I just received the following sale via an email from Ham Radio Outlet:
All of these are great prices, but I’m especially attracted to the SDRplay RSP2 for $139.95 and the CX-210N for $29.95. If you’ve been on the fence about purchasing an RSP2, this is the lowest price I’ve seen for one.
Category Archives: Software Defined Radio
The GR-227: Gospell introduces a new SDR digital radio car adaptor
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Ed and Richard Langley for sharing information about the latest receiver from Gospell: the GR-227 digital radio car adaptor.
According to Radio World:
[…]The compact GR-227 can be added to car stereos, via a USB cable, in order to receive digital radio programs and corresponding data. Based on software-defined radio technology and using the xHE-AAC audio codec, the GR-227 is compatible with both modes of the Digital Radio Mondiale standard as well as the DAB/DAB+ digital radio standards.
According to Gospell, the GR-227 works with car stereos that are fitted with a USB port. Using the firm’s patent-pending technology, the adaptor behaves like a thumb drive when plugged into a USB port, making it compatible with most in-car receivers.
In addition, the GR-227 also features the Gospell Smart Tune App for Android. When partnered with an Android-powered car stereo, this lets users play back the broadcast audio program or benefit from data services.[…]
Read the full article at Radio World.
Richard comments:
“They call it an adaptor but perhaps it’s just an Android-controlled SDR receiver supplying audio output via a USB port, which could be connected to a computer or any other audio device with a USB audio input capability.”
I think he may be correct in that assumption because it may be the only way to get cross-manufacturer compatibility in a device like this.
The product information sheet noted that the receiver is supplied with a “triple band active antenna.” No doubt, the GR-227 will require adding a small external antenna to your car.
Still: an interesting product for sure! Perhaps the price point will be more reasonable that of previous DRM receivers? We’ll post updates from Gospell with the tag: GR-227
Servosila develops a robot with onboard SDR package
(Source: Servosila Press Release)
Servosila introduces a new member of the family of Servosila “Engineer” robots, a UGV called “Radio Engineer”. This new variant of the well-known backpack-transportable robot features a Software Defined Radio (SDR) payload module integrated into the robotic vehicle. Servosila introduces a new member of the family of Servosila “Engineer” robots, a UGV called “Radio Engineer”. This new variant of the well-known backpack-transportable robot features a Software Defined Radio (SDR) payload module integrated into the robotic vehicle.
“Several of our key customers had asked us to enable an Electronic Warfare (EW) or Cognitive Radio applications in our robots”, – says a spokesman for the company, “By integrating a Software Defined Radio (SDR) module into our robotic platforms we cater to both requirements. Radio spectrum analysis, radio signal detection, jamming, and radio relay are important features for EOD robots such as ours. Servosila continues to serve the customers by pushing the boundaries of what their Servosila robots can do. Our partners in the research world and academia shall also greatly benefit from the new functionality that gives them more means of achieving their research goals.”
Coupling a programmable mobile robot with a software-defined radio creates a powerful platform for developing innovative applications that mix mobility and artificial intelligence with modern radio technologies. The new robotic radio applications include localized frequency hopping pattern analysis, OFDM waveform recognition, outdoor signal triangulation, cognitive mesh networking, automatic area search for radio emitters, passive or active mobile robotic radars, mobile base stations, mobile radio scanners, and many others.
A rotating head of the robot with mounts for external antennae acts as a pan-and-tilt device thus enabling various scanning and tracking applications. The neck of the robotic head is equipped with a pair of highly accurate Servosila-made servos with a pointing precision of 3.0 angular minutes. This means that the robot can point its antennae with an unprecedented accuracy.
Researchers and academia can benefit from the platform’s support for GnuRadio, an open source software framework for developing SDR applications. An on-board Intel i7 computer capable of executing OpenCL code, is internally connected to the SDR payload module. This makes it possible to execute most existing GnuRadio applications directly on the robot’s on-board computer. Other sensors of the robot such as a GPS sensor, an IMU or a thermal vision camera contribute into sensor fusion algorithms.
