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RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector

Ganjor86 716116 1593
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Can I turn a cheap DVB-T USB tuner into an SDR receiver, and how can I make it receive shortwave too?

Yes: with an RTL2832U-based DVB-T dongle you can use it as an SDR receiver after replacing the stock DVB-T drivers with the prepared Zadig/libusb drivers and running SDR software like SDR Sharp or HDSDR [#11182116] In normal mode these tuners work roughly from 24 MHz up to about 1700 MHz, so VHF/UHF services, airband, CB, ADS-B, etc. are fine [#13168529] [#12073526] For shortwave below that range, do not connect the antenna straight to the RTL chip; direct sampling is possible but is considered risky and can damage the RTL28xx [#12073526] The safer and better-performing solution in the thread is an upconverter on the antenna input, e.g. based on TA7358/LA1185/LA1186, which users report can extend reception down to roughly 100 kHz–40 MHz [#13135481]
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  • #541 14850524
    lysy1980
    Level 33  
    Posts: 2222
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    It will be fine. Unless it gets hit by ESD or gets too high gain from, for example, a preamplifier. Many times in these tuners I "lifted" the diode and powered, for example, the preamplifier directly from the tuner (jumper between USB and antenna input).
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  • #542 14850591
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
    Rate: 136
    You see it Dude You have another tuner, and my colleague "TomekB123" has LV5TDLX and these tuners are not very resistant to any short circuits.
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  • #544 14850643
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
    Rate: 136
    Yes, but when I asked the website what they repair these tuners because I returned under the warranty when I burned it, which surprised me, the guest said that they replace the systems because even discharges near the antenna can damage the system. Maybe the problem is with the FC0013 tuner itself. Unless it rains on the other hand, it probably powers the generator and then it will not work. Once I had a case that it did not even detect the tuner after a small short circuit. But ok, I don't go into details anymore.
  • #545 14874295
    TomekB123
    Level 20  
    Posts: 434
    Help: 43
    Rate: 143
    So, connecting a shorted CB antenna will damage the tuner? Then what separator to use?

    Is something like this good?

    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector

    OKAY. I connected with this separator. Overall, the reception is now better on the air than CB.

    I just wonder why when someone transmits it on a waterfall, I see it as if it is transmitting on three frequencies at the same time?

    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector
  • #546 14875700
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
    Rate: 136
    If the gain is too high, it is normal, and from what you can see the station is close and has a strong signal. It is best to set 2/3 of the gain in the SDRSharp options. I also recommend a preamplifier I have FP6L and it works from 5 to 2400MHz. If someone does not need such a wide spectrum, an ordinary broadband antenna will work from 70 to 800MHz.
    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector
  • #547 14903445
    Pawelpar
    Level 9  
    Posts: 5
    Hello, let me connect to the topic. Well, I bought a dvbt tuner on the Allegro and, as probably many people, I have a listening problem. Actually, apart from the FM radio, you can't hear anything else. I installed everything according to this manual http://sq6net.blogspot.com/2014/07/instalacja-rtl2832u-i-sdr-na-windowsie.html

    Perhaps it would have to be calibrated and I don't know how. Or maybe it's about the antenna, for now I'm using the tiny one from the set? Have I made a mistake elsewhere?

    For now, this is what my screen looks like, at this point you should hear something from the Balice airport and here the wall is empty.
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3cbjinycuj9c0NfQjdIQlEwb1k/view?usp=sharing

    I will be grateful for your help :)
  • #548 14903630
    kriss51
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
    Posts: 5630
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    Pawelpar wrote:
    Or maybe it's about the antenna, for now I'm using the tiny one from the set?


