Software defined radio is something which is pretty new to me, having just discovered it the other day while trying to figure ways to get airport arrival and departure times, for free, from a reliable source without having to result to scraping.

It seems that people use these cheap SDRs with rpis or their computers to pick up location information from passing aircraft and feed it to various flight tracking sites to help increase their accuracy. In return, many of these sites will have you additional benefits above the basics and a few, FlightAware, for example will give feeders a $89pm business account for free.

After installing mine today, I've been getting signals from aircraft 40,000ft in the sky and about a 45 mile radius, which is pretty good considering the small antenna provided is sitting on my desk. They recommend being outside with a clear view.

I know this isn't exactly HAM related, but since an SDR can pick up signals on the bands we use, it fits!

I was wondering if anyone else has used SDR for any fun projects that they'd like to share. I'm always interested in new ideas.
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Hello Nigel,

Friday October 10 2025 01:20, you wrote to All:

It seems that people use these cheap SDRs with rpis or their computers
to pick up location information from passing aircraft and feed it to various flight tracking sites to help increase their accuracy. In
return, many of these sites will have you additional benefits above
the basics and a few, FlightAware, for example will give feeders a
$89pm business account for free.

I have a good friend who does this! He's Danish and a former Fido sysop named Kaare Olsen (name has been "Englished"). Let me talk to him; he has an account on my BBS as he also ran Maximus/2 in the day and see if he could post in here to help you out.

As for being off-topic, I know the moderator and don't think he minds. <G>

-- Sean

... "I don't think you can spend yourself rich." - George Humphrey
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Re: SDR
By: Nigel Reed to All on Fri Oct 10 2025 01:20 am

Howdy,

I was wondering if anyone else has used SDR for any fun projects that they'd like to share. I'm always interested in new ideas.

I started playing with this a little while ago now. I've been meaning to get it out and set it up properly to do the same thing.

I live near major regional airport, and I was going to get mine to pick up the tower chatter, since this airport isnt available in ATCnet.

I'm not really in the major flight path - but I do have a lot of regional traffic pass by, since I'm on a downwind leg for one of the runways for that airport.


...ëîåï
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Nigel,

Software defined radio is something which is pretty new to me,

A fellow ham in California uses SDR to listen to...and the checkin
to several HF nets.

However, thought SDR stood for "Spousally Declined Radio" (hi hi).
I cite these 5 memes:

1) The OM is doing housework, and the XYL is glaring at him, snarling
"Look at you!! Tonight, you're washing dishes. Last night, you did the
laundry. And, the night before, you did the vacumming. What part of
YOU ARE NOT GETTING ANOTHER RADIO do you not understand??".

2) The XYL tells her OM to look at her, right in the eyes, and say
that he didn't buy a new radio. His eyes are spread apart...the left
eye pupil to the left, and the right eye pupil to the right.

3) The XYL is behind the door, with 3 things to grab, as her OM is
coming home late.

A) Rolling Pin - Drunk
B) Whip - Late
C) Shotgun - Bought Another Radio

4) A billboard noting that "September is 'Buy your husband a ham radio
month'".

I'll bet the XYLs want that billboard destroyed!!

5) A T-shirt I saw on the Huntsville Hamfest Facebook page, noted "I
would get more housework done...but my XYL keeps taking me to all these hamfests!!" (hi hi).

Another ham has a deal with his XYL (she's not licensed). For every
dollar he spends on ham gear, he has to buy her a comparable amount in clothing.

Along that line, this XYL says "If my OM didn't buy me all these
wonderful clothes, I'd be naked all the time!!".

Her OM laments "NOW, she tells me!!"

The last time I was at the Huntsville Hamfest, Don Wilbanks, AE5DW,
was talking to several other OM's, but he didn't see his XYL standing
next to him. When he pulled out his wallet to go do some shopping, she
took it out of his hand, and walked off. He lamented "Well, I guess I
am not doing any shopping for awhile". Everyone in the area roared with laughter (hi hi). In short, it was a hamfest version of the opening
scene with "The Jetsons" cartoon.

