I've been told this is a really bad idea, that the cheaper (imitation) SDR's can't handle the feedback from a proper rooftop antenna. I've been running my SDR on an old Optiplex 790 and have just been leaving it running and logging, in hopes of recording anything interesting. My problem is, the physical location of the system does not lend itself well to using the teeny tiny antenna that came with it. What would you guys suggest to get to allow a proper, logging SDR with a hard rooftop antenna? Right now I have a loop antenna that's optimized for regular FM reception, but I just recently got a discone antenna that should help open up the little SDR, but I was told that a discone sounds good on paper, but in practice they have a tendency to reduce reception. I'm just trying to get a better system, as I feel that the stock antenna is getting limited reception in a brick house.
While a discone isn't an "ideal" antenna, the ones I have used worked well over a wide range of frequencies. Reducing reception? Hardly.
Really depends on the frequency Range you are most interested in logging... 30Mhz and above, a Discone is the right Antenna... 30Mhz and below a 100 Ft piece of wire strung up <10' above the ground is much better...
.. .. yep yep wut @techsar plus @BTPost said .. .. .. .. yall outta git 2 or 3 of dem antennas [ different types ] plus 2 or 3 SDRs .. .. dat way yall can log a buncha frequencies .. .. cuz da discone aint got reel gud low frequency response as Sir BT said .. ..
