Cheap wide band radio receiver (USB Dongle) - Page 3

Xringer · 02-19-14, 08:09 PM

LOL!! The Wall-Shaker and some noise cancelling earphones?

We don't heat the bedroom very much, we just leave the door open at night,
so a little of the heat from the living area will drift into bedroom.

But, since we normally use the Sanyo (ASHP) units for heat, we just leave
the heat set to 20-21 C deg 24-7-365. It's easier that way.

We started using Sanyo #1 over 4 years ago, and it's been pretty rare to need any backup heat.

This the first winter when it's been necessary to use back-up heat so much.
During the last 2 months, we've burned a lot more oil for heating, than we burned in total, during the previous three years.

It's a not a disaster yet.. So far It think it's 20-30 gallons @$4 per gallon..
People on my street are paying 700-800 bucks for monthly oil fills.

I blame Global Warming!

where2 · 02-19-14, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiHaoMike

If the increased heating is needed mostly at night, put a window A/C on a cart in the doorway to the bedroom with the hot side facing inside the bedroom. Use that instead of the space heaters.

I think I just found a new use for that 12k BTU roll around air conditioner I keep around for hurricanes... It makes a lousy A/C unit (single hose), but maybe it really should have been called a space heater... If I get another cold snap, I'll give it a shot.

Can't possibly be less efficient than my electric strip heaters in my central A/C.

Xringer · 02-19-14, 09:55 PM

Saw this tonight..

RTLAMR: An RTL-SDR Receiver for 900MHz ISM Smart Meters - rtl-sdr.com

https://github.com/bemasher/rtlamr

I happen to own one of those 900 mHz ITron C1SR meters!
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/conser...-yourself.html

Seems like a neat way to watch your meter, on the cheap..

pinballlooking · 02-19-14, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xringer

Saw this tonight..

RTLAMR: An RTL-SDR Receiver for 900MHz ISM Smart Meters - rtl-sdr.com

https://github.com/bemasher/rtlamr

I happen to own one of those 900 mHz ITron C1SR meters!
http://ecorenovator.org/forum/conser...-yourself.html

Seems like a neat way to watch your meter, on the cheap..

Did you try it? Did you compile it for windows?

Xringer · 02-19-14, 10:34 PM

Nope, I'm not a software kinda guy..

I will likely wait for the simplified install pack..

I do see a signal at 920.299072 MHz.. Wide band, once per second. Strong too.

sebastian · 03-01-14, 02:49 AM

I use this as an SDR. I have had a lot of fun with this from just tuning around to grabbing air traffic info and weather satellite images

Xringer · 03-01-14, 09:20 AM

I'm a bit of a weather bug, so I'm thinking of trying the weather sat thing
once I get my outdoor antenna going. I can track them using my iPhone..

I enjoy fresh images from space..

Would really like a good close-up of the NE area..

Xringer · 03-23-14, 06:12 PM

Since I have a broken Efergy power monitor, this item perked up my interest.

If you have not seen the Elite Efergy, here's a link.
Efergy Elite Wireless Electricity Monitor - Smarthome

People are using SDR dongles to pick up the Efergy signals..

Efergy Energy Monitor Decoding with RTL-SDR
Efergy Wireless Energy Monitor decoding now in Windows! | Gough's Tech Zone

If my my Efergy transmitter still works (and only the display module is broken),
I might someday have some software to listen the Efergy transmitter,
that's just sitting here in a junk box..

It can still transmit RF, so it might still be good for sending power use data..

Xringer · 03-29-14, 10:42 PM

Found a nicer radar display.. It seems to have longer range for some reason.
I just tacked a plane 156 nm ( 180 miles up the Maine coast).
The other software lost signal after about 90 miles..

Edit:
Now I see why my setup seems to have more range.
The Predicted Position was being shown (the default), when I turned it off, the exact position of the AC are shown..

Really liking this program a lot better. More information and better display.

