RTL-SDR V4

• RTL-SDR is a USB dongle that can be used as a computer based radio scanner for receiving live radio signals in your area (no internet required). Depending on the particular model it could receive frequencies from 500 kHz up to 1.75 GHz. Most software for the RTL-SDR is also community developed, and provided free of charge. Note that RTL-SDRs cannot transmit.
• Radio components such as modulators, demodulators and tuners are traditionally implemented in analog hardware components. The advent of modern computing and analog to digital converters allows most of these traditionally hardware based components to be implemented in software instead. Hence, the term software defined radio. This enables easy signal processing and thus cheap wideband scanner radios to be produced.
• RTL-SDR Blog V4 R828D RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA Software Defined Radio (Dongle Only)
• The RTL-SDR Blog V4 has several improvements over generic brands including use of the R828D tuner, triplexed input filter, notch filter, improved component tolerances, a 1 PPM temperature compensated oscillator (TCXO), SMA F connector, aluminium case with passive cooling, bias tee circuit, improved power supply, and built in HF upconverter.

What are some RTL-SDR Radio Scanner Applications?

The RTL-SDR can be used as a wideband radio scanner. Applications include:

• Use as a police radio scanner.
• Listening to EMS/Ambulance/Fire communications.
• Listening to aircraft traffic control conversations.
• Tracking aircraft positions like a radar with ADSB decoding.
• Decoding aircraft ACARS short messages.
• Scanning trunking radio conversations.
• Decoding unencrypted digital voice transmissions such as P25/DMR/D-STAR.
• Tracking maritime boat positions like a radar with AIS decoding.
• Decoding POCSAG/FLEX pager traffic.
• Scanning for cordless phones and baby monitors.
• Tracking and receiving 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.
• Watching analogue broadcast TV.
• Sniffing GSM signals.
• Using rtl-sdr on your Android device as a portable radio scanner.
• Receiving GPS signals and decoding them.
• Using rtl-sdr as a spectrum analyzer.
• Receiving NOAA weather satellite images.
• Listening to satellites and the ISS.
• Radio astronomy and Galactic Hydrogen line measurements.
• Monitoring meteor scatter.
• Listening to FM radio, and decoding RDS information.
• Listening to DAB broadcast radio.
• Listening to and decoding HD-Radio (NRSC5).
• Use rtl-sdr as a panadapter for your traditional hardware radio.
• Decoding taxi mobile data terminal signals.
• Use RTL-SDR as a high quality entropy source for random number generation.
• Use RTL-SDR as a noise figure indicator.
• Reverse engineering unknown protocols.
• Triangulating the source of a signal.
• Searching for RF noise sources.
• Characterizing RF filters and measuring antenna SWR.
• Decoding Inmarsat STD-C EGC geosynchronous satellites.
• Listening to the ISS (International Space Station).
• Receiving images from Geostationary weather satellites.

Furthermore, with an upconverter or V3/V4 RTL-SDR dongle 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.
• Receiving HF weatherfax.
• Receiving digital radio mondiale shortwave radio (DRM).
• 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 Ethiopia. Please be responsible.