NooElec NESDR Mini 2 SDR & DVB-T USB Stick (RTL2832 + R820T2) with Antenna and Remote Control
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Purchase options and add-ons
Connector Type | USB |
Brand | NooElec |
Connectivity Technology | USB |
Antenna | Radio |
Tuner Technology | ADS-B, DVB-T, Satellite Radio |
About this item
- Contains RTL2832U interface IC and the new, improved R820T2 tuner! This tuner has improved sensitivity and SNR compared to devices using the R820T. Unmatched price-performance.
- Contains all the same improvements on the 'generic' design as were made on the popular and well-tested NESDR Mini, including higher-accuracy clock, low-ESR capacitors, high-Q inductors, and more!
- 1-year warranty direct from Nooelec! With locations in both the US & Canada, and full technical support services, your investment is a safe and wise one.
- Frequency capability is approximately 24MHz-1750MHz, with no gaps within that range. Expansion to HF, all the way down to 100kHz, is available with the Ham It Up upconverter (sold separately).
- Free high-quality telescopic antenna, much improved over the older thin-whip style antenna. Turn on, tune in and...listen!
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This Item NooElec NESDR Mini 2 SDR & DVB-T USB Stick (RTL2832 + R820T2) with Antenna and Remote Control | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | $32.95$32.95 | $33.95$33.95 | $29.95$29.95 | $39.95$39.95 | $39.95$39.95 | $31.95$31.95 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Value for money | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.0 |
Easy to install | — | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.6 | — |
Remote Control | 3.8 | — | 2.5 | — | — | 2.9 |
Stability | — | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.4 | — | — |
Sold By | Nooelec | RTL-SDR Blog | RTL-SDR Blog | RTL-SDR Blog | ADSBexchange | Nooelec |
connector type | USB | — | — | — | USB Type C | Mini USB |
antenna description | Radio | Radio | Radio | Radio | Radio | Radio |
connectivity tech | USB | — | Radio Frequency | Radio Frequency | USB | USB |
tuner technology | ADS-B, DVB-T, Satellite Radio | — | — | — | ADS-B | ads-b,satellite |
platform | windows | windows, android, linux | windows, android, linux | windows, android, linux | android | windows |
video output format | mpeg 4 | mpeg 4 | mpeg 4 | mpeg 4 | mpeg 4 | mpeg 4 |
remote included | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
Product Description
Say hello to the newest member of Nooelec's popular NESDR SDR-range, the NESDR Mini 2. The Mini 2 uses a brand-new tuner IC, the R820T2 made by Rafael Micro, to provide increased sensitivity and improved SNR. A greatly-improved telescopic metal antenna is also included with your SDR set at no extra charge. If you liked the NESDR Mini, you will love the NESDR Mini 2!
The perfect device for learning software defined radio, on the cheap. Amateur radio, ADS-B, police & fire scanning, trunking, satellite images--you name it, this little guy can probably do it. Outperforms many devices 10x its cost!
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 NooelecTM 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 ToolboxTM in conjunction with an RTL-SDR USB radio, you can design and prototype systems that process real-time wireless signals in MATLAB and Simulink
These units are based on the R820T2 tuner IC made by Rafael Micro. As such, they have a frequency capability of approximately 25MHz-1750MHz. There is also an RTL2832U IC on board of course, which acts as the demodulator and USB interface.
Interested in frequencies below 25MHz? We recommend you take a look at our Ham It Up upconverter, which will let you listen all the way down to 100kHz or lower with impeccable sensitivity.
The connector type on the SDR in female MCX, and on the antenna, male MCX. There are plenty of adapter and adapter cables available in our store if you want to connect your favorite antenna!
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 3.94 x 5.91 x 1.57 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 2.08 ounces |
ASIN | B00P2UOU72 |
Item model number | NESDR Mini 2 |
Customer Reviews |
4.3 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #30 in External TV Tuners |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | December 30, 2014 |
Manufacturer | Nooelec Inc. |
Warranty & Support
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the performance, value, quality and ease of use of the tuner. They mention that it works well, is completely worth the price, an awesome little piece of hardware and that it makes an interesting toy. They also like the rf gain. However, some customers have reported issues with the antenna.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the performance of the tuner. They say it works well, does a very good job, and is great for starting off. The traffic part works great, and it's useful for use with FlightAware's PiAware ADS/B software for airplane tracking. The device itself works as a standalone unit just fine, and customers find it very useful and a pretty amazing tool.
