[amsat-bb] SDR monitoring/telemetry station

[Matthew Stevens]

So, after discovering that trying to process telemetry data from the
audio log I recorded out of my D72A doesn't work at all, I'm kicking
around the idea of getting an SDR receiver to monitor Fox/Funcube
telemetry, as well as use for general HF/air band/satellite reception.

My first thought is to use an SDRplay hooked up to my computer as a
more-or-less unattended monitoring station. I'm aware of the Funcube
dongle, but it looks like the SDRplay is a little more versatile as
far as general SDR use, not just sat telemetry. In theory it looks
like I can set up HDSDR with an SDRplay to record automatically on
intervals, and then process telemetry after the fact. In
practice....Has anyone used this approach? Or have a better way?

My other question is about antennas. I know there isn't going to be
any one antenna that will work for everything. At first I will
probably just use a spare 2m/440 mag mount I have lying around, stuck
on the metal roof of my house. Just curious what others are using?

thanks,

- Matthew KK4FEM