So I was hunting around for computer radio receivers for a car laptop project Im doing, and I found this.


WinRadio (http://www.winradio.com/index.htm)

http://www.winradio.com/home/receivers.htm

It is similar to GNU radio, with the main difference being that this looks like it may actually work, and possible to figure out.

Don't let the name throw you off. It is compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac as well.

You can get a receiver such as this one (http://www.winradio.com/home/g305e.htm), which will receive anywhere from 9kHz to 1800MHz. That means you will be able to pick up anything from airplanes to emergency services to common radio stations and kid's walkie talkies. It plugs in via a USB interface(there is a PCI version as well..That particular model is about $650.

One thing Im not sure about is if it will pick up trunked signals. They have an APCO-25 receiver, but it is unclear whether or not it receives the signals and just identifies them, or actually decodes them. I emailed them about it. I'll post back when they reply.

Anyways, just wanted to share this with you all.

hey thanks for sharing i think i might purchase some equipment

Aye, my pleasure.

By the way, I got a response back from them.

They will be coming out with a decoder for trunked APCO-25 signals in a couple months.