Serendipity Wildlife Foundation
Hi all,
I am looking for advise and recommendations to purchase a suitable VHF receiver. We already have a Lora collar with VHF operating on 149.180. Being new to VHF receivers, I am trying to get an idea and cost of what is out there. Thanks very much.
29 November 2024 3:09pm
Hi Ravi, how are you?
well you got Telonics TR-8 its the most complete digital receiver in the market, a little expensive but excellent reveicer.
Then you got WildlifeMaterials, those are analog receivers a little heavy, but it does the job, they come with 1 MHz up to 4 MHz models, make sure to choose the proper one
Also there's radiotracking receivers, analog and compact, I'm not sure if they work 149 MHz, you can write them and ask, I bet they can build it.
Marshall telemetry they have also receivers but Im afraid only 216-219 MHz and 434 MHz
3 December 2024 5:35am
Hello @robbiemp
My method may not be the best at the moment, but I’ll share the results from my previous tests. Here’s what I’ve tested: “DIY using SDR connected to a smartphone as a radio telemetry receiver.”
I have a VHF receiver that works with SDR and an Android smartphone. I’ve tested it with a VHF tag that I built myself, "My VHF Telemetry Tag Building Project From Scratch."
It depends on whether you need data or just audio. If you need data, SDR may not perform very well. But if you’re just after audio signals, it can work similarly to a regular VHF receiver. By using a Yagi antenna and connecting the SDR to the smartphone, it can work for any frequency range you want. I used 148-151 MHz, but you can use more than that.
Please understand that it works similarly to a commercial VHF receiver, but it may not be as good as the ones available in the market due to various limitations. However, it can still be used. I tested it with a Yagi antenna that I made myself (but if you already have an antenna, you can use it too), and I was able to detect my VHF tag from a distance of about 1.2 kilometers and 800 meters for the VHF tag I received from @Rob_Appleby . This is just a rough test.
If you need a receiver that can operate across a wide range of frequencies, I think the RTL-SDR would be a good option as well.
This may not be the best method, but it works just fine. Thank you, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me.
Robin Poches
Pochitroniks