RTL-SDR for Linux Quick-Start Guide

April 2023 update:

RTL-SDR drivers and tools for Linux Mint 20.3 (and most Debian/Ubuntu distros) are in the standard repositories and can be easily installed via Synaptic Package Manager. Launch SPM and search for ‘rtl-sdr’, tick ‘Mark for Installation’ and ‘Apply’. I do this prior to connecting the dongle and I’m not sure that matters. Run ‘rtl_test’ in a terminal to confirm functionality.

Blacklisting the kernel drives isn’t absolutely required as they will unload when an rtl app is started and reload when stopped. To prevent that, edit your /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf as an administrator and add ‘blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu’ to the end of the file. Save & restart the machine.

Current versions of the GQRX and Cubic SDR spectrum analyzers can also be installed via SPM and will add themselves to the menu.

RTL_433 is also available via SPM. After installation, open a terminal and type ‘rtl_433’. For us Americans that still need our temps in Fahrenheit, type ‘rtl_433 -C customary’.  It appears web browser support has been dropped, but it’s still a useful app.

As always, updates and changes break things on a regular basis. So what works today might not tomorrow or under another distribution. Previous versions of this guide remain available for reference purposes. Note that some of it is now deprecated. For technical support, please visit rtl-sdr.com  or your favorite search engine. Everything you see here should be considered a ‘How I’ and not an absolute ‘How TO’ guide.

Thanks for tuning in!

-Ken

RTL-SDR for Linux Quick Start Guide, Third Edition v20.

RTL-SDR4Linux_QuickStartGuide[v20]

RTL-SDR for Linux Quick Start Guide, Second Edition v2-18.

RTL-SDR4Linux_QuickStart(v2-18)

RTL-SDR for Linux Quick Start Guide, First Edition v10-16.

rtl-sdr4linux_quickstart (v10-16)