RTL-SDR Blog V3 R860 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA Software Defined Radio (Dongle Only) (Black)

I bought this after testing a friends SDR dongle for a few days. These things are very good although could use a bit more info on the actual setup but once this has been done it works flawlessly (Google is your friend here). The RTL-SDR Blog can cover all the way from 500KHz to 1.76GHz. Unlike some other SDR dongles, to listen between 500KHz and 24MHz (HF) you don't need a converter for this - with this dongle just set direct sampling in the options and away you go (don't forget to reset this back when tuning to the higher bands). Antennas can make or break any receiver. I have a simple VHF/UHF antenna that I used on an old scanner many years ago and this works perfectly for aircraft, the higher HAM bands and the FM broadcast bands etc. There's many antennas available for purchase that would be more than suitable. I've also run a long wire (about 10 meters) to the end of my garden for listening to the HF frequencies and have easily managed to hear stations from around the globe on a number of occasions. I've also managed to decode the NOAA weather satellite images directly from the satellites as they pass overhead but there's a learning curve to this which I'm still on! There's a swathe of free SDR software available but I have currently settled on HDSDR (on my Windows PC) and, after a bit of a learning curve, is a very nice piece of software. If you are completely new to these things I'd probably recommend trying SDR# first - it's easier to get up and running and will give you near instant results. I've even taken this thing portable using my Android tablet and an app called SDR++ that has, so far, worked flawlessly. Very handy for getting away from the "noisy" towns and on to higher ground for some real long range reception. All in all, if you are in to radio, this is a really nice piece of technology that should provide many many hours of entertainment. As a note: The item I purchased from this seller certainly does appear to be a true genuine RTL-SDR V3. There are many poor quality "copies" out there that really don't work as well (I know as I've tried a couple) so be careful where you purchase from.

Does everything I wanted it to do. Works well with DAB decoding software Welle.io for Linux.

The RTL-SDR Blog V3 is a high-performance USB software-defined radio (SDR) dongle built for enthusiasts and professionals alike. It supports a wide range of frequencies and provides excellent versatility for radio signal exploration, decoding, and analysis. Here’s a detailed breakdown of its performance, features, and value. --- ### Key Features 1. **Wide Frequency Coverage**: - Operates from **500 kHz to 1.75 GHz**, covering HF, VHF, and UHF bands. This makes it suitable for applications like shortwave listening, FM/AM radio, ADS-B, weather satellite decoding, and more. 2. **1PPM TCXO**: - The inclusion of a **temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO)** ensures frequency stability within ±1 PPM, minimizing drift over time and temperature changes. 3. **Bias-T Option**: - The built-in **bias-tee** can power external active antennas and amplifiers, a useful feature for improving signal reception in specific applications. 4. **Direct Sampling Mode**: - Supports **direct sampling for HF bands** down to 500 kHz without additional hardware modifications. 5. **SMA Connector**: - The high-quality SMA connector allows for robust connections with a wide range of external antennas. 6. **Aluminium Enclosure**: - A sturdy, shielded enclosure reduces RF interference and provides durability. --- ### Performance 1. **Signal Reception**: - Performs excellently in receiving and decoding signals from various sources. It’s especially effective for: - **ADS-B signals** from aircraft. - **NOAA weather satellite images**. - **Ham radio and HF monitoring** using direct sampling. - Paired with a good antenna, the reception quality rivals higher-priced SDR solutions. 2. **Software Compatibility**: - Works seamlessly with popular SDR software such as SDR# (SDRSharp), HDSDR, and GQRX. - Extends into specialized decoding software like Virtual Radar Server for ADS-B and WXtoIMG for satellite imagery. 3. **Frequency Stability**: - The TCXO ensures minimal frequency drift, even during extended sessions or in varying temperature conditions. 4. **Noise and Interference**: - The aluminium enclosure helps reduce noise compared to plastic alternatives. However, some RF shielding improvements might still be needed for very high-sensitivity applications in noisy environments. --- ### Pros - **Affordable**: Offers significant value for its price point, making it an excellent entry-level or intermediate SDR. - **Compact and Portable**: Ideal for field operations or mobile setups. - **Bias-T Functionality**: Eliminates the need for external bias-tee injectors. - **Wide Frequency Range**: Covers a vast spectrum with minimal compromises. --- ### Cons - **Limited Dynamic Range**: As an RTL-based SDR, it lacks the dynamic range and performance of pricier SDRs like the Airspy or SDRplay. - **No Built-In RF Filter**: External band-pass or notch filters may be required in environments with strong nearby signals. - **Direct Sampling Limitation**: While functional, the HF direct sampling mode can introduce noise and spurs, requiring additional effort to optimize performance. --- ### Recommended Applications - **Amateur Radio**: Excellent for ham radio monitoring, decoding digital modes (FT8, SSTV, RTTY), and even CW. - **ADS-B Tracking**: Easily tracks aircraft using software like Virtual Radar Server. - **Satellite Reception**: Decodes NOAA weather satellite images with a suitable antenna. - **Spectrum Analysis**: Provides an affordable way to visualize and explore RF signals. --- ### Bottom Line The **RTL-SDR Blog V3** is a versatile and reliable SDR for hobbyists and professionals who need a cost-effective yet capable device. While it’s not a substitute for higher-end SDRs in demanding applications, it punches well above its price class with features like TCXO, bias-tee, and HF direct sampling. Whether you’re new to SDR or an experienced user looking for a portable, affordable option, the Blog V3 delivers an impressive performance.

