SDR Receivers GuideFor the radio hobby · worldwide

The complete guide

Software defined radio, chapter by chapter.

An independent, friendly tour of the modern SDR hobby — written in plain language for amateur radio operators, shortwave listeners, and anyone curious about what's out there on the bands.

  1. 01What is Software Defined Radio?A receiver that does most of its work in software — what that means in practice for the hobby.
  2. 02Why people love itThe waterfall, the worldwide reach, and a hobby with endless depth and a generous community.
  3. 03What you can listen to and decodeBroadcast, ham, maritime, ADS-B, FT8/FT4, weather, satellites, TV, SSTV, CW and more.
  4. 04Responsible listeningKnow the rules where you are — the golden rule of the hobby, plus sensible habits.
  5. 05Antennas, grounding & safetyThe antenna comes first. RF ground vs electrical (safety) ground — and why bonding matters.
  6. 06When less is moreWhy overdriving an SDR is so easy, and antennas are often over-spec'd.
  7. 07Connecting network receivers & SDR driversSoapySDR, SoapyRemote, the right driver for your radio — Mac, Linux and Windows.
  8. 08The joy of ADS-BWhy running your own 1090 MHz receiver feels different from a phone app — the radar, the 3D sky-dome, and the view from the cloud.
  9. 09A guide to driversDemystifying driver selection — an interactive tool that walks you through the right driver for your equipment, with copy-and-paste commands.
  10. 10The SDR software field guideChoosing the right SDR software for your equipment and goals — every major program honestly mapped: SDR++, SDR#, SDRangel, SDR Console, SDRconnect, SDRuno, GQRX, CubicSDR, GNU Radio, OpenWebRX and more.