Steve - that was a great video. I just picked up an RSPdx and all I’ve been able to find so far is BBC radio. An hour after watching your video, I was decoding satellites, which is what I bought it for. Thanks!
Just trying to learn about how to get into SDR and this video has been a great explanation and progression that helped me understand what I need. Thanks!
Interesting this Steve. I live on the south coast of UK and invested in a handheld whistler. Just from my bedroom window, upstairs, I pick up Sloent CG, all manner of atc from local airports and further afield. Even picked up on 446, a local motorcycle trainer, talking to their students as they practice on the road. DMR is easy for that bit of kit but it did amaze me at how many analogue signals there are. Mind blowing.
Thanks for a really interesting video for my learning. I have been a SWL for a few years now with my Tecsun S 2000 and a frustrating time of getting up wires and all the rest of it, (small garden). I am 2 years off of 80 now so climbing around on the roof is a bit much, so I bought an MFJ 1886 loop antenna and an SDR Play1A which is a brilliant piece of kit. As you say there are plenty of shortwave signals out there. I also have a Uniden Bearcat BCT 15X which I listen to the air band and the shipping channels. I live in a bungalow and have a Discone scanner about a metre above my roof , I am very fortunate to live near the sea about 3 miles from Dungeness and can hear up and down the channel. About a mile or so from me there is Lydd airport where the Coastguard helicopter is based. I can listen to the pilot talking to the winchman and all the ops as far west as Eastbourne, unfortunately not all a happy ending as you can imagine. I won't rattle on but thanks again for the video.
Many thanks for your comments. Glad you found my video interesting. If you can hear the helicopters also worth searching the 419mHz area for polycom radio comms onboard them when they are airborne. All the best and enjoy the hobby. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Thanks for that, I have all the polycom frequencies in the scanner and that is why I can listen to the on board coms in the helicopter. Very interesting to say the least.
Ps i have a couple of small TH-cam channels , I’m about to review a handful of old to new 11 meter radios if it’s of any interest to you ,channel called Motorcycles And Things , thanks Shane uk
Thank you Jim. I just scratched the surface there with what you can use the sdr play for. I still have a lot to learn to get the most out of it. Thank you for the comment. Regards Steve
Good job you are a very good speaker on your videos and to the point. Love the videos. Now I have to spend some money on my monitoring setup a couple sdrplay units and multiple antennas . Keep it up and cheers m8 73's AA4CP Chuck Patterson Port Salerno FL USA
Great video, I just picked up a HackRF and a portapack. Enjoying listening to Ham operators and other interesting signals. Thinking about getting my amateur licence so I can transmit legally.
In the early 80s, I had a radio shack scanner. I had all the local police frequencies. If they wanted to talk privately they would turn off the repeater. I discovered that frequency too. I hooked up a cassette recorder that would activate when there was a transmission. I had a discone antenna about 35 feet in the air. If I remember correctly I picked up the MIR space station once.
Interesting video Steve - I have dabbled on and off with SWL for a few years - mostly portables - currently use a Tecsun PL880 and I am considering moving to SDR -- have been sitting on the fence for a while and hope to invest in an SDR Play starter for now -- just planning on setting up a long wire antenna to get started .. 73s from Ireland
If struggling to find the space for a long wire, take a look at one of my other videos on an hf discone, it works confidently across hf, vhf and uhf, maybe not as good as a dedicated long wire for hf but still pulls the signals in. Thank you for the comment. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Thanks Steve - I have plenty of room for log wire - I live out west of Dublin - rural setting and I have a couple of nice chimneys on the house - so can look at the discone option and lash it to a chimney or I can set up long wire - I have been sitting on the fence a long time about antennas - and I want to get my set up started - and my shack up and running -- I think the SDR is the way to go - rather then a desktop rig like the FRG-100 which does appeal to me but €450 doesn't -- 73S from Paul (ei1748)
the alinco djx-3 is one hell of an analogue scanner, and can be fitted with a discriminator tap, (best done by a pro) to do some digital with a pc and software.
Steve. Great video. Thank you! What are your thoughts on upgrading from an RTL-SDR Dongle to an SDRPLAY RSP1A? I only listen to civil airband at the moment but that may change! I'm using a homemade Flower Pot Coaxial Dipole antenna centered @ 123 MHz which seems to work very well for me as is. Thanks in advance. Best wishes from France. Rich.
