SDR--: Open-Source Software-Defined Radio Application with Visual Signal Path and Rust DSP

Introduction to SDR--

SDR-- is a new open-source software-defined radio application that allows users to visually construct signal paths. It enables the connection of various components such as devices, decoders, displays, and recorders on a canvas, with frequently used controls pinnable to a rack for easy access.

Technical Architecture

The application's backend utilizes a Rust server for radio control and digital signal processing (DSP), while the user interface is built with React. This architecture supports flexible deployment, allowing the server and UI to run on a single machine or separately, with the server placed near an antenna and accessed over a network. A built-in signal generator is included for testing without physical SDR hardware.

Capabilities and Features

SDR-- supports listening to multiple radio modes, including AM, NFM, broadcast FM with stereo and RDS, SSB, and various digital voice modes. It can decode aircraft, ship, amateur, pager, and sensor radio traffic. Users can view spectrum, waterfalls, decoded messages, position maps, and received images. The application also offers frequency scanning, workspace saving, and recording capabilities for device IQ, channel baseband, or audio, with the option to replay IQ through decoders. Advanced features include coherent receiver support for direction finding and beamforming, and data export options via UDP, TCP, webhooks, Matrix, or MQTT.

Installation and Supported Hardware

Installation options include desktop installers and portable servers available on GitHub Releases, with instructions for Homebrew, Nix, and Docker containers. Standard builds include native drivers for popular SDR hardware such as RTL-SDR, HackRF, SDRplay, and CR-8.