On 05/03/2015 23:04, gareth wrote:
"Iain Young, G7III" wrote in message
...

An awful lot of evidence by citing off-the-shelf solutions for both
the hardware and the software of SDR.

It depends where you draw the line.
I have a DVB dongle that I use under linux.
I use pre-written drivers and a waterfall code module but the rest of
the code is self-written by me in c++ and python with some java 2D stuff
for the pretty front end and logging and analysis (largely because I
prefer the collections interface in Java over c++ for massive data
handling).

It is certainly homebrew because the amount of time and effort I spent
in writing to code (and time to learn python on codeacademy - good site
BTW) was probably longer than I have spent designing and building hardware.

Your mileage may vary....

Andy

On 3/6/2015 2:46 AM, AndyW wrote:
On 05/03/2015 23:04, gareth wrote:
"Iain Young, G7III" wrote in message
...

An awful lot of evidence by citing off-the-shelf solutions for both
the hardware and the software of SDR.

It depends where you draw the line.
I have a DVB dongle that I use under linux.
I use pre-written drivers and a waterfall code module but the rest of
the code is self-written by me in c++ and python with some java 2D stuff
for the pretty front end and logging and analysis (largely because I
prefer the collections interface in Java over c++ for massive data
handling).

It is certainly homebrew because the amount of time and effort I spent
in writing to code (and time to learn python on codeacademy - good site
BTW) was probably longer than I have spent designing and building hardware.

Your mileage may vary....

Andy


I didn't know about these things. Pretty amazing. A UHF/VHF tuner for
under $10 on eBay. Which one do you have?

--

Rick

On 06/03/2015 15:07, rickman wrote:
On 3/6/2015 2:46 AM, AndyW wrote:
On 05/03/2015 23:04, gareth wrote:
"Iain Young, G7III" wrote in message
...

An awful lot of evidence by citing off-the-shelf solutions for both
the hardware and the software of SDR.

It depends where you draw the line.
I have a DVB dongle that I use under linux.
I use pre-written drivers and a waterfall code module but the rest of
the code is self-written by me in c++ and python with some java 2D stuff
for the pretty front end and logging and analysis (largely because I
prefer the collections interface in Java over c++ for massive data
handling).

It is certainly homebrew because the amount of time and effort I spent
in writing to code (and time to learn python on codeacademy - good site
BTW) was probably longer than I have spent designing and building
hardware.

Your mileage may vary....

Andy


I didn't know about these things. Pretty amazing. A UHF/VHF tuner for
under $10 on eBay. Which one do you have?


There are a number of similar ones. This is the one I have:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RTL2832U-R...em566780 9155

You need to make or buy an antenna connector so you can use a BNC or
something sensible to connect to your antenna system. The supplied
antenna is pretty grim, I suppose you could use the connector an snip
the rather poor coax short and put a decent connector on it.

Depending on which OS you use, there are a number of existing programs
you can use with it to get a feel for it before you start developing
your own. Some people use them with R Pi's to make receive only iGates
or Internet Scanners etc. I think I even saw a webpage where someone had
used one as a spectrum analyser.

My understanding was that the idea of using them as SDRs came from the
USA but perhaps not.

On 3/6/2015 10:21 AM, Brian Reay wrote:
On 06/03/2015 15:07, rickman wrote:
On 3/6/2015 2:46 AM, AndyW wrote:
On 05/03/2015 23:04, gareth wrote:
"Iain Young, G7III" wrote in message
...

An awful lot of evidence by citing off-the-shelf solutions for both
the hardware and the software of SDR.

It depends where you draw the line.
I have a DVB dongle that I use under linux.
I use pre-written drivers and a waterfall code module but the rest of
the code is self-written by me in c++ and python with some java 2D stuff
for the pretty front end and logging and analysis (largely because I
prefer the collections interface in Java over c++ for massive data
handling).

It is certainly homebrew because the amount of time and effort I spent
in writing to code (and time to learn python on codeacademy - good site
BTW) was probably longer than I have spent designing and building
hardware.

Your mileage may vary....

Andy


I didn't know about these things. Pretty amazing. A UHF/VHF tuner for
under $10 on eBay. Which one do you have?


There are a number of similar ones. This is the one I have:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RTL2832U-R...em566780 9155


You need to make or buy an antenna connector so you can use a BNC or
something sensible to connect to your antenna system. The supplied
antenna is pretty grim, I suppose you could use the connector an snip
the rather poor coax short and put a decent connector on it.

Depending on which OS you use, there are a number of existing programs
you can use with it to get a feel for it before you start developing
your own. Some people use them with R Pi's to make receive only iGates
or Internet Scanners etc. I think I even saw a webpage where someone had
used one as a spectrum analyser.