Since Servosila “Engineer” mobile robots are primarily designed for outdoor use, the SDR module is fully enclosed into a hardened body of the robot which provides protection in case of dust, rain, snow or impacts with obstacles while the robot is on the move. The robot and its SDR payload module are both powered by an on-board battery thus making the entire robotic radio platform independent of external power supplies.
Servosila plans to start shipping the SDR-equipped robots to international customers in October, 2017.
Web: https://www.servosila.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/servosila/videos
About the Company
Servosila is a robotics technology company that designs, produces and markets a range of mobile robots, robotic arms, servo drives, harmonic reduction gears, robotic control systems as well as software packages that make the robots intelligent. Servosila provides consulting, training and operations support services to various customers around the world. The company markets its products and services directly or through a network of partners who provide tailored and localized services that meet specific procurement, support or operational needs.
PantronX: Titus II is ready for production
(Source: Radio World via Richard Langley)
Titus SDR, a division of PantronX, says the Titus II multi-standard digital radio receiver is ready for production.
The consumer software-defined radio digital receiver platform, which is the result of collaboration between Titus SDR/Patron X, Jasmin-Infotech, TWR, and Fraunhofer IIS, supports multi-standard radio reception, including DRM, DAB and DAB+ and core data applications. The system is based on a custom Android tablet platform, featuring multipoint touch, WiFi/Bluetooth and stereo sound.[…]
Click here to continue reading the full article at Radio World.
London Shortwave’s innovative PocketCHIP-powered field portable SDR
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, London Shortwave, who recently shared his latest SDR project: a field-portable, ultra-compact, SDR spectrum recording system based on the PocketCHIP computer.
London Shortwave has built this system from the ground up and notes that it works well but is currently limited to the FunCube Dongle Pro+ at 192 kHz bandwidth. There is no real-time monitoring of what’s being recorded, but it works efficiently and effectively–making spectrum captures from the field effortless. The following is a video London Shortwave shared via Twitter:
Ultra-portable #shortwave spectrum capture using #PocketCHIP, FunCube Dongle Pro+ and Sony AN-LP1 active loop antenna @nextthingco @hackaday pic.twitter.com/NC3VPr7PRN
— London Shortwave (@LondonShortwave) September 17, 2017
Click here to view via Twitter.
The PocketCHIP–the device his system is built around–is a $69 (US) handheld computer with color display:
Click here to view the PocketCHIP website.
I think this field portable SDR system is absolutely brilliant!
Homegrown innovation
London Shortwave has done all of the coding to make the FunCube Dongle Pro + work with the PocketChip computer. Even though live spectrum can’t be monitored in the field, the fact that it’s making such a clean spectrum recording is all that really matters.
All London Shortwave has to do is head to a park with his kit, deploy it, sit on a bench, read a good book, eat a sandwich, then pack it all up. Once home, he transfers the recording and enjoys tuning through relatively RFI-free radio.
A very clever way to escape the noise.
The kit is so incredibly portable, it would make DXing from any location a breeze. You could easily pack this in a carry-on item, backpack or briefcase, then take it to a park, a national forest, a lake, a remote beach–anywhere.
What I really love about this? He didn’t wait for something to be designed for him, he simply made it himself.
Thanks again, London Shortwave. We look forward to reading about your radio adventures with this cool field SDR!
Robert’s reviews and how-tos
Like a few of us contributors here on the SWLing Post, Robert Gulley (AK3Q), writes features for The Spectrum Monitor magazine (TSM). Robert and I are both passionate supports of TSM–for a mere $24 per year, you get a monthly digital magazine that is simply chock-full of articles covering all aspects of our radio hobby. A phenomenal value indeed!
I’ve just discovered that Robert has published a number of his past TSM articles–reviews and how-tos–on his excellent blog All Things Radio. Each article can be downloaded as a PDF. Here are the topics:
- Using Weak Signal Software to Reach for the Sky! (Part 1)
- Using Weak Signal Modes for Propagation, RFI, and Antenna Analysis (Part 2)
- Putting My Handheld Antennas to the Test
- Going Mobile with Software Defined Radio
- Multipsk Software – A Review
- TEN-TEC 1253 Build Review
Click here to view and download these articles at All Things Radio.
