Kenwood TS-850 with RTL-SDR

[WWPDX912]

Hello folks. Trying to get the RTL-SDR dongle to work with my TS-850 via the IF output. I am running HDSDR, however I'd like to try different programs. With that said, how do I make this work? Do I have to set a frequency in the program to 'see' the IF freq? The youtube videos I have seen are pointless, RTL-SDR site has no mention...thanks for the help!

[AE5NE]

According to page 17 of http://www.oz1bxm.dk/manuals/TS-850/Kenwood-TS-850-instruction-manual.pdf , the IF OUT jack outputs the 2nd IF at 8.83MHz.

Given its lower tuning limit of 24MHz, your RTL-SDR will not be able to receive an IF that low without an upconverter such as the Ham It Up or Spyverter between the radio and the dongle.

With an upconverter such as the Ham It Up in place (with an LO of 125MHz), you'd tune the SDR software to 125 + 8.83 MHz or 133.83MHz to see the receiver's passband.

[N5KBP]

As AN5NE posted. The RTL SDR will not go down to the if frequency of 8.83 mhz. I would suggest you do what I have done and pick up a softrock lite II combined receiver kit from

http://fivedash.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=5&zenid=5d0ed27758608a3a4bf0113038404674

Be sure and order the 8.812 mhz crystal option to go with it. I have used HDSDR, Powersdr IF and Nap3.  All with excellent results.
My setup is
TS-850
Softrock lite II combined receiver with 8.812 mhz crystal option connected to IF out of 850
Xonar u7 sound device for up to 196 kc of spectrum display
I call it my poor mans flex

If you have not done so already be sure and pick up a cat cable or kenwoods level converter so you can do point and click with the panadapter.

Marty
N5KBP

[N1AUP]

Marty.  

The website for the SoftRockLiteII does not show a crystal choice for 8.892.  It shows 8.192 or 8.985.

Which is the correct choice?

Also, am I correct in reading that the SoftRock only does one band? 

Thanks

[VE3TMT]

There is a much simpler solution....

The 8.83 IF connection on the RF board is made with a TMP connector, located just to the left of the soldered in SSB filter. It is the long cable that runs from the rear right corner of the board.  If you look to the left of this connection on the left edge of the board, you will see a TMP socket TP1. The board at this point is labeled "73.05 RX IF" This is the 73.05 MHz 1st IF signal. Simply pull the cable from the the 8.83 IF and plug it into the 73.05 MHz IF.

You can feed this signal directly to the input of the SDR dongle. Personally I use an RSP1A and run SDR Console V3. Works FB!

Max
VE3TMT

[N5KBP]

Marty.  

The website for the SoftRockLiteII does not show a crystal choice for 8.892.  It shows 8.192 or 8.985.

Which is the correct choice?

Also, am I correct in reading that the SoftRock only does one band? 

Thanks

This is an old post.
Yes, looks like they no longer offer it. You can try and find one from another source. It will need to be a 35.25 mhz crystal since it needs to by 4 x the receive frequency for the softrock.
Marty
N5KBP

[KO4NR]

There is a much simpler solution....

The 8.83 IF connection on the RF board is made with a TMP connector, located just to the left of the soldered in SSB filter. It is the long cable that runs from the rear right corner of the board.  If you look to the left of this connection on the left edge of the board, you will see a TMP socket TP1. The board at this point is labeled "73.05 RX IF" This is the 73.05 MHz 1st IF signal. Simply pull the cable from the the 8.83 IF and plug it into the 73.05 MHz IF.

You can feed this signal directly to the input of the SDR dongle. Personally I use an RSP1A and run SDR Console V3. Works FB!

Max

So following these recommendations is all there is to setting up an 850 for SDR use?
Bill KO4NR
VE3TMT