So fustrated with rtl-sdr V4

[Dimmer_gamer]

Nooelec has a low cost 9 to 1 balun that should help get you started on HF. It and a section of coax to run out a window and hook up a end fed wire outside would make a big difference by getting the antenna away from the noisy computer and monitor.

Nooelec - Search results for: 'balun one nine'

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www.nooelec.com

sadly that signal I sent an hour ago is also a fake signal. I have 0 luck right now :/

 

[nd5y]

I have about 10m of wire connected to an AM loop antenna out my window,

What kind of wire? Coaxial cable or something else?
How is it connected to the loop antenna?

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

What kind of wire? Coaxial cable or something else?
How is it connected to the loop antenna?

Its this copper wire. Both ends stripped. I just have 0 idea why im not recieving any sort of signal, at this point im wishing for just a slight signal I cant even hear. When it comes to the Loop antenna, I just take the wire from the am loop antenna, and wrap it with the other end of the copper wire.

I want to know, do you think its just the antenna, and I should get a dedicated one, or my software/sdr is defective? I just get so confused on how people with just the diopole pick up perfect HF, and all my attemps just show harmonics.

Note I also have a white coax cable I could use.

 

[nd5y]

You have a single piece of wire going to a loop antenna? That won't work. Your wire is the antenna.

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

You have a single piece of wire going to a loop antenna? That won't work. Your wire is the antenna.

I thought if the two metals touched, it extends the antenna. The rtl-sdr is a female port, so I cant stick it right in there, meaning I have to jam it into the terminal of the dipole or attach it to one of the rods. Do I geniunley need wire longer then my house to recieve anything on HF?

 

[dkcorlfla]

I thought if the two metals touched, it extends the antenna. The rtl-sdr is a female port, so I cant stick it right in there, meaning I have to jam it into the terminal of the dipole or attach it to one of the rods. Do I geniunley need wire longer then my house to recieve anything on HF?

No, it depends on the frequency. For example 10 meters is wide open now that we are at the top of the solar cycle.

A dipole cut for 10 meters in only 16 feet 8 inches. A ground place vertical for 10 meters would only have to be 8 feet 4 inches tall with at least 3 radials at the same 8 foot 4 inch.

Antenna Calculator - West Mountain Radio

Go to: Display Reception Reports and check for yourself 10 meters, FT8, last hour, anyone.

I think you are making this much harder then it needs to be. Just make or buy an antenna that is known to work on just one frequency and then fine tun the SDR. After you get it working correctly make or buy a more general receive antenna like the end fed.

Some research and reading up on how antennas work would help a lot I believe.

 

[dkcorlfla]

Ok, this might help and or be interesting: I do not currently have any HF antennas up but decided to try my wide band scanner discone to see if I could pick up anything on 28.074 using my RTL-SDR V3 and found the local FM broadcast stations are blowing out the SDR. Could not see a trace of anything other then the FM broadcast signal.

You might be having similar issues with FM broadcast blowing everything else out.

FM cut off filter needed?

I have a SDRplay so I never tried receiving HF on the V3 before. The SDRplay has no trouble at receiving HF so perhaps a big part of the trouble you are having is due to the V4 getting overwhelmed by strong FM broadcast.

Hope this helps

 

[dkcorlfla]

Just tried my SDRplay using connect software on 28.074 and found just a little bit of FT8 action so I moved down to 14.074 and check out the screen shot - this is on a Tram 1410 scanner discone. Not even close to what it was designed for. Amazing the SDRplay was able to pick anything up on HF using the tiny discone.

No hints of FM broadcast on either 10 or 20 meters.

So I guess the question is the SDRplay that much better on HF or the RTL-SDR that much worse on HF?

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

Just tried my SDRplay using connect software on 28.074 and found just a little bit of FT8 action so I moved down to 14.074 and check out the screen shot - this is on a Tram 1410 scanner discone. Not even close to what it was designed for. Amazing the SDRplay was able to pick anything up on HF using the tiny discone.

No hints of FM broadcast on either 10 or 20 meters.

So I guess the question is the SDRplay that much better on HF or the RTL-SDR that much worse on HF?

Yes FM stations do spread everywhere and drain somethings out.

Now, even if I dont see the FM stations directly, could it still be draining the HF out? Because I do see them just not all of them are on all FT8 frequencies.

Either way im aware RTL-SDR isnt the best SDR, and im not using the right antenna, and Im sure the right antenna would definitley help.

 

[dkcorlfla]

Run a search on "desense receiver ham" and you will find lots of info on what strong local signals can do to a receiver.

