Not all Realtek SDR's are created the same.

[fuzzy_bunny]

I acquired a Realtek 2838 USB SDR with the Fitipower FC0013 tuner chip. I have to say... what a piece of excrement.

The rf gain is less than half of that available in the Realtek 820 tuner, and station quality, both audio and digital across FM Broadcast and VHF is completely lackluster.

I think in this case, the problem is with the tuner chip, as all the other different branded Realtek 2838 USB SDR's with the Realtek 820 tuners seem to perform pretty much the same.

I don't have an E4000 tuner chip model to test, but the Fitipower dongle will likely end up at the bottom of a packing box, as I don't even think it is worthwhile to put it in the bottom of a desk drawer.

I may end up mailing it to Hak5, if Darren or Shannon are interested in seeing it/having it/playing around with a tuner other than a Realtek 820.

Who knows, maybe Evil Server will be able to mind meld with it and get something productive out of it's rather pitiful design.

-FuzzyBunny

Edited March 19, 2014 by fuzzy_bunny

[jobdone]

do a direct conversion mod on it and use it for HF.

[cooper]

Here's a review comparing the R820T against the E4000

TL;DR :

- The R820T is much cheaper.

- The R820T is more sensitive than the E4000 from about the 160MHz mark and getting better going up, but was slightly worse below that mark and FM reception was a bit poorer (though not by a whole lot).

- The R820T operates between 24MHz and 1850MHz while the E4000 operates between 64MHz and 1700MHz and it has a gap from 1100MHz to 1250MHz.

Speaking generally, the R820T is the better part.