Installing RTL SDR in Mac OSX - 2013-UQ-Communication-Systems/public GitHub Wiki

For Mac OSX, RTL SDR is most easily installed by getting a pre-packaged GQRX package, or by using Macports.

GQRX is a SDR visualizer and FM/AM radio player. Note that GQRX source code is available from: github.

Getting the binary

Method 1

  1. Download from the official website. Works well for all Mac OS X from version 10.5 to 10.8 - NOT 10.9 Mavericks though. http://gqrx.dk/download
  2. Install it (copy it to "Applications")
  3. Open Terminal, and type /Applications/gqrx.app/Contents/MacOS/rtl_test -t.

Method 2: Macports

  • Build using macports. After installing macports succesfully, run port install rtl-sdr
  • Then test the binary. Open Terminal, and type /Applications/gqrx.app/Contents/MacOS/rtl_test -t
  • Similarly can run port install gqrx and get the GQRX visualizer.

RTLSDR Testing

The output of rtl-test, is as below:

  Found 1 device(s):
    0:  ezcap USB 2.0 DVB-T/DAB/FM dongle
  Using device 0: ezcap USB 2.0 DVB-T/DAB/FM dongle
  Found Rafael Micro R820T tuner
  Supported gain values (29): 0.0 0.9 1.4 2.7 3.7 7.7 8.7 12.5 14.4 15.7 16.6 19.7 20.7 22.9 25.4 28.0 29.7 32.8 33.8 36.4 37.2 38.6 40.2 42.1 43.4 43.9 44.5 48.0 49.6 
  No E4000 tuner found, aborting.

To capture some samples can use the command line:

`/Applications/gqrx.app/Contents/MacOS/rtl_sdr -s 2e6 -f 110.9e6 -n 2e6 dump.bin`

Selected examples will capture 2 million samples (-n = number), at a sample rate of 2 megasamples/second (-s) and with a center frequency of 110.9 MHz (-f). Captures to dump.bin (which can be read by MATLAB, Octave, Gnuradio, or C/C++)

Using GQRX

You can also use GQRX to listen to tune into certain stations, there are two ways to do this. If GQRX just bounces around, it has hanged, and it needs to be forced quit.

Method 1: Use the rtl_tcp server, and GQRX via "RTL-SDR Spectrum Server" /Applications/gqrx.app/Contents/MacOS/rtl_tcp

  • Start GQRX via the Finder
  • Click the power button in the top right hand corner, and then select a frequency to tune into. DAB stations cannot be fully visualized with only 1.5 MHz of BW which is the default BW (they also cannot be decoded).

Method 2: Use GQRX and its USB tuner mode. It is usually the first receiver (RTL-SDR ... Driver). (Sometimes shows up as blank)