AG7LR
@AG7LR@lemmy.radio
- Comment on SSTV from ISS - My 1st attempt - Series 23: 2024 holidays 2 weeks ago:
You don’t need any special equipment. A baofeng or RTL-SDR will work fine. The stock antenna on a baofeng will pick up the ISS on a high elevation pass if you hold it sideways. A handheld yagi can be built from some scraps of wire and wood.
- Comment on Can I transmit/receive audio from my computer through my radio using a programming cable? 3 weeks ago:
No, you need an audio interface such as a Signalink or Digirig.
You could also make a simple interface with a couple of audio cables connected to your sound card. You will need an L pad to reduce the line level from the computer down to microphone level for the radio. For some modes like SSTV, you can use the VOX function on your radio to transmit, Many other modes will need some sort of PTT control because VOX will be too slow.
- Comment on Holiday SSTV Experiment from the International Space Station 3 weeks ago:
Yes, you can use a vertical antenna, but it’s not ideal. There is a null overhead. They will work better on lower elevation passes. If the vertical is on an HT, you can hold it sideways to receive on a high elevation pass.
There are omnidirectional antennas for satellites such as a quadrifilar helix or turnstile antenna that will work very well for stronger signals like the ISS and the old NOAA satellites.
- Comment on "Strong transmitters" near RTL-SDR. 3 weeks ago:
I wouldn’t go any closer than 2 wavelengths. 3 or more would be preferable.
- Comment on "Strong transmitters" near RTL-SDR. 3 weeks ago:
Keep the transmitting and receiving antennas a few wavelengths apart to prevent damage, farther if you’re using an amplifier. You can transmit right next to the RTL-SDR with an HT if you disconnect the antenna from the SDR. It will still receive the signal from across the room.
- Comment on Holiday SSTV Experiment from the International Space Station 4 weeks ago:
The ISS is an easy one to start with. The signal is much stronger than most of the others.
- Submitted 4 weeks ago to amateur_radio@lemmy.radio | 7 comments
- Comment on Mast ideas and recommendations 7 months ago:
PVC doesn’t really work well for a mast above 20 feet or so. Pipe couplers are not strong enough to join the sections, there needs to be a foot or more of overlap.
- Comment on Newbie looking for modern SDR recommendations / 2023-2024 1 year ago:
Sdrplay does work on Linux. Unfortunately, the driver is closed source though. You will have to install it manually and possibly have to compile the software you use to enable that driver. Also, the driver is only available for X86_64 and ARM64, so if you are using any other CPU, then it won’t work.
I have an SDRplay RSP1A and it works best using SDR++. GQRX works, but there is no low IF mode and no control over the filters or bias-t. CubicSDR and SDRangel work too, but low IF mode is buggy. The hardware is good, but I never would have bought it had I known the driver was closed source.