Noo Elec Needs To Create A Up Converter Kit

[A Ebel]

 I am planning on buying a up converter, but when I emailed the admin via email.   I asked him,  "What do you get when you get the up converter"?    And he said,  "An up converter" and nothing else included.      Right now I am searching high and low for the parts and accessories ie. cables, connectors for this up converter and I really need to know what do I really need to get this up converter fully operational without spending too much money.   What are the essential parts?       This is what I am saying, they sell something and the starters like me cannot get the included adapters and cables and USB connector with it.    Also I wish that they cover the board up with some plastic or metal case!   Also I need to know what would be a good HF antenna for indoors in a ground level first floor apartment living room?       Also in the near future, I am going to buy me a VLF converter to get the long wave band on 4.010 MHz to 4.500 MHz.    Right now I need to know what I really need.   

Adam E. 

Virginia Beach, VA  

Owner of a RTL-SDR  2832 

[Opendous]

>I am searching high and low for the parts and accessories

The core components are a Realtek RTL2832U-based DVB dongle with a
tuner supported by RTL-SDR and a PC that can run SDR Sharp or GNURadio
or one of the other compatible software receivers.
http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr
http://sdrsharp.com/

To connect an Upconverter (IF Out) to your DVB Dongle you need some
sort of adaptor or you could simply wire the two together directly
using a short piece of coax cable.

If you go with the neat and tidy adaptor route, the adaptor(s) you
need depend on what connector is on your DVB dongle. Most common is a
PAL connector, so you need a PAL to SMA-Female. Such adaptors don't
exist so you need a PAL_to_BNC-F, BNC-M_to_SMA-F, and SMA-M_to_SMA-M
so that it plugs into the SMA-F. Unfortunately NooElec is currently
out of stock of SMA-M_to_SMA-M.
http://www.nooelec.com/store/male-iec-169-2-pal-tv-aerial-to-female-bnc-adapter.html
http://www.nooelec.com/store/male-bnc-to-female-sma-adapter.html
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/ADP-SMAM-SMAM/ADP-SMAM-SMAM-ND

If you regularly order from DigiKey and Mouser, they sell BNC-
M_to_SMA-M adaptors so you would only need the PAL_to_BNC-F from
NooElec.
http://www.nooelec.com/store/male-iec-169-2-pal-tv-aerial-to-female-bnc-adapter.html
http://us.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=245101-04-06.00
http://us.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=565-4288
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/4288/501-1341-ND

On the antenna (RF) side, you need an adaptor to connect your
antenna's connector to the SMA-F connector. Or, you could solder some
wire or the antenna directly to the connector. Whatever works best
for you.

>USB Cable

Standard USB-A to USB-microB. However, powering the Upconverter
from batteries significantly improves performance so consider
soldering a 3xAA holder to the 5V and GND pins.
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/BC3AAW/BC3AAW-ND

>I wish that they cover the board up
>with some plastic or metal case!

We are trying to figure this one out. A metal enclosure proved to
have negligible impact on function and is too much work and expense.
If you have a local electronics store that sells short pieces of heat-
shrink tubing, you could encase the Upconverter with it.
http://code.google.com/p/opendous/wiki/Upconverter_Enclosure

>what would be a good HF antenna for indoors in a
>ground level first floor apartment living room?

I have been struggling to come up with a good answer to this. If
you have enough room I would put up a dipole antenna. Basically two
long pieces of wire, one connected to the RF signal and the other to
the RF shield/GND. One length along one wall and the other along the
opposite wall.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipole_antenna

The 1/4-wavelength of 4MHz is 61.5' (18.75m) so you would need about
125' (40m) of 24AWG or thicker copper magnet wire (what motors/coils
are wound with) although standard hook-up wire should work decently as
well. You should be able to pick up such wire more cheaply from a
local hardware store than an online distributor. Note that 24AWG is
acceptable for reception but transmitting requires thicker gauges.
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/C2003A.12.01/C2003B-100-ND

You could get away with just the 100'. Make the signal half 19m and
use the rest for the GND/Shield half.

If you are planning a DigiKey order, grab a 1:4 balun just in case.
It will improve the match between the Upconverter and antenna.
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/CX2074NL/553-1655-ND

[Opendous]

>What are the essential parts?

If soldering is acceptable and you have the tools, a PC, DVB Dongle,
Upconverter, and wire is all that is absolutely required.

Here is an example of a connection using direct wiring:
http://groups.google.com/d/msg/ultra-cheap-sdr/Sym4wwUCjUU/gY_19UnwzbMJ
http://ultra-cheap-sdr.googlegroups.com/attach/b3cdf049f5f58f81/Oscillator-Module_01.JPG?view=1&part=4

Proper connections are less important at lower frequencies so having
adaptors at IF (100.5MHz to 150MHz) and direct wiring at RF (0.5MHz to
50MHz) should provide acceptable performance.

Running an Upconverter off battery power reduces noise but USB power
is likely easier.
http://groups.google.com/d/msg/ultra-cheap-sdr/Sym4wwUCjUU/f2AZ6Up8hAMJ

You could create a long-wire antenna if your Earth/Ground connection
is good (underground metal pipes) and you can source an appropriate
toroid. Toroids of type -2 are best for most HAM bands (2MHz to
30MHz).
http://groups.google.com/d/msg/ultra-cheap-sdr/Sym4wwUCjUU/iFUHilNfllIJ
http://groups.google.com/d/msg/ultra-cheap-sdr/Sym4wwUCjUU/fZ5QX1NDYIUJ
http://www.m0ukd.com/Magnetic_Long_Wire_UnUn/index.php
http://www.kitsandparts.com/toroids.php
http://www.qsl.net/ok1dxd/amidon.htm

A discone antenna may be too big for indoor use at 4MHz:
https://groups.google.com/d/topic/ultra-cheap-sdr/WQe6uYktx84/discussion
http://helix.air.net.au/index.php/d-i-y-discone-for-rtlsdr/