Tony Thomas' Techtrends: Software Defined Radio

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Software Defined Radio

by Tony Thomas

I am a licensed Amateur Radio Operator. As a result, I have an inherent love for all things radio.

If you like to listen to radio, you may want to check out the latest trend: SDR or Software Designed Radio. For less than $25, you can buy a USB dongle that turns your computer into a powerful radio. Not only can you tune in commercial FM stations, you can also access the VHF Ham radio bands, aircraft bands and more.

It all begins with a DVB-T TV dongle based upon the RTL2832U chipset that was originally designed to pick up TV broadcasts in Europe. Some enthusiasts discovered that, with the right drivers and software, they were able to use this dongle to produce a powerful software defined radio.

I have a few of these dongles, and while the quality can vary, they are a lot of fun to experiment with. The software that I currently use is called SDR# (SDR Sharp) and, while it is very powerful, it has a steep learning curve. That said, Software Driven Radio is a lot of fun!

For more information:

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/about-rtl-sdr/

http://rtlsdr.org/

https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/

Buy an SDR on Amazon:

http://amzn.to/2abfVHH

http://amzn.to/29VVOME

A great book on SDR:

http://amzn.to/29VVuO9

What is Techtrends?

A better question might be, who is Tony Thomas and why did he create this web site? Well, I have been a professional writer for more than 30 years. In 1978, I started as audio editor for SCENE Magazine in Cleveland, OH, a post I held at two different times over a two decade period. In the 80s and 90s, my articles and reviews appeared in numerous publications including Scene, Recording, Mix, AV/Video, Roland Users Group, Millimeter, Recording Engineer and Producer, Transoniq Hacker and others. I was also the Technology Expert on the WERE morning show in the early 90s.

In the world of technology, something new is happening every nanosecond. As a writer, one of my biggest frustrations is the length of time it takes for my articles to see the light of day. By the time my work hits the stands, it is often weeks or months out of date. With the emergence of the Internet, there is a unique opportunity to promulgate information instantaneously to a worldwide audience. Because of that, I feel that it is a wonderful forum to impart news, views and reviews of new and emerging technologies with the immediacy that print can never duplicate.

Some of my interests include music, computers, digital audio, photography, graphic design and electronics. Here, I'll attempt to give you the freshest scoop on products and trends that I find enlightening and revolutionary. I hope you enjoy it and welcome your feedback!

Tony Thomas
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Tony Thomas' TechTrends