How to listen to CB Radio with a cheap SDR on your PC
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- Опубліковано 28 жов 2022
- Here is a cheap way for you to listen to local CB traffic using an inexpensive software defined radio.
This is one of the cheap SDR adapters that I run:
a.co/d/iUpNcGr
The SDR used in the video is the Nooelec NESDR Smart v4 SDR:
a.co/d/gj7X4Rw
RTL SDR Drivers:
zadig.akeo.ie/
SDR++ Software Download
www.sdrpp.org/
US CB Channels File
drive.google.com/file/d/1O8CE... - Навчання та стиль
I just received the Nooelec RTL-SDR v5 SDR as a gift and your video was very helpful for getting things running quickly until I figure out all of the features. I like the record feature to see how I sound, especially on sideband. Nice to see that I'm right on frequency. Great tool to see where the activity is instead of scanning on my radio. Well done video!
I was thinking that too (your last bit). Where you could fire up the program to see if theres any activity before wasting your time scanning is you didn't have the program. It would be great if there was a splitter we could use so we didn't need two aerials as planning permission here in England is a right SOB.
Great video. If you get a 6 or 12 foot USB extension cord, you can attach the radio to the end of the antenna cable and tie them down for a solid connection with a flexible cable to the laptop. Wall mounting opens the way to mounting the dongle to a big passive heatsink and it allows you to rig a nice RF ground to the dongle too.
I run my SDR off of an MFJ 1708B RF sense SDR switch along with a DX Engineering Receiver Guard. I'm planning on doing a video showing to use a manual SO-239 antenna swtich as well as running the automatic MJF switch. I mainly listen through the computer and then talk through the radio.
@@megamind2289Did you ever produce a video on the panadapter? I'm looking through your catalog but don't see it.
Merry Christmas from Georgia!
This video helped me so much, i appreciate it.
Great love these videos, keep em coming
Great video for setup, you can adapt this for any frequency provided you have the antenna to receive.
Super helpful channel. Thanks so much!
I monitor the CB AM freqs on the RSPdx once in a while but after 5 minutes of listening to the hash and trash talkers I realize why I quit CB in the first place. SSB 11meters has deteriorated as well, you'll hear far more interesting traffic on the GMRS frequencies than AM CB.
Sad ham
We need to bring back the CB Police 😉
Public and free communication is going to cause that and it is necessary
Very interesting item - and thanks for sharing this video ! :)
Good video, thank you.
Thanks for the information.
I love CB
I have a UHF and an FM antenna on a tripod on my roof. Separate 75 OHM RG6 with a 15 Db amp on each. Do you think I could pick up anything at all if I adapt the RG6 to SMA?
I hate what's become of CB. I got one hoping to get some SSB DX action when conditions were good. Well, conditions are good now, and I am treated with hundreds of people all on one channel at the same time, most of which are using amps. People apparently thousands of miles away coming in crystal clear on AM. Nobody could ever possibly hear my pathetic "legal" rig. Then there's the ridiculous lingo, the obnoxious echo mods, Battle Hymn of the Republic roger beeps and the LOCAL "power" users. I love hearing one dude's splatterbox bleed in on all 40 channels at the SAME TIME. I really don't want to fork over the money for a mobile HF rig, but I guess I'm going to have to if I want to stop dealing with the shaved apes on CB... ::end of rant::
I always stayed above the regular 40 channels on lower SSB. 274550 lsb used to be the Radio America channel and there were radio clubs all the way up to 278050 lsb. Now that I'm up on top of a South shore Lk Superior mountain surrounded by iron ore so it's hard to hear anyone on the upper channels
Would be great if you could explain the file setup so i could learn how to set up other frequencies.
I use a lot of the same connectors in my ANRITSU sweep gear
Thanks for the video,New to RTL SDR. I can tune to CB freqs but sound is low tone no highs. Is there a way to adjust like EQ ? Thanks for your timr
SDR++ is my go-to sdr software. I have pretty much all of them installed, but I feel that SDR++ is easier than the rest to navigate. I have 10 radios going at any given point. Not all are active, but I have them tuned to scanners and pagers. My only real complaint is that its hard to select radios. I would expect clicking the radio on the left would select it. I've submitted this as a feature request to the dev, but they seem to think this isn't a good idea. Very odd.
I can second this SDR++ is great, though there are some features that you'd expect to be standard that arent :(
just take the test and use your talents for ham radio your on the right track
I'm taking the test soon, but I plan on staying with the CB streams and how-to's on this channel.
Sad ham
you're on
What did you create the JSON file in? I tried editing in Excel the usual way but it doesn't bring back anything useful. I know it can open in notepad or notepad++ but that's just ugly. I'd like to modify it to include some additional frequencies.
It was saved as an export of the channel list within the SDR++ application.
Whenever I hear the Citizens Band these days I'm reminded of why I got a ham license. It's not perfect, but it's a real improvement. Passing through Chicago and monitoring CH-19 one time years ago convinced me to get licensed, and I never looked back. With their 'pills', their 'birds', and their audio compressors and echo boxes I was driven away immediately.
Yeah, the echo boxes are quite ridiculous. The majority of traffic sounds pretty silly, too. I mean - most amateur communications are nothing important, but at least they're handled professionally. CB is literally the electronic wild west.
