Re-purposing DreamCatcher 2.03 and SDRx boards:

Konrad_Roeder · 2018-02-27T16:41:21.738Z

1288.0000 - NY Glen Oaks W2VL 136.5 Queens 2008/02/16

Wow … an FM repeater on 1288. This is wide-open for a project!

Is the 1.2GHz FM repeater linked?
As a project to get more people interested in 1.2 GHz, could you suggest a simple project of building an FM receiver for the repeater to monitor it?

You can make your own patch antennas.
LNAs for 2GHz are cheap.
RTL-SDR dongles work great. They’re cheap.
We all have computers.

There’s software galore for decoding RTL-SDR data for FM. Is the repeater linked to the other repeaters? For example is your 220 repeater linked to it? If you buy an inexpensive 220 radio, you can key-up and transmit on the 1.2 GHz repeater. Now with the very simple RTL-SDR receiver, you can hear the repeater.

Wow … More use of your 220MHz and your 1.2GHz repeaters!

How about data?
How about using the repeater for Data? Would you allow more than just voice on it?
What if you could decode the data being sent? And talk about it on 2M?

We have nets here in the Seattle area devoted to sending various protocols over a repeater. You can send pictures, packets, try exotic modes, even compressed video etc. all over the 1.2 GHz repeater that you guys already own.

Hmmmmm?

–Konrad, WA4OSH

Konrad_Roeder · 2018-02-27T16:52:11.267Z

Follow-up project idea…
What could you do with a 1.2 GHz up-converter?
A cheap 2 meter, 220 or 440 FM radio board to drive it, and a 1W amplifier behind it?

You need to quit playing with appliances and have fun with ham radio – experimenting and making things again.

–Konrad, WA4OSH

ve2hrj · 2018-03-05T11:29:58.299Z

Hi K2EPM,
this one is mine, this is a tablet car holder, fit nicely with the RTL-SDR V3 + LNA underneath with a tie-rap.

http://forums.outernet.is/t/outernet-patch-antenna/2263/27?u=ve2hrj

It still running through the window for L-Band as INMARSAT STD-C EGC receiver, work great.

Have a good one.

ac8dg · 2018-03-16T22:31:52.616Z

Users following Immarsat C and F, SafetyNet C, Mini C, Fleet 77, Swift 64 and Classic Aero may be interested in the change in satellites
Or as they call it… migration starting in april 2018

see the user migration guides in
https://www.inmarsat.com/support/i-3-to-i-4-services-migration/

graeme61 · 2018-03-17T10:51:49.462Z

Good Morning
Thank you very much, for bringing this important news to our attention, which will affect everyone monitoring these satellites.
This will obviously mean re-aligning our satellite dishes?
Away to read more on this and take notes.
Kind Regards
Graeme mm5iss

W9ARG · 2018-07-27T22:55:36.914Z

Hello ALL,
anyone working with the v2.03 dreamcatcher
and… ADS-B

or maybe point me in a good direction,

tnx
keep up the great work.

the Chicago dude…

unixpunk · 2018-07-28T14:10:41.001Z

If you haven’t, you’ll flash this image to your sd card: https://archive.othernet.is/Dreamcatcher2%20Armbian/
(readme file in that folder useful to get started, guessing you’ve done this part before though)

Then you’ll want to run the commands on this post before considering updating any software via apt-get upgrade: Dreamcatcher - DONT UPGRADE KERNEL BEYOND 5.27! - #4

Then a search of adsb or dump1090 on the forum here might yield useful info. Otherwise if you’re familiar with dump1090, install it and you’re ready to go.

HTH

w8iss · 2018-09-04T21:00:11.362Z

Hello there.

J7st was thinking of how to repurpose both of my sdr v1.10s. So did a search and came across this little thread.

What I am hoping to find is a way to bypass/remove the filter but keep the lna intact and then use these for GOES imagery reception up at 1691 MHz.

Anyone do this mod yet or tried to see how much the filter desenses above 1600 MHz?

James W8ISS

zoltan · 2018-09-04T21:13:07.314Z

Hi James,

remove the shiedling cap above LNA section
carefully remove SAW1 (hot air blower, take care for calm air flow not to blow components)
make a short jumper in these two pads marked by blue:

image.png1920×1040 30.1 KB

w8iss · 2018-09-05T09:44:39.335Z

Thanks.
Now seeing about borrowing a hot air gun.

James W8ISS

cyoung · 2018-09-05T15:41:41.134Z

You could also probably find a SAW filter for the GOES frequency on aliexpress/eBay with a close-enough footprint that it would go on there. Most of them are pretty close.

Konrad_Roeder · 2018-09-10T18:58:39.512Z

I found a nice SAW filter for the 430-440 Ham band … great for receiving cubesats.

–Konrad

zoltan · 2018-09-11T06:30:25.209Z

need to mention that the LNA is optimized for the L band use (1550 MHz and around) however still have some gain in hte 70cm band down, just don’t expect the same performance (not to mention reflections from mismatched at those out of bands of the LNA ports etc.)

Konrad_Roeder · 2018-09-19T08:36:19.183Z

It worked reasonably well, but I was able to find only one.

I would love to find one for the Ham Band at 1240-1300 MHz, or for the 902-908 MHz band. I’ve just not seen any on E-Bay, etc.

–Konrad

w8iss · 2018-11-02T13:44:40.321Z

Unixpunk:
Would my sdr v1.10 work with the flightaware software?

BTW - haven’t gotten back around to trying to remove the saw filter yet. Life got in the way. Just now getting back around to considering doing it.

unixpunk · 2018-11-02T16:35:13.039Z

I think it will work fine but receiving is an issue until you make the mods.

Greg_Eigsti · 2018-11-03T16:37:30.468Z

Thank you so much for your contributions to this thread! Been wanting to start a home RF project and woke up this fine Saturday morning and thought “Outernet”. After stumbling around the web a bit I figured out that my v2.03 (active patch) hardware is no longer supported. And then I found this really relevant thread - Thank You!

I used 2.03 successfully a few times in the past but my home does not have good Southern/98W exposure so it has mostly sat in a box. I have had good luck with ADSB via Pi / RTL-SDR at home; I seem to be under a SeaTac (Seattle area) approach. Thanks @unixpunk for your comments above - will start down that path. I wonder how well the active patch antenna’s pattern will serve me…

@Konrad_Roeder - thanks for starting/pushing this thread! Would have direct messaged you but did not see how to do that. I am in Sammamish and saw your footprints on aprs.fi - I got my tech license years ago just to play with APRS. I’m interested in working satellites and have an unused VHF/UHF radio just sitting there all connected and ready to go… Thanks for the tip on the NOAA/LUT stuff; sounds interesting but there are these tall pine trees; will definitely read up. Do you have any hints/tips/tricks on homebrew 2.03 enclosures? Thanks! KD7UBJ

Thanks all!
Greg

Greg_Eigsti · 2018-11-03T16:41:52.442Z

I love this video/concept and have often entertained replicating. Looks like they have a couple new vids doing the same but for WiFi.

ClywdSlade · 2019-09-09T17:19:48.585Z

Hi…can someone explain the advantages of this vs a regular rtl-sdr dongle with RPI? That would cost around $60 and have a more capable compute platform at a slightly larger form factor.

circuit card assembly

unixpunk · 2019-09-09T17:34:41.442Z

Its more about if you already had an older dreamcatcher and wanted to use it for something besides collecting dust. Since you can’t really buy them anymore, and even if you could, not sure why you would choose it over a pi3 (or better). Just my opinion.