Overview of use cases and applications for software defined radios (SDR).
This overview is for educational purposes only. Please abide by the applicable laws in your region.
Note: Some use cases are focused on Germany and might not be applicable to other countries (e.g. due to a different utilization of the frequency spectrum).
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software-defined_radio
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elektromagnetisches_Spektrum
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_spectrum
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequenzband
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/about-rtl-sdr/
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/ - Installation guide for Windows and Linux
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/category/applications/
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/tag/applications-2/
- https://site.ieee.org/wnc/files/2014/04/IEEE_Frady_SDR_Mar_2014.pdf
- https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/9gp9yp/more_things_to_do_with_an_sdr/
- https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/10-things-you-can-do-with-software-defined-radio
- https://www.ard-digital.de/
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHSPXEOe6VG78r8HTGHuu8w/videos - ARD Digital erklärt
- https://satellitenempfang.info
- https://fernseherfuchs.com/welches-antennekabel/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_software-defined_radios
- https://www.onesdr.com/
- https://www.onesdr.com/2020/01/15/what-is-software-defined-radio-used-for/
- https://support.nooelec.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005807694-NESDR-SMArt-Series - Device comparison
- http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaedcalc.html - Antenna length calculator
- https://hackaday.com/2019/03/28/wopr-security-loses-some-of-its-obscurity/
- https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/woprsecure_sdr.png - Device comparison
- https://labs.bishopfox.com/industry-blog/ham-hacks-breaking-into-software-defined-radio - Device comparison
- https://www.qsl.net/w4hn/antennaCalc.htm - Antenna length calculator
- https://pysdr.org/
- https://github.com/pysdr/pysdr
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/pysdr-a-free-guide-to-sdr-and-dsp-using-python/
- https://fosdem.org/2021/schedule/event/fsr_pysdr_guide_to_sdr_and_dsp_using_python/
- https://www.everythingrf.com/community/what-is-the-difference-between-a-monopole-and-dipole-antenna
- https://discover.hubpages.com/technology/The-Pros-and-Cons-of-Monopole-Antennas
- https://discover.hubpages.com/technology/The-Pros-and-Cons-of-Dipole-Antennas
- https://www.everythingrf.com/community/what-is-a-bias-tee
- https://www.everythingrf.com/community/what-is-dbi
- https://www.everythingrf.com/community/lte-frequency-bands
- https://www.everythingrf.com/community/5g-frequency-bands
- https://www.everythingrf.com/community/5g-nr-new-radio-frequency-bands
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27946947 Introduction to open source private LTE and 5G networks
- https://ubuntu.com/blog/introduction-to-open-source-private-lte-and-5g-networks
- https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Main_Page
- https://www.golem.de/news/radio-wie-gut-darf-dab-klingen-2202-162616.html Radio: Wie gut darf DAB+ klingen?
- http://www.websdr.org
- http://kiwisdr.com
- SDRsharp / SDR#: https://airspy.com/download/
- Zadig: https://zadig.akeo.ie/ - Install drivers for the RTL-SDR
- Gqrx: https://github.com/gqrx-sdr/gqrx
- Gqrx: https://gqrx.dk/
- Gqrx: https://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/Gqrx/
- GNU radio: https://github.com/gnuradio/gnuradio
- SDRangel: https://github.com/f4exb/sdrangel
- SDRPlusPlus / SDR++: https://github.com/AlexandreRouma/SDRPlusPlus
- Universal Radio Hacker (URH): https://github.com/jopohl/urh
- HackRF: https://github.com/greatscottgadgets/hackrf
- HackRF Spectrum Analyzer: https://github.com/pavsa/hackrf-spectrum-analyzer
- RedhawkSDR (by NSA): https://github.com/RedhawkSDR/redhawk
- rtl_433: https://github.com/merbanan/rtl_433
- rtlamr: https://github.com/bemasher/rtlamr
- welle.io: https://github.com/AlbrechtL/welle.io
- qt-dab: https://github.com/JvanKatwijk/qt-dab
- QIRX: https://qirx.softsyst.com/
- DVBViewer: https://www.dvbviewer.com/en/index.php and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVBViewer
- Tvheadend: https://tvheadend.org/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tvheadend
- Tvheadend: https://github.com/tvheadend/tvheadend
- Kaffeine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffeine and https://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/Kaffeine/
- Norasector Turbine: https://github.com/norasector/turbine
- GR Tempest: https://github.com/git-artes/gr-tempest
- SDR Enthusiasts: https://github.com/orgs/sdr-enthusiasts/repositories
- Youtube: Getting Started with the RTL-SDR (Software Defined Radio) - ModernHam
- Youtube: The Coolest Radio You've Probably Never Heard Of - Tom the Dilettante
- Youtube: The Beginner's Guide To Software Defined Radio RTL-SDR - Tech Minds
- Youtube: 5 Cool Things You Can Do With An RTL SDR Receiver - Tech Minds
- Youtube: 5 Cool Things You Can Do With An AIRSPY SDR Receiver - Tech Minds
- Youtube: Installing RTL-SDR & SDR Sharp on Win10 Made Easy - TheSmokinApe
- Youtube: How does Software Defined Radio (SDR) work under the Hood? SDR Tutorial #286
- Youtube: 2020 SDR Guide Ep 1 : The Incredible World of Software Defined Radio (RTL-SDR, Airspy, SDRPlay etc.)
