mercredi 17 avril 2024

• Discovery Dish April Manufacturing Update
  This was posted over on our Discovery Dish Crowd Supply updates page and we are cross-posting here too. It’s been over a month since our last update so we thought we’d share some of the recent progress. As mentioned in our last update, during the month of February all manufacturing was shut down (...)
  
  
• Tech Minds: Reviewing the Malahit DSP1 SDR Receiver 50KHz – 2GHz
  Over on the Tech Minds YouTube channel, Matt has uploaded a new review and demonstration of a Malahiteam DSP1 SDR Receiver 50KHz - 2GHz. This particular unit appears to be a Chinese clone unit which is actually called a 'Malahit SDR'. The Russian company Malahiteam makes the original units, and (...)
  
  

jeudi 11 avril 2024

• WarDragon: Testing EMEye/TempestSDR with Wyze Cam Pan V2 Cameras and a USRP B210
  Last week we posted about University researchers who found that it was possible to recover live video images from the EM leakage emanating from various IoT security cameras. The 'EMEye' software to do this was released as open-source on GitHub. Recently Aaron, who created DragonOS and (...)
  
  

mercredi 10 avril 2024

• The Latest Talks from the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers
  Over on YouTube a bunch of new talks from the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) have recently been uploaded from their recent SARA Western Conference that was held in April 2024. The talks typically involve small home-based radio astronomy setups that use small satellite or WiFi (...)
  
  
• Tech Minds: Review of the KiwiSDR 2
  Earlier this year the KiwiSDR 2 became available for purchase and began shipping out to customers. The KiwiSDR 2 is an upgraded version of the original KiwiSDR with the main upgrades being an enhanced RF front end and the addition of a digital attenuator. Over on the Tech Minds YouTube channel, (...)
  
  

mardi 9 avril 2024

• New Tool to Convert Between SDR# and SDR++ Frequency List Formats
  Thank you to 'thewsoftware' over on our forums who has shared with us his SDR# <-> SDR++ frequency list converter (sdrfc) software. SDR# and SDR++ are two popular SDR programs often used with the RTL-SDR, but each uses a different format for storing custom frequency lists. The new sdrfc (...)
  
  
• Testing a WiFi Grid Antenna for L-Band Satellites
  Over on YouTube dereksgc has uploaded a video where he tests out a 2.4 GHz WiFi Grid antenna for L-band weather satellite reception. WiFi grid antennas are typically repurposed in the SDR community for L-Band weather satellite reception because they are cheap and mostly work out of the box. (...)
  
  

mardi 2 avril 2024

• EM Eye: Eavesdropping on Security Camera via Unintentional RF Emissions
  Researchers from the University of Michigan and Zhejiang University have recently published their findings on how it's possible to eavesdrop and wirelessly recover images from security cameras via RF unintentionally leaking from the camera electronics. EM side-channel attacks aka receiving and (...)
  
  
• PhantomSDR: WebSDR Software for the RX888 MKII and Other SDRs
  Recently Reddit user magicint1337 brought attention in a post to PhantomSDR, a web SDR program for the RX888 MKII SDR. PhantomSDR is not new, having been first uploaded to GitHub two years ago, but it appears that it hasn't gained much attention so far. Web SDR software allows an SDR to be (...)
  
  
• PhantomSDR: WebSDR Software for the RX888 MKII
  Recently Reddit user magicint1337 brought attention in a post to PhantomSDR, a web SDR program for the RX888 MKII SDR. PhantomSDR is not new, having been first uploaded to GitHub two years ago, but it appears that it hasn't gained much attention so far. Web SDR software allows an SDR to be (...)
  
  
• Saveitforparts: Receiving and Decoding L-Band Weather Satellites
  Over on his YouTube channel 'saveitforparts' has uploaded a new video showing how he has been successful at receiving and decoding L-band weather satellites using his setup made from scavenged parts. He uses a custom-built helical feed on a scavenged dish, and an automatic pan-tilt rotator (...)
  