"...this is a great little SDR dongle...." Read more
"...- it just does what it says, and for a fairly uncommon device, it works quite well right out of the box...." Read more
"...antenna is of good quality, has a magnetic base, and is suitable for most purposes...." Read more
"...This devices works on two of my laptops; one running windows 7 , one running windows XP and it is simple to use with freeware SDR programs such as..." Read more
Customers like the value of the tuner. They mention it's a low cost method of getting a view of Software Defined Radio technology. Some say it'll be a good starter SDR for cheap. Customers also appreciate the nice design and the free software.
"...Best bang for your buck. A device allowing users to fully exploit hardware's capabilities, using computer software...." Read more
"...Well worth the money!" Read more
"...Completely worth the money though! An amazing product." Read more
"...This made it unusable for my purposes." Read more
Customers like the quality of the tuner. For example, they say it's an awesome piece of hardware, an amazing little receiver, and a pretty cool SDR. That said, some say the included telescopic antenna is of good quality. Overall, customers are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.
"...these custom made, specifically for SDR use, the component quality and layout are much better than the cheap $7 dongles (designed for DVB-T) you can..." Read more
"...The included telescopic antenna is of good quality, has a magnetic base, and is suitable for most purposes...." Read more
"It's amazing...but if your computer isn't FAST you will have MEGA latency problems...." Read more
"...frequency [Google "noaa weather station listing"]) it is pretty great...." Read more
Customers find the tuner easy to use and fun to play with for hours. They say it's a great learning device and one of the coolest tech toys they have bought.
"My very first foray into SDR, and it's so much fun!..." Read more
"...I'm not saying it will be ideal, but it works and is great to see data coming across.This won't work for USA television...." Read more
"...Great learning device and lots of fun...." Read more
"...Haven't messed with it in Windows or mac yet, but it is kind of cool to tune around and look at stuff, the antenna that comes with it is mediocre at..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the rf gain of the tuner. They mention that the included antenna does quite a bit, and is good for picking up nearby FM. The device is a fun little device, and the built-in antenna is good at picking up FM. It is an excellent general coverage receiver and spectrum analyzer, with room to upgrade the antenna with time. The included antenna is sufficient for testing, but for serious use, a better antenna is required.
"...Both are fantastic programs for listening to various types of signals from 25Mhz up to 1750Mhz...." Read more
"...This comes with telescoping antenna, a good idea for a wide-range receiver like this...." Read more
"...Reception of vhf signals drastically improved, and I didn't see much change in gain on UHF from the antenna mod...." Read more
"...It comes with an extending antenna not pictured here. It works well in a C-172 in some fairly busy airspace...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the signal strength of the tuner. Some mention that it picks up a HUGE range of radio traffic, has a lower noise floor, and better reception than the original. However, others say that it hasn't blow them away due to its limited frequency range, frequency significantly off, and spurious signal generation issues.
"...-gain outdoor antenna and an inexpensive ADS-B filter, the range increases quite a bit - I've seen distances over 200 miles several times...." Read more
"...It picks up a lot of spurious noise, but it's also remarkably sensitive. Also, the real magic lies in the software, much of which is free!..." Read more
"...this receiver was drift: once it got warmed up, the frequency was significantly different than when it was off...." Read more
"...The resonator is very close to spot on from a cold start to fully warmed up. I'm considering using it as an APRS I-Gate...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the antenna included with the tuner. They say it's worthless and not enough to capture local stations. Some customers also mention that the antenna was broken when they received it.
"Plugged the first one in and its USB connector was dead (computer wouldn't read it)...." Read more
"...The antenna included is basically useless...buy an adapter and a good Nagoya antenna...." Read more
"...So in this environment, the antenna is not an upgrade ether.Fun toy, but the only real improvement is the pastel blue color." Read more
"...The antenna connector seems slightly different, not right angled...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the software compatibility of the tuner. They mention that there is no software or instructions included, making it difficult to operate. Some customers also say that the software is not easy to deal with and that the installation process is tedious. Overall, customers feel the product is not recommended for beginners.
"Device comes in a plastic bag with no documentation, and no software...." Read more
"...As another reviewer noted, there's zero documentation (though you'll find some online), so you're pretty much on your own to figure things out if..." Read more
"...Difficult to find exactly which software utilities and which drivers you need to using as a computer software defined radio for..." Read more
"...Lots of fun if you're in to wireless communications. It takes some work setting up (especially calibration) but it's a fun tool for radio projects...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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The setup was quick and straightforward. Initially, my FR24 rig with the SDR's included antenna placed near a second-story window captured ADS-B position data from around 12 airplanes. Cool, but I wanted more! After experimenting with the antenna's length and setting the antenna on a makeshift ground plane (an aluminum cookie sheet), the transformation was remarkable.