    Give yourself this antenna. You won't listen to anything on it. Review the entire thread. The topic of antennas was discussed.
  • #549 14903786
    Pawelpar
    Level 9  
    Posts: 5
    Although I have read it is more for experts and not for laymen. I am not a constructor - a DIY enthusiast, I rather prefer to go buy a ready-made antenna. I see that someone tried with the cb antenna here, but will it pick up frequencies so that this tuner acts as a listening scanner? Is it better to buy an amplifier for this right away? Or rather look for antennas outside for the balcony? Maybe someone has already tried to do something like this?
    photo of my tuner http://konsole-kompociąg.strefa.pl/na-allegro/dvb-t/3.jpg
  • #550 14903891
    lysy1980
    Level 33  
    Posts: 2222
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    If you do not want to construct anything, because you have no idea, buy an antenna: all-in-one is something like DISCONE, but if you are only interested in the air band and service + 70cm, you can buy, for example, SIRIO GP3-E
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  • #551 14920396
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #552 14922003
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
    Help: 14
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    As for the antenna, it does not pay to play unless you assemble something yourself from the available schematics on the Internet. For 200 PLN you can buy a DISCONE antenna like in the picture. Reception according to the manufacturer from 25Mhz to 1300Mhz. The material and labor alone can cost you more if you outsource the work to someone.
    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector
  • #553 14922583
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #554 14922652
    kriss51
    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
    Posts: 5630
    Help: 672
    Rate: 480
    Make an antenna as in post 29 of this topic. You will surely hear a lot more on it than on the original one.
  • #555 14923819
    tomek10861
    Level 27  
    Posts: 1371
    Help: 13
    Rate: 199
    I personally listen to TV on the air - volleyball without an amplifier. It's not great, but from 100 to 1000MHz it catches well. I even caught amateurs on 12MHz on it ;)
  • #556 14933990
    jagroszek
    Level 11  
    Posts: 10
    Rate: 1
    I recommend copies of the Diamond X50 antenna
    It works very well, you can hear satellites quite well, eg SATCOM and others.
    The basic rule is that the antenna should have horizon visibility, i.e. the appropriate mounting height depending on the installation in a given location.
    The reception can be significantly improved by using an amplifier based on the PGA103 + circuit with a selective input circuit for the frequency of interest. If someone wants to play, you can make several circuits using the relays from the link below.
    http://allegro.pl/ultraminiaturowy-przekaznik-w-cz-teledyne-usa----------------------.html " target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener ugc" class="postlink inline" title="" > http://allegro.pl/ultraminiaturowy-przekaznik-w-cz-teledyne-usa----------------------.html
    http://www.ok2kkw.com/zzz/hb9afo_pga103.htm " target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener ugc" class="postlink inline" title="" > http://www.ok2kkw.com/zzz/hb9afo_pga103.htm

    Moderated By c2h5oh:

    Regulations point 3.1.18. Do not send links that will cease to be active after some time. This will make the discussion meaningless.
    The link to the auction has been changed to inactive.

    Attachments:
    • Diamond_X50.pdf (276.55 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #557 14934170
    don_viking
    Level 21  
    Posts: 562
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    I have the antenna as in the article in the photo and I receive stations in the KF to 900Mhz band and to be honest it is a simple antenna for the scanner and it does its job. I recommend it because it can be made of the available parts of the radiator with a counterweight from the CB antenna, and counterweights from rods from the TV antenna. I am over 10 years old and I think it has better characteristics than the Diamond X500. Often, when propagating on it, I receive more stations than the neighbor on the X500, come live next to me.
    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector

    Added after 5 [minutes]:

    Below I added a photo of this diamond X50 because this pdf is something incomplete.
    RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector
  • #558 14939022
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #559 14939077
    internick
    Level 36  
    Posts: 3081
    Help: 273
    Rate: 552
    What is at 144-146 and 430-440 MHz is not suitable due to the characteristics of the work. These antennas tune in a narrow slice and, apart from resonance, quickly become deaf.

    If you have a balcony, buy a used Radmor 32812/1. For it to have arms and legs, the antenna must be hung outside as high as possible above the ground.
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  • #560 14939092
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #561 14939128
    internick
    Level 36  
    Posts: 3081
    Help: 273
    Rate: 552
    Radmor 32812/1 is a solid workmanship half-wave dipole. If you construct it yourself and it does not break (it does not hurt passers-by at the bottom), it will be fine.

    For one "above the ground" is the terrace of the Palace of Culture, another is a balcony on the first floor. It all depends on who has what options.

    For the antenna to work globally, it must be suspended further from the wall.
  • #562 14988289
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #563 14988310
    Ganjor86
    Level 21  
    Posts: 572
    Help: 18
    Rate: 46
    Apparently, the satellite amplifier to be mounted on the cable helps, but I did not test it.
  • #564 14988853
    methyl
    Level 16  
    Posts: 183
    Help: 2
    Rate: 32
    Using a broadband amplifier without filters for any antenna and SDR dongle is asking for trouble. This SDR receiver overloads very easily and starts to fool when it gets too strong a signal. and he will get even a signal from a nearby BTS of mobile telephony or a RMF radio transmitter or some ZETka. We listen to the air band and silence or muck because the input stages are clogged with amplified signal from the above sources.
    Low noise amplifiers for the dongle can be used, provided that they will be used instead of the amplifier that is in it. So we go down to the minimum by amplifying the dongle and turn on the amplifier, but with no exaggeration.

