Explore Software Defined Radio

Use SDR to Receive Satellite Images and Space Signals

by: Wolfram Donat

Published 2021-01-26
Internal code wdradio
Print status In Print
Pages 78
User level Beginner
Keywords SDR, wireless, radio, ham radio, shortwave, satellite, police band, antenna
Related titles
ISBN 9781680507591
Other ISBN Channel epub: 9781680508345
Channel PDF: 9781680508369
Kindle: 9781680508321
Safari: 9781680508338
Kindle: 9781680508321
BISACs COM020090 COMPUTERS / Data Transmission Systems / Wireless
COM074000 COMPUTERS / Hardware / Mobile Devices
COM074000 COMPUTERS / Hardware / Mobile Devices
https://media.pragprog.com/covers/wdradio.jpg

Highlight

Do you want to be able to receive satellite images using nothing but your computer, an old TV antenna, and a $20 USB stick? Now you can. At last, the technology exists to turn your computer into a super radio receiver, capable of tuning in to FM, shortwave, amateur “ham,” and even satellite frequencies, around the world and above it. Listen to police, fire, and aircraft signals, both in the clear and encoded. And with the book’s advanced antenna design, there’s no limit to the signals you can receive.

Description

Combine your desktop or laptop computer with easy-to-find Software Defined Radio (SDR) equipment, and tune in a wide range of signals in no time at all. Then, go one step further by converting a Raspberry Pi into your own dedicated SDR device.

SDR USB dongles are usually designed to receive and decode high-definition digital television broadcasts, but the rising popularity of SDR has led to several of these devices being specifically made for—and marketed to—the software radio crowd. With step-by-step instructions, you’ll have no problem getting everything up and running on both Windows and Linux.

The antenna is the final piece in the SDR puzzle: Which antenna do you use? What shape do you need? How big does it have to be? And where do you point it? Get all the answers you need and learn what’s possible when it comes to picking out or building an antenna. And if you’re not particularly handy, don’t worry. You can use an old-school set of rabbit ear antennas without too much modification.

Discover the fun of this growing hobby and then open your ears to the hidden signals that surround you.

Contents and Extracts