Dreamcatcher on Windows/SDR#

Hi everyone

Having installed the rtl drivers on dreamcatcher, I can’t get it to show up as a usable device in any of the windows based software. Plan was/is to use it with SDR# in combination with Jaero for L band. At this point dreamcatcher happily sits in device manager as an rtl device but not much more. I’ve had sdrx running in this manner but am struggling with dreamcatcher. Any ideas?

(P.s) I haven’t gone through and installed anything onto an sd card as didn’t seem relevant

Many thanks

Dan H

FAQ
Q: Is there a way to run the RTL-SDR as a regular dongle (e.g. plug it into the PC as use it that way?)
A: Yes:

  1. populate USB1 connector (or just solder wires for usb pigtail cable)
  2. Remove R72 and R73 and populate those into 116 and R117 footprints. Thus disconnecting the rtlsdr from the usb hub and routing it’s usb to the external cable.

I found where “usb1” tabs and R72 R73 installed smd’s are… but please send picture of where you propose to “re populate” them to … I’m not too steady with soldering smd’s… I guess onto the “lands” that have solder tinning (R116 and R117). I assume this leaves the dreamcatcher just to function as a power source for the board rtl-sdr and lna? The rtl-sdr would just be seen as a usb dongle addressable by whatever computer is connected to usb1?

The information I provided was copied directly from the documentation. I think the safer bet would be to just get a second rtlsdr (such as the one sold by rtl-sdr.com) if you’re interested in using something from your desktop machine. This will leave the Dreamcatcher to perform its primary function as an Outernet receiver.

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Agreed. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to turn Dreamcatcher into a USB radio. Lots of other options for that.