Setting up software defined radio in debian...

...is more challenging than I originally expected.

The most helpful site I can find is this one:
http://2h2o.tumblr.com/

Many of my questions were answered with this post:
https://forums.hak5.org/index.php?/topic/31717-got-my-sdr-kit-now-what/page-1

but alas it would appear that the gnuradio script takes care of much of the former:

$ wget http://www.sbrac.org/files/build-gnuradio && chmod a+x ./build-gnuradio && ./build-gnuradio

*I did have to update the build script to include 7.5 for it to run.

to enable or disable autologon in linux

run the following command and flag "#" or unflag where needed:

sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

alfa awus036h keeps dropping connection and then reconnects only to drop again

open the following file (with admin privileges):
/etc/rc.local


add these lines (before exit command):
sudo iwconfig wlan0 rate 5.5M fixed
sudo iwconfig wlan0 frag 2346
sudo iwconfig wlan0 rts 2347