Hello Rich, the rtl works but the sdr play is a leap forward in performance, I have had an rtl dongle but suffered from overload and spikes of interference, the sdr play for me works better. I use both sdruno and sdr console software, the uno has scanning, audio recording and other capabilities, dsdplus the digital decoding, dmr, Motorola radio software works great. If near an airport ground facilities may be heard. The rsp1a is around £99, more expensive than the dongle but been using mine flawlessly for 2 years and if you decide to expand your listening outside of airband it may be just the black box you need. It works well on mil air and as well. Thank you for your comments, Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Hi again Steve. Thanks so much for your rapid and informative response! I think I'll 'take the plunge' and buy the RSP1A. I've been very pleased with the RTL for what it cost even though I only bought it recently. I also suffer from the 'random spikes'. I imagine that I will soon venture outside of the civil airband frequencies. Also, I'm an Expat living in France so I'm very happy to 'buy British'! Many thanks and best wishes to you! Rich.
Back in the late 70s as a kid I used to scan I heard police cb skip aircraft even local cabbys my dad got a midland 80 and a dipole on the house I was the dogs bs then in my area got a fm in my 4x4 now and still have a local earwig and listen to all the boys in the blackcountry
Thank you! I'm thinking about getting a box like this. I've been out of the SW listening / scanning for about a decade after illness & a move. Last thing I was starting to look at was weather satellites but I didn't have the coverage. I'd just set up SW fax with my Yupiteru 7100 as I packed everything up. How's this box for weather satellites and do you have lots of antennas outside with a co-ax switch? I'm just imagine how I'd get signal into my bungalow and also the huge range of antennas from long wires to tiny dipoles and the odd Quadrifilar helix! 🛰️ Loved your video. It was a great introduction. Subscribed!
Thank you Les, the sdr play rsp1a has a wide freq coverage, I have not done weather satellites myself, (137mhz) but the receiver is more than capable. I use a discone for vhf and uhf reception and switch to my wire delta loop for all hf. But you can buy a discone with passive hf capability so basically one antenna for all hf, vhf and uhf. I do have a L band patch antenna for listening to satellites up in the 1.5ghz area. But this is sat on my shed roof with a small metal ground plane. It's fun to discover and with the copious amounts of third party software you can also listen to DAB broadcasts and scan for digital signals, it is very versatile if you have the time to play. All the best, good luck, regards Steve
Les as regards tuning knobs I use a computer trackball which has a rotating ring around it, not quite the same as a weighted knob but does work well especially fine tuning on hf bands. I also got hold of a Griffin Power knob, that has a wonderful feel but I can't get it to work under windows 10, it will work under other systems so maybe worth a look. It's all aluminium and has a nice neon glow when in use. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV The idea of using a trackball is brilliant! I was thinking of the same thing, tuning on HF, sideband voice especially. I use windows 10 so the commercial power knob you mention wouldn't work for me either sadly.
websdr is a good way to dabble with SDR. 160 radio club and individual SDR stations around the world,.good for SSTV both terrestial snd ISS. It's a shame these big balloons in the news don't have public websdr stations on them :(
I am not 100 percent sure, I have not tried it, but no harm in trying, I have not seen one using it but I cannot say definitely it will or won't but very good question. Regards Steve
Thanks for the video, as a listener for years, more mind boggling stuff to get into, what a gripping hobby we have.
Steve - that was a great video. I just picked up an RSPdx and all I’ve been able to find so far is BBC radio. An hour after watching your video, I was decoding satellites, which is what I bought it for. Thanks!
Just trying to learn about how to get into SDR and this video has been a great explanation and progression that helped me understand what I need. Thanks!
Glad it helped and thank you for viewing, i am hoping to do further ones on sdr receiving. Regards Steve
Interesting this Steve. I live on the south coast of UK and invested in a handheld whistler. Just from my bedroom window, upstairs, I pick up Sloent CG, all manner of atc from local airports and further afield. Even picked up on 446, a local motorcycle trainer, talking to their students as they practice on the road. DMR is easy for that bit of kit but it did amaze me at how many analogue signals there are. Mind blowing.
Thanks for a really interesting video for my learning. I have been a SWL for a few years now with my Tecsun S 2000 and a frustrating time of getting up wires and all the rest of it, (small garden). I am 2 years off of 80 now so climbing around on the roof is a bit much, so I bought an MFJ 1886 loop antenna and an SDR Play1A which is a brilliant piece of kit. As you say there are plenty of shortwave signals out there. I also have a Uniden Bearcat BCT 15X which I listen to the air band and the shipping channels. I live in a bungalow and have a Discone scanner about a metre above my roof , I am very fortunate to live near the sea about 3 miles from Dungeness and can hear up and down the channel. About a mile or so from me there is Lydd airport where the Coastguard helicopter is based. I can listen to the pilot talking to the winchman and all the ops as far west as Eastbourne, unfortunately not all a happy ending as you can imagine. I won't rattle on but thanks again for the video.