The correct antenna for HF will do two things that would help a lot. One is it would de-tune the FM broadcast signal and two it will improve the reception on the HF.

This item would help and there is a good read on the products page:

Nooelec - Distill:FM Barebones - Broadcast FM Bandstop Filter for Software Defined Radio Applications - Software Defined Radio

<p>A high-quality, high-performance bandstop filter designed for software defined radio (SDR) applications. Designed and manufactured by Nooelec in the United States. <p>Broadcast FM can be particularly problematic due to the high-powered transmitters

www.nooelec.com

I just dug into my SDR parts bag and found the 1 to 9 balum. I think I will hook it up and see what I can receive with it.

Might take a while but I will post a follow up.

 

[dave3825]

How is it connected to the loop antenna?

Its this copper wire. Both ends stripped.

When it comes to the Loop antenna, I just take the wire from the am loop antenna, and wrap it with the other end of the copper wire.

I thought if the two metals touched, it extends the antenna. The rtl-sdr is a female port, so I cant stick it right in there, meaning I have to jam it into the terminal of the dipole or attach it to one of the rods.

Do I geniunley need wire longer then my house to recieve anything on HF?

Sounds like you should start by getting correct items with correct connectors to connect antenna/wire to the dongle. Just jamming it in there is not the answer.

What loop are you using and what connector is on that?

Did you buy the Balun yet? You would need a SMA Male to SMA Male to connect that to the dongle.

Also as mentioned, lower the gain. Maxed gain is not the answer either and will only complicate things. You will not see distant signals with the noise floor that high.

Looks like the gain is WAY too high! Need to play around with the settings until the lower screen is light blue not yellow. Also use USB not AM for FT8, AM for broadcast and LSB for SSB ON 4O meters around 7.2 but just try to dial in the FT8 for now and note that 40 meters is mostly good at night. Go up to 14.074 and 28.074 during the day. Do this to get it dialed in then go explore.

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

Sounds like you should start by getting correct items with correct connectors to connect antenna/wire to the dongle. Just jamming it in there is not the answer.

What loop are you using and what connector is on that?

Did you buy the Balun yet? You would need a SMA Male to SMA Male to connect that to the dongle.

Also as mentioned, lower the gain. Maxed gain is not the answer either and will only complicate things. You will not see distant signals with the noise floor that high.



No I havent bought anything yet, im trying to see what I can do nbefore buying anything. As for the gain, I dont use it as high anymore. The loop antenna doesn't provide any reception with all tests I did, so Its quite pointless, if you look up AM loop antenna its the first one that pops up.

 

[dkcorlfla]

Here is an update that should help. This morning I slapped together an end fed vertical by duct taping a 19 foot section of 16 gauge aluminum electric fence wire (very light) onto a 33 foot portable telescoping mask. Used the 1-9 to one balun and also a 8 foot counterpoise run off at an angle to try and decouple from the coax.

Tried the RTL-SDR V3 in regular mode on 28.074 and it really did not reduce the FM broadcast. Then I hooked up a 88 >108 cutoff filter and to my surprise it really did not help much.

Next I put the RTL-SDR V3 into direct sample mode and went down to 14.074 the FM broadcast was gone and the filter did not make any difference that I could see.

I was able to pull in lots of FT8 but it was not really all that great.

Then I switched to the SDRplay - huge difference!

I have it patched into WSJT-X now and the vertical is pulling in lots of stations.

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

Here is an update that should help. This morning I slapped together an end fed vertical by duct taping a 19 foot section of 16 gauge aluminum electric fence wire (very light) onto a 33 foot portable telescoping mask. Used the 1-9 to one balun and also a 8 foot counterpoise run off at an angle to try and decouple from the coax.

Tried the RTL-SDR V3 in regular mode on 28.074 and it really did not reduce the FM broadcast. Then I hooked up a 88 >108 cutoff filter and to my surprise it really did not help much.

Next I put the RTL-SDR V3 into direct sample mode and went down to 14.074 the FM broadcast was gone and the filter did not make any difference that I could see.

I was able to pull in lots of FT8 but it was not really all that great.

Then I switched to the SDRplay - huge difference!

I have it patched into WSJT-X now and the vertical is pulling in lots of stations.

Looks like rtl-sdr isnt itself good at all for HF. Should I get a 1:9 Balun and test with a wire I have about 20 feet?

 

[dave3825]

No I havent bought anything yet, im trying to see what I can do nbefore buying anything.

The loop antenna doesn't provide any reception with all tests I did, so Its quite pointless, if you look up AM loop antenna its the first one that pops up.

The 6 dollar one?


