The RTL-SDR devices (versions V3 and V4) have become popular among radio amateurs because of their very low cost and rich features. A basic system may consist of a USB based RTL-SDR device (dongle) with a suitable antenna, a Raspberry Pi 5 computer, a USB-based external audio input-output adapter, and software installed on the Raspberry Pi 5 computer. With such a modest setup, it is possible to receive, demodulate, and process signals from around 24 MHz to over 1.7 GHz.

CQ, CQ!

This book is aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts, electronic engineering students, and anyone interested in learning to use the Raspberry Pi 5 to build electronic projects. The book is suitable for beginners as well as experienced electronics lovers. Some knowledge of the Python programming language is required to understand and/or modify the projects given in the book. The block diagram, circuit diagram, and complete Python program listings are given for each project, including the full description of the projects.

Over 25 Programs Covered

The following popular RTL-SDR software is clarified in detail, including installation on a Raspberry Pi 5:
 
  • SimpleFM
  • GQRX
  • SDR++
  • CubicSDR
  • RTL-SDR Server
  • Dump1090
  • FLDIGI
  • Quick
  • RTL_433
  • aldo
  • xcwcp
  • GPredict
  • TWCLOCK
  • CQRLOG
  • klog
  • Morse2Ascii
  • PyQSO
  • Welle.io
  • Ham Clock
  • CHIRP
  • xastir
  • qsstv
  • flrig
  • XyGrib
  • FreeDV
  • Qtel (EchoLink)
  • XDX (DX-Cluster)
  • WSJT-X

For the "5" Only

The application of the Python programming language on the latest Raspberry Pi 5 platform precludes the use of the programs in the book from working on older versions of Raspberry Pi computers.