SDR – SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO
SDR RECEIVER DEMOAndy, VE3FYAChip, VA3KGB
Kingston Amateur Radio Club7 Jan 2015
WHAT IS SDR?
• SDR – Software Defined Radio• Hardware is used to receive/transmit a
signal• Software is used to process the signal• The computer does all the hard work so
the radio can be of simpler design
ADVANTAGES
• Upgrades or features can be added or expanded through software/firmware updates
• Hardware of the radio in most cases does not need to be changed unless going outside the original design specs
• Software upgrade will access newer features
ADVANTAGES
• For example:– A radio’s hardware is designed to work certain
bands including future bands that are currently not available.
– The initial software/firmware release would not allow transmitting on the future bands
– When future bands become legal software/firmware upgrade would allow transmit function
SDR EXAMPLES
• Flex Radio series of transceivers:– Expensive but very versatile
• SDR Receivers– Dedicated SDR Receivers costing up to
$1,000 or more, for example Perseus• SDR USB Dongle Receivers
– Based on R820T– Cheap $10 up– Does not receive HF without an Upconverter
RTL-SDR RECEIVER
• 100KHz-1.7GHz • R820T+8232• Built in upconverter
for HF• USB for power and
connection• 2 antenna
connectors• $60 Cdn
SDR SOFTWARE
• Variety of FREE software• Examples:
– SDR# (SDRSharp)– HDSDR– Gqrx SDR– SeeDeR– SDR Touch (Android) – Requires OTG cable– And others
• Windows Driver: Zadig
SDR SOFTWARE
• READ and FOLLOW the instructions for the software you are using especially the Zadig driver installation.
• Turn up the RF Gain or you will not receive anything!
• For HF you need to use the “Q” parameter• See RTL-SDR.com Quick Start User
Guide• “Run as Administrator” for Win 7/8
HAM USES of SDR RCVR• General purpose receiver to listen to signals• Panoramic display of frequencies to see where
other stations are– can also be tapped into IF of your transceiver, kits
available for some radios • Connect to other software to decode various
modes such as CW, PSK31, APRS, ACARS, SSTV, etc– Requires a virtual cable software such as:
• VB-Cable (Free, max sample rate of 96k)• Virtual Audio Cable ( $25+, max sample rate of 192k)
LINKS
• SDR# (SDRSharp) - www.sdrsharp.com• HDSDR – www.hdsdr.de• Gqrx SDR – www.gqrx.dk• SeeDeR -
www.southernstars.com/skycube/seeder.html• SDR Touch (Android)- www.sdrtouch.com• Windows Driver: Zadig if not provided with
SDR program download: http://zadig.akeo.ie/
LINKS• VB-Cable –
http://vb-audio.pagesperso-orange.fr/Cable/• Virtual Cable –
http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.htm• Panoramic Adaptor Tap Board –
http://g4hup.com/PAT.htm• RTL-SDR USB Tuner Receiver –
- type rtl-sdr usb tuner receiver:– www.ebay.ca– www.google.ca
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