from the all-your-sdr-are-belong-to-us dept.
The SDR revolution has brought a bonanza of opportunities for experimentation to the radio enthusiast, but with it has come a sometimes-confusing array of software for which even installation can be a difficult prospect for an SDR novice. If you’re bamboozled by it all then help may be at hand courtesy of [Luigi Cruz], who has packaged a suite of ready-to-go popular SDR software in an OS image for the Raspberry Pi.
On board the Raspbian-based OS image are SDR Angel, Soapy Remote, GQRX, GNURadio, LimeUtil, and LimeVNA. In hardware terms the RTL-SDR is supported, along with the LimeSDR, PlutoSDR, Airspy, and Airspy HF. All are completely ready-to-go and even have desktop shortcuts, so if the CLI scares you then you can still dive in and play. More importantly it’s designed for use with SDR transmitters as well as receivers, so the barrier for full SDR operation for radio amateurs has become significantly lower too.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 22 2019, @08:19PM (6 children)
Will there be an RTL-SDR v4? Will it be able to decode ATSC TV?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 22 2019, @08:56PM
Is the Raspberry Pi powerful enough for the 10mhz frequency spread of an Airspy SDR?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 22 2019, @09:44PM (4 children)
ATSC TV decode on RTL-SDR-v4 isn't important compared to the FCC UV-5R 9/30/19 FRS + VHF + UHF ban.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday December 22 2019, @09:49PM (1 child)
Sorry, I meant "GMRS + FRS + VHF + UHF"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 23 2019, @11:17AM
(..checks amazon.co.uk...)
Ban, you say? home of the free, you say?
I must admit, the UV5-R is a strange little beastie which goes against the usual narrative of shite Chinese build quality (apart from the antenna connector weakness, that is) it's a rugged wee bugger, the amount of punishment that mine has suffered since 2013 at work, on the boat and in the hills and it still works..admittedly the keypad is worn, but that's about it, and, incidentally, the original battery supplied with it has now outlived two of the larger extended capacity ones.
Still, might buy another couple as spares, just in case our lot this side of the pond get as anal as your lot.
(Score: 2) by Ken_g6 on Monday December 23 2019, @03:58AM (1 child)
Actually, ATSC 3.0 TV SDR receiving could be very useful, if standard ATSC 3.0 receivers also transmit data back to the transmitter, or if some ATSC 3.0 data is transmitted encrypted.
But I don't think a Raspberry Pi is going to be able to decode the HEVC in ATSC 3.0.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 23 2019, @06:39AM
Raspberry Pi 4 decodes 4K60 HEVC.
(Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Monday December 23 2019, @05:56AM
Sounds like a great package. Perhaps I'll build up an AirSpy based system to replace the IC-7300 in my truck that I use for SWL.
RPi4, Airspy, Touchscreen, 12v-to-USB power supply...
...and the antenna that's already mounted.
Then the 7300 can be re-purposed as an actual ham radio.
--
Why can't you checkmate a Christian?
Because they are all pawns, and their
king doesn't exist.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 23 2019, @08:58AM
All your SDR are belong to us.