73,

Daryl, N5VLZ

... WARNING!! I'm naked under these clothes!!
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Re: SDR
By: deon to Nigel Reed on Sat Oct 11 2025 10:53:07

I was wondering if anyone else has used SDR for any fun projects that they'd like to share. I'm always interested in new ideas.

I started playing with this a little while ago now. I've been meaning to get it out and set it up properly to do the same thing.

I'll probably get myself another so I can play with it a little more on my Linux box. If I'm going to run 1 antenna then I can run 2. Tho could I split them off near the base connection? I guess it should be ok if I'm only receiving though I expect there will be a little loss.

I live near major regional airport, and I was going to get mine to pick up the tower chatter, since this airport isnt available in ATCnet.

I'm about 30 miles from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport which is, supposedly, the third busiest airport in the world (passenger traffic). I'm only picking up flights in about a 40 mile radius right now due to limited height and no line of sight for the antenna.

I can pick up aircraft comms on my old Radio Shack scanner, espcially coming into Love Field, which is one of the busiest medium sized hubs in the US. I expect to pick up a lot of airplane traffic once I get this antenna outside.
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Hello Nigel!

I was wondering if anyone else has used SDR for any fun projects that they'd like to share. I'm always interested in new ideas.

I am using 2 SDRs to provide two feeds to Broadcastify using a Raspberry Pi 4, an antenna splitter/amplifier and a single j-pole antenna. I have two more that I sometimes use for testing how my radio transmission sounds, whether it's FM or SSB. One of these will eventually be added to provide a feed of local amateur radio repeaters.

73 de W6RAY Ray Quinn
Visalia, CA DM06ii
GMRS WRKZ506

If the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body,
then only left-handed people are in their right mind.

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Hello Nigel!

11 Oct 25 01:04, you wrote to deon:

I can pick up aircraft comms on my old Radio Shack scanner, espcially coming into Love Field, which is one of the busiest medium sized hubs
in the US. I expect to pick up a lot of airplane traffic once I get
this antenna outside.

Also, (In case you didn't already know) a receiving antenna the correct length will receive better than a random length one. It isn't nearly as critical, however, and one that is used to transmit.

The antenna I use for my SDRs (as mentioned in a previous message) is is a 2 meter J-Pole atop a 30 foot tower, along with others. The repeaters that they are monitoring (Cal Fire, US Forest Service) are scattered along the Sierra Nevada at an altitude of 5700 to over 8000 feet above sea level. My elevation here is less than 300 feet ASL. So reception is not usually an issue here.

73 de W6RAY Ray Quinn
Visalia, CA DM06ii
GMRS WRKZ506



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Re: Re: SDR
By: Ray Quinn to Nigel Reed on Sat Oct 11 2025 21:54:55

I am using 2 SDRs to provide two feeds to Broadcastify using a Raspberry Pi 4, an antenna splitter/amplifier and a single j-pole antenna. I have two more that I sometimes use for testing how my radio transmission sounds, whether it's FM or SSB. One of these will eventually be added to provide a feed of local amateur radio repeaters.

Sounds interesting. Our local repeaters are already on the internet so probably not something that I'd be interested in.

I'll have to look into the splitter/amplifier option tho.

Thanks,
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Re: Re: SDR
By: Ray Quinn to Nigel Reed on Sat Oct 11 2025 22:03:06

Also, (In case you didn't already know) a receiving antenna the correct length will receive better than a random length one. It isn't nearly as critical, however, and one that is used to transmit.

Yup, that I did know.

The antenna I use for my SDRs (as mentioned in a previous message) is is a 2 meter J-Pole atop a 30 foot tower, along with others. The repeaters that they are monitoring (Cal Fire, US Forest Service) are scattered along the Sierra Nevada at an altitude of 5700 to over 8000 feet above sea level. My elevation here is less than 300 feet ASL. So reception is not usually an issue here.

I'd like to get an antenna high up but in the Dallas subrubs it might not be such a good idea. First, I'd never be able to get anything else on it once its up because, even if it's fold down, there's really no room and I wouldn't want to be climing 30 ft in the air at my stage in life!

