SDR software recommendations

[sgtevmckay]

Greetings folks.

I hope y'all are well.

As with the SDR discussion a couple Wednesdays back, I have to ask the folks using SDR hardware and software for scanning.

What SDR software are folks using?

Which one(s) would you recommend?

Sure I have done my Google search homework, and have found well over 40 solutions available over several operating systems, but this does not narrow down choices, based on user information.

Platform is irrelevant

I have been using SDR Touch Android app for several years, but this app is not available for chrome books, Linux distros, or Windows.

I am currently seeing what works with Chromebook.

I am like a kid in a candy store testing and seeing what works.

(ignore the geek out)

On my Chromebook, I am using ChromeOS and have Linux Bullseye (Debian) running in a virtual environment. Many Android apps are available with sideloading as an option.

Intel 64-bit system.

So let me know folks, I appreciate the input and recommendations.

If anyone has questions regarding SDR, I am more than happy to answer questions with my limited knowlede

Apologies for the really bad copy and paste

[kidphc]

Using sdr console. It's a windows install.

Ham centric. Little things like the pre-installed save for ham bands. The visual marker for saves etc.

Lots of people like replay software. I didn't personally.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[WRWR489]

It depends on what you want to hear, for GMRS sdr++ is great. If you want to listen to public saftey with the SDR DSD+ fastlane best of both worlds.

[MarkInTampa]

SDR Sharp with Simple APCO (p25) and Simple DMR plugins most of the time. Simple point and click the waterfall for analog and most unencrypted DMR and P25 traffic. Kinda like HDSDR for the limited HF I listen too though. I'm a Windows guy and currently have HDSDR, SDR Console, SDR Sharp, SDR Uno, SDR++, SDR Trunk and SDR Angel installed. Spektrum is a pretty cool as well, makes your SDR dongle into a quick down and dirty spectrum analyzer and actually works pretty good.

[kidphc]

SDR Sharp with Simple APCO (p25) and Simple DMR plugins most of the time. Simple point and click the waterfall for analog and most unencrypted DMR and P25 traffic. Kinda like HDSDR for the limited HF I listen too though. I'm a Windows guy and currently have HDSDR, SDR Console, SDR Sharp, SDR Uno, SDR++, SDR Trunk and SDR Angel installed. Spektrum is a pretty cool as well, makes your SDR dongle into a quick down and dirty spectrum analyzer and actually works pretty good.

Have you unitrunker? How is it? I recommended giving it a try to someone whom was trying to listen to p25 and dmr trunked systems.

Out of of a lot of the software that was kinda free it had something that had something like a GUI vs dsd+ (I think that is what it was called).

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[MarkInTampa]

2 hours ago, kidphc said:

Have you unitrunker? How is it? I recommended giving it a try to someone whom was trying to listen to p25 and dmr trunked systems.

Out of of a lot of the software that was kinda free it had something that had something like a GUI vs dsd+ (I think that is what it was called).

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 

Haven't tried Unitrunker. I thought you had to have at least two SDR receivers to track trunked systems. I just have one at the moment (DX Patrol) but looking at getting different as a 2nd SDR receiver - looking at a RSPduo but find it hard to stomach the $300.

 

[kidphc]

Haven't tried Unitrunker. I thought you had to have at least two SDR receivers to track trunked systems. I just have one at the moment (DX Patrol) but looking at getting different as a 2nd SDR receiver - looking at a RSPduo but find it hard to stomach the $300.
 

Normally, you do need 2sdrs. One for control and 1 for scan.

Always thought the duo was built for contesters. Kinda gave it a glancing thought for trunking work. But then you are getting into sds100/g5 prices.

Frugal radio on YouTube setup trunk tracking and scanning with 1 rtlsdr (cheapest option I know of).

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[wrci350]

1 hour ago, markskjerve said:

I thought you had to have at least two SDR receivers to track trunked systems.

 

One notable exception is OP25 (which runs on Linux, not Windows).  It acts like a scanner ... SDR sits on the control channel then tunes to the voice channel then goes back to the control channel.  I believe in a P25 system there is limited channel grant information on the voice channels too, so it's possible to set different priority for talk groups and if there is traffic on a higher priority TG it will switch mid-stream.

Some of the other programs only need two if the frequencies in use by the system cover more bandwidth than the SDR can "see".

OP25 is great, BTW.

[WRWR489]

DSD+Fastlane only requires one RTL to track and decode. $10 a year or $25 lifetime and is windows. If you are a paid member at Radio Reference yo can download site and talk group files made for DSD+Fastlane. One dongle great piece of software.

[gortex2]

SDRTrunk and AirSpy Mini's is what I run when I need them. Use them for work and play.