Nooelec NESDR XTR+ Tiny Extended-Range TCXO-Based SDR & DVB-T USB Stick (RTL2832U + E4000) w/ Antenna and Remote Control

Introduction:

Meet the XTR+ !   XTR stands for eXTended Range.  Containing an ultra-rare E4000 tuner chip, these devices are capable of receiving frequencies all the way up to 2300MHz.   As with other SDRs, the exact frequency range capability varies somewhat from unit to unit.   

As a 'plus' version, this model contains an ultra-high-accuracy, GPS-rated, made in Japan +/- 0.5PPM TCXO oscillator.  What does that mean?  Rock-solid short and long term tuning accuracy, in nearly any temperature range.  Nifty!

About the E4000:

For those who are unaware, the maker of the E4000 integrated circuit, Elonics, went out of business years ago.  As a result, E4000-based USB sticks are very hard to find.  There are plenty of unscrupulous sellers selling 'E4000' or 'E4000-upgrade' SDRs, but every one that we know of are selling USB devices with other tuner chips to unsuspecting customers.  Thankfully, you won't have that problem with Nooelec!

Yes, these are REAL E4000-based SDRs...guaranteed!  After looking and negotiating for over 2 years, we finally managed to obtain the remainder of the E4000 integrated circuit in limited quantities.  Once these are sold out they will not be available again, anywhere.

Comparisons:

An excellent comparison of the E4000 tuner vs. the R820T tuner was done by a 3rd party, HB9AJG.  A copy of his findings is available in the downloads section.  In short, the E4000 excels at frequencies below 450MHz, whereas the R820T performs better at frequencies above 450MHz.  He did not perform testing above 1040MHz, but it is well-established that the E4000 is the best tuner available for GHz+ ranges (and is also the only low cost tuner available that is even capable of 1.8GHz+ reception).

In terms of size, the NESDR XTR is closer in size to the NESDR Nano than the NESDR Mini & NESDR Mini 2.  The shell is 43.0mm in length (excluding male USB plug), 20.0mm in width, and 10.0mm in depth.

An important advantage of the XTR is its lower power consumption, which can be critical for portable and embedded applications.  The XTR has a current draw of approximately 170mA at 5v DC, approximately half of the power consumption of the NESDR Mini, NESDR Mini 2 & NESDR Nano.

Frequency Capability:

It is important to note that E4000 has a 'gap' in it's frequency capability, known as the 'L-band gap', around 1100MHz-1200MHz range (again, the exact location of this gap varies from device to device).  However, in our own testing, we find that the E4000 performs better starting near 1500MHz, and of course has expanded range beyond the 1750MHz capability of R820T and R820T2-based tuners.  We would not recommend this dongle if you are interested in receiving ADS-B (1090MHz), an NESDR Mini or NESDR Nano is much better suited for that purpose.  However, for MF & HF (with an upconverter like Ham It Up), VHF, and UHF above 1500MHz, the XTR is a better-performing unit.

Description:

This custom Nooelec SDR is a modified DVB-T USB dongle tuned for SDR usage, including upgraded crystal, capacitors and inductors compared to generic devices. Full compatibility with a large array of software packages, such as MATLAB®, HDSDR, SDR Touch, SDR#, Planeplotter--too many to list.

MathWorks® and Nooelec™ have coordinated to bring MATLAB® support for our SDR receivers. The RTL-SDR radio support package enables you to design wireless receivers using real world signals. Using Communications System Toolbox™ in conjunction with an RTL-SDR USB radio, you can design and prototype systems that process real-time wireless signals in MATLAB® and Simulink®

Wireless engineers, students, and hobbyists can learn to receive and decode real-world radio signals using this low cost RTL-SDR hardware connected to your computer.

The perfect device for learning software defined radio, on the cheap. Amateur radio, police & fire scanning, trunking, satellite images--you name it, this little guy can probably do it. Outperforms many devices 10x its cost!

These units are based on the E4000 tuner IC made by Elonics. As such, they have a frequency capability of approximately 55MHz-2300MHz, with a gap near 1100-1200MHz, though this can vary somewhat from unit to unit. There is also an RTL2832 (RTL2832U) IC on board of course, which acts as the demodulator and USB interface.

The set includes a quality telescopic metal antenna, the same upgraded antenna included with the NESDR Mini 2 packages.

The connector type on the antenna and USB board is MCX--male MCX on the antenna, female MCX on the SDR. There are plenty of adapter and adapter cables available in our store if you want to connect your favorite antenna!

Want HF too? You can modify the dongle for HF reception, but performance and frequency capability will be quite limited. If you would like to do this please contact us and we'll be happy to walk you through it. However, we strongly recommend you take a look at the Ham It Up, which will let you listen all the way down to 100kHz or lower with impeccable sensitivity