I have the same software and the nooelec that you are using. I follow all the instructions you did to the letter and I am not getting anything in the cb band. I live in NE AR, 2 miles from the main highway between Memphis and St. Louis. As the crow flies we are about 30 mi from Memphis. Could it be my antenna that is causing me to not receive anything? I mean.. really. almost nothing on this nooelec. I get 10+ FM stations clear as day in my truck. I get maaaaybe 2 very fain on this nooelec. I have a basic 7 inch telescoping SMA antenna on the nooelec. Could there be USB interference? Maybe I need a usb extender to set this farther away from my computer or up in a window? Really appreciate any advice or hints.
You will need to use an antenna designed for CB use. You will want your antenna to be outside and as high as possible. There are many adapters available that take the SMA connector on the USB SDR up to the SO-239/PL-259 connectors that CB antennas typically use. Make sure your antenna cable is also 50ohm. A simple magnet mount car CB antenna on the roof my metal shed in the backyard worked well to get me started with hearing the CB band on my SDR.
How do u save the settings tho? Thx
What settings are you talking about? Everything but the zoom level is remembered from the last session.
Will an SDR play radio work with the SDR++ software???
Yes, I also run the SDRPlay RSP1a and it works great. SDR++ has many devices that are currently supported with more added all the time.
@@megamind2289 but will it run in windows??
@@kennynvake4hve584 Yes, the driver for the SDRPlay devices is included with the SDR Uno software.
@@megamind2289 I got it to work in windows, thanks...I used sdr play and my freq's dont match what they should, like the weather should be on 162.475 and it's on 152.500. Have you ever seen this.
Pay to set your sdr volume at half way next time you record this, your voice was a good volume but the audio was super loud.
Thanks for the feedback, this was one of the first videos I uploaded and have learned a lot since then.
Anyone have UK CB channels?
These completely cover all frequencies, up to the signal to the neighbor's garage door. Interesting because you can display entire bands and always see what frequency is happening at the moment. For a little more money, you can also, illegally, annoy your neighbors by opening their garage door when it's closed. I operate it on my amateur radio set and often see more than I can filter with my ear at the moment.
You're gonna have the FCC knocking at your door if you toy with your neighbors garage door openers
sdr++ crashes my driver for some reason
If you are on Windows, make sure you don't have any Windows updates to apply. I've had issues with old builds of Windows 10.
@@megamind2289 Thanks for the reply!
It somehow fixed itself on my part, i unplugged the usb dongle for a few hours and it worked after i plugged it in again. Weird, but oh well:)
Just came here to say that I wouldn't call this a cheap SDR. This is a relatively premium SDR being more than the standard RTL-SDR
What is the cost ?
I guess that cheap is relative differently to everyone. The two links that I provided for the main RTL-SDR's that I use are $29.95 and $33.95 on Amazon and the software used is free. I consider that pretty cheap. Some of my other SDR's were significantly more, like the SDRPlay RSP1a at about $125.00 and the Hermes Lite 2 at about $350.00.
@@megamind2289If I'm looking for a good SDR, which one should I look at getting?
Why would you want to listen to CB when you could listen to so many more things that aren't rude and crazy?
Agree with you 100% !!!
Do not plus SDRs directly into PC, use a USB extention cable.
It will destroy the USB socket with the strain on the solder joints..
Good vid. Your settings are not optimal. Your noise floor is all over the place. Good video thogh
doesnt work with chrome
Chrome OS or Chrome browser? I used the Edge browser so there wasn't a saved history in my normal Chrome browser
@@megamind2289 it is set up for windows no download for those on a chrombook
@@shellybelknap1524 chromebook don't support this software, lol
That is too damn complicated
macs don't need drivers!!! ;)
Baba on channel 6 is a pain in the rear. He's not funny with all this outdated hillbilly humour. Gives us a break. Say na na to Baba:)
The information is great but the video is terrible. Just about uses. Just bad contrast and very blurry.
I agree, I was disappointed with how OBS recorded the video even though the settings were cranked up. I'll most likely do a follow-up video with better video/audio and also go in to the antenna connections more.
Used mobile CBs cost about $5. DC converter $10 Antenna = the same. Why not just use the real deal? I mean, you can even.... TRANSMIT! Oh, wait, that would involve interacting with other people...
I agree completely, I've talked on inexpensive mobile setups for many years! If you really enjoy talking, check out running the SDR in addition to your radio so you can jump to any channel that you are seeing activity on. There are so many times someone local yells audio a few times on a channel and no one comes back, if I have the SDR running I can see when someone keys and go to that channel to talk. It's an incredibly useful tool if you enjoy talking, and isn't that hard to setup or expensive. My latest live streaming use the SDR for visual more than anything, most audio through the radio. ua-cam.com/video/QfW2Dx8MrTQ/v-deo.html
Look Jim, radio isn't what it used to be. We have the internet now. SDR can be more useful to someone who wants to learn more about radio without putting in much money or needing a silly FCC license to talk to whoever is out there. It's especially useful if you don't want the ability to transmit.
It's a quick way to see if theres any traffic before firing up your rig.
Yup. Pay $43 for an SDR when you can buy brand new CB's for $25. Brilliant.
I scan the channels on my CB, catch some, miss some. My SDR shows all 40 channels at once so I know where the action is. Hope you didn't waste your time watching this video.
SDR can listen to multiple frequencies where you would need 5 or 6 different radios to do so, sure if you want to talk you need a radio but can learn a lot by listening, specially in times of emergencies.