Nooelec Nano 2+ Software Defined Radio - Sand, software and sound

One side-benefit of unpacking after a move is getting reacquainted with old electronic gear, in this case, a Drake R8 shortwave receiver. HF is definitely alive, but it whet my appetite for more listening, more action.

Rather than pull out the old Radio Shack 2006PRO — another old acquaintance — I decided to give software defined radio (SDR) a try.

Like everything else electronic, VLSI digital signal processing revolutionized radio design. Smart folks realized that the RTL2832U chipset could be repurposed into a wideband SDR receiver. The RTL2832U chipset was originally designed as a DVB-T TV tuner and repurposing it is a spiffy hack!

Even better, the RTL2832U SDR is dirt cheap. Why spring for a $300 ICOM when you can buy a dongle for about $25USD? There are “high end” solutions such as the Airspy R2 ($169USD) or SDRPlay RSPdx ($199USD).
The Airspy HF+ Discovery extends coverage to HF (0.5kHz to 31MHz) for $169USD. Mid-range solutions include the Airspy Mini SDR ($99USD) and SDRPlay RSP1A ($109USD) among others. If you’re interested in adding HF, the Nooelec Ham It Up up-converter ($65USD) is an option.

Cheapskate that I am, I believe in the low-end theory — how much can I do with the least amount of money. 🙂 Thus, I chose the Nooelec NESDR Nano 2+ for $24. The original Nooelec Nano had a reputation for running hot. The Nano 2+ mitigates heat dissipation; the newer Nano 3 ($30) has a metal case/heatsink.

I went cheap. Yes, the Nano 2+ gets warm to the touch, but not to the level of concern. An x86 running full tilt is HOT — not the Nano 2+. It doesn’t run much hotter than my vintage Datong AD270 active antenna.

For software, I installed SDR#. The “sharp” comes from C#, the implementation language. There are many good getting started guides on-line. I especially like:

There are several more software options out there like CubicSDR. I chose SDR# because it has a number of useful plug-ins including a frequency manager/scanner.

The Nano 2+ is the size of a USB flash drive. The low-cost Adafruit dongle is similar, but it’s out of stock. The Nano 2+ is a nice replacement. The Nano 2+ is bundled with a tiny magnetic-mount telescoping antenna which is good enough for VHF/UHF. I placed the mag-mount on a small electrical junction box cover which provides a more stable base.

FM broadcast via SDR# and Nooelec Nano 2+ software defined radio

Follow the on-line guides! RTL SDR is quite mature for “hobby” software. I tuned in FM broadcast literally within minutes.

Based on this short experience, I splurged for an RTL-SDR Blog V3 receiver and antenna bundle ($35USD). The V3 has a metal enclosure and enables HF reception through direct sampling. The bundle includes a dipole antenna with a variety of mounting options. I believe that the innards of the dipole antenna can be adapted for HF, but decided to buy a Nooelec Balun One Nine V2 ($15), too. The balun can be used as an unun in order to match impedance with a long-wire antenna.

I also recommend a set of antenna adapters. The Nooelec Nano 2+ uses an MCX antenna connector and the V3 uses an SMA connector. So, if you want to mix and match components, be prepared with adapters.

HF for $35? I can’t vouch for receiver sensitivity, etc. at this point, not having received the V3. The potential, however, is amazing. If you’re good with just VHF and UHF, then give the Nooelec Nano 2+ a try.