USB 2.0 Digital DVB-T RTL SDR DAB Radio Receiver Dongle

Radio waves have become an integral part of our modern lives, and from the mobile devices in our pockets to the satellites that transmit TV signals while orbiting around the world, we rely on radio for almost every modern part of our lives. This is why, even if you were to throw away your Electronics and move to the faraway mountains, you simply can’t escape radio waves, and they fill our planet so much that aliens could even consider them to be our most predominant identifying factor. Fortunately, this isn’t something to be scared of, and instead should be quite exciting for anyone who loves electronics and Making, as the plethora of radio waves around us are actually harnessable, and if you know what you’re doing, you can receive the various radio waves around the world with relative ease, allowing you to communicate over long distances or even speak with astronauts on space stations, without ever having to touch the internet.

This small but powerful dongle is a USB 2.0 Digital DVB-T+SDR+DAB Radio Receiver that was originally designed to pick up local TV stations and Radio frequencies, but over time has become one of the most affordable go-to radio receiver dongles for an incredibly wide range of cool, fun and interesting applications. In a simple explanation, the way it does this is by recording a large frequency band, then taking those recording and extrapolating them with software to identify what bands activity is happening on, and then allowing users to focus in on those distinct bands to listen in on that activity. This includes a wide spectrum of television and radio channels, which of course is what this device was originally intended for, but can also include other frequencies such as those used by aeroplanes and ships, as well as satellites orbiting our planet. Of course, while there are some frequencies that are illegal to listen in on, a lot of the frequencies that you can access will be free to enjoy, and eventually you could even create projects that let you communicate directly to astronauts on space stations.

With radio waves being a huge part of modern life, and more and more tools and equipment to help amateur radio enthusiasts start experimenting and learning, we feel that tools like these are great, as they make the entire field far more accessible than ever before. So if you’ve been looking for an affordable and accessible way to get into the field of radio, or if you already know just how powerful a seemingly simple tool like this can be, then the USB 2.0 Digital DVB-T+SDR+DAB Radio Receiver Dongle is an excellent tool to help you get started with or advance your radio skills.

Please Note: As a friendly reminder, it’s important to realise that playing with radio signals can be illegal if not done right. As such, it’s important that you understand the laws relating to radio spectrum licensing and regulations, and it’s your responsibility to keep up to date with what’s allowed and what isn’t.

Additional Resources:

• Although the featured video below does an excellent job at explaining how SDR works and how we can use it as Makers, this BSIDES CPT 2019 SDR Talk by Gerard De Long, that was a great talk done by a fellow South African down in Cape Town, which covers all of the cool (and shady) things that Makers can do with SDR, and how devices like this dongle have made it all more accessible in modern times.

Finally, if you want to enjoy a more thorough explanation from our favourite person with a Swiss Accent, check out the following video by Andreas Spiess, which covers all of the basics of how Software Defined Radio works, how it’s used in modern times, and how to use cool tool s like this dongle to tune in and harness the ever-present radio waves that surround us all the time: