U driver do so.
4. In demo mode you'll be able to briefly tune around the FM broadcast band.
5. You'll be prompted to purchase the software after that and sent to the Google Play Store.
Worth the small price of admission, seems like it'll be a fun thing to have around for quick and dirty tuning in certain situations.
More info is available at the website, SDR Touch - Software Radio for Android .
And because it's 2015 and we must, "I'm not affiliated with the company just a pleased end-user of the product yada yada yada...."