  

mardi 26 mars 2024

• A Review of WarDragon: A Portable SDR Kit
  Over several years Aaron (@cemaxecuter) has been working on DragonOS, a popular Linux distribution that comes preinstalled with many different programs for software defined radios. A Linux distribution like this takes the hassle out of having to figure out how to compile and install various SDR (...)
  
  

dimanche 24 mars 2024

• Flipper Zero Starts a Petition To Fight Canada Ban
  Back in early February we reported about how the Canadian government is making plans to completely ban the Flipper Zero, and popular pentesting tool. The wording from Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's Minister of Public Safety, also implies that software defined radio devices could also be banned. The (...)
  
  

lundi 18 mars 2024

• Doing 50 Things with RTL-SDR in One Week
  Thank you to Blinry who recently wrote an article about how they set themselves a challenge to find 50 things to do with an RTL-SDR in one week. Blinry writes: Last week, I attempted the challenge to try to find 50 things to do with an RTL-SDR device in a week! It was quite an (...)
  
  
• Meteor M2-4 has not failed – it is still in the testing phase
  Thank you to Robin OK9UWU who wanted to point out that the recently launched Russian Meteor M2-4 weather satellite has not failed. There have recently been rumors and videos being spread online claiming that the satellite has already failed as the LRPT and HRPT signals are currently offline. (...)
  
  

jeudi 14 mars 2024

• Saveitforparts: Building a Satellite Antenna from an Emergency Blanket and a Rotator from an old Security Camera Mount
  Over on his YouTube channel, 'saveitforpaarts' has uploaded two new videos. The first shows how he was able to build a very cheap satellite antenna for GOES satellites out of an umbrella and a metallic emergency blanket. The blanket is simply spread over the inside of the umbrella, creating an (...)
  
  
• Great Scott Gadgets URTI: Phase Two Progress Report
  Over on their GitHub, Great Scott Gadgets, creators of the popular HackRF SDR, have created a phase two progress report for their upcoming URTI product. URTI (Universal Radio Test Instrument) is their next generation software defined radio which will work not only as a full-duplex SDR (...)
  
  

mercredi 13 mars 2024

• IndiaRocketGirl Receives NOAA-19 Weather Satellite Images with a Tape Measure Yagi Antenna
  Over on her YouTube channel IndiaRocketGirl (@VU3BIZ) has posted a video showing how she was able to receive weather satellite images from the polar orbiting NOAA-19 weather satellite at 137 MHz. She uses a home made four element Yagi antenna with elements made from a tape measure. This allows (...)
  
  
• KrakenSDR Radio Direction Finding Setup and Tutorial YouTube Video
  Over on YouTube user Skyler F has posted a video showing him unboxing his KrakenSDR, and KrakenSDR antenna set, and then setting it up and taking it on a test to find the location of a cellular tower. In the video Skyler shows how to set up the antenna array using the paper spacers, how (...)
  
  

lundi 11 mars 2024

• Airspy HF+ Firmware Updated to R4.0.0
  The Airspy HF+ and HF+ Discovery are popular and affordable software defined radios that have a focus on excellent reception on the HF bands. Recently @lambdaprog, the creator of Airspy products has released updated firmware for the Airspy HF+ series of products. The announcement on X is shown (...)
  
  

vendredi 8 mars 2024

• WarDragon Running KrakenSDR to TAK Python and Federate TAK Server
  Over on YouTube Aaron, creator of DragonOS and the WarDragon portable SDR kit has posted a video showing how he was able to set up an run the KrakenSDR to TAK python software, as well as a Federate TAK server on WarDragon. Aaron writes: In this video, we delve into the integration between the (...)
  
  

jeudi 7 mars 2024

• Receiving SSTV From the Russian UmKA-1/RS40S Cubesat
  YouTuber 'saveitforparts' was recently contacted by the ground controller of the Russian UmKA-1/RS40S cubesat asking if he'd like to try and receive an SSTV image from the satellite. UmKA-1/RS40S is a small educational satellite assembled by a Russian high school. Originally it was intended for (...)
  
