Radio Information

Software Defined Radio Connections

We use radio receiving USB dongle and Software Defined Radio (SDR) software to decode and record signals. Information on the RTL based Software Defined Radio (RTL-SDR). For a detailed introduction look at the Antenna Activity at EIS Academy.

Hardware

The hardware you need to connect your computer to radio.

• We use the radio receiver is a DVB-T+DAB+FM USB receiver by IEIK, see Link at Amazon. The connector seems to be MCX. The tuner is 24MHz to 1850MHz (as it has the RTL2832 and R820T chips)

Connectors for other antennas (at Amazon):

• RF coaxial coax cable assembly BNC female to MCX male right angle 6
• RF coaxial coax cable F female to MCX male right angle RG316 6
  • BNC female with nut bulkhead handle solder connector

You may want a platform for soldering antenna parts through which the connector will fit. Some connectors come with this part ready-made,

but the budget-conscious can make their own pieces by cutting a metal bracket (purchased at a local hardware store) apart:

We were fortunate enough to have a master machinist cut these apart for us. If you don't have the means to cut metal,

ask a friend who has power tools (and knows how to use them), your local shop teacher, or you could ask the hardware store to do it for you.

Software

The software packages you need to connect your computer to radio.

• For Mac/Apple use Gqrx. Installation instructions are at github.com/2013-UQ-Communication-Systems or at smittix.co.uk.
• for Windows use SDR# (you say SDR sharp). Installation instructions are under www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide. Make sure you follow the instructions, several programs are needed for it to run!
• For Unix use Gqrx. Install with sudo apt-get install gqrx-sdr. See here for details how to install it.

Weather Satellite Image Reception

This project allows you to received and decode satellite images from a NOAA satellite. Detailed information is in this Tutorial at RTL-SDR.com. Some details are below:

Programs:

• SDRSharp: The SDR program. http://airspy.com/download/
• Audio piping Program: Example VB-Audio
• WXtoImg: The program to decode the Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) signal from the satellite. Here's a link to a site where you can access .wav files to test the program: http://www.fredvandenbosch.nl/satellites_WAV.html

Antenna:

• Helical Antenna: QFH antenna

Setup:

1. Open WXtoImg
2. Input Ground Station location
   • Yerkes: Latitude -42.57, Longitude -88.556, Altitude ~320m
3. Create a Space-Track Account
4. Go to Options>Internet Options...
5. Input Space-Track UserName(Email) and Password
   • Leave get Kepler from Celestrak checked
6. Go to Options>Recording Options
7. Set Soundcard to Audio Pipe
8. Open File>Satellite Pass List
9. Open SDR Sharp before radio transmission
10. Set SDR Sharp to output to audio pipe
11. Tune to satellite frequency from Satellite Pass List
12. Set to WFM
13. Turn off filter audio
14. In WXto Img go to File>Record
15. Click Auto Record
16. Adjust SDR Volume till Volume Bar is green in WXtoImg

Images

April 17, 2017, NOAA image from Weather.gov

Image taken from helical antenna at Yerkes:

See file below for the .wav file of satellite signal. You can hear the signal very well at about 2 minutes

Filter Information

• AGC
• Squelch

Radio Frequencies

Radio Database

Untested Frequencies

• Sheriff Dispatch - 857.434750 - FM
• Law Dispatch(East) - 853.66250 - FM
• Fire/EMS Dispatch/Paging - 453.67500 - FMN
• Williams Bay PD - 453.26250 - FMN
• Williams Bay Fire Dispatch - 453.7000 - FMN
• Geneva Lake Water Safety Patrol - 153.24500 - FM

Tested Frequencies

• Law Dispatch(West) - 856.028676 - NFM
  • Settings: Bandwith = 15000, Order = 3180, Squelch = 75
• All frequencies in the FM band: 87.5 - 108MHz
• Air Traffic Control: 119.00, 120.125, 120.35, 125.575, 130.425 (ACARS), 133.35, 134.00 (All on AM)
• Garage Door Opener: ~390MHz (Maybe also at 315MHz and 310MHz)
• Remote Car Key: ~315MHz
• National Weather center Weather: Milwaukee 162.4MHz, Janesville 162.425MHz, Crystal Lake 162.5MHz - NFM
• Occasional pickup in Wiliams Bay: 453.375MHz, 453.55MHz (data or encrypted), 453.8MHz, 457.00MHz, 463.4875 - All NFM,

Astronomy Radio Projects:

• Inspire Project: Handheld radio receivers to listen to distant thunderstorms
• Radio Jove: Listening to Jupiter and other astronomical sources.
• Budget Radio Telescope: Simple, small radio telescope capable of observing the Sun, and the galactic plane in both continuum and spectral modes.
• Simple Radio Telescope for Listening to the Sun/Jupiter:

Aircraft Communication / Transponders

Frequencies and Details on Aircraft communications.

• vfrmap.com: Aeronautical charts for entire US. Has visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) maps.
• Aircraft Navigation Systems: VHF omnidirectional range: Northbrook 113.0MHz, Burlington 114.5MHz, Janesville 111.35MHz, Rockford 110.8MHz
• Live Air Traffic: Has life feeds from many airport, also frequency information (multiple feeds for some airports) with links to better sites.
• Transponder Systems: Automatic Dependen Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) an aircraft transponder system at 1090MHz and 978MHz. Tutorial for setting up ADS-B Aircraft Radar using RTL-SDR: Try stock antenna with dump1090 software.
  • Windows: Used program RTL 1090 Beta 2 successfully.
  • Mac: Used program Cocoa1090 on mac - this program also has a map.