- Youtube: SDRsharp für RTL SDR Stick auf Windows 10 installieren - Anleitung deutsch Howto
- https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/sdr/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/HamRadio/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/rfelectronics/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/amateursatellites/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/ADSB/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/ow9k9l/electromagnetic_spectrum/
- http://unihedron.com/projects/spectrum/index.php
- http://unihedron.com/projects/spectrum/moreinfo.php
- http://unihedron.com/projects/spectrum/downloads/
- http://unihedron.com/projects/spectrum/downloads/spectrum-20190805.pdf - The Electromagnetic Radiation Spectrum Map
- Radio, terrestrial, analog
- also known as UKW-Radio
- VHF-Band II, 87.5 - 108 MHz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/UKW-Rundfunk
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrakurzwelle#Verwendung_des_UKW-Frequenzspektrums
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band_II
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6rfunk
- https://radiomap.eu/de/berlin - Actual frequencies
- https://learn.adafruit.com/getting-started-with-rtl-sdr-and-sdr-sharp/sdr-number-fm-radio
- SDRsharp / SDR#
- Radio, terrestrial, digital
- also known as DAB+
- VHF-Band III, 174.160 - 229.840 MHz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Broadcasting
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-DAB-Frequenz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHF-Band_III
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_DAB-Sender_in_Deutschland
- http://www.digitalradio-in-deutschland.de/bayern/ - Actual frequencies
- welle.io (see Software section)
- qt-dab (see Software section)
- Television, terrestrial
- also known as DVB-T / DVB-T2 / DVB-T2 HD
- 470 - 690 MHz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVB-T2
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVB-T2_HD
- https://www.ndr.de/der_ndr/empfang_und_technik/dvbtzweidatenblatthhsh100.pdf
- https://tvhelfer.de/dvbt2/de/hh - Actual frequencies
- http://www.dehnmedia.de/?page=sender&subpage=tsender6
- https://www.hauppauge.de/site/products/data_solohd.html
- https://www.hauppauge.de/site/products/data_dualhd.html
- https://www.hauppauge.de/site/products/data_wintv_v10.html
- DVB-T2 supports bandwidths of 1.7, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 MHz, while DVB-T only supports a bandwidth of 6, 7 and 8 MHz. Source: https://www.lokalkompass.de/duesseldorf/c-ratgeber/unterschied-dvb-t-und-dvb-t2-vom-experten-erklaert_a815969
- DVB-T2 Bandwidth UHF 8 MHz. Source: https://download.hr.de/services/empfang-und-verbreitungswege/dvb-t2-hd/technische-parameter-dvb-t-zwei-100.pdf
- https://www.dvbtstick.de/ratgeber/dvb-t-software
- https://www.enensys.com/technologies/dvb-t2/
- https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB-T2_USB_Devices
- Television, satellite
- also known as DVB-S / DVB-S2
- Satellite frequency: 10.7 - 11.75 GHz or 11.8 - 12.75 GHz
- LNB: 950 - 2175 MHz (Low-noise block downconverter)
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVB-S
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rauscharmer_Signalumsetzer
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellitenrundfunk
- https://www.hauppauge.de/site/products/data_nova-s2.html
- https://www.hauppauge.de/site/products/data_wintv_v10.html
- https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB-S_USB_Devices
- https://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/DVB-S2_USB_Devices
- also known as Flugfunk
- 108 - 137 MHz
- 108 - 117.95 MHz, 50 kHz steps, reserved for navigational aids
- 118 - 136.975 MHz, 25 kHz steps, AM
- 117.975 - 137 MHz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flugfunk
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airband
- https://skyvector.com/airports
- SDRsharp / SDR#
- Aircraft positioning
- also known as Mode S. ADS-B is an extension of the older Mode S protocol.
