Passive RADAR With a Dual Coherent Channel RTL-SDR

Juha Vierinen from the Kilpisjarvi Atmospheric Imaging Receiver Array has been working on a Dual Coherent Channel RTL-SDR modification. This modification essentially involves using the same clock source for two RTL-SDR dongles, which can be done by desoldering and removing the clock on one dongle, and then using a cable to connect the clock from another dongle to the clock input of the desoldered dongle.

Juha then was able to use his new dual coherent channel RTL-SDR to create a passive RADAR system. To do this, he connected the two RTL-SDRs to two log periodic Yagi antennas. From this setup he was able to detect airplanes and meteor echoes. An image cap and video showing RADAR detections over time is shown below.