Airspy Mini SDR RX USB Receiver

SDR receiver Airspy

Airspy Hardware

The Airspy R2 is one of the best known SDR receivers on the market. It offers continuous coverage from 24 to 1800 MHz, which makes it suitable for the analysis and reception of a large number of VHF and UHF signals. To receive the entire HF band (plus medium and long waves) a Up-Converter is available, perfectly calibrated to match the receiver. {

for applications in limited spaces, the Airspy SDR is also offered as Airspy Mini, in the traditional USB stick format. The reception parameters remain similar, only some components and some characteristics are removed due to the restrictions of space. {

Airspy + sdr# = an ideal combination

The real skills of an SDR receiver are determined - what a surprise :) - from the software. The ISPY SDR designers are the same people who wrote the SDR# software (SDR Sharp). Thanks to this perfectly aligned development between hardware and software, the result is a system with performance that is difficult to reach by other producers. The SDR# software is, for good reasons, one of the best known and most used programs for SDR applications; It is easy to use and offers many intuitive functions for the various operations. "Open Plugin" architecture allows other programmers to offer further new functions, so that these can be combined by the user according to needs.Thanks to the parallel development of hardware and software the Airspy and the SDR# are perfectly aligned to work together.

Airspy R2-Description

airspy r2

the AIRSPY R2 receiver is built around the widespread tuner R820T2 produced by the Rafael Electronis. In combination with a powerful 32-bit Cortex Arm processor, and a quick 12-bit converter, the Airspy can get much more from this tuner chip than the classic DVB-T stick with RTL chipset do. For example, the ARM processor can develop much greater data moles, which translates to the user in wider ports of spectrum. Airspy can show approximally 10 MHz on the screen (9 MHz without images frequencies). The Cortex Arm processor is also responsible for the fast data transfer through the USB 2.0 interface.

the SDR uses a special clock generator with very low phase noise and a precision of ± 0.5 ppm. The low phase noise helps to obtain greater sensitivity and dynamic range of the receiver. An interesting feature of the Airspy R2 is the possibility of injecting an external clock. The latter can come from a clock generator to Rubidio or by an oscillator governed by GPS (GPSDO), to obtain measures with greater precision, or to correlate multiple receivers. Various GPIO doors are available to check external devices. A bias voltage can be provided on the antenna connector to feed external amplifiers or special converters (see below) (4.5v, max. 50ma).

another important feature is the open documentation for software interfaces (bees). Even if you yourself are not a software developer, you will benefit from this oppressiveness because other software engineers can (and do it) to provide extensions, plugins and their programs for Airspy. For example, you can find DLL or EXTIO driver for other operating systems. The firmware of the ARSPY ARSPY processor is also available in source code and allows you to be modified.

for users who do not need more advanced functions (external clock entry, gipio doors, etc.) of the Airspy R2, or where the space available is reduced, we offer the smallest Airspy Mini. This SDR has the shape of the classic USB stick and contains the same function blocks as the older brother: R820T2, LPS4370 ARM CPU, 12 Bit ADC, low phase noise TCXO. The result is a receiver with characteristics really similar to the Airspy R2.

See here for Instructions on how to use the airspy as a adsb 'flighttradar'.

being the project based on the R820T2 tuner, Airspy begins to receive at 24 MHz. If you want to ascar the entire band of long, medium and court waves, you can use the Spyverter R2 converter. This Up-Converter is perfectly adapted to the Airspy receiver, but it can be used almost with any other SDR. The power supply of the converter can be provided both through the receiver's antenna connector, and through the micro USB connector. These independent feeds make the R2 spyverter usable with any other receiver. The reception range ranges from 1 kHz to 60 MHz, the converted output ranges from 120 to 180 mhz. The converter's IP3 value is an excellent +33dbm, additional filter at 60 MHz and 120/180 MHz reduce interference.