Exploring the Wireless World with Software Defined Radio

From the rtl-sdr.com blog: links to a 12 minute video, and a longer  40 minute version, by Balint Seeber showing some of what is available in the VHF and UHF bands using a computer and a software defined radio receiver.

While the videos are from a company that produce high-end SDRs, most of what is shown can be done with a $20 RTL SDR USB stick and freely available software.

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/exploring-wireless-world-usrp-b200/




If you are interested in playing with one of these, make sure you get one
that has the R820T tuner chip which can receive from 24 - 1766 MHz.  These
will do FM, AM, Broadcast (wide) FM, LSB, USB.  You will need some
adapters to hook it up to a better antenna.

Good sources are: NooElec and Adafruit:   NooElec also sells through Amazon.
Adafruit is a great source for all sorts of do-it-yourself electronics.

http://www.nooelec.com/store/software-defined-radio/sdr-receivers.html
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1497

If you are looking to save a few bucks, you can get these from china direct
sites like Deal Extreme, but it will take a few weeks to get to you.



Links:

• rtl-sdr.com - a blog site that aggregates a number of interesting SDR related posts from around the web.
• Balint Seeber's Youtube Channel Includes a GNU Radio / SDR tutorial series
• Ettus Research's Youtube Channel - maker of the USDR, where Balint works.