SonicGoose | How to Setup ADSBScope

Xringer · 04-12-14, 01:12 PM

I'm loving my SDR dongle! Plane Spotting is fun..

I signed up to be a remote site for PlaneFinder..
They sent me a new antenna yesterday.

It's sweet! I'm picking planes off the coast of NJ now!

02-19-14, 08:09 PM	#21
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	LOL!! The Wall-Shaker and some noise cancelling earphones? We don't heat the bedroom very much, we just leave the door open at night, so a little of the heat from the living area will drift into bedroom. But, since we normally use the Sanyo (ASHP) units for heat, we just leave the heat set to 20-21 C deg 24-7-365. It's easier that way. We started using Sanyo #1 over 4 years ago, and it's been pretty rare to need any backup heat. This the first winter when it's been necessary to use back-up heat so much. During the last 2 months, we've burned a lot more oil for heating, than we burned in total, during the previous three years. It's a not a disaster yet.. So far It think it's 20-30 gallons @$4 per gallon.. People on my street are paying 700-800 bucks for monthly oil fills. I blame Global Warming! __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

02-19-14, 09:55 PM	#23
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Read your smart meter with a Dongle? Saw this tonight.. RTLAMR: An RTL-SDR Receiver for 900MHz ISM Smart Meters - rtl-sdr.com https://github.com/bemasher/rtlamr I happen to own one of those 900 mHz ITron C1SR meters! http://ecorenovator.org/forum/conser...-yourself.html Seems like a neat way to watch your meter, on the cheap.. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

02-19-14, 10:34 PM	#25
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Nope, I'm not a software kinda guy.. I will likely wait for the simplified install pack.. I do see a signal at 920.299072 MHz.. Wide band, once per second. Strong too. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

03-01-14, 02:49 AM	#26
sebastian Lurking Renovator Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: illinois Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I use this as an SDR. I have had a lot of fun with this from just tuning around to grabbing air traffic info and weather satellite images __________________ Sorry, new users are not permitted to post links in their signatures.

03-01-14, 09:20 AM	#27
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	I'm a bit of a weather bug, so I'm thinking of trying the weather sat thing once I get my outdoor antenna going. I can track them using my iPhone.. I enjoy fresh images from space.. Would really like a good close-up of the NE area.. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

03-23-14, 06:12 PM	#28
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	For you software guys.. Since I have a broken Efergy power monitor, this item perked up my interest. If you have not seen the Elite Efergy, here's a link. Efergy Elite Wireless Electricity Monitor - Smarthome People are using SDR dongles to pick up the Efergy signals.. Efergy Energy Monitor Decoding with RTL-SDR Efergy Wireless Energy Monitor decoding now in Windows! \| Gough's Tech Zone If my my Efergy transmitter still works (and only the display module is broken), I might someday have some software to listen the Efergy transmitter, that's just sitting here in a junk box.. It can still transmit RF, so it might still be good for sending power use data.. __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..

03-29-14, 10:42 PM	#29
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	New free-ware for 'radar' type display Found a nicer radar display.. It seems to have longer range for some reason. I just tacked a plane 156 nm ( 180 miles up the Maine coast). The other software lost signal after about 90 miles.. Edit: Now I see why my setup seems to have more range. The Predicted Position was being shown (the default), when I turned it off, the exact position of the AC are shown.. Really liking this program a lot better. More information and better display. SonicGoose \| How to Setup ADSBScope Attached Thumbnails __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less.. Last edited by Xringer; 03-30-14 at 08:07 AM..

04-12-14, 01:12 PM	#30
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Antenna I'm loving my SDR dongle! Plane Spotting is fun.. I signed up to be a remote site for PlaneFinder.. They sent me a new antenna yesterday. It's sweet! I'm picking planes off the coast of NJ now! Attached Thumbnails __________________ My hobby is installing & trying to repair mini-splits EPA 608 Type 1 Technician Certification ~ 5 lbs or less..