    Generally, the best amplifier is a suitable antenna positioned so that it has enough space to breathe. Away from the walls and it is best for her to see the horizon.

    If we provide the right antenna height, even a mismatched piece of rod will be heard a lot. Certainly more than the best scanner antenna placed on a balcony against the wall.

    T.
  • #566 14995599
    bogi
    Level 29  
    Posts: 1135
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    Same as this, I suppose Link on KF and its many variations, including working HERE .
  • #567 14995691
    methyl
    Level 16  
    Posts: 183
    Help: 2
    Rate: 32
    The ARA2000 works differently from the miniwhip. The actual antenna is this "drill" made of copper foil and it receives the same and quite broadband.
    The miniwhip is an antenna that ranges from "0" to, say, effectively 20MHz in better versions a little higher. ARA 2000 is an VHF antenna!
    The principle of operation and characteristics are described, among others I think in Jarosław Szostek's book "Waves and Anteny" I advise you to read a lot of theory and practical knowledge.

    Take an interest in cone antennas - "biconical antenna"
    It's a nice thing for the listening device. They work wide and can be done from 2-4 pieces of wire. A nice alternative to, for example, DISCONE for PLN 200-300 ...
  • #568 14996839
    MORZEBALTYCKIE
    Level 11  
    Posts: 51
    Help: 1
    Rate: 4
    Hi. As you probably know, Chinese RTL-SDRs mounted in large housings with HF and VHF outputs have been on sale for some time.
    I didn't look at the design, but it looks like a dongle + converter on one board + antenna sockets.

    The whole thing is quite expensive compared to the USB-stick version.

    I have a question is it worth pushing into it? Any of you have already bought and used such equipment?

    Is it better to remake the dongle yourself? So sockets, a shielded USB cable (+ maybe some ferrite filter, as colleagues used in the subject) and of course a decent, shielded housing? I don't care about the KF converter, I have other equipment for the KF.
  • #569 14996867
    methyl
    Level 16  
    Posts: 183
    Help: 2
    Rate: 32
    You can drop a link to a specific model.
    The ones I know are a system based on the same as the USB dongle or even a USB SDR dongle soldered in the PCB with a converter and low-pass filters on the KF plus the rest.
    If it is this type of equipment and you are interested in the VHF itself, it makes no sense to pay extra for something that will not give you a better reception.
    There are versions of the USB SDR receiver with better on-board temperature-stabilized quartz generators (TCXO), but for VHF it is also not that useful. Two three minutes after switching on, the receiver "flows" a bit, but even SSB is not a tragedy because it is enough to wait for it to heat up.

    There are some patents to improve the reception of these receivers, reduce the amount of interference on reception, reduce noise levels, and that's what you should focus on.

    Well, but as always, the most important and best amplifier is the appropriate ANTENNA :)
  • #570 14996914
    MORZEBALTYCKIE
    Level 11  
    Posts: 51
    Help: 1
    Rate: 4
    It is about toys like in the attachment.
    It is a pity that there are no photos of the guts, but our eastern friends also offer a DIY version (thanks to which you can play, for example, in winding the coils), but all this is too expensive in relation to what it offers according to me. All in all, it's good that I found a version that even has a block diagram on the housing - it is clearly visible that the VHF module itself is used only with the dongle module. And there are indeed filters at KF.


    Maybe you know which version is the least problematic in reception on the upper bands?
    I used to have such a factory version and it was rather thin.
    Of course, the antenna is the basis, the installation has been working for a long time, I'm just looking for a digital receiver.
    Attachments:
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    • RTL-SDR - an SDR receiver from a cheap DVB-T tuner on a USB connector sdr_rtl_.jpg (152.82 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
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Topic summary

