Listening to amateur radio bands - is there any easy an simple way? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / rf-microwave

author: MrWifiHifi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 06:44:36 pm
content: HiHow to receive amateur radio bands as easily as possible? Would it be possible to modify an ordinary AM / FM radio for it? Alternatively, is there any other alternative?Which antenna design to choose for the beginning?

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 06:53:55 pm
content: QuoteDont get much easier thanhttp://www.websdr.org/

author: MrWifiHifi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 07:32:46 pm
content: This is great, but I would like to listen to some bands on a real receiver. This is nice for night listening at home, but if I went to cottage (where I will probably spend most of the summer), I don't have internet there.Is there any other alternative to a regular radio receiver?

author: jpanhalt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 07:39:18 pm
content: I got a small SDR radio for a different purpose with a twin-lead portable antenna that I have wrapped around a 2nd floor bannister. Sorry, but I have listened to all the religious banter I need.1) Why do you want to listen?2) If you want to participate, get your no-code license (if that distinction still exists) and participate.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 07:41:24 pm
content: There is SDR, or you could build your own receiver. Small shortwave capable receivers are not very expensive these days, and there is also older gear that can sometimes be found fairly cheap if it's not one of the desirable collectible rigs.

author: boB
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 07:41:40 pm
content: There are several SDR radios out there that would work OK for this.Just Google for SDR radio and you should find lots of them available.If you want short wave HF bands, do not get the RTL-SDR since I think it only does VHF and above (without a converter)If you would rather use a real radio, there are lots around for those as well. Ebay has used radios.So much to choose from out there.

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 07:43:31 pm
content: Buy a USB DVB-T dongle with RTL2832U and enjoy it with SDR# and other software. Your starting point is:https://www.rtl-sdr.com/You can even buy an adapter and hook the dongle on your Android phone or tablet and run SDR sofwtare (costs money but is really cheap).The next solution would be the MALACHITE SDR radio:https://pt.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-malachite-sdr-receiver.htmlThese are all clones of the original russian device, which is open hardware but closed source. You need to pay for the legal firmware. Most chinese devices come with a demo version or a hacked version.The advantage of this radio is that you get a full device with speaker and battery. It can show the spectrum with waterfall diagram and even demodulate morse (CW).Finally, you may enjoy the projects around the SI4735 IC, which is basically a full radio on a chip with FM, AM, SSB/USB and RSD. See here:https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/pu2clr/build-your-own-fm-am-ssb-based-on-si4732-si4735-65db7eAliExpress offers readily assembled versions of this radio: search for "ATS 20" or "ATS 100". The latter is the newer revision with colour touch screen. They have poor assembly quality and normally people end up replacing the encoder, from what I have read. The nice thing is that you can modifiy and compile the Arduino-based FW yourself! And the radio has pretty good performance and is small in size.Regards,Vitor

author: MikeK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 09:34:02 pm
content: No mention of WHICH radio bands are of interest.

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 10:08:18 pm
content: For listening any long wire should work just fine with a cheap SDR receiver to start with for HF. Just have the correct adapter for your SDR to Ant connection.There is no Morse code requirement for any Ham license anymore in the US.You might want to look into local resources just to get a better idea of what you want to do. The ARRL books here in the US are very informative.https://home.arrl.org/action/Shop/StoreI don't know what the equivalent organization is in your country

author: MikeK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 10:12:38 pm
content: Quote from: Wallace Gasiewicz on June 07, 2022, 10:08:18 pmIn the US, that is correct. OP is in Slovakia, so it may be different.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 10:47:50 pm
content: RTL-SDR is great for VHF and UHF, but for HF, you'll be better off with a QSD (Quadrature Sampling Detector) connected to a good sound card. The HF feature on some RTL-SDRs is a kludge.

author: Kerlin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 10:59:08 pm
content: Quote from: MrWifiHifi on June 07, 2022, 07:32:46 pmMake a basic one transistor regenerative receiver or direct conversion receiver, later add a one or two transistor audio amp, put it in a box and run it off a battery.Three transistors, so it will last a long time on batteries.Perfect for the summer use you have mentioned above and they are very sensitive.Later on then make a one transistor B.F.O.Use trashed, discarded or unused transistor radios for parts.Doesn't come simpler or work better and an excellent exercise for your understanding of radio.There are many websites, this is one good one.https://vk3ye.com/projects/index.htmI offer this as the best way, better than an SDR, I have an advanced amateur license and a commercial broadcast and television license and all the others you can imagine.Learn to build a radio, much much better for advancing your understanding of radio.I don't think others recommending an SDR have stopped to even comprehended what you have said above.

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 11:18:12 pm
content: This is a group for DX HF Radio listeninghttps://groups.io/g/WOR

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 12:48:39 am
content: I'd also say build a regen, they're fun, but you really need to specify which bands you wish to monitor.

author: fourfathom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 01:01:25 am
content: Or just get one of these:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006OCEFY/It's not great by any means, but you can listen to the HF ham bands with it. It has a BFO, so you can listen it sideband and morse. It's going to be sensitive to adjacent sideband signal interferences, as it is really just a double-sideband receiver. But it's cheap and it works -- I've used it.The cheapo SDRs are really only good for VHF. Some can be tricked into tuning the HF bands, but not very well without external filtering. a $100-class SDR such as SDRplay is what you want for HF work..

author: Kerlin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 03:33:10 am
content: Buy one and you will learn nothing about radio.Being the only Engineer in a workplace that can build and fix things is a massive advantage.These are skills that are in massive demand, take that into an interview.If you can it is likely you will be the only one who can, that's what I have found.Many also buy wire antennas, what a joke. Learn how to actually do things and build it.And again read and comprehend the requirements he has given, an SDR is not suitable.Now I understand more about why some people are not able to design things to a meet a customers requirements.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 04:03:17 am
content: What are you hoping to listen to on the Ham bands? Long gone the time of technical discussions. Only political talks or dumb nonsense left on SSB. On CW all is canned QSOs, nothing to learn there, unless you just want to practice receiving CW.

author: fourfathom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 04:46:50 am
content: Quote from: Kerlin on June 08, 2022, 03:33:10 amThe OP has said nothing about wanting to learn about radio, or how to design one. They just want to listen to one.

author: Kerlin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 05:38:19 am
content: Quote from: MrWifiHifi on June 07, 2022, 07:32:46 pmHe did ask if there is any alternative to a regular radio receiver, and making one is a valid, easy, workable alternative.I said that way he could benefit by learning about radio. After all this is a Technical Electronics forum.I did not say he should design one, I said he can get a circuit and construction details from the website I provided a link to.

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 05:55:51 am
content: SDR Play ...excellent products, very fine software and support, made in UK not China.https://www.sdrplay.com/products/(no connection..just a satisfied user)Jon

author: A.Z.
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 11:02:05 am
content: Quote from: MrWifiHifi on June 07, 2022, 06:44:36 pmAn "ordinary FM/AM" radio won't usually have the needed frequency coverage, if you're not going to build the receiver yourself, but instead are seeking for a receiver which will allow you to listen to ham bands (I suppose shortwave ones), then there are several relatively cheap receivers which may fit, just to list some of them in no particular order; "TecSun PL-660", "XHdata D-808", "C.Crane SkyWave SSB", "Belka DX", just google for those and you'll see them by yourself (and probably you'll find some more), to start you may use the receivers own antenna, but willing to improve your reception you'll need an external antenna, a good start may be picking a loop antenna and an adapter to connect the antenna cable to the receiver you selected

author: Adrian_Arg.
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2022, 02:30:27 am
content: https://www.ebay.com/itm/233332258959