Product description
RTL-SDR receiver dongle (v4) with USB-C is a software-defined radio (SDR - Software Defined Radio) that enables reception of a wide range of radio signals directly via a computer or mobile device. The device is based on the Realtek RTL2832U and an improved tuner in version 4, providing better frequency stability and an extended frequency range compared to previous versions. Requires SDR software with drivers (not included, see the link for a list of available software).
Note that the latest version V4 is not better in all aspects. There are cases where V3 is preferable, as V4 has lower sensitivity at lower frequencies. At the time of writing, most software works, but not all. Verify that V4 is supported in your application before purchase.
Improvements in V4 compared to V3:
- Improved HF reception thanks to a built-in upconverter instead of using a direct sampling circuit. Some positive consequences are that there is no longer Nyquist folding of signals around 14.4 MHz, improved sensitivity, and adjustable gain on HF.
- Improved filtering thanks to the three inputs of the R828D tuner chip used in the V4 dongle. Three bands (HF, VHF, and UHF) are captured through the SMA connector with some isolation between the bands and reduced risk of interference from broadcast stations.
- Improved filtering is enabled through the open drain pin on the R828D tuner, which connects to notch filters for common interference bands such as broadcast AM, broadcast FM, and DAB bands.
- Improved phase noise performance on strong signals and reduced heat thanks to an improved power supply design with lower noise and reduced power consumption.
- Various minor changes such as a new bias tee LED and a small cutout hole in the enclosure to more easily indicate when the bias tee is active.
Specifications:
- Tuner: R828D
- Frequency range: 24–1766 MHz
- Direct sampling: 0.5–24 MHz
- RX bandwidth: 3.2 MHz
- ADC resolution: 8 bits
- Temperature stability: 1 ppm
- SMA female connector for antenna connection
- Software-controlled bias tee – 4.5 V supply via antenna connector to LNA
- PCB pads available for direct sampling