@Wilfred first impressions are that it’s really sensitive and seems to do a great job of rejecting noise. Not got a lot of SDR experience yet but it seems like a great bit of kit.

So far it has been attached to my doublet, but I have a PA0RDT to try too.

I preordered it a while back, and had it shipped via DHL. It arrived with a ~£40 customs bill 😭

@m0puh
I recently got the RSP1A (SDRplay). Connected with a (low-pitched) discone. I'm satisfied. My goals are to raise the mast & an HF antenna. (Of course, several peaked antennas will follow in the future. Such as the 2 meter, 70 cm.)

But a customs bill as a surprise? Very annoying ☹️

@Wilfred @m0puh

The UK Customs seem to be quite strict about radio equipment, I encountered this when buying pager equipment for work (which I have an Ofcom licence for). It may be worth getting an EORI number (they are free to apply for, you just will in a form at HMRC) or DHL clear small shipments on *their* EORI and then bill you for the duty and their admin costs!

For larger shipments they wouldn't even let the items in the country without EORI (but HMRC never billed for the duty!)

@Wilfred @m0puh

PS: according to UK Gov, an EORI starting with GB will be still valid after Brexit.

I don't know how Belastingdienst en Douane deal with small deliveries (from outside EU) to NL...

@vfrmedia @m0puh
But I could request an EORI number for the future.

I hear more often about customs bills. Then the Alie "offer" turned out to be much more expensive afterwards.

@vfrmedia @m0puh
Interesting information, thank you Alex.

I bought my RSP1A in the Netherlands. A fast delivery. So no customs bill here. When registering on the official website, my supplier was in the list. The model number was also accepted. Everything went perfectly for me.

@Wilfred I was hoping I’d get away with it but was unlucky! I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so high, but didn’t really give it all that much consideration.

The shop SDRKits is actually in the same town as me, and I suppose I could have bought one of theirs instead and saved some hassle.

@m0puh
In your own city 😮? That's too bad. Been a little too impulsive. In the end it is an expensive and wise lesson 😉.

In any case, have fun and good luck with the SDR!

@Wilfred haha yep, about 2 km from home and the owner is in the local club. It’s this online shop: https://www.sdr-kits.net/

Anyway, I look forward to playing some more, also tempted to look into discones now too!

@m0puh
You can still laugh about it. Discone antenna are nice. But... no HF & less sensitive than a peaked.

A 1/2 wave dipole can be built quickly and cheaply. Experience remains great!

@Wilfred I currently have a ladder fed doublet (but it's a bit low), and an MFJ tuner which works fine, just interested in experimenting with other things too.

@m0puh
Wire antenna, ladder fed etc are ideal. Unfortunately, I can't build anything on the roof & I don't have a long backyard. There are also rules regarding antenna height..

So I have to compromise. I see it as a challenge 😁.

@Wilfred the challenge keeps things interesting! I'm lucky enough to have a long garden and a pole on the back of my house, but my antenna needs raising ideally.

@m0puh
Official rules: Without a license, a mast with antenna is a maximum of 5 meters (16 feet). Against the wall, 5 meters (16 feet) above gutter.

From housing (I rent the house): nothing on the roof, or on the house.

@Wilfred ahh that’s interesting. Rules here are all just standard planning permission related things (nothing about licensing). I decided to put a pole on the house to see what happens because after a few years with no issues it’ll be allowed to stay 😃

@m0puh
It has limitations, but also creative challenge. Work better with limitations than without an antenna. Yet? 😉