Very good item. Would have kept it if the software I needed was still available.

I'm no radio expert, but it works well with all the free software on the net. Seems to meet its spec sheet

Moving this from 1 star to 3 star as replacement dongle works ok Dongle no1 -1 star-: Getting this SDR to work has been a waste of 4 days. Have 4 PCs - 3 win10 and 1 win7 , am well up to speed with software and getting things working and am a seasoned SW listeners with a few radios and antenna. Straight up the device shows as Bulk interface (which is good) -except it has a yellow explanation mark on Win indicating a problem. In use you can just hear FM with the software using a tiny wire antenna. No MW, No Air band or SW - all a flat line even using my good outdoor SW antenna! Rinse & repeat over all 4 PCs and nothing changes - hours on forums and even bought the book guide to I get to pay 44 Euro (I'm in Ireland) for a dud. Worse still since Brexit returning to the UK is time consuming (need an exporters label and special envelope ) and must pay postage (reclaimable) and wait 2-3 week for refund..grrrrr! Dongle no 2: Ordered a new one. Immediately can see it responds to antenna . Found AirBand very poor compared to my XHDATA 808 (bought here for 85 Euro) - the telescopic antenna of the XHDATA pushed down indoors in much better than the 20m long wire attached to the SDR. Still very pleased to see the 20m HAM band has lots of activity and sound is good, later found near 36MHZ a whole array of DSB hams very clear with very careful tuning (this is beyond the scope of the XHDATA - so that is a win). Looking forward to exploring the rest of the huge bandwidth. This device is aimed towards tinkerers and those familiar with the bands and antenna who are adept at software and 'getting things to work'. Overall pleased.

I bought this to replace a generic RTL2832U SDR dongle that only cost a few pounds; immediately I noticed how much better it performed; even connected to a basic end-fed antenna, the RTL seemed a lot more sensitive and responsive; coupled with good software ( I have been using SDR++, replacing the Cubic SDR I used with the cheaper dongle) I have had excellent results. Another unexpected bonus was finding the way to use the SDR software with the I/Q output on y Xiegu G90 HF rig, turning the combination into a panadaptor, although the advice is that this is going to be unstable at best. Overall, a genuine RTL-SDR ( and their website shows you how to spot and avoid fakes) performers excellently across a huge range of frequencies, and is useable right down to some at the lower end of the amateur radio HF bands, making it an absolute necessity in any amateur radio kit.

Excellent product, I have two similar. Much easier apparently, to get this and so no interface problems that the V4 seems to have. Easy to deal with plug and play.

I've only used this for a couple hours now, but man was this easy to set up and awesome to use. It is very fun to visually see and navigate through the radio signals. It took me less than 10 minutes using their quick start guide on rtl-sdr.com/qsg I gained confidence before purchasing this device from all the positive reviews of course and mainly their website. The website is easy to navigate and I was overjoyed to see how detailed the troubleshooting guide was, so if I ran into any problems I could very likely find a solution. It is nice to see such a detailed troubleshooting page with pretty much any possible problem that could happen with this device. Anytime I jump into a DIY project i'm afraid I will have to use google for 3-4 hours to find a solution. I only ran into one problem during set up with the software and that was on the step that said to run the batch file in the extracted folder of the SDR# software. Probably because I am on a Domain computer with security settings that prevent batch files from running. Well in that same step on their quick start guide they had a link to manually install the drivers instead which only took a minute to do. I followed the rest of the steps. Plugged in the RTL-SDR with my ICOM female SMA antenna from my HAM radio and sure enough it came alive instantly. I was amazed at how easy it was to set up. I turned up the gain in the software and I could start finding random HAMs in my area and various repeaters. I couldn't find any HF signals probably due to my antenna. Their website suggests getting a planar disk antenna or a discone antenna for listening on nearly any frequency between 25Mhz and 1300Mhz. My HAM rubber duckie antenna with this picked up a lot of signals from local FM radio, 136Mhz-900Mhz. This is definitely an awesome buy for the price of $17. I just bought a Uniden BC125AT handheld radio scanner for $110 earlier this week. It is a handy device since it is portable, but it has only a small portion of the frequency range compared to SDR. For $110 it isn't worth it for what it does so I am definitely returning it after playing with this thing. I'm excited to experiment more with it to find other neat uses for SDR. I highly recommend getting a USB extension cable for this device so you can have enough cable to work with. I happened to have a 10ft USB Amazon extension cable I bought a couple months ago that works perfectly for this. Since I am using this with a rubber duckie antenna it is about a foot long sticking out of the computer. Not an ideal location for this since it wouldn't fit well behind the computer and I would likely break it if it was sticking out the front of the computer. It would even be good for a laptop since all laptop USB ports stick straight out the side. A USB extension cable allows you to place the device and antenna in a much better location. My last recommendation for full use of this is a discone antenna as the company suggests or something better than a simple rubber duckie or whip antenna. This thing is too cool to only use it with a rubber duckie. Just buy it!

Great fun amazing product recommend for anyone interested in listening to whats going on around them in the world

si eres radioaficionado y no quieres invertir mucho, es para ti

Il dispositivo originale per SDR. Funziona perfettamente.

Everything works as intended. Product arrived on time.