What is RTL-SDR? RTL-SDR is a very cheap software defined radio that uses a DVB-T TV tuner dongle based on the RTL2832U chipset. With the combined efforts of Antti Palosaari, Eric Fry and Osmocom it was found that the signal I/Q data could be accessed directly, which allowed the DVB-T TV tuner to be converted into a wideband software defined radio via a new software driver.Osmocom Essentially, this means that a cheap $20 TV tuner USB dongle with the RTL2832U chip can be used as a computer based radio scanner. This sort of scanner capability would have cost hundreds or even thousands just a few years ago. The RTL-SDR is also often referred to as RTL2832U, DVB-T SDR, or the “$20 Software Defined Radio”.$20 TV tuner USB dongle with the RTL2832U chip There are many other software defined radios similar to the RTL- SDR, but they all come at a much higher price. The FunCube PRO+ is a good receiver similar to the RTL-SDR, priced at around $190 USD. There is also the soon to be released HackRF (~$300USD) and BladeRF SDRs ($420 and $650), which can both transmit and receive.

What is Software Defined Radio? Radio components such as modulators, demodulators and amplifiers are traditionally implemented in hardware components. The advent of modern computing allows these traditionally hardware based components to be implemented into software instead. Hence, the software defined radio. This enables easy signal processing and thus cheap wide band scanner radios to be produced.

What are some RTL-SDR Radio Scanner Applications? The RTL-SDR can be used as a wide band radio scanner. Applications include Listening to unencrypted Police/Ambulance/Fire/EMS conversations. Listening to aircraft traffic control conversations. Tracking aircraft positions like a radar with ADSB decoding.ADSB decoding Decoding aircraft ACARS short messages.ACARS short messages Scanning trunking radio conversations.trunking radio Decoding unencrypted digital voice transmissions.digital voice Tracking maritime boat positions like a radar with AIS decoding.AIS decoding Decoding POCSAG/FLEX pager traffic.POCSAG/FLEX pager traffic Scanning for cordless phones and baby monitors. Tracking and receiving meteorological agency launched weather balloon data.meteorological agency launched weather balloon data Tracking your own self launched high altitude balloon for payload recovery. Receiving wireless temperature sensors and wireless power meter sensors. Listening to VHF amateur radio. Decoding ham radio APRS packets.APRS packets Watching analogue broadcast TV.analogue broadcast TV Sniffing GSM signals. Sniffing GSM Using rtl-sdr on your Android device as a portable radio scanner. Using rtl-sdr on your Android device Receiving GPS signals and decoding them. Using rtl-sdr as a spectrum analyzer.spectrum analyzer Receiving NOAA weather satellite images. Receiving NOAA weather satellite images Listening to satellites and the ISS.the ISS Radio astronomy. Radio astronomy Monitoring meteor scatter.meteor scatter Listening to FM radio, and decoding RDS information.decoding RDS information Listening to DAB broadcast radio.DAB broadcast radio Use rtl-sdr as a panadapter for your traditional hardware radio.rtl-sdr as a panadapter Decoding taxi mobile data terminal signals. Decoding taxi mobile data terminal Use rtl-sdr as a high quality entropy source for random number generation.high quality entropy source for random number generation Use rtl-sdr as a noise figure indicator.noise figure indicator Reverse engineering unknown protocols.unknown protocols Triangulating the source of a signal.source of a signal

Furthermore, with an upconverter or direct sampling mod to receive HF signals the applications are expanded to Listening to amateur radio hams on SSB with LSB/USB modulation. Decoding digital amateur radio ham communications such as CW/PSK/RTTY/SSTV.SSTV Receiving HF weatherfax. Receiving digital radio monodial shortwave radio (DRM).digital radio monodial shortwave radio Listening to international shortwave radio. Looking for RADAR signals like over the horizon (OTH) radar, and HAARP signals. Note that not all the applications listed may be legal in your country. Please be responsible.

What is the RTL-SDR frequency range? This is dependant on the particular tuner variant used in the dongle. TunerFrequency rangeElonics E – 2200 MHz with a gap from 1100 MHz to 1250 MHz (varies)Rafael Micro R820T24 – 1766 MHzFitipower FC – 1100 MHzFitipower FC – MHzFCI FC – 308 MHz and 438 – 924 MHz (gap in between)Table Source: OsmocomOsmocom As you can see from the table, the Elonics E4000 and Rafael Micro R820T dongles have the greatest frequency range.

General Purpose RTL-SDR Software We define general purpose SDR software as programs that allow the RTL-SDR to work like a normal wideband radio receiver. SDR# (Windows/Linux with Mono) (Free) SDR# SDR#SDR# (pronounced “SDR Sharp”) is the most popular free RTL- SDR compatible software in use at the moment. It is relatively simple to use compared to other SDR software and has a simple set up procedure. We have a full overview of the installation procedure on our Quick Start Page.Quick Start Page SDR# is a simple to use program that also has some advanced features. It has a useful modular plugin type architecture, and many plugins have already been developed by third party developers. The basic SDR# download without any third party plugins includes a standard FFT display and waterfall, a frequency manager, recording plugin and a digital noise reduction plugin. SDR# also decodes RDS signals from broadcast FM.many plugins have already been developed