NooElec Ham It Up Plus v2 - Extend The Range of Your RTL-SDR, NESDR or Other Radio Down to 300Hz. HF/MF/LF/VLF/ULF Upconverter and Panadapter w/TCXO & Switchable LNA/Passthrough Options

This thing works great! I use a RTL SDR dongle V4 with it. It gets the job done quite well! I need a better antenna than the long ground wire I am using. It gets pretty good reception even with that bad antenna.

As of April 2024, using a ~2017 NooElec NESDR Smart XTR SDR device with this ~2017 NooElec Ham It Up Plus v2, and finding very similar, if not the same results as when using an ~2019 AirSpy Discovery HF+ device! With the exception, the Nooelec hardware works with many more commonly known software than the AirSpy high frequency device.About the only difference, seemingly only cosmetic or looks, I found the NooElec high frequency setup to have a +10-20dB gain in comparison to the AirSpy Discovery HF+ device. (I'll further clarify this from my notes once the review is published, rather than writing from memory.) I was expecting a 10dB decrease with the Ham It Up, but found the opposite to be apparently true. As documented within prior AirSpy reviews, the AirSpy USB device likely just incorporates additional hardware filtering, resulting in a less than 10-20dB gain, or decreased signals and noise floor. No real difference when using the Nooelec hardware, once you lower the gain level by 10-20dB! Audible noise levels sound about the same, but some less ghosting. Weird...Had I known the performance would be extremely similar, and having access to more compatible and much more stable software with the Nooelec hardware, I would have never had purchased the more expensive AirSpy. Also seems to be no reviews documenting the comparisons between the two popular devices.PROSSame/similar performance as the later ~2019 AirSpy Discovery HF+ device. Can easily save yourself a $100, unless you desire the sleeker looking AirSpy Discovery HF+ device.2) RTL-SDR and Nooelec are all well supported throughout most all popular operating systems. AirSpy developers (via mailing lists or forums) only support Windows' SDR++, with little support elsewhere, even though they say otherwise on their website.CONSThe Nooelec high frequency device setup, requires connecting an RTL SDR USB device to the Ham It Up Plus V2 device. (eg. NooElec NESDR Smart XTR SDR USB device) Also requires a -125mHz offset, however most software nowadays is automatically configured upon detection. Really no big deal, for those already computer literate.

It works what I expected. Thanks NooElec.Just one thing, I could not find a manual. Smomehow it works !

This has a switch to up-convert or pass through like the older model.BUT, you can turn on or off the amplifier if needed in either mode.Remember in SDR Sharp, set the offset frequency to -125,000,000 (-125 Mhz) so the display frequency is correct.Wayne

It's always a good experience when a product is ordered, and actually does what is claimed in the ad text, so I like to give credit where it's due. Yes, this upconverter costs a bit more than some of the mystery "clones" one might find on eBay, but as the saying goes, you do get what you pay for.My main ambition was to catch radio traffic in some of the HAM bands, but also in AM broadcast, SW, and so on.As for the Ham it Up unit, it took only a few minutes to get it set up and running. It's a very simple procedure (provided you already have your RTL-SDR or similar device installed and running), but no worries, there are numerous YouTube videos which give very good step by step instructions.The main criteria to know about is setting the tuning offset of your software to -125 MHz, to compensate for the upconverter. It's purpose is to compensate for the tuning limits of your RTL-SDR device, which cannot reach below 25 MHz.If not familiar, I would strongly suggest using the HDR# software, as this has a huge user base and lots of blog sites and YT videos one can refer to. You can also use HDSDR with similar results, I have used both.Aside from setting up the tuning parameters and some other details in the software, your biggest variable will likely be antennas.It's good to have several different antennas to select from, depending on what you're tuning in on, but even more importantly is where the antennas are and how they're positioned. This you'll just have to experiment around a bit with.But as for the NooElec Ham it UP itself, no complaints, does exactly what it should do.My only suggestion is to have an extra USB power cord handy (I run my USB power from an AC powered USB extension port), as the device does not ship with one.