Setup:RTLSDR Mac - 2020-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.

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

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

The output of rtl-test, should be similar to 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.

or:

         Found 1 device(s):
          0: Realtek RTL2838UHIDIR SN: 00000001
         Using device 0: Generic RTL2832U OEM
         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 
         [R82XX] PLL not locked!
         Sampling at 2048000 S/s.
         No E4000 tuner found, aborting.

Depending which version of the dongle you have.

To capture some samples can use the command line:

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 centre frequency of 110.9 MHz (-f). Captures to dump.bin (which can be read by MATLAB, Octave, Gnuradio, or C/C++)

After a successful capture, you should have a file dump.bin which equals the number of samples multiplied by two bytes.

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" 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)