That AM loop does not pick up anything by me at all.


I had one of these was able to receive stuff from overseas. Terminates to SMA so it screws right onto the dongle.





There are a bunch of Airspy Youloop clones on Amazon that all have free returns. Buy one and try it out.

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

The 6 dollar one?

View attachment 186324
That AM loop does not pick up anything by me at all.


I had one of these was able to receive stuff from overseas. Terminates to SMA so it screws right onto the dongle.


View attachment 186327


There are a bunch of Airspy Youloop clones on Amazon that all have free returns. Buy one and try it out.

I didnt buy it, This AM loop I have I found in the basment, decided to give it a go.

If I were to give this antenna a go, would it be alot better in preformance then the rtl Dipole Kit antenna?

 

[dkcorlfla]

Here is an update that should help. This morning I slapped together an end fed vertical by duct taping a 19 foot section of 16 gauge aluminum electric fence wire (very light) onto a 33 foot portable telescoping mask. Used the 1-9 to one balun and also a 8 foot counterpoise run off at an angle to try and decouple from the coax.

Tried the RTL-SDR V3 in regular mode on 28.074 and it really did not reduce the FM broadcast. Then I hooked up a 88 >108 cutoff filter and to my surprise it really did not help much.

Next I put the RTL-SDR V3 into direct sample mode and went down to 14.074 the FM broadcast was gone and the filter did not make any difference that I could see.

I was able to pull in lots of FT8 but it was not really all that great.

Then I switched to the SDRplay - huge difference!

I have it patched into WSJT-X now and the vertical is pulling in lots of stations.

Here is what I received in the past hour. Looks like 20 meters is short now but it's still a good way to see how an antenna is working.

Looks like rtl-sdr isnt itself good at all for HF. Should I get a 1:9 Balun and test with a wire I have about 20 feet?

I would say yes the 1:9 balun with a wire and an counterpoise would be much better then the rtl-sdr dipole kit if it is the one that uses telescoping elements. A dipole that is using much longer wire sections would also be a good choice.

A dipole for 20 meters for example needs to be about 33 feet long with the feed in the center.

The 1 to 9 balun on the other had could also be used on a off center feed dipole. If you review what I slapped together this morning that is more or less what I built. It's just an off center dipole with a 19 foot section mounted vertically and a shorter 8 foot section that is really acting as an off center dipole. I can not think of any reason it would not work well as a horizontal mounted antenna as well.

That being said if you have the room go longer.

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

Here is what I received in the past hour. Looks like 20 meters is short now but it's still a good way to see how an antenna is working.

I would say yes the 1:9 balun with a wire and an counterpoise would be much better then the rtl-sdr dipole kit if it is the one that uses telescoping elements. A dipole that is using much longer wire sections would also be a good choice.

A dipole for 20 meters for example needs to be about 33 feet long with the feed in the center.

The 1 to 9 balun on the other had could also be used on a off center feed dipole. If you review what I slapped together this morning that is more or less what I built. It's just an off center dipole with a 19 foot section mounted vertically and a shorter 8 foot section that is really acting as an off center dipole. I can not think of any reason it would not work well as a horizontal mounted antenna as well.

That being said if you have the room go longer.

Ill order a balun, I already have the wire. I will share with you my results.

If it's useful information, I have an LTE tower in my backyard, behind my fence. Could that possibly be a factor in my reception?

 

[Dimmer_gamer]

Here is what I received in the past hour. Looks like 20 meters is short now but it's still a good way to see how an antenna is working.

I would say yes the 1:9 balun with a wire and an counterpoise would be much better then the rtl-sdr dipole kit if it is the one that uses telescoping elements. A dipole that is using much longer wire sections would also be a good choice.

A dipole for 20 meters for example needs to be about 33 feet long with the feed in the center.

The 1 to 9 balun on the other had could also be used on a off center feed dipole. If you review what I slapped together this morning that is more or less what I built. It's just an off center dipole with a 19 foot section mounted vertically and a shorter 8 foot section that is really acting as an off center dipole. I can not think of any reason it would not work well as a horizontal mounted antenna as well.

That being said if you have the room go longer.

Also I want to mention, your recieving stuff from where I live, and your all the way down in orlando

 

[dave3825]

The loop I had will most definitely work better than that little AM loop. That one also had a Low Noise Amplifier built in. I really wanted to try the Airspy Youloop but the only US seller that had it for a great price was OOS for long time. Then the tariffs made the one from Rtl Sdr Blog almost 3 times the price. I only do hf once in a while and get by with long wire.

Just remember that loops are generally directional.