I could put something on my chimney but that would require quite a lot of coax.

I'll maybe get one of the local hams to take a look and give me their opinion. --- SBBSecho 3.30-Linux
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Hello Nigel!

13 Oct 25 12:24, you wrote to me:

The antenna I use for my SDRs (as mentioned in a previous message)
is is a 2 meter J-Pole atop a 30 foot tower, along with others. The

I'd like to get an antenna high up but in the Dallas subrubs it might
not be such a good idea. First, I'd never be able to get anything else
on it once its up because, even if it's fold down, there's really no
room and I wouldn't want to be climing 30 ft in the air at my stage in life!

Well, the local ham that installed the tower is a professional. He works for the County radio shop where he and his crew maintains all the county repeaters, and the equipment in the fire trucks, sheriff patrol cars and all the different departments, as well as some of the local cities within the county. The tower is currently 3 10' sections affixed to the eaves. There is also a 5 ghz microwave antenna atop the same tower which provides Internet to our repeater site @ 7500' elevation, 37 miles away. I have trouble getting down off the roof myself. I, like you, do not need to be climbing towers.

I could put something on my chimney but that would require quite a lot
of coax.

And some of the coax isn't inexpensive, either. You could probably go with some less-expensive coax since you're not going to be transmitting with it.

I'll maybe get one of the local hams to take a look and give me their opinion.

That is always a good place to start. Perhaps your local club.

73 de W6RAY Ray Quinn
Visalia, CA DM06ii
GMRS WRKZ506



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Re: SDR
By: Nigel Reed to All on Fri Oct 10 2025 01:20:20

I was wondering if anyone else has used SDR...

I'm not a ham, so I use other people's SDRs via the various receiver web sites. I mostly use KiwiSDR sites as they're more flexible in what you can receive, but WebSDR setups tend to have better reception. There's also OpenSDR, but they seem like a trimmed down KiwiSDR, and there's not many of those.

As for aircraft monitoring, I use LiveATC.com. Not only can you listen in on airports 'round the world, but you also have access to tons of additional info, including live tracking, airport maps, aircraft specs, et al. Great site.
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Re: SDR
By: Sean Dennis to Nigel Reed on Fri Oct 10 2025 13:07:18

As for being off-topic, I know the moderator and don't think he minds. <G>

Never met a moderator that does.
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Re: Re: SDR
By: Daryl Stout to Nigel Reed on Fri Oct 10 2025 16:55:50

...it was a hamfest version of the opening scene with "The Jetsons" cartoon.

At least George got to keep /some/ money. :)
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Re: SDR
By: Nigel Reed to deon on Sat Oct 11 2025 01:04:35

I can pick up aircraft comms on my old Radio Shack scanner...

Same here. I have the Realistic 20-119, which lasted about 40 years...before I accidently spilled pop into the top vents. I now do all my aircraft monitoring via LiveATC.com.
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Re: SDR
By: Mortar M. to Nigel Reed on Sat Oct 18 2025 12:40:53

I'm not a ham, so I use other people's SDRs via the various receiver web sites. I mostly use KiwiSDR sites as they're more flexible in what you can receive, but WebSDR setups tend to have better reception. There's also OpenSDR, but they seem like a trimmed down KiwiSDR, and there's not many of those.

You can use SDR without being a ham since it doesn't transmit, but sure, there's plenty out there on the internet to pick up.
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On Sat 18-Oct-2025 1:25p, Mortar M.@1:124/5016.0 said to Nigel Reed:

Re: SDR
By: Nigel Reed to deon on Sat Oct 11 2025 01:04:35

I can pick up aircraft comms on my old Radio Shack scanner...

I used to listen to San Diego tower on my way to and from work on the sub band of my Kenwood TMD-700A. That was actually how I found out about 9/11. "No traffic! Maybe I should turn on the radio and see if there is any news."

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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...it was a hamfest version of the opening scene with "The Jetsons" cartoon.

At least George got to keep /some/ money. :)

Not what he meant to happen, though. :P

Daryl, N5VLZ

... I am Lancelot of Borg. Resistance is feudal.
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