Opting for a half-wavelength setup (13.75 cm for 1090 MHz ADS-B signals), strategically placing the antenna near the exterior window, and using my cookie sheet ground plane, the system went from tracking 12 airplanes to an impressive 32, with position data extending up to 95 nautical miles! These adjustments proved crucial, unlocking the full potential of the included antenna.
This USB-connected SDR, combined with the provided antenna, does a great job as part of a budget-friendly FlightRadar24 ADS-B rig. Highly recommended for those willing to explore and fine-tune for exceptional performance.
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2024
The setup was quick and straightforward. Initially, my FR24 rig with the SDR's included antenna placed near a second-story window captured ADS-B position data from around 12 airplanes. Cool, but I wanted more! After experimenting with the antenna's length and setting the antenna on a makeshift ground plane (an aluminum cookie sheet), the transformation was remarkable.
Opting for a half-wavelength setup (13.75 cm for 1090 MHz ADS-B signals), strategically placing the antenna near the exterior window, and using my cookie sheet ground plane, the system went from tracking 12 airplanes to an impressive 32, with position data extending up to 95 nautical miles! These adjustments proved crucial, unlocking the full potential of the included antenna.
This USB-connected SDR, combined with the provided antenna, does a great job as part of a budget-friendly FlightRadar24 ADS-B rig. Highly recommended for those willing to explore and fine-tune for exceptional performance.
I had to search the internet until I found www.RTL-SDR.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/
This answered all my questions and got me up and running.
The www.nooelec.com website has links to SDR# and HDSDR software for windows.
Both are fantastic programs for listening to various types of signals from 25Mhz up to 1750Mhz.
I've been listening to CB radio, FM broadcasts, Fire, Police, Airlines going overhead, and the 2 meter and 440Mhz Ham bands.
Interesting thing, when I listen to the Ham bands on a regular Shortwave, I hear the signal about 1 or 2 seconds before I hear it
on the RTL-SDR receiver. Must be some kind of lag as the computer processes everything.
If you have a Mac, the software works fine under Parallels, however there is a free Mac software for it called GQRX.
It works, but is very limited. My favorite is "SDR-Radio v2"
I asked Tech Support at NooElec about the Remote Control that comes in the package: It's not for any of the SDR apps, it's for DVB video, which is aTV format that's not transmitted here in the US. If you're in Europe, here's the link to the software: http://f.nooelec.com/TV28Tv2.iso
Here's some software tips, in case you get these errors:
Program name: SDR-Radio:
Error was: “Cannot gain exclusive access to the selected radio.”
Solution: Turned out that in Windows Task Manager, an occurrence of “SDR Console” was hiding out that didn’t close when the rest of the program closed.
Program name: HDSDR :
Error was: "A device ID has been used that is out of range for your system."
Solution: Turned out that the program had forgotten the sound card it was to use. (RX input from radio, and RX output to speaker.) Should have been Parallels microphone and Parallels speaker, but the program forgot.
Program name: SDRsharp:
Error was: "1 compatible devices has been found but are all busy."
Solution: Once I got those others going, this one was back to normal.
There have also been some concerns over heat, which I share. NooElec could easily help cool the tuner and receiver ICs by simply soldering applying solder paste to the bottom ground paddles; the board already has the required vias, so I’m not sure why they don’t do solder them…
At any rate, I took care of the heat issue by applying some two tiny 15x15mm heatsinks to the chips. (You can find these here on Amazon; just search for “Raspberry Pi Heatsinks” and get the small aluminum ones [not the larger versions designed for the SoC].)
I also bought one of the extruded aluminum cases from NooElec, which should help with heat issues as well.
So yeah, aside from that minor issue (which in practice might not be an issue at all, but as an electrical engineer it worries me) this is a great little SDR dongle. Since NooElec has these custom made, specifically for SDR use, the component quality and layout are much better than the cheap $7 dongles (designed for DVB-T) you can buy; spend the extra $13 and go for the Mini 2, you won’t be disappointed!
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2015
There have also been some concerns over heat, which I share. NooElec could easily help cool the tuner and receiver ICs by simply soldering applying solder paste to the bottom ground paddles; the board already has the required vias, so I’m not sure why they don’t do solder them…
At any rate, I took care of the heat issue by applying some two tiny 15x15mm heatsinks to the chips. (You can find these here on Amazon; just search for “Raspberry Pi Heatsinks” and get the small aluminum ones [not the larger versions designed for the SoC].)
I also bought one of the extruded aluminum cases from NooElec, which should help with heat issues as well.