Many thanks for your comments. Glad you found my video interesting. If you can hear the helicopters also worth searching the 419mHz area for polycom radio comms onboard them when they are airborne. All the best and enjoy the hobby. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Thanks for that, I have all the polycom frequencies in the scanner and that is why I can listen to the on board coms in the helicopter. Very interesting to say the least.
Great video, I get joy listening on a recently bought xhdata 808 , that cost 76 pounds , ssb fm sw, cb aircraft etc etc cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
Ps i have a couple of small TH-cam channels , I’m about to review a handful of old to new 11 meter radios if it’s of any interest to you ,channel called Motorcycles And Things , thanks Shane uk
Best video I've seen yet thank you. The information I actually have wanted!
Thanks Stephen yes you have just blown my my mind excellent presentation again thanks
Thank you Jim. I just scratched the surface there with what you can use the sdr play for. I still have a lot to learn to get the most out of it. Thank you for the comment. Regards Steve
Your presentation was a wealth of information. You did a fantastic job. Thank you.
Good job you are a very good speaker on your videos and to the point. Love the videos. Now I have to spend some money on my monitoring setup a couple sdrplay units and multiple antennas .
Keep it up and cheers m8 73's
AA4CP Chuck Patterson
Port Salerno FL USA
Many thanks for the comments, I am hoping to do a further monitoring one plus other videos when time allows. Thank you, regards Steve
Great video, I just picked up a HackRF and a portapack. Enjoying listening to Ham operators and other interesting signals. Thinking about getting my amateur licence so I can transmit legally.
Never been a better time to get one, you can do it on line now. Wish you good luck and look forward to hearing you on the Airways. Regards Steve
Did you get licenced ?
Another brilliant Video, very well presented and a huge amount of info. Many thanks Steve👍
Thank you David, glad you found it useful. Regards Steve
In the early 80s, I had a radio shack scanner. I had all the local police frequencies. If they wanted to talk privately they would turn off the repeater. I discovered that frequency too. I hooked up a cassette recorder that would activate when there was a transmission. I had a discone antenna about 35 feet in the air. If I remember correctly I picked up the MIR space station once.
Still have my radioshack scanner it still sounds great. Thank you for your comments. Regards Steve
Interesting video Steve - I have dabbled on and off with SWL for a few years - mostly portables - currently use a Tecsun PL880 and I am considering moving to SDR -- have been sitting on the fence for a while and hope to invest in an SDR Play starter for now -- just planning on setting up a long wire antenna to get started .. 73s from Ireland
If struggling to find the space for a long wire, take a look at one of my other videos on an hf discone, it works confidently across hf, vhf and uhf, maybe not as good as a dedicated long wire for hf but still pulls the signals in. Thank you for the comment. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Thanks Steve - I have plenty of room for log wire - I live out west of Dublin - rural setting and I have a couple of nice chimneys on the house - so can look at the discone option and lash it to a chimney or I can set up long wire - I have been sitting on the fence a long time about antennas - and I want to get my set up started - and my shack up and running -- I think the SDR is the way to go - rather then a desktop rig like the FRG-100 which does appeal to me but €450 doesn't -- 73S from Paul (ei1748)
Great video man,I have an sdrplay and just getting into this Inmarsat stuff great fun .......
Enjoy, it's amazing what can be done with that little black box. Glad you enjoyed it. Regards Steve
Excellent stuff Steve, very well presented, will have a look at some of that, many thanks Dave G8XDD
the alinco djx-3 is one hell of an analogue scanner, and can be fitted with a discriminator tap, (best done by a pro) to do some digital with a pc and software.
Thanks very helpful,just getting into sdr....Cheers
Ty for your comment, yes SDR opens up a vast new area of radio, I still have lots to learn. Enjoy the hobby. Regards Steve
Very well put together Stephen, some clear & concise info there, made an interesting watch👍
Thank you Lee, I have been into radio for many years and I am still learning new an interesting aspects of the hobby. Regards Steve
Steve. Great video. Thank you!
What are your thoughts on upgrading from an RTL-SDR Dongle to an SDRPLAY RSP1A? I only listen to civil airband at the moment but that may change! I'm using a homemade Flower Pot Coaxial Dipole antenna centered @ 123 MHz which seems to work very well for me as is. Thanks in advance.
