DragonOS
I recommend getting a RTL-SDR kit when getting started with DragonOS. You can receive a wide range of radio signals using this device combined with software that comes pre-installed with DragonOS.
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Download the X86-64 FocalX version.
After you've downloaded DragonOS, start virtualbox on your Host machine.
Click the "New" button and not the "Add" button to get started.
Use the name "DragonOS FocalX Template", as that is the name of the ISO file we downloaded, plus the word "Template". We will clone it later for usage. Choose "Linux in the "Type" dropdown, and "Ubuntu (64-bit)" in the "Version" dropdown. Then click "Next".
Increase the memory to 2048MB, then click Next.
We will use the default option of "Create a virtual hard disk now", then click "Create".
Use the default "VDI" option and click "Next".
Use the default "Dynamically allocated" option, and then click "Next".
Leave the location to default. I recommend increasing to 50GB. Click "Create" to finish creating your VM.
Right-click on the "DragonOS FocalX Template" VM in the left panel, and click settings.
In the sidebar, click "System", in the tabs along the top, click "Processor", then increase to two CPUs.
In the sidebar click "Display", and then drag the "Video Memory" slider all the way from 16MB to 128MB. Then click "Ok".
In the sidebar, click "User Interface", uncheck "Show in Full-screen/Seamless", then click "OK" to close the settings.
Leave the USB settings at USB 2.0.
Then click "Start".
Now click on the small folder icon next to the dropdown.
Click "Add" to open the file dialog.
Navigate to your Downloads folder, and double click the DragonOS "ISO" file you downloaded.
Click "Choose" to select your installer.
Then click "Start" to boot the installer.
Click "Enter" inside the VM to boot DragonOS.
The DragonOS installer will now boot.
DragonOS is built on Lubuntu. Do not be alarmed seeing the Lubuntu logo as well as the word "Lubuntu", that is to be expected.
Double click "Install DragonOS FocalX" on the desktop to begin installing.
On the warning popup, click "Execute". The installer may take a moment to open up.
Inside the installer, click "Continue".
Select your keyboard. The default is "English (US)", "Default" keyboard, which is probably what you want. Then click "Continue".
Both checkboxes should be checked, then click "Continue". This will take a few minutes.
Make certain "Erase disk and install DragonOS" is selected, then click "Install Now".
On the warning popup, click "Continue".
Select your time zone, then click "Continue".
I recommend the name "Theophilus", the password "theophilus", and select the option "Log in automatically".
DragonOS will take some time to install.
Once it's done, click the "Restart Now" button.
Next, the disk should automatically eject. You can just press "Enter" on your keyboard to boot into your DragonOS VM.
Click on the Lubuntu logo at the bottom left of the screen, navigate to "Leave", and then click "Shutdown".
On the popup, click "Yes".
Right click on the "DragonOS Template" VM in the left hand panel, then click "Clone".
Name the clone to the specific task or purpose of the VM, I'll use "DragonOS Main" for my example, then click "Next".
Verify that "Full clone" is selected, then click "Clone".
Finally, you can delete your ISO file out of your downloads folder and empty the trash. Do this by right clicking on the file and selecting "Move to Trash".
Then right click on the garbage bin in your toolbar and select "Empty Trash", then click "Empty Trash" in the popup.
You now have DragonOS setup for usage. If for whatever reason you want to start over, just delete "DragonOS FocalX Main" and re-clone a template. Select "DragonOS FocalX Main" and click "Start".
Connect a USB-RTL device, then click on "Devices", then click on "USB" in the dropdown, then inside there find your RTL device and click to check it on.
Make sure an antenna is plugged into your RTL-SDR dongle!
Then, inside the VM, click on the Lubuntu logo at the bottom right of the screen, navigate to "Hamradio" and select "SDR++".
Under source, in the first dropdown select "RTL-SDR", then click the Play button at the top left of the screen next to the button with three bars, you should now be able to receive a wide variety of signals through SDR++.
You can only view a small portion of the radio spectrum at a time with SDR++. Other software packages can view larger spectrums at a diminished resolution, this is just to get you started.
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