✨ The discussion centers on using inexpensive DVB-T USB tuners, particularly those based on the RTL2832U chipset combined with various tuner modules like the R820T and E4000, as software-defined radio (SDR) receivers. These devices, originally intended for digital TV reception, can be repurposed for wideband SDR reception from approximately 25 MHz up to 1.7 GHz, covering amateur radio bands, FM broadcast, airband, ADS-B, and more. Modifications such as direct antenna connection to the RTL2832U chip pins enable reception of lower frequency bands (below 30 MHz), including shortwave, though precautions against electrostatic discharge and signal surges are necessary. Upconverter circuits based on chips like LA1186, LA1185, and TA7358AP are commonly used to extend reception down to HF and VLF bands by frequency shifting signals into the tuner's range. Various software solutions including SDR# (SDR Sharp), HDSDR, and dump1090 are recommended for Windows and Linux platforms, with driver installation often requiring tools like Zadig to replace default DVB-T drivers with RTL-SDR compatible ones. Users report challenges with driver installation, device recognition, and antenna selection, especially for frequencies outside the FM broadcast band. Amplifiers such as the FP6L and antennas like Discone or long wire are suggested to improve reception quality. Mobile and embedded platforms like Raspberry Pi and Android devices with USB OTG support are explored for portable SDR setups. The community shares detailed schematics, installation guides, and troubleshooting tips, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness and versatility of RTL-SDR dongles for radio experimentation and monitoring.
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FAQ

TL;DR: A US$13 RTL-SDR dongle with an R820T tuner covers 24-1762 MHz “Band 24-1762 MHz (no holes)” [Elektroda, zabex, post #12073526] and can be pushed to ≈100 kHz with a 50 MHz up-converter [Elektroda, sb8gapi, post #13074101]

Why it matters: One stick lets hobbyists scan HF, VHF, UHF and ADS-B without big radios.

Quick Facts

• R820T native span: 24–1762 MHz [Elektroda, zabex, post #12073526] • Direct-Sampling mod: ≈0.1–28 MHz [Elektroda, methyl, post #13657048] • Typical dongle cost: US$13–15 incl. whip [Elektroda, Ganjor86, post #12076142] • PC spec: USB 2.0 + ≥1.2 GHz CPU [Elektroda, Serwis1, post #13206155] • TA7358 up-converter parts ≈ PLN 15 [Elektroda, sb8gapi, post #13074101]

What frequencies can an un-modified RTL-SDR with R820T cover?

About 24 MHz to 1.76 GHz without gaps [Elektroda, zabex, post #12073526] That spans airband, AIS, ACARS, ADS-B, VHF FM, UHF trunked, LTE and more.

How do I install drivers on Windows XP?

  1. Plug dongle, let Windows load Realtek driver.
  2. Run Zadig v2.1 XP, Menu → Options → List All Devices, choose "Bulk-In Interface 0".
  3. Click Install WINUSB driver. After 5 s SDR# sees “RTL-SDR/USB”. [Elektroda, lysy1980, post #13511327]

I get no DVB-T after installing SDR drivers—normal?

Yes. WINUSB replaces Realtek’s TV driver. Switch USB port or reinstall OEM driver when you need DVB-T reception [Elektroda, lysy1980, post #13511327]

What’s the simplest way to receive 0–30 MHz?

Add a 50 MHz HF up-converter using TA7358 or LA1185. It mixes HF to 50–80 MHz, cost under PLN 15 and sensitivity beats direct sampling [Elektroda, sb8gapi, #13074101; Elektroda, zabex, #12073526].

Can overheating freeze the dongle?

Yes. R820T can reach >60 °C and USB disconnects appear. Resoldering the USB plug and adding small heatsinks stopped lock-ups [Elektroda, mkpl, post #13635115]

Which antenna works best for wideband scans?

An outdoor TV log-periodic or discone on 50 Ω feed covers 50–1300 MHz. For HF add Mini-Whip or 20 m long-wire plus the up-converter [Elektroda, methyl, post #13657048]

Edge case: why does FM broadcast appear at 30 MHz?

Strong local FM images alias into 26–40 MHz when the front-end overloads. Use 88–108 MHz notch or reduce RF gain [Elektroda, mkpl, post #13583266]

Can I scan automatically like a hardware scanner?

Yes. Install the ‘Frequency Manager Scanner’ plug-in for SDR#; it hops user lists at 20 channels /s and logs activity [SDRSharpPlugins].

Is spectrum-analysis possible?

RTL-SDR plus ‘RTL-Power’ or ‘Spektrum’ sweeps 24 MHz–1.7 GHz, 2 MHz steps, ~30 dB dynamic range—handy for EMC checks [majek, 2013].

How do I add HF direct sampling without removing the tuner?

On R820T boards, wire a 1:10 transformer to RTL pins 4-5, select “Direct Sampling Q” in SDR#. This keeps VHF/UHF intact [Elektroda, BOOM i ZONK, post #13914702]
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