Disaster Comm Ohio

Requirements:Basic receiver software and a single dongle.
Capabilities:Easily determine what commercial FM broadcast you are receiving, connect basic receiver software to an auxiliary program, add a plugin to SDRSharp.

Radio Data System (RDS) is present is some FM commercial broadcasts. It's what displays the station identification or sound name on your modern car radio. There can be more to it than that though.

Requirements:Single Dongle. Basic audio client, windows or Linux.
Capability:Reception of VHF 6-M Ham Band, regional distances, longer when conditions permit.

Tune down to the advertised limit of some of the RTL-SDR dongles to the 6-Meter band, 50 to 54 MHz.

I'm using a simple discone antenna which is good of wideband reception but not always ideal for pulling in some signals. When I tune down to 50 MHz I get a disappointing waterfall like this:

Requirements: Linux
Capabilities: Basic reception of RF

Since this is your first step, the goal is to work out the basics of getting the device working with your computer and the installing the software before you begin going after more interesting signals. Here is a simple guide to get you under way, you'll have to scroll down to the Linux section:

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/