The DXPATROL was my first upgrade from a simple usb dongle – not going there at this point. The DXPATROL is a reasonably priced ( $110 bucks ) sdr – had it on a desktop for a while and it works well. Decided to try the Airspy and installed IT on the computer – and bricked the computer – Trashed it – paperweight – – – shit . . .
Grabbed a tiny form factor from Amazonia and conned Greg into setting the Airspy up on it AND trying to trying to put the paperweight together again into something resembling a computer – thank you Baby Jesus for recovery partitions – LMAO!
Gave that computer and DXPATROL sdr to the son-in-law and bought another DXPATROL sdr . . .
Finally grabbed a desktop / 24″ monitor refurb deal – ( monitor new / computer refurbished ) deal off of Amazonia and spent about 2 weeks watching zadig / usb driver install stuff on the utube – read a ton of stuff – and attacked my new ( to me ) computer – I would rather trash $109 bucks of desktop than a $600 buck laptop. The process finally “clicked” in my head and I have the new puter set up to where I can run my RTL-SDR V3 or the DXPATROL or the AIRSPY HF+ – YAY!
I configured my switches – top switch – left position / wire – right position / loop – bottom switch to either radio – I cobbled together a cable to go to the left position – I’m going to order another pl259 to sma cable so they are the same – it does make a difference . . .
Started the software and went to VOA out of Tinang . . .
Here is the DXPATROL – just cranked up the software and tuned 9.405mHZ . . .
This was no dialing in of the settings – just ran it “out of the box” so to speak . . .
And here is the AIRSPY on the dedicated micro puter . . .
I actually have that dialed in pretty close . . .
I reconfigured switches this morning to run either antenna to a single radio and ordered an AM filter and an FM filter for the wire antenna – both Flamingo brand from Nooelec – they work real good for me – YOUR actual mileage may vary – that way I eliminate one more variable so I can compare “stuff” on an even footing . . .
So I cranked up the puter this morning that I am going to use for testing different sdr’s on – went and found a China Radio International station – 500KW ( damn sure would like to have the dollar value of what China spends for electricity on all their transmitters in a given year ) – and started dialing in the software on the new puter . . .
Amazing what changing a few settings can do. The AIRSPY does a real good job rejecting the signal at 7.330mHZ . . .
I will spend the next however long it takes going back and forth between the two computers getting the software on the new one set up the same as on the old one ( software wise ) – get the filters inline on the wire antenna – I think we will see the AIRSPY edging out the DXPATROL slightly – it’s going to come down to is one is worth about a $100 more than the other? – and performance wise is it actually worth that much more? . . .
And then there’s THIS – it will definitely take executive level clearance from my Chief Financial Officer – LOL!
And here is a utube video from Tech Minds show casing it . . .
If you – or YOU – want to see some bleeding edge stuff – go check out Tech Minds Channel – Oh My My!
Have Fun! – Run the Gun! – and remember – Fish Heads are Cheap!!
Guns, Fun, Food and More 