Best wishes from France.
Rich.
Hello Rich, the rtl works but the sdr play is a leap forward in performance, I have had an rtl dongle but suffered from overload and spikes of interference, the sdr play for me works better. I use both sdruno and sdr console software, the uno has scanning, audio recording and other capabilities, dsdplus the digital decoding, dmr, Motorola radio software works great. If near an airport ground facilities may be heard. The rsp1a is around £99, more expensive than the dongle but been using mine flawlessly for 2 years and if you decide to expand your listening outside of airband it may be just the black box you need. It works well on mil air and as well. Thank you for your comments, Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Hi again Steve. Thanks so much for your rapid and informative response! I think I'll 'take the plunge' and buy the RSP1A. I've been very pleased with the RTL for what it cost even though I only bought it recently. I also suffer from the 'random spikes'. I imagine that I will soon venture outside of the civil airband frequencies. Also, I'm an Expat living in France so I'm very happy to 'buy British'! Many thanks and best wishes to you!
Rich.
Excellent video Steve, very useful information.
Thank you Vic, it definitly opens up whole new areas to the hobby. Regards Steve
Very informative. Thumbs up.
Thank you, regards Steve
Ty regards Steve
Back in the late 70s as a kid I used to scan I heard police cb skip aircraft even local cabbys my dad got a midland 80 and a dipole on the house I was the dogs bs then in my area got a fm in my 4x4 now and still have a local earwig and listen to all the boys in the blackcountry
.
Regardless of what the digital world says thinks or whatever this will always be an analog world. Let start with the SUN 😎 the seasons the tides ....
Thank you! I'm thinking about getting a box like this. I've been out of the SW listening / scanning for about a decade after illness & a move.
Last thing I was starting to look at was weather satellites but I didn't have the coverage.
I'd just set up SW fax with my Yupiteru 7100 as I packed everything up.
How's this box for weather satellites and do you have lots of antennas outside with a co-ax switch? I'm just imagine how I'd get signal into my bungalow and also the huge range of antennas from long wires to tiny dipoles and the odd Quadrifilar helix! 🛰️
Loved your video. It was a great introduction.
Subscribed!
Thank you Les, the sdr play rsp1a has a wide freq coverage, I have not done weather satellites myself, (137mhz) but the receiver is more than capable. I use a discone for vhf and uhf reception and switch to my wire delta loop for all hf. But you can buy a discone with passive hf capability so basically one antenna for all hf, vhf and uhf. I do have a L band patch antenna for listening to satellites up in the 1.5ghz area. But this is sat on my shed roof with a small metal ground plane. It's fun to discover and with the copious amounts of third party software you can also listen to DAB broadcasts and scan for digital signals, it is very versatile if you have the time to play. All the best, good luck, regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV Thanks Steve, very helpful. About the only thing I think I'd miss with SDRs is a nicely weighted tuning knob! 🤔
Les as regards tuning knobs I use a computer trackball which has a rotating ring around it, not quite the same as a weighted knob but does work well especially fine tuning on hf bands. I also got hold of a Griffin Power knob, that has a wonderful feel but I can't get it to work under windows 10, it will work under other systems so maybe worth a look. It's all aluminium and has a nice neon glow when in use. Regards Steve
@@EnthusiastSteveM6WVV The idea of using a trackball is brilliant! I was thinking of the same thing, tuning on HF, sideband voice especially.
I use windows 10 so the commercial power knob you mention wouldn't work for me either sadly.
I like the thumbnail for this video!
websdr is a good way to dabble with SDR. 160 radio club and individual SDR stations around the world,.good for SSTV both terrestial snd ISS.
It's a shame these big balloons in the news don't have public websdr stations on them :(
Do you know if the SRRUNO will work with my RDL-SDR or does it only work on the SDRPlay devides?
I am not 100 percent sure, I have not tried it, but no harm in trying, I have not seen one using it but I cannot say definitely it will or won't but very good question. Regards Steve
It works with the 50usd Chinese clomes, the RTL isn't a clone.
Thank you Stephen. Stay safe, 73 de g0cdb.
Very well presented and informative, thanks. GW4JJR
What was the small square antenna?
It's from sdr kits, a patch antenna, for satelite reception.
Interesting video which patch antenna are you using .
It's a simple converted GPS one from the sdr kits on line company. Works OK.
Good video.
Hehe, I used to have one of those JIL SX-200s, back in the 1980s. Quite a performer, but ratty audio quality by modern standards.
Very good
Good
There is a chunk of something in your left nostril
Good