Exploring lower cost alternatives in measuring RF filter frequency response… Added a RTL-SDR to my SATSAGEN controlled scalar network analyzer setup just to see if how well it might work. TLDR: It works pretty well! Isolation between TX/RX is improved with this setup. Details in the blog post at: https://qsl.net/n8dmt/pluto-rtl-sdr-and-satsagen/index.html
#HamRadio #TestEquipment #RTLSDR

Screen capture of SATSAGEN running on the Ham Win11 PC, with the software controlling the RTL-SDR receiver and Pluto SDR transmit source. A frequency sweep is running from 70 to 1200 MHz. The plot shows the reference line at 0 dB and the classic low-pass filter shape below that the Mini-Circuits SLP-300 filter provides (attenuating frequencies above the pass band up to 300 MHz).

Photo of a RTL-SDR receiver stick testing a Mini-Circuits low pass RF filter with a Pluto SDR as a transmit source.