| AE4GM |
Rating:      |
2022-03-27 | |
| Great for Qrp. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I love this receiver!! The audio and filters are fantastic. I'm using it now full time with my YOUKITS HB1B 5 watt Transceiver that is used for transmit only. With the SDR Play I watch for someone calling CQ and answer them with 5 watts. It is unusual that I don't get an answer. My MFJ Sdr switch broke so I got the generic black box SDR switch on Amazon. It does both audio and antenna switching. The MFJ switch only switches antenna switching so with that I had to switch audio manually. This Amazon SDR switch is much better. Just calling CQ with 5 watts is much more difficult. The SDR PLAY makes all the difference. |
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| BUDDYARROWS |
Rating:      |
2021-07-10 | |
| SDRplay dx |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Having previously used the the RTL-SDR BLOG, I found it a great way to experiment with SDR as I had been a into HF and SW listener from the 1980s and SDR was a good way to get back into the hobby. So I decided after watching YouTube SDR videos I would upgrade to something better. The SDR play got very good reviews so I decided on the RSPdx as it had 3 antenna inputs as I usually listen to MW, HF and UHF so a three antenna input would suit my needs very well.
Firstly I am very impressed with this unit as it pulls in stations the blog never did. Just this morning I counted 40 FM broadcast stations including stations from the Isle of Man and Southern Ireland. I live in Ballyclare, Co. Antrim. Most dx stations we 8x4 at worst. I'm using a long wire antenna for HF and MW and a Moonraker Sky scan desktop mounted on the fascia board for the FM/air band frequency's. Last night the HF bands where incredible with so many stations to listen to that the blog never picked up with the antennas.
Great that this SDR is British made to. Fantastic SDR that is leaps and bounds ahead of the dongle. You deffo get what you pay for and the play dx is fantastic value for the money. One last thing the software is a bit challenging but I'm sure in time I will master it. 73s to all on here. I'm new to SDR but always interested in radio. Oh, before I forget, Hello Colin in Ballyclare. Was listening to you last night on 14.265 KHz, 20 Mtr band but I didn't quite get your call sign, KC....? Hope you enjoyed your cuppa..... |
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| EI7BA |
Rating:      |
2021-03-27 | |
| Brilliant Service. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I've had an RSP2 for about two years. Trouble free, plays very well, no problems.
I bought an RSPdx (for it's low frequency attributes) about eight months ago. I didn't use it until recently, and when I did, it wouldn't work. Thinking it was something that I was doing wrong, I contacted the support desk. Having walked me thru' a few tests and checks, they asked that I return it for inspection. I fully expected that I had done something wrong, but a couple of days later, I had an apologetic email saying that the unit was faulty, and that a replacement had been dispatched under warranty. A day later it arrived, and worked without a problem.
In these days of shoddy workmanship and dubious dealings, it's great to deal with a company with a fine product at a reasonable price, fast efficient service, and no quibble warranty on their products! |
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| G8FXC |
Rating:      |
2020-11-22 | |
| Amazing performance and versatility for the price. |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Follow-up - I subsequently bought the PTRX-7300 adaptor board to provide an output from my 7300 to drive the RSP1A and the result is excellent. The RSP1A with SDRUno gives me a high resolution, wide screen panadaptor and the second receiver that I always missed on the IC7300. Strongly recommended...
Previous review:
We needed to conduct a basic EMC test on a data logging device that we are developing in order to achieve a CE self-certification before we could start to market it. All the sub-modules were already CE certified, so our test could be fairly high-level and we wanted to reduce the costs, so we decided to do it ourselves. The RSP1A at £100 plus the free spectrum analyser software from the SDRPlay web site gave us the tools we needed to scan for spurious emissions on all frequencies from LW to 2GHz! We set up a simple test range at a relatively isolated location and completed the tests in a few hours.