  
• SigintOS Version 2.0 Community Edition Released
  SigintOS is an Ubuntu based distribution with a number of built in signal intelligence applications for software defined radios such as the RTL-SDR and TX capable SDRs like the HackRF, bladeRF and USRP radios. The OS has a built in launcher UI that helps to automatically launch and set up (...)
  
  

lundi 4 mars 2024

• KiwiSDR 2 Now Available For Purchase
  Back in August 2023 we posted about the pre-announcement of the KiwiSDR 2, an upgraded version of the original KiwiSDR. Most of the upgrades are minor or due to some chips becoming EOL. The main upgrades are an enhanced RF front end and the addition of a digital attenuator. One change is also (...)
  
  
• Meteor M2-4 Successfully Deployed to Orbit and now Transmitting Weather Images
  The long awaited Russian Meteor M2-4 satellite was successfully launched on February 29, 2024 and is now in orbit, and is already transmitting images. If you are unfamiliar with them, Meteor M satellites are a class of Russian weather satellites that can be easily received with an RTL-SDR and (...)
  
  

mardi 27 février 2024

• Tech Minds: Testing Meshtastic Compatible Lilygo LoRa Devices
  In the latest video on the Tech Minds YouTube channel Matt tests out the Meshtastic software running on varius Lilygo LoRa devices. Meshtastic is software that can run on cheap LoRa hardware that enables off-grid mesh network based communications. Being mesh network based means that there are (...)
  
  
• IndiaRocketGirl Receives FengYun-2H S-VISSR Satellite Images
  Over on her YouTube channel IndiaRocketGirl has posted a video showing how she was able to build a satellite dish and feed to receive FengYun-2H S-VISSR signals and get beautiful full disk images of the earth. In the US and other countries RTL-SDR fans will be familiar with how to receive (...)
  
  
• WXCorrector: Updating Keplers for Linux users of WXtoIMG
  Thank you to Hamdy Abou El Anein for submitting news about the release of his software called "WXCorrector". WXCorrector is a dedicated solution designed specifically for Linux users who face challenges with the handling of Kepler elements in Wxtoimg. This tool addresses a critical issue where (...)
  
  

samedi 24 février 2024

• Spacewalker LNA 434 MHz In Prelaunch at CrowdSupply
  Thank you to Zoltan and team for submitting news of the prelaunch of their Spacewalker LNA 434 MHz. Spacewalker LNA is designed to improve reception of PocketSat and Cubesat satellite signals when received with SDR devices like the RTL-SDR. Often these relatively weak signals are drowned out by (...)
  
  

jeudi 22 février 2024

• RTL433 Plugin for SDRSharp Updated
  Back in 2021 we posted about a SDR# plugin that allowed you to interface with rtl_433 from within SDR#. RTL433 (rtl_433) is a commonly used RTL-SDR command line program that provides decoders for a wide range of 433.92 MHz, 868 MHz, 315 MHz, 345 MHz, and 915 MHz ISM band devices. Examples of (...)
  
  
• Marine Vessel AIS and AirNav ShipXplorer
  AirNav systems are a company that run radarbox.com, one of the big ADS-B aggregation tracking sites for tracking aircraft around the world. They also run a similar platform called ShipXplorer for tracking marine vessels using AIS data. The team at AirNav have provided us with a nice explanation (...)
  
  

mercredi 21 février 2024

• SatDump V1.1.4 Released
  SatDump is a popular program used to receive and decode images and other data from various weather satellites. SatDump works great RTL-SDR Blog dongles and with our Discovery Dish, an easy to use dish and feed for receiving L-band and other weather satellites. Recently the author of SatDump (...)
  