So yeah, aside from that minor issue (which in practice might not be an issue at all, but as an electrical engineer it worries me) this is a great little SDR dongle. Since NooElec has these custom made, specifically for SDR use, the component quality and layout are much better than the cheap $7 dongles (designed for DVB-T) you can buy; spend the extra $13 and go for the Mini 2, you won’t be disappointed!
As another reviewer noted, there's zero documentation (though you'll find some online), so you're pretty much on your own to figure things out if there's a problem. Otherwise, the unit itself is somewhat large and tends to block adjacent ports - I find it handy to use a short USB extension cable. Otherwise, no particular complaints - it just does what it says, and for a fairly uncommon device, it works quite well right out of the box. Definitely the right SDR, especially considering the price.
Top reviews from other countries
Just follow the instructions for this device on the Nooelec website and you are good to go. I do receive my FM music stations with great quality and I also receive the communication of the towers of the Airport nearby (20km). However, I did spent an extra 11 euro to a 'simple to attach and use' antenna. Check it out, it is the XHDATA AN-80 FM SW, which you can also buy on Amazon. Connect (clip on) it to your out-of-the box antenna (that came with the device) and connect the other side to the curtain rail before your window. That side you can also just clip on. Now you have a much better antenna and it makes all the difference!
I use the easy to use (after some playing and Youtube watching) software SDR++, and I downloaded the beta (nightly built) version. It is important you use that one! Get in on the sdrpp.org website. It works great and after some time you learn how to master it as a pro :) Again, read the instructions on the Nooelec website. Also refer to the SDR++ manual, which you can download from the SDR++ website.
In order to improve the quality of the FM radio stations, I enabled RTL AGC but left Tuner AGC disabled. I manually set the Gain to 40.2 dB. I also enabled IF Noise Reduction. Last but not least, I set the bandwidth for each stations to 200Khz. Each station can be stored in the Frequency Manager for quick access. This all together (and combined with the XHDATA AN-80 FM SW antenne) delivers more signal and sound quality then any of the radio receivers I have. And all of this while I sit inside behind a desk, between walls and 4 meters from the window.
PS: On your first usage, after installing the driver. Select (under source in the sidebar) your device and set the sample rate to 2.4Mhz. Don't forget to press PLAY in the upper left corner and make sure you have Radio enabled in the sidebar and Squelch disabled (on start). Then you will hear a sound (noise). Now type in a FM radio station (put the mouse on the left digit of the frequency) and when entered, you will see it's working. Also be aware that you can not zoom out the display more then 2.4Mhz. This is the limitation of the device as it samples 2.4Mhz a time, like almost all of these devices. So, just scroll left or right to explore all frequencies.
Reviewed in the Netherlands on August 3, 2023
Just follow the instructions for this device on the Nooelec website and you are good to go. I do receive my FM music stations with great quality and I also receive the communication of the towers of the Airport nearby (20km). However, I did spent an extra 11 euro to a 'simple to attach and use' antenna. Check it out, it is the XHDATA AN-80 FM SW, which you can also buy on Amazon. Connect (clip on) it to your out-of-the box antenna (that came with the device) and connect the other side to the curtain rail before your window. That side you can also just clip on. Now you have a much better antenna and it makes all the difference!
I use the easy to use (after some playing and Youtube watching) software SDR++, and I downloaded the beta (nightly built) version. It is important you use that one! Get in on the sdrpp.org website. It works great and after some time you learn how to master it as a pro :) Again, read the instructions on the Nooelec website. Also refer to the SDR++ manual, which you can download from the SDR++ website.
In order to improve the quality of the FM radio stations, I enabled RTL AGC but left Tuner AGC disabled. I manually set the Gain to 40.2 dB. I also enabled IF Noise Reduction. Last but not least, I set the bandwidth for each stations to 200Khz. Each station can be stored in the Frequency Manager for quick access. This all together (and combined with the XHDATA AN-80 FM SW antenne) delivers more signal and sound quality then any of the radio receivers I have. And all of this while I sit inside behind a desk, between walls and 4 meters from the window.
PS: On your first usage, after installing the driver. Select (under source in the sidebar) your device and set the sample rate to 2.4Mhz. Don't forget to press PLAY in the upper left corner and make sure you have Radio enabled in the sidebar and Squelch disabled (on start). Then you will hear a sound (noise). Now type in a FM radio station (put the mouse on the left digit of the frequency) and when entered, you will see it's working. Also be aware that you can not zoom out the display more then 2.4Mhz. This is the limitation of the device as it samples 2.4Mhz a time, like almost all of these devices. So, just scroll left or right to explore all frequencies.