Hello everyone, I would like to ask if anyone has ever used a radio telemetry tag for tracking wildlife with an SDR receiver connected to a smartphone. Does it work well? I tested it once, and it worked very well, but that was just a test. I tested it in an open area with a range of about 400 meters. So, I would like to ask those who have used it because right now I am developing a VHF tag that can be self-made for use over a period of time. However, since I only have an SDR, I can't obtain a specialized telemetry receiver. Therefore, I would like to know if SDR could be a replacement for cheaper wildlife tracking projects. I used a Yagi antenna from ATS that I borrowed from my old university to perform the test last year as the test antenna, but that's not the main point. Thank you very much for your feedback.
5 October 2024 2:38am
Very cool Chittakon! Given how expensive commercial receivers can be (although I understand a huge amount of R & D goes into their development and it's a niche area so costs are likely to be higher) this is a great area of exploration. I'd expect the biggest point of difference might be the reception range between a commercial receiver and an SDR set up like yours. Very keen to see how all this progresses so please keep us posted!
Cheers,
Rob
5 October 2024 4:58am
I know few projects that have deployed VHF tags in the field here. Need to get an SDR device connected to smartphone to see if it works.
Do let me know the technical details of the SDR, I'll try to get one and try to test next time I am in the field.
2 November 2024 1:01pm
Hello
I had the chance to test the VHF tag and the antenna I recently built. It performed well, even when I was about 700 meters from the signal source, with the VHF tag hidden in bushes to simulate real conditions. I tested both my self-assembled tag and a Perdix tag, provided by a supporter for this project. Rob Appleby
For the SDR setup with an Android smartphone, I might not provide the best configuration tips since I wasn't using the latest software, and the antenna is still in its testing phase. I didn’t have much time for testing today, as I had to walk over 10 kilometers back to my place—quite a trek!
Here’s a brief summary:
- RTL-SDR can successfully receive signals from VHF tags, with a testing range of:
- SI4463 at 151.050 MHz: around 730 meters in an open area with bushes in the way.
- Perdix VHF at 151.029 MHz: approximately 680 meters under similar conditions.
I used a Yagi antenna for reception, with SDRTouch software gain set very low, at around 10-15%. I’ll continue testing and will update you with more refined results soon. Thanks for following along!
31 January 2025 9:28pm
Can I please get a recommendation for software that I can use on iOS. I went ahead and purchased a hardware kit.
Thank you in advance.
Ravi
Rob Appleby
Wild Spy