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Reviews For: FUNcube Dongle Pro+

Category: Receivers: General Coverage

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Review Summary For : FUNcube Dongle Pro+
Reviews: 14MSRP: £150
Description:
150kHz to 240MHz & 420MHz to 1.9GHz all mode Software Defined
Radio Receiver.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.funcubedongle.com/?page_id=1073
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00143.8
W9PMZ Rating: 2013-12-25
Inexpensive SDR Solution Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
So far I have been using the FUNcube to listen to MF through VHF. It works surprisingly well! It is sensitive and compares to my ICOM transceiver.

I am using SDRConsole in a Windows window on a MAC Book Pro. The software every now and then gets lost and things happen. Restarting the software and all is OK.

Now all that is needed is a FunCube transmitter...

73,

Carl - W9PMZ
M0XMH Rating: 2013-12-21
Flawed Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Deaf as a post on some bands and slow to tune on others but otherwise reasonable performance for a entrance level £150 SDR receiver, albeit it physically very fragile and plasticky in build quality.

Unfortunately mine died after a just over a day. Yet when politely asking for a refund I was not only not given a refund (note there is no Email address, no phone number nor customer service at all at "Funcube Dongle HQ"), I was unceremoniously dumped from the Yahoo Groups 'Funcube Dongle Pro +' discussion forum without warning or reason immediately afterwards. I didn't message in public for a refund, just slapped down without explanation after asking the moderator directly, and "Howard" himself. Funcube need to enter the world of 21st Century customer service from the hobbyist Tandy-come-Radio Shack-based apartment where they put these dongles together from. Only then will they can truly say they have fully honoured the customer base that pay money for their product.

Else, I would buy into the Flex or an Ettus SDR concept, at least you can transmit and have full technical back up when things don't work out.
VE3XQQ Rating: 2013-11-20
This is one great piece of kit!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.

I have this running a second receiver and Panadapter on my TenTec Eagle. It is plugged into the AUX2 output which sits between the low pass filter and the preselector. The Dongle presents such a light load that I do not require a preamp to compensate for the expected 3DB drop.

It is almost as good as the 599 Eagle’s receiver; comparatively on SSB it lacks sensitivity on S1 signals and selectivity on contest weekends with the 15DB boomers. Otherwise a very good second receiver and for the price it is excellent!!

I have found that HDSDR software is best suited to my hamming habits and nicely integrates into my N4PY rig control software. With this setup I can drive with the Knob on the rig, or the mouse on the panadapter… what you click is what you hear!!

I am now thinking of tower mounting one under a discone for vhf uhf coverage as a scanner, just need to figure out if the USB cable can be run that far.


M0VEY Rating: 2013-11-10
Great Entry Level SDR Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wonderful entry level SDR. This has to be about the cheapest way to have a LF to L Band SDR receiver.
I am using mine in conjuction with an RF parts mini splitter connected from the Receive Antenna RX in & Rx out port on my Icom IC775DSP . This gives my Icom a true 2nd receiver & shares my 80m Windom antenna or 160m Inverted L .
I am using the SDR# (SDR Sharp) program to control the FCD.

You can store your favourite frequencies in the program just like memory channels. There is also an excellent recorder on the SDR# program.

I fitted my FCD Pro+ into a 1oz tobacco tin to give it some rf shielding. I have uploaded pics of this set up to the Yahoo Fcdproplus group. Link here:

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Fcdproplus/

There are lots of possibilities with the FCD including communications with the FUNcube satellite that will be launched later this month November 2013 .

These devices much be popular as the first emporium I tried to buy one from had sold out of them.

I believe this is the latest generation possibly the 3rd generation & has more coverage than previous models.

So far I am delighted with the results I've had.

Regards,
Phil. MØVEY