Reprogramming a €15 USB Audio Dial to work as an SDR VFO Knob

[Josh]

Thank you to Tysonpower (aka Manuel DO5TY) for submitting information about how he's managed to convert a cheap €14.33 USB audio control dial into a VFO tuning knob for use in SDR programs like SDR-Console V3. He writes:
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/reprogramming-a-e15-usb-audio-dial-to-work-as-an-sdr-vfo-knob/

[Pigmeat]

You might get the Big Guy's attention for this one, but if you don't try again after Christmas. He's normally on the roof looking for Santa and screaming about flying penguins until the holiday is over. It takes a few days for the tranquilizers wear off, try him the first week of January.

[NJQA]

I saw that.  There are a number of similar controls on Amazon for about $25.  I don’t know if they have the same board inside, so the code may require modification.

In the past people would modify an old mouse to provide this (I don’t think the current optical mouses will work).  The no-detent EC16 encoder is a bit of a challenge to find - most of what you see will have detents.

http://www.qsl.net/z33t/sdr_frequency_controller_eng.html

It is not clear to me what the advantage is of the modified USB volume control over the modified mouse.

[Josh]

You might get the Big Guy's attention for this one, but if you don't try again after Christmas. He's normally on the roof looking for Santa and screaming about flying penguins until the holiday is over. It takes a few days for the tranquilizers wear off, try him the first week of January.

If anything he's a never ending source of entertainment.

[Josh]

I saw that.  There are a number of similar controls on Amazon for about $25.  I don’t know if they have the same board inside, so the code may require modification.

In the past people would modify an old mouse to provide this (I don’t think the current optical mouses will work).  The no-detent EC16 encoder is a bit of a challenge to find - most of what you see will have detents.

http://www.qsl.net/z33t/sdr_frequency_controller_eng.html

It is not clear to me what the advantage is of the modified USB volume control over the modified mouse.

I think the big draw is it's a nice knob and case already setup for the most part compared to modding meece into a vfo knob. Someone I know in the sdr industry is still working on a usb vfo, just takes time to go from idea to manufacturing..

[NJQA]

There is the nice Elad TMate 2.  It only costs three times the cost of a RSP1A.

[Josh]

When he gets it into production it will be a lot closer to the rtl sdrs in price.

[chanito]

The old Griffin PowerMate works for me.