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Applications by activity

Every application the catalog carries, laid out the way the desktop menu is: one chapter per activity, one section per thing a person looks for. 326 applications. A program with several tags is listed under each.

Each entry links to its page, which says what it does and why you would want it, what to configure first, known problems, how it installs and where to get help. After the dash: in profile means hammunition install PROFILE brings it in; by name only means no profile includes it, so hammunition install NAME is how you ask for it. (retired) marks a unit the catalog keeps for the record. The package reference lists the same applications by bare tag, and the profiles say what each bundle is for. For the five activities with a hub page, GPS and time, APRS, Meshtastic, Reticulum and MeshCore, start from the activity hubs.

Operate the Station

Control the rig, keep the log, work the cluster, set the clock and the position.

Rig Control (CAT)

CAT control of a transceiver while operating: frequency, mode, PTT and the panel on the screen.

  • aethersdr — Linux client for FlexRadio transceivers (by name only)
  • cqrlog — Full-featured station log with a database behind it and rig control in front (in logging)
  • flrig — Rig control with a real front panel, shared between programs over XML-RPC (in digital-modes, station)
  • flwkey — Control panel for the Winkeyer hardware CW keyer (in morse)
  • icom — Minimal CI-V control for Icom radios from the command line (by name only)
  • kappanhang — Opens an Icom network radio as an ordinary sound card and serial port (by name only)
  • kel-agent — Bridges browser-based logging software to the radio hardware on your desk (by name only)
  • klog — Cross-platform Qt station log that stays out of the way (in logging)
  • libhamlib-utils — The command-line tools for hamlib — test a radio before blaming software (in satellite, station)
  • pihpsdr — Operator program for OpenHPSDR transceivers -- ANAN, Hermes Lite 2 and their kin (in sdr)
  • qlog — Modern Qt station log with award tracking and online-service upload (in logging)
  • quisk — SDR transceiver software with a real front panel, driving hardware or a dongle (in sdr)
  • rig-service — One shared rigctld for the station's rig, as a systemd user service (in station)
  • ser2net — Serve a serial port over TCP, so a rig's CAT port can be reached from another machine (by name only)
  • wfview — Control a modern Icom radio, waterfall and all, over USB or the network (by name only)

Logbooks & QSL

Contact logging, awards tracking, Logbook of the World and the lookups a log needs.

  • country-files — The DX-cluster country file (cty.dat) — callsign prefix to entity, zone and coordinates (by name only)
  • cqrlog — Full-featured station log with a database behind it and rig control in front (in logging)
  • fllog — Logging server the W1HKJ programs write contacts into (in logging)
  • flnet — Net control operator's list — who checked in, in what order (in logging)
  • kel-agent — Bridges browser-based logging software to the radio hardware on your desk (by name only)
  • klog — Cross-platform Qt station log that stays out of the way (in logging)
  • not1mm — A contest logger that speaks to your rig, keyer and cluster (by name only)
  • pyqso — Simple GTK logger in Python, easy to read and easy to change (in logging)
  • python3-pyhamtools — Python library for callsign lookup, locators and DXCC data (in logging, propagation)
  • qlog — Modern Qt station log with award tracking and online-service upload (in logging)
  • trustedqsl — Signs and uploads logs to ARRL Logbook of the World (in logging)
  • tucnak — VHF and above contest logger, built around locator scoring and networking (in logging)
  • xlog — Small GTK station log that opens instantly and does the basics well (in logging)

Contesting

Contest loggers, scoring, duplicate checking, keying and the country file.

  • country-files — The DX-cluster country file (cty.dat) — callsign prefix to entity, zone and coordinates (by name only)
  • cwdaemon — Network service that keys a transmitter's Morse from a serial or parallel port (in morse)
  • not1mm — A contest logger that speaks to your rig, keyer and cluster (by name only)
  • tlf — Console contest logger built for speed, driven from the keyboard (in logging)
  • tucnak — VHF and above contest logger, built around locator scoring and networking (in logging)

DX Cluster & Spots

Cluster clients: what other operators are hearing right now.

  • flcluster — DX cluster client that feeds the rest of the W1HKJ suite (in propagation)
  • xdx — DX cluster client — see what other operators are hearing, right now (in propagation)

Station Dashboards

HamClock-style boards: grey line, propagation, spots and the day at a glance.

  • hamclock-next — Maintained SDL2 rewrite of HamClock — grey line, propagation, DX cluster (in propagation)
  • hammunition-hill — Local-first ham radio dashboard — the Hammunition family's own (in station)
  • openhamclock — Community continuation of HamClock as a browser dashboard — grey line, propagation, spots, satellites (in propagation)
  • sunclock — World map showing the