Supported SDR Radios and Drivers

SPECTER SDR Receiver Setup assigning hardware sources and array roles — RECEIVER SETUP // SOURCE, IDENTITY, ROLE, AND BANDWIDTH

Supported receiver families

SPECTER SDR can coordinate up to eight configured receiver sources. The application reads each hardware family's own frequency, gain, and sample-rate capabilities and keeps stable names, slots, antenna roles, bearings, and tuning between sessions.

Family	Models and sources	Connection path
RTL-SDR	RTL2832U models including RTL-SDR Blog V3 and V4, NESDR, and compatible receivers	Bundled librtlsdr runtime
LimeSDR	LimeSDR Original and LimeSDR Mini	Bundled pinned SoapySDR and LimeSuite runtime
bladeRF	bladeRF 1.x and bladeRF 2.0 micro	Bundled pinned SoapySDR and bladeRF runtime
Remote	Network receivers served by rtl_tcp	TCP source with forwarded frequency, sample-rate, gain, AGC, and PPM controls

Use Receiver Setup before changing a USB driver. Driver requirements differ by hardware and runtime. Follow the status shown for the detected device, change only the exact interface identified by SPECTER, and never apply a driver change to unrelated USB hardware.

Bandwidth and sample rate

RTL-SDR devices use the stable rate choices supported by their tuner path. LimeSDR and bladeRF devices expose wider hardware-reported choices, including rates above the normal RTL-SDR range. SPECTER opens wider radios at a conservative live width and leaves higher rates selectable per receiver. Wider is not always better: USB controllers, CPU load, FFT rate, recording throughput, and the radio itself determine the sustainable setting.

Building a mixed array

Use matched radios, antennas, feed lines, gain, and sample rate when amplitude comparison is the goal.
Use mixed hardware when coverage matters more than calibrated comparison, such as a dedicated ADS-B receiver beside wideband survey radios.
Give permanent local receivers stable unique identities before assigning fixed slots.
Use powered hubs and separate USB host controllers when the combined data rate becomes unstable.
Validate every radio for at least 30 seconds before beginning an important recording.

What to capture for support

Include the receiver family, device label, selected rate, driver status, connection method, and the relevant lines from the sidecar log. Do not post license keys or private rtl_tcp addresses publicly.