- 1090 MHz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Dependent_Surveillance
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/adsb-aircraft-radar-with-rtl-sdr/
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/signalseverywhere-ads-b-aircraft-tracking-with-rtl-sdr-dump1090-and-virtual-radar-server/
- https://www.virtualradarserver.co.uk/
- https://github.com/antirez/dump1090
- https://globe.adsbexchange.com/
- https://www.flightradar24.com
- https://www.radarbox.com
- https://flightaware.com/live/
- https://github.com/adsbxchange/adsb-exchange
- https://github.com/jprochazka/adsb-receiver
- https://github.com/mikenye/docker-readsb
- https://github.com/mikenye/gitbook-adsb-guide
- Marine VHF radio
- 156 - 162 MHz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobiler_Seefunkdienst_(Ultrakurzwelle)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_VHF_radio
- Marine vessel positioning
- AIS 1: 161.975 MHz (Channel 87B)
- AIS 2: 162.025 MHz (Channel 88B)
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Identification_System
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-cheap-ais-ship-tracking/
- https://www.marinetraffic.com
- https://www.vesselfinder.com
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26625908 Vessel Finder
- https://github.com/OpenCPN/OpenCPN
- https://openmarine.net/openplotter
- General positioning
- GPS (USA), Galileo (EU), Glonass (Russia), Beidou (China), Navic (India), QZSS (Japan)
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globales_Navigationssatellitensystem
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-gps-decoding-plotting/
- https://gnss-sdr.org/
- https://github.com/gnss-sdr/gnss-sdr
- https://www.onesdr.com/list-of-gnss-frequency-and-accuracy/
- https://berthub.eu/articles/posts/galmon-project/
- https://galmon.eu/
- https://www.everythingrf.com/community/gps-frequency-bands
- also known as HAM radio
- 144 - 146 MHz
- 430 - 440 MHz
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateurfunkdienst
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notfunk
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-Meter-Band
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/70-Zentimeter-Band
- also known as CB-Funk
- 26.565 - 27.405 MHz (80 channels)
- https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB-Funk
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_band_radio
- CB-Funk vs. Amateurfunk: http://www.jan-pawlowski.de/funktechnik.html , https://www.amateurradio.uni-halle.de/glossary/funk-faq.de.html
- Local consumer weather station
- 433 MHz or 868 MHz
- https://www.kompf.de/weather/rtlsdrsensor.html
- https://github.com/skaringa/weather-sdr-decode
- rtl_433 (see Software)
- NOAA
- 137 MHz
- Youtube: How to Pull Images from Satellites in Orbit Part 1 (NOAA 15,18,19 and METEOR M2) - The Thought Emporium
- Youtube: Receiving Images From Satellites Part 2: Decoding and Demodulating NOAA and METEOR Transmissions - The Thought Emporium
- https://old.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/nfueyb/i_am_going_to_get_hated_for_even_asking_this/gyo77on/
- https://noaa-apt.mbernardi.com.ar/guide.html
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-tutorial-receiving-noaa-weather-satellite-images/
- Television: DVB-C (Cable)
- IPTV
- IP Radio
- Streaming / Mediathek
- https://rickcaylor.websitetoolbox.com/post/using-rtlsdr-for-dvbs2-10128573
- https://forum.amsat-dl.org/index.php?thread/101-software-dvb-s-demodulator/
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/demodulating-dvb-s-digital-amateur-tv-with-sdrangel-on-windows-with-an-sdr/
- https://www.rtl-sdr.com/transmitting-and-receiving-datv-with-a-limesdr-and-a-modified-20-dvb-s-receiver/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_in_Germany
- Radio over DVB-S (e.g. Bayerischer Rundfunk)
- PMR446, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PMR446
- https://www.teltarif.de/iptv-fernsehen-online-tv-streaming/news/84833.html - IPTV und Online-TV-Streaming
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29945181 GNU Radio