ria-toolkit-oss/docs/source/sdr_guides/rtlsdr.rst

.. _rtl:

RTLSDR
======

RTL-SDR (RTL2832U Software Defined Radio) is a low-cost USB dongle originally designed for digital TV reception
that has been repurposed as a wideband software-defined radio. RTL-SDR devices are popular for hobbyist use due to
their affordability and wide range of applications.

The RTL-SDR is based on the Realtek RTL2832U chipset, which features direct sampling and demodulation of RF
signals. These devices are commonly used for tasks such as listening to FM radio, monitoring aircraft traffic
(ADS-B), receiving weather satellite images, and more.

Supported Models
----------------
    - Generic RTL-SDR Dongle: The most common variant, usually featuring an R820T or R820T2 tuner.
    - RTL-SDR Blog V3: An enhanced version with additional features like direct sampling mode and a bias tee for
      powering external devices.

Key Features
------------
    - Frequency Range: Typically from 24 MHz to 1.7 GHz, depending on the tuner chip.
    - Bandwidth: Limited to about 2.4 MHz, making it suitable for narrowband applications.
    - Connectivity: USB 2.0 interface, plug-and-play on most platforms.
    - Software Support: Compatible with SDR software like SDR#, GQRX, and GNU Radio.

Limitations
-----------
    - Narrow bandwidth compared to more expensive SDRs, which may limit some applications.
    - Sensitivity and performance can vary depending on the specific model and components.
    - Requires external software for signal processing and analysis.

Set up instructions (Linux)
---------------------------

1. If you previously had RTL-SDR drivers installed, purge them first:

  .. code-block:: bash

    sudo apt purge ^librtlsdr
    sudo rm -rvf /usr/lib/librtlsdr*
    sudo rm -rvf /usr/include/rtl-sdr*
    sudo rm -rvf /usr/local/lib/librtlsdr*
    sudo rm -rvf /usr/local/include/rtl-sdr*
    sudo rm -rvf /usr/local/include/rtl_*
    sudo rm -rvf /usr/local/bin/rtl_*

2. Install build dependencies:

  .. code-block:: bash

    sudo apt install libusb-1.0-0-dev git cmake pkg-config build-essential

3. Build ``librtlsdr`` from source:

  The standard ``librtlsdr`` package available via ``apt`` is missing symbols required by the Python
  bindings. Build from the **rtl-sdr-blog fork**:

  .. code-block:: bash

    git clone https://github.com/rtlsdrblog/rtl-sdr-blog.git
    cd rtl-sdr-blog
    mkdir build && cd build
    cmake .. -DINSTALL_UDEV_RULES=ON
    make
    sudo make install
    sudo cp ../rtl-sdr.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/
    sudo ldconfig

  .. important::

     Do not use the osmocom ``rtl-sdr`` repository or the Ubuntu ``librtlsdr-dev`` apt package. Neither
     provides the ``rtlsdr_set_dithering`` symbol that the Python bindings require.

4. Blacklist the kernel DVB driver:

  The kernel DVB-T driver (``dvb_usb_rtl28xxu``) claims the RTL-SDR device and prevents ``librtlsdr``
  from accessing it.

  For most users:

  .. code-block:: bash

    echo 'blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-rtlsdr.conf
    sudo modprobe -r dvb_usb_rtl28xxu

  For **Radioconda** users, a blacklist configuration is already provided in your conda environment:

  .. code-block:: bash

    sudo ln -s $CONDA_PREFIX/etc/modprobe.d/rtl-sdr-blacklist.conf /etc/modprobe.d/radioconda-rtl-sdr-blacklist.conf
    sudo modprobe -r $(cat $CONDA_PREFIX/etc/modprobe.d/rtl-sdr-blacklist.conf | sed -n -e 's/^blacklist //p')

  If ``modprobe -r`` fails with "Module is in use", unplug the RTL-SDR dongle, run the command again,
  then plug it back in. Alternatively, reboot — the blacklist takes effect on next boot.

  .. note::

     Some systems also require blacklisting additional DVB-T modules. Add these entries to your
     blacklist configuration if needed:

       - ``rtl2832``
       - ``rtl2830``

5. Reload udev rules:

  For most users (rules are installed by the build step above):

  .. code-block:: bash

    sudo udevadm control --reload
    sudo udevadm trigger

  For **Radioconda** users, create a symlink from your conda environment instead:

  .. code-block:: bash

    sudo ln -s $CONDA_PREFIX/lib/udev/rules.d/rtl-sdr.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/radioconda-rtl-sdr.rules
    sudo udevadm control --reload
    sudo udevadm trigger

6. Install Python packages:

  .. code-block:: bash

    pip install pyrtlsdr==0.3.0
    pip install setuptools==69.5.1

  .. note::

     ``pyrtlsdr`` 0.4.0 references a ``rtlsdr_set_dithering`` symbol not present in standard
     ``librtlsdr`` builds. Version 0.3.0 works correctly.

     ``pyrtlsdr`` 0.3.0 depends on ``pkg_resources``, which was removed in ``setuptools`` >= 82.
     Pinning to 69.5.1 ensures ``pkg_resources`` is available.

Further Information
-------------------
    - `RTL-SDR Official Website <https://www.rtl-sdr.com/>`_
    - `RTL-SDR Documentation <https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/>`_