My understanding was that the idea of using them as SDRs came from the
USA but perhaps not.

What do you use yours for?

--

Rick

On 06/03/15 15:29, rickman wrote:
On 3/6/2015 10:21 AM, Brian Reay wrote:
On 06/03/2015 15:07, rickman wrote:
On 3/6/2015 2:46 AM, AndyW wrote:
On 05/03/2015 23:04, gareth wrote:
"Iain Young, G7III" wrote in message
...

An awful lot of evidence by citing off-the-shelf solutions for both
the hardware and the software of SDR.

It depends where you draw the line.
I have a DVB dongle that I use under linux.
I use pre-written drivers and a waterfall code module but the rest of
the code is self-written by me in c++ and python with some java 2D
stuff
for the pretty front end and logging and analysis (largely because I
prefer the collections interface in Java over c++ for massive data
handling).

It is certainly homebrew because the amount of time and effort I spent
in writing to code (and time to learn python on codeacademy - good site
BTW) was probably longer than I have spent designing and building
hardware.

Your mileage may vary....

Andy


I didn't know about these things. Pretty amazing. A UHF/VHF tuner for
under $10 on eBay. Which one do you have?


There are a number of similar ones. This is the one I have:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RTL2832U-R...em566780 9155



You need to make or buy an antenna connector so you can use a BNC or
something sensible to connect to your antenna system. The supplied
antenna is pretty grim, I suppose you could use the connector an snip
the rather poor coax short and put a decent connector on it.

Depending on which OS you use, there are a number of existing programs
you can use with it to get a feel for it before you start developing
your own. Some people use them with R Pi's to make receive only iGates
or Internet Scanners etc. I think I even saw a webpage where someone had
used one as a spectrum analyser.

My understanding was that the idea of using them as SDRs came from the
USA but perhaps not.

What do you use yours for?


I've not used it much. I was curious and decided to try one. I don't
like radios you 'drive' from a keyboard or computer, I prefer the
traditional front panel.


The one exception is a PCR1000 which I use as a bit of test kit- with an
attenuator and suitable SW it makes a passable spectrum analyser. I may
try the RTL dongle out for this in time.

I do like the maths of SDRs etc. but actually using them holds little
attraction.


The same goes for modes like PSK etc.

I've no issue with others enjoying them, they just don't appeal to me.

On 06/03/2015 19:04, Brian Reay wrote:

I've not used it much. I was curious and decided to try one. I don't
like radios you 'drive' from a keyboard or computer, I prefer the
traditional front panel.

For a self- coded radio it should be a breeze to add your own 'dials and
knobs' front end.
I have to agree that inputting a number or clicking the sweep button is
not the same and turning a heavy tuning dial but it does produce a hell
of a lot more useful data than an older radio.

However - like MP3s and vinyl, they just don't have the same richness of
sound as a proper radio.

Andy

On 09/03/2015 08:28, AndyW wrote:
On 06/03/2015 19:04, Brian Reay wrote:

I've not used it much. I was curious and decided to try one. I don't
like radios you 'drive' from a keyboard or computer, I prefer the
traditional front panel.

For a self- coded radio it should be a breeze to add your own 'dials and
knobs' front end.
I have to agree that inputting a number or clicking the sweep button is
not the same and turning a heavy tuning dial but it does produce a hell
of a lot more useful data than an older radio.

Agreed but the attraction of SDRs is the 'tweakability' and, if you
build it all into a box with, say, a modest uP to handle the comms to
the dongle, drive a display, etc. etc. and run any other software of
course, 'tweaking', while still possible, is more of a faff. Not quite
the worst of both worlds but certainly heading that way.

Of course, others many like this approach, it is a matter of taste.

Likewise, having a control panel, or controls, which connect to the PC,
really doesn't appeal.

Occasionally, I operate a station in the US remotely but I find it a
'fiddle', I don't even care to do it locally. Again, others enjoy it,
each to his own, it just isn't something I enjoy. Just as I don't enjoy
reading books etc. from things like Kindles, although I am trying to get
used to that.

On 06/03/2015 15:07, rickman wrote:

I didn't know about these things. Pretty amazing. A UHF/VHF tuner for
under $10 on eBay. Which one do you have?

I have 3 (because they are so cheap) they are are just generic usb TV
dongles based on the RT2832 chipset.
They are remarkably versatile devices and can pull in a lot of
interesting data. There is a thriving community online, they can tell
you far more than I can.

You do have to be prepared to get you hands dirty with some coding as
off-the-shelf sdr software for the devices are not quite there but all
the various bits are available you just need to stitch the code together
yourself.

You can even use them for radio astronomy - I have not tried this but it
could be fun.

Andy