Thank you, Robert, for sharing these excellent articles with everyone! And many thanks to TSM for allowing its writers second publication rights. Click here to subscribe to The Spectrum Monitor.
A comprehensive SDRplay and SDRuno how-to video series
Mike Ladd, with SDRplay, has done an amazing job putting together a comprehensive series of how-to videos for those of us with the SDRplay RSP1 and RSP2 receivers. His first set of videos have focused on using SDRuno (SDRplay’s custom SDR application), and now he’s started an SDR Console series as well.
I’ve embedded much of his video series below, but you can also find them at the SDRplay YouTube channel.
If you own an SDRplay RSP, take time to watch some or all of these videos as they’ll help you unlock RSP functionality you likely never knew existed. I’ve learned something new in each one I’ve watched.
Below, I’ve embedded 23 SDRuno how-to videos, a new SDR Console video and PDF/printable SDRplay documentation. Enjoy! (And thanks again, Mike!)
SDRuno Videos
#1 SDRuno Basic layout and settings
Click here to view on YouTube.
#2 SDRuno with VAC 1 of 2
Click here to view on YouTube.
#3 SDRuno VAC 2of 2 (showing MultiPSK)
Click here to view on YouTube.
#4 SDRuno Noise reduction intro on HF.
Click here to view on YouTube.
#5 SDRuno Memory Panel part 1 of 2
Click here to view on YouTube.
#6 SDRuno Memory Panel part 2 of 2
Click here to view on YouTube.
#7 SDRuno Calibrate your RSP-1 & RSP-2
Click here to view on YouTube.
#8 SDRuno VAC & DSDdecoder
Click here to view on YouTube.
#9 SDRuno Notching filter function
Click here to view on YouTube.
#10 SDRuno FM Broadcast RDS data decoding
Click here to view on YouTube.
#11 SDRuno, FTDX 3000, Omnirig & LOG4OM Logger
Click here to view on YouTube.
#12 SDRuno, FTDX 3000, Omnirig & LOG4OM Logger In Action
Click here to view on YouTube.
#13 SDRuno EX-Control Module
Click here to view on YouTube.
#14 SDRuno with CSV user list browser using virtual com ports.
Click here to view on YouTube.
#15 SDRuno & MultiPSK decoding APRS
Click here to view on YouTube.
#16 SDRuno & MultiPSK decoding ACARS
Click here to view on YouTube.
#17 SDRuno with the TM-2 USB Controller
Click here to view on YouTube.
#18 SDRuno Tune-LO-LO Lock
Click here to view on YouTube.
#19 pre-selection filters of the RSP-1 and RSP-2
Click here to view on YouTube.
#20 SDRuno and the VRX feature
Click here to view on YouTube.
MISC SDRUno videos
SDRuno EXT/IO Edition for a range of SDRs and dongles
Click here to view on YouTube.
SDRplay RSP with the DX Engineering RTR-2
Click here to view on YouTube.
Using the RSP-1 for the IARU HF World Championship
Click here to view on YouTube.
SDR Console videos (Brand new series)
#1 SDRplay RSP 1 & 2 with SDR Console v3
Click here to view on YouTube.
SDRplay How To documentation
Brand new SDRuno User Manual
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRplay_SDRuno_User_Manual.pdf
Frontend Reset
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRplay_Software_reset.pdf
Optimizing WIndows 7 for SDRuno
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRuno_Windows7.pdf
Setting up VSPE
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRuno_VSPE.pdf
Setting up VAC
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRuno_VAC.pdf
Decoding APRS using SDRuno and MultiPSK
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRuno_APRS.pdf
Decoding MIL-ALE using SDRuno and MultiPSK
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRuno_ALE.pdf
Decoding AIS Marine messages using SDRuno and MultiPSK
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRuno_AIS.pdf
Decoding ACARS messages using SDRuno and MultiPSK
http://www.sdrplay.com/docs/SDRuno_ACARS.pdf