Quote Originally Posted by Clanggedin View Post
I just picked up my first Android device as I am using an RTL-SDR device and an Amazon Fire Tablet as my telemetry receiver. The benefit is I can track both UHF and VHF by just changing the antenna. Of course I can use a UHF antenna to track VHF, but it's not as good. My whole set up cost less than $120.
Scott,

Brian Andrews has a posting for an RTL-SDR plus Android phone receiver solution on the Missouri Falconers Association Web site.

https://www.missourifalconersassocia...hone-receiver/

Please contribute the details of your version. The Cheap Beep thread in Telemetry would be a good place to post.

I have plans for UHF and VHF receive antennas available. They are clumsy to post but I can email them easily enough. Includes a Yagi and a Quad version that require no test gear to build, just cut to dimension and go. Details in the CBP thread. Gain for the Yagi is about 1 dB better than the old Antronics and the Quad is about 2 dB better.

With used scanner receivers getting less common on the used market I am looking at the RTL-SDR dongles as the next generation of low cost telemetry receiver solutions. Perhaps with a selective preamplifier ahead of the receiver to bring sensitivity up for the occasional long haul weak signal search. The price of commercial preamps always surprises me, given that I know how little there is in one of them. Also most of the commercial preamps have way too much gain.

Regards,
Thomas of the Desert