Since then, I keep the RSP1A in the shack and use it sometimes to scan the bands or to decode obscure signals. It compares well with my IC-7300 in terms of sensitivity and selectivity - which is pretty good going for a unit that is so cheap. I would like to get it set up as a panadaptor, but have been too mean to pay for the T/R switch necessary to protect it when the 7300 goes to transmit.
It does require a reasonably high specification PC to run successfully. I use it with an HP laptop that was fairly high specification - about five or six years ago - and I do need to pay attention to the sampling rate and decimation settings if I am to avoid audio breakup. |
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| K8JHR |
Rating:      |
2020-08-24 | |
| Excellent Value |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Great general purpose, all band, all mode receiver. I have used this radio alone, and as a panadapter for multiple ham transceivers, with great satisfaction. The included SDR-Uno application is both comprehensive and easy to use, with way more features than most operators will ever use. Vendor support is consistently good, with firmware and software updates along the way, improving it as time marches on. Not the best or most expensive SDR - but plenty good enough. I sold the more expensive, supposedly better ELAD FDM-SW2, and purchased the RSP1a, instead, with absolutely NO REGRETS. The SDRPlay is easier to set up and manage, and the software works better, with greater reliability. I spend more time on the air, and less time messing with computer software. The provided SDR-Uno application provides a detailed, high resolution display, and can be customized to suit the operator's needs. This is a lot of radio performance for the money. While your mileage may vary, I am quite satisfied with my purchase. K8JHR |
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| KD2TTM |
Rating:      |
2020-05-01 | |
| Fun and a good learning tool for newbies |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I'm a brand-new Tech and use a UHF/VHF mobile as a base for now, while studying to upgrade my license.
The SDRPlay RSP1A is not only a fun way for me to monitor the bands I can't receive on my mobile, it also gets me familiar with the controls and functions that would operate a modern HF rig.
The included SDRUno software was an easy install on my Windows 10 laptop and offers a fun and interesting interface to the receiver.
I'm very pleased with the whole package. The only thing that could have made it better would be if they included an SMA to PL-259 jumper or some sort of SMA to 3.5mm plug adapter to allow the easy use of a reel-up wire antenna like those from Kaito or Sangean. |
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| KC3SWL |
Rating:      |
2020-01-30 | |
| Great little radio in a tiny box ! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I previously had purchased a SDR Dongle for 20 bucks at MicroCenter but it was only good from 25 MHz on up. I was really wanting something that could do lower bands and this little RSP1A was a inexpensive way to get into SDR rigs.
The box is so tiny it gets lost on my radio rack. The only complaint is the crappy SMA connecter but when you have a tiny plastic box not much else will fit.
Software is either making this radio or breaking it.
If you run Windows the supplied software is fairly easy to set up. If you run Linux , be prepared for some head scratching as not every distribution is the same and lib requirements will vary by brand.
For Linux I found running Gqrx in binary seems to at least get me started. CubicSDR is an issue .I haven't got around to trying other possibilities.
In real radio performance, software defines everything.
I can hear almost as well on it as I can with the Kenwood TS870 which has an outstanding receive section and probably a bit better than the TS430 which is no slouch on receive.
I also have the Ten Tec RX320 , the original version not the D version, since 1995? It's been around a long time and the SDR rig surpasses that.
It's a great little rig for those interested in being on the edge of technology . It won't be a boat anchor with lots of knobs but it won't be a 30 dollar Chinese portable either. |
|
| AF6AU |
Rating:      |
2020-01-13 | |
| What a neat and amazing receiver! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
My review is not as detailed as others, I aim it for the lesser techie among us, AKA the Vacuum tube generations that keep their old rigs and build antennas, use a paper logbook still, but have a computer to look up schematics, the weather, maybe pay bills, and do E-mails.
