[Fourlanders] Funcube Dongle

[Rogers, Ron]

Bob,

You might also be able to see the AM video from some of the analog UHF TV transponders still on the air from some mountaintops. Those signals would show up very significantly since they would be 4.5 MHz in bandwidth.



 In addition, you might find some lower power UHF TV stations still broadcasting with analog video since the DTV mandate was only for full power TV Broadcasters.



Also, check out 929-930 and 931-932 for digital pagers popping up on the waterfall



Ron

WW8RR









-----Original Message-----
From: fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bob Lear
Sent: Thursday, February 02, 2012 9:38 PM
To: fourlanders at contesting.com
Subject: [Fourlanders] Funcube Dongle



I have Jim's Funcube Dongle here and am experimenting with it on his

contesting computer which is still here.  It is a 64-1700 MHz SDR

receiver the size of a thumb drive.  Connects to a USB port for power

and I/Q out to the software and has an SMA connector for an antenna.

Google it if you haven't seen it or heard of it.  Also see

http://www.w1ghz.org/small_proj/small_proj.htm to see why we want it.



Well, I got it put in this afternoon, downloaded the software and

basically just followed the directions on the web page.  I can receive

the 144, 222 & 432 beacons with it, using the 6m beam!!  There are no

other antennas up right now.  You can see the beacons on the spectral

display and/or waterfall and demodulate them and copy the CW thru the

computer soundcard.  I also listened to a couple of FM broadcast

stations, but they don't show up well on the spectral display.  So far,

I was just using SpectraVue.  I will probably download one or two of the

other programs and test them with it too.



I wish there were some non-FM signals that I could look at like we would

see during a contest, but not much on above 64 MHz I guess.  Wish I

could look at 20m CW to see what it really does.  I might try the

aircraft band too for AM signals.



Anyway, I will report some more when I do a little more with it.  If

anyone decides to order one for themselves, please let me know as I

would like to get one too and I don't have PayPal, and maybe you could

get one for me too.



Jim, the filters for the interface board arrived today.  The only parts

I am short are the 4N33 opto-isolators to get mine built.



Bob

_______________________________________________

Fourlanders mailing list

Fourlanders at contesting.com

http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/fourlanders