168 - Using a SDR as Your Scanner

Scanner School - Everything you wanted to know about the Scanner Radio Hobby

Free SDR webinar!

Our new webinar will introduce you to Software Defined Radios.

"Why Every Scanner User Needs an SDR: The #1 Underrated Tool that should be in your setup" will be March 23, 2021.

Register now at www.scannerschool.com/webinar

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Do you want to dive deep on Software Defined Radios?

In this episode, Phil talks to listener Greg Weamer about his SDR setup. They get into the history of SDR development, what you can do with an SDR that you can’t do with a hardware-based scanner, and where they think the future of SDRs is heading.

What You Need To Know

• Today, Greg does not have a hardware scanner at all, but only a SDR.
• His area has simulcast problems that the SDR solves.
• Greg currently uses about 8 RTL-SDR dongles, including 3 on a Raspberry Pi, some on another Raspberry Pi, an old laptop, and more.
• Greg also uses Trunk Recorder, which is one of the most difficult things he’s ever configured, but he loves that it monitors every voice channel at the same time.
• RDIO Scanner is a web interface that takes the feeds from the virtual recorders Greg has going and cues up calls on every voice channel so you don’t miss anything.
• Because it’s a web interface, he can bring it up on his phone or tablet from anywhere.
• Greg thinks the next major SDR development will eliminate the need for any fully hardware based radios entirely.
• An SDR can do things that not a single hardware-based scanner out there is capable of.
• Greg has used his SDR to tune into his utilities smart meters for his water and gas to track his usage.
• One of Greg’s favorite things about SDR is that you can see the signals and whether they’re strong or not, whether they’re digital or analog, etc.
• The ability to visualize the signal lets you find a lot more new stuff to listen to.
• The flexibility of an SDR and ability to do so many things at once with it means you get the equivalent of several premium subscriptions to other services.

All session notes with links to the items we talked about an be found on our website at www.scannerschool.com/session168

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