Hello all,
Thought I would share details of the different SDR and other FM DX equipment, I have setup here now, as a newcomer to FM DX.
My location is Penrith, IO84, at the very top of England close to the border with Scotland.
I have a SDRPlay RSP1A receiver, 1kHz-2000 MHz coverage, which has up to 10 MHz wide bandwidth, although I typically view 8 MHz. I find this wide bandwidth useful for viewing a good portion of the FM Broadcast Band II 87.5-108 MHz here. I can easily spot tropo stations and of course any via Sporadic-E, the only downside is this radio is susceptible to RF from my Amateur Radio operation, so I use the automute feature with SDR Console software. I also sometimes use SDR# v1913 software as it has an auto logging RDS scanner feature, so when not at home or overnight it can monitor the FM band for me. Finally the SDRPlay RSP1A has the ability to record IQ files in up to 10 MHz widths, really useful for later analysis of openings.
My second SDR is a new AirSpy HF+ Discovery, a couple of times each year AirSpy discount their products by 15-20% from their approved dealers. I managed to get mine for only £116 and it arrived here in less than one week. Coverage is 1 kHz-31 MHz and 60-260 MHz, with a maximum viewable bandwidth of 768 kHz. The disadvantage is I can only view a small part of the FM Broadcast band at a time, but the advantage is the filtering, it is not affected at all by my Amateur Radio transmissions. I use SDR Console software with this receiver and have it monitoring three FM frequencies 87.5, 87.6 and 87.7 MHz for any RDS catches via Sporadic-E.
Using data from FMlist I have been able to import every FM radio station details and RDS identifier into the SDR Console database, I have imported all of Europe and North Africa. I could import the entire World if I wish. Having this database means when an RDS code is received the software checks the database and records the details automatically for me, telling me also if that RDS is a match.
My last FM radio is a ready built self contained portable SDR called a TEF6866, which I managed to find online for only £94 and again arrived in less than one week from purchase. this radio is very sensitive, the inbuilt RDS decoder is excellent.
For aerials I am limited by not being allowed visible external ones. So I use a combination of Wellbrook 1530+ Loop outdoors, or AirSpy loops indoors and telescopic whips. Not ideal, but I have managed when not at work to catch some Sporadic-E openings this season and receive stations from both Spain and Portugal so far. My best being a station from Portugal on 92.1 MHz on 7th June 2023 at a distance of 1673 km or 1040 miles.
A friend who follows me on Twitter saw my interest in FM DX and told me on 26th May 2023, whilst driving his car near to my location in Penrith, IO84, that on 94.2 MHz he received a station from Algeria, North Africa at a distance of 2100 km or 1300 miles. I clearly need to try harder.😂
Thought I would share details of the different SDR and other FM DX equipment, I have setup here now, as a newcomer to FM DX.
My location is Penrith, IO84, at the very top of England close to the border with Scotland.
I have a SDRPlay RSP1A receiver, 1kHz-2000 MHz coverage, which has up to 10 MHz wide bandwidth, although I typically view 8 MHz. I find this wide bandwidth useful for viewing a good portion of the FM Broadcast Band II 87.5-108 MHz here. I can easily spot tropo stations and of course any via Sporadic-E, the only downside is this radio is susceptible to RF from my Amateur Radio operation, so I use the automute feature with SDR Console software. I also sometimes use SDR# v1913 software as it has an auto logging RDS scanner feature, so when not at home or overnight it can monitor the FM band for me. Finally the SDRPlay RSP1A has the ability to record IQ files in up to 10 MHz widths, really useful for later analysis of openings.
My second SDR is a new AirSpy HF+ Discovery, a couple of times each year AirSpy discount their products by 15-20% from their approved dealers. I managed to get mine for only £116 and it arrived here in less than one week. Coverage is 1 kHz-31 MHz and 60-260 MHz, with a maximum viewable bandwidth of 768 kHz. The disadvantage is I can only view a small part of the FM Broadcast band at a time, but the advantage is the filtering, it is not affected at all by my Amateur Radio transmissions. I use SDR Console software with this receiver and have it monitoring three FM frequencies 87.5, 87.6 and 87.7 MHz for any RDS catches via Sporadic-E.
Using data from FMlist I have been able to import every FM radio station details and RDS identifier into the SDR Console database, I have imported all of Europe and North Africa. I could import the entire World if I wish. Having this database means when an RDS code is received the software checks the database and records the details automatically for me, telling me also if that RDS is a match.
My last FM radio is a ready built self contained portable SDR called a TEF6866, which I managed to find online for only £94 and again arrived in less than one week from purchase. this radio is very sensitive, the inbuilt RDS decoder is excellent.
For aerials I am limited by not being allowed visible external ones. So I use a combination of Wellbrook 1530+ Loop outdoors, or AirSpy loops indoors and telescopic whips. Not ideal, but I have managed when not at work to catch some Sporadic-E openings this season and receive stations from both Spain and Portugal so far. My best being a station from Portugal on 92.1 MHz on 7th June 2023 at a distance of 1673 km or 1040 miles.
A friend who follows me on Twitter saw my interest in FM DX and told me on 26th May 2023, whilst driving his car near to my location in Penrith, IO84, that on 94.2 MHz he received a station from Algeria, North Africa at a distance of 2100 km or 1300 miles. I clearly need to try harder.😂
