Using a low-cost SDR for logging accurate RF power and SNR measurements

The ability to make a log of absolute RF power levels centred at a given frequency, and of selectable bandwidth,  over specified time intervals is a very powerful capability.  Even more so, in portable or mobile situations such as field strength monitoring of both wanted and unwanted signals where an accurate, yet simple and low-cost solution is desirable.  

Even in the lab, using expensive general purpose RF gear for long running projects is undesirable when the use of a low-cost alternative will work just as well.

SDRplay – makers of the RSP family of SDRs also provide SDRuno software for Windows which enables very accurate RF power measurements (within +/- 1dBm) and SNR readings   to be made anywhere between 1kHz and 2GHz. 
 

With SDRuno, the user can select the bandwidth over which the power readings are to be taken – See below: 

The next thing to do is select the time interval for the logging which can be varied from every second to every 1800 seconds as shown below:
 

Once the logger has started, measurements of RF power level and SNR are taken at the specified intervals:
 

The readings are stored and can be outputted to a .csv file for further analysis or charting purposes:
 

Check out the video

Or visit the SDRplay YouTube Channel

Simply google "RS Components RSP2pro"  to get a link to your local RS Components SDRplay webpage - from there, you have links to the other members of the SDRplay RSP family. Accurate power measurement and logging is now also supported on the RSP1A