Software-Defined Radio (SDR) is a radio communication system that replaces traditional hardware components such as filters, amplifiers, and mixers with software-based functionality. SDR dongles can capture live radio signals and transmit them digitally as raw Inphase and Quadrature (I/Q) components to software applications like TXAdvance. This allows for various operations to be performed on the signals within the software.
To ensure compatibility with TXAdvance, it is necessary to use a compatible SDR receiver. Currently 3 models can be used with TXAdvance: the RTL-SDR*, the Airspy Mini and the HackRF One.
Comparing the different SDR:
| RTL-SDR* | Airspy mini | HackRF One | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Re-tunning step (Scan & loop modes) | 1 MHz | 2 MHz | 4 MHz |
| Frequency tunning speed | Slow | Fast | Fast |
| Live check bandwidth (Real time analyzer) | 2 MHz | 4 MHz | 8 MHz |
| Driver | Signalware SDR driver | Compasseur SDR Bridge | Compasseur SDR Bridge |
| Size | Small | Small | Big |
| Minimum Android version | Android 6 | Android 10 | Android 10 |
| Link** | RTL-SDR Blog Nooelec NESDR SMArt v5 | Airspy Mini | Nooelec HackRF One |
To perform a scan on TXAdvance, you will require the following hardware:
- An Android device with a minimum of Android 6 (RTL-SDR) or Android 10 (Airspy mini and HackRF One) operating system and OTG (On-The-Go) compatibility.
- An SDR USB dongle (RTL-SDR, Airspy mini, HackRF One).
- An OTG adapter cable to connect the SDR USB dongle to your Android device, such as this model.**
- A compatible antenna for capturing RF signals.
Ensure that you have all of these components to effectively utilize the scanning capabilities of TXAdvance.
* The RTL-SDR much use the RTL2832U chipset and R820T / R820T2 / R860 tuner. It is highly recommended to obtain a model with a Temperature-Compensated Crystal Oscillator (TCXO). These models are widely available and can be easily found in amateur radio shops or online marketplaces such as Amazon.
**Some of the links are affiliate links to recommended hardware for use with TXAdvance. If you make a purchase on Amazon using one of these links, you will pay the same price as you would normally find on Amazon. However, a small percentage will be allocated to Compasseur as a referral fee for directing you to Amazon.