  

mardi 20 février 2024

• WarDragon Passive Radar with Blah2 and ADS-B Delay-Doppler Truth
  Over on his YouTube channel, Aaron, creator of DragonOS and the WarDragon kit has uploaded a video showing the Blah2 passive radar software working with an SDRplay RSPDuo. In the video Aaron shows some setup steps before showing the passive radar range-doppler graph. Blah2 is passive radar (...)
  
  
• Tech Minds: Taking a look at the new HackRF PortaPack Mayhem Version 2 Firmware
  A few days ago the programmers of the popular Mayhem firmware for the HackRF Portapack released version V2.0.0. The new version includes multiple improvements specified in the release text below. We are super excited to share the what's new with v2.0.0 Apps are now stored on the MicroSD Card so (...)
  
  

lundi 12 février 2024

• Windows Binary of GQRX Released
  Gqrx has long been one of the most commonly used pieces of software defined radio software for Linux and MacOS. However, it has never had a Windows release until just two days ago when the team released an experimental Windows binary. We gave the new Windows binary a test with our RTL-SDR Blog (...)
  
  
• Canada Moves to Ban Flipper Zero and Possibly Software Defined Radios
  Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's Minister of Public safety has recently declared that they plan to ban devices "used to steal vehicles by copying the wireless signals for remote keyless entry, such as the Flipper Zero". The text specifically calls out the Flipper Zero, however the wording appears to (...)
  
  

vendredi 9 février 2024

• A Low Cost P25 Police Scanner with RTL-SDR, Raspberry Pi 5 and SDRTrunk
  Thank you to Mike for writing in and sharing with us his video detailing how he makes use of a Raspberry Pi 5, touch LCD Screen and RTL-SDR to create a portable and low cost P25 police scanner. Mike notes that the cost of his system is $250, which is a lot cheaper than a (...)
  
  
• Taylor Swift Threatens Legal Action Against Owner of X Account that Tracks her Private Jet via ADS-B
  Jack Sweeney is a student who operates various social media and websites dedicated to tracking the private jets of celebrities and notable persons. In the past he's drawn the ire of Elon Musk who banned his @ElonJet account in 2022 which used to provide live updates on the location of Elon (...)
  
  
• FOSDEM 2024 Videos now Available: Synthetic Aperture WiFi RADAR, GPU DSP Acceleration and more
  FOSDEM (Free and Open Source Developer’s Meeting) is a yearly conference that took place in Brussels, Belgium on 3 - 4 February 2024. This conference featured a room on Software Defined Radio and Amateur Radio. Recently the videos of most the talks have been uploaded to their website. Some (...)
  
  

vendredi 2 février 2024

• Tech Minds: A Review of the SDRplay RSP1B and SDRConnect Preview 2 Demonstration
  A few days ago we posted about the recent release of the SDRplay RSP1B software defined radio, which is an upgrade over the previous RSP1A model. The changes include a new steel enclosure, significantly improved noise performance under 1 MHz and in the 50 - 60 MHz region, noticeable noise (...)
  
  

mardi 30 janvier 2024

• A KrakenSDR to TAK Interface Converter
  Thank you to RTL-SDR.COM reader Aaron, who recently found a Kraken-to-TAK converter made by "SignalMedic" and "dngrssgnls" which converts the KrakenSDR bearing output data to "Cursor on Target" (COT) or XML format, allowing common TAK interfaces to read and display the data. Currently the (...)
  
  

lundi 29 janvier 2024

• SDRplay Launches the RSP1B
  SDRplay, a manufacturer of popular low cost software defined radio devices have just launched their "RSP1B" model. This is a refresh of their popular lowest price model, the RSP1A. The changes include a new steel enclosure, significantly improved noise performance under 1 MHz and in the 50 - 60 (...)
  
  

vendredi 19 janvier 2024

• Multiple Comprehensive Tutorials on Weather Satellite Decoding
  Over on his website "Jacopo's Lair" IU1QPR (@original_lego11) who is also a developer for SatDump has written up many tutorials about weather satellite decoding that involve the use of SatDump. SatDump is a popular piece of software often used with RTL-SDRs and other low cost SDRs for decoding (...)