I considered buying a SDR for months, more as a upgrade receiver for my older HF rigs that have a switched rear panel antenna output off the T/R Relay. I even looked at the online evaluations of many simpler (cheaper) dongles, even some dongles that need Up-verters to work well on HF. Adding up the cost of dongle, adaptors, and an up-verter, and then consider such a system is near the price yet lacking the filters and features the RSP1A has, was convincing. Then HRO puts them on sale... They do know how to separate the Man from the Money... I have owned this wonder box for only a full month now.
I'm a slow software learner, I learn by using and playing. It took me ~20 days of playing before I figured out how to change the tuning steps in SDRUno. Tuning steps? 1Hz to megahertz. Wow. Pick one. Selectivity? Just pick. Even has a 500Hz CW filter that works better than the Fox Tango 500Hz CW filter in my Kenwood. Crazy! I need to find where I adjust the display bandwidth I'm watching, and how to move the received frequency by sliding the display (if it does).
HF SSB when tuned well, sounds so good, you think it's full carrier AM.
There are other programs available that will decode weather satellite downlinks, do morse-to-text, and allow other types of signals to be decoded/demodulated (not DTV though, that's a different $60 dongle).
So for testing, I have an old TV RG6 coax FM feed-in through the wall, the outside end coax braid is grounded to the Pool Light conduit, and the actual antenna is 30 feet of 22 gauge wire going up at a 30 degree angle to the near top of a palm tree (suspended with fishing line). That's it. The Coax comes in behind my easy chair, so when the wife is watching something I do not care for on TV, I go listening.
Software install was right off the website. The Computer is a 8 year old HP Core I7 laptop with Win 10. Out of the box, this $110 wonder can do things the $25,000 Agilent Spectrum Analyzer I have at work does. Wow... At 22:00 hours, on Am broadcast band, you see a carrier/station every 10khz. RDF signals from local airports on VLF, HF Hams and Shortwave broadcasters, HF Maritime and Aircraft weather, Broadcast FM Stereo that's amazing with good headphones. Huh, Mexico has a FM broadcaster below the bottom of the USA FM band. AM Aircraft on VHF, 2 meters, Weather stations at 162MHz (I have not heard so many, and on a 25 foot wire???), Chatter on the military aircraft band at 300MHz, and lots of 220, 70cm, and 23cm NBFM traffic. On 1 little box using a wire antenna? I'm in process on making a nice Bi-Conical wideband antenna for Lo-Hi-band VHF, and might get a discone for UHF. So much capability in 1 slightly over $100 pocket sized box.
I cannot wait to interface this with my old Icom 735 and 751, on HF, as a panadaptor with a proper Ham Radio antenna. The band waterfall is great. Find QSO's with a glance.
Bugs so far... A strong transmitter on the same band will desensitize the front end like a lot of receivers will. However you can compensate for it, and "Notch" it out easily.
The SDRUno program works well, it takes time and use to find everything and get the 'Flow' of what and where to click on to perform what task. Recording the signals is easy, saving a setup is easy.
I read that the RSP1A can be operated by an Android cell phone, and by Arduino. Sounds like a QRP backpackers dream.
When I consider the first HF experience I had was the "Shortwave Band" on my parent's Wards Airline Hi-Fi, and progressed with a Hallicrafter's S40C, a Hammarlund HQ129X, various portables, repairs for buddies and their rigs, and my classic Icoms and Kenny TS-830S, This little box is just mind blowing at it's capabilities, and a great reason to pull that old laptop out of the closet for a new job.
JML AF6AU
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|
| K7LZR |
Rating:      |
2019-09-20 | |
| Excellent performance if set up correctly |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Modern SDR receivers have performance features which we could only dream about not long ago. Such things as ultra-wide frequency coverage, infinitely variable, true brick-wall filters, high resolution spectrum displays, waterfall displays, accurate level measurements, and accurate, low noise demodulation were reserved for only the highest end military and government receivers. These things typically would cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Fast forward to today.
With the SDRPlay RSPx series of receivers, these features and many more have been brought to the average radio enthusiast and/or professional at a very affordable price. The RSP1A in particular represents a major breakthrough in terms of usability and performance for the money spent.
This is a receiver which can be used for many purposes from casual listening to scientific research to professional level RF surveillance, and even as a test instrument. For the SWL, there are features & capabilities for signal enhancement which are far beyond those of the receivers of yesteryear. Ditto for the ham radio operator. For the RFI detective, interfering signal frequencies, strengths and characteristics are clearly visible as well as audible and are updated in real time. Other features such as variable filtering and super-slow waterfall settings are helpful here too. For the professional user, up to 10mhz of spectrum can be monitored at once, and signals within can be easily spotted and tuned. Spectrum and waterfall settings can be adjusted such that even very fast, short duration signals can be seen.
The list continues. Another big feature for all users but especially pro monitors, RFI sleuths, radio astronomers, and scientific users is the ability to record chunks of spectrum for later playback and analysis. Think about this for a moment - In the past before this affordable technology, an average user would simply record the audio output from a receiver onto perhaps a tape or a computer hard disk and then play it back later in order to search for specific audible signals. But if long-term monitoring were needed to perhaps find signals which only occurred at specific times or maybe only once within a several day period, it was not easy to do. Such recordings were also limited to either a single frequency or at best a small range of frequencies. With the RSP1A receiver and software, entire ranges of frequencies up to 10mhz wide can be easily recorded and played back. And the resulting signals can be seen, heard and tuned just as if the operator were monitoring live. Truly amazing.
I've seen some complaints about lack of performance and inability to use. I personally have experienced none of this. Indeed, I've found that most of these complaints can be traced to inadequate computer systems, under-performing antennas, and/or a lack of experience with software defined radio systems in general. But when it all comes together, its really, really cool :).
Of course there are other SDR receivers available. But as stated above, the price to performance ratio of the RSP1A is simply amazing. I use two of them - one for HF purposes and the other for VHF and above. I truly feel that it was money well spent :).
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Earlier 5-star review posted by K7LZR on 2016-10-17
After spending a few months with this receiver, I can say that it is a great go-to receiver for a lot of applications. I use mine with several different software packages, each having certain features.
I've found it best to control the IF gain manually rather than using the Tuner AGC on the RSP Device Controller panel. By doing it this way, most all overloading etc. can be eliminated.
So this really has turned out to be a great little device at a great price. Buy one and learn how to properly use it and you won't be disappointed :).
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Earlier 5-star review posted by K7LZR on 2016-04-12
I took the plunge and bought one of these for various uses. I'm experienced with SDR systems, having owned several Flex units and a couple of other receivers in the past.
The SDRPlay RSP is a good performer if used with a suitable computer and good software. Best programs which I have found so far are SDR# and HDSDR. I've tried SDR-Console and found it cumbersome to use and too quirky for my taste.
Receive performance is very good. I use my SDRPlay for monitoring everything from local 2m FM to SWL to HF utility monitoring. Antennas used here are a Magnetic Loop and a Double Bazooka for HF, and a Discone for VHF & UHF.
I think that this little rig is very much worth its current selling price.
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|
| W8VK |
Rating:    |
2019-08-28 | |
| It's Good But! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I've owned the Ten Tec RX-320 Receiver and the ICOM PCR-1000 Receiver! This is a good step above the PCR-1000 in being able to select filters for the Modes! Nicely done! I'm disappointed that their is no TSQ Filter which would make this a top notch scanner for 2/1 1/4/70cm FM! Really amazed that TSQ hasn't been approached! Also Software for interfacing with Digital Modes such as WSJT-X and HRD for radio control! And another draw back is the VFO only operates on the Ham Band your on! Also noticed the Memory Banks don't save enough information to Set the Receiver totally up! In conclusion this receiver is Great for the Listener (SWL) but isn't quite there yet for most wanted ham radio operators uses! Thanks for reading! Hope the manufacturer will Push this design further and keep it affordable! |
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