Bron:RTL-SDR.com

[@Lugigi Cruz] has announced on twitter that his latest PiSDR image now includes full PlutoSDR support. PiSDR is a pre-built Raspberry Pi distribution that supports several SDRs including the RTL-SDR. It comes with many applications and libraries ready for you to use some of which include GQRX and GNURadio Companion. PiSDR is available on [GitHub] and just needs to be burned to an SD card to be used. The PlutoSDR is a low cost (typically priced anywhere between $99 – $149 depending on sales) RX/TX capable SDR with up to 56 MHz of bandwidth and a 70 MHz to 6 GHz frequency range.

With this update support for the PlutoSDR has been added. This should allow for a host of new interesting uses for the image as it includes SDRAngel, an SDR application that works with transmit capable SDRs. While I’ve not yet tested the image myself, this should in theory mean that the PiSDR image could be used with a transmit capable SDR like a PlutoSDR or Lime/Mini SDR to both transmit and receive anything from DATV to voice and more.

Below you can see the image running the Raspbian desktop with the SDRAngel software connected to the PlutoSDR. Those with a keen eye may also see the LimeSDR mini laying on the desk s well. The concept of SDR on a small microcomputer such as the Raspberry Pi isn’t a new one, but the existence of this distribution makes it much easier for people to jump in and start using it without having to configure and install software from scratch which can sometimes be a daunting task.

The ability to make a log of absolute RF power levels centred at a given frequency, and of selectable bandwidth,  over specified time intervals is a very powerful capability.  Even more so, in portable or mobile situations such as field strength monitoring of both wanted and unwanted signals where an accurate, yet simple and low-cost solution is desirable.  

Even in the lab, using expensive general purpose RF gear for long running projects is undesirable when the use of a low-cost alternative will work just as well.

SDRplay – makers of the RSP family of SDRs also provide SDRuno software for Windows which enables very accurate RF power measurements (within +/- 1dBm) and SNR readings   to be made anywhere between 1kHz and 2GHz. 
 

With SDRuno, the user can select the bandwidth over which the power readings are to be taken – See below: 

The next thing to do is select the time interval for the logging which can be varied from every second to every 1800 seconds as shown below:
 

Once the logger has started, measurements of RF power level and SNR are taken at the specified intervals:
 

The readings are stored and can be outputted to a .csv file for further analysis or charting purposes:
 

Check out the video