When HN users recommended it
7 HN users recommended this between 2013 and 2023, in 7 comments.
20072026
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
7 HN users recommended this between 2013 and 2023, in 7 comments.
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
These are really fun. I have one sitting in my Jeep with me right now.
Obviously you can do a lot more with it than just listen to cops, and even this tutorial makes it look a LOT more complicated than it is.
Plug the device in, and select a frequency. It's pretty much that easy.
I use it for listening to everything from ham radio operators to airplanes. Seriously have had every penny worth of fun playing with this.
Here is everything you need, available on amazon prime: http://www.amazon.com/Receiver-RTL2832U-Compatible-Packages-...
(Although I recommend a better antenna. Dig one out of your garage, that is what I did.)
I just ordered one too - this looks awesome.
You can track aircraft (newer airplanes broadcast their locations, ships, etc.
This [0] is the one I ended up ordering, I just wish one day shipping was available.
[0] http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009U7WZCA
I have a RTL2832U/R820T reciever ( https://www.amazon.com/NooElec-NESDR-Mini-Compatible-Package...) (note - there are newer models now) and it works fine with a samsung galaxy note 3.
http://sdrtouch.com/
Get this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009U7WZCA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jl...
Or this nicer one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011HVUEME/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Zl...
Sdr# for Windows. GQRX for the others. For a blog with help and project ideas check out http://www.rtlsdr.com/
I too have an RPi logging fridge/freezer temperature, but wirelessly.
I use this wireless fridge/freezer thermometer [1]. The units that go in the fridge and freezer communicate with the display unit via 433 MHz RF.
I have an RTL-SDR [2] on the RPi.
I run rtl_433 [3] on the RPi. rtl_433 understands the protocols of a large number of wireless sensors, including the ones used by those AcuRite sensors.
I've got it configured to output whatever sensor data it decodes in JSON format to a file, and a script that periodically parses new entries from that file and records in an sqlite DB the readings from the sensors I'm interested in.
Rtl_433 is a fun program. It recognizes and decodes the transmissions of a lot of things. It is getting several neighbor's wireless thermometers and humidity sensors, a soil moisture sensor, several different car tire pressure sensors, a smoke detector, some kind of keypad (wireless lock?), a car remote, some kind of energy monitor, a rain gauge, and a wind speed/direction sensor.
[1] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QJVU78/
[2] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009U7WZCA/
[3] https://github.com/merbanan/rtl_433
to be fair there's not much on the air these days to pick up using a crystal anymore (around me at least)
but an SDR would let you teach much much more about whats going on in the invisible :) https://www.hanselman.com/blog/software-defined-radio-is-a-g...
https://smile.amazon.com/NooElec-NESDR-Mini-Compatible-Packa...
A 20$ RTL-SDR will give you a very broad view of the spectrum and an idea of how one area can be quiet, the other filled with signals and the oddities of atmospheric noise, etc. Super fun and there are 100,000 YouTube videos on how to get it working.
https://www.amazon.com/NooElec-NESDR-Mini-Compatible-Package...