RFSPager

Host a receiver.

We don't scrape websites. We listen to the radio, through receivers hosted by people like you: a small computer and a radio dongle on a shelf, decoding the RFS paging network and passing every page to our server. Each one fills in a patch of the coverage map.

Pro is on us while you host.

Keep your receiver online and decoding and your account gets RFSPager Pro free: push alerts, alert zones and filters. It starts once the receiver has been steadily online for a day, and only lapses if it stays offline for more than a week.

What you need

  • Raspberry Pi 4 or 5. With its own power supply and an SD card.

  • RTL-SDR or compatible USB dongle. The radio. An RTL-SDR Blog V4 is a good choice.

  • VHF antenna. The paging network is around 148 MHz. Higher and clearer of obstructions hears further.

  • Power, around the clock. A receiver that is off can't hear the page that matters.

  • Internet. Wired or reliable Wi-Fi. It sends text, so it uses very little data.

Usually it's your own gear, but if you're somewhere we need coverage we may help with it. Hosting is free.

How it works

  1. 1Apply

    Tell us where the receiver will be. It takes two minutes.

  2. 2We review

    A person reads every application, and we email you back.

  3. 3Install

    Once approved, one command on the Pi sets up the receiver service.

  4. 4On the map

    Pages it decodes show up in the feed, its area fills in on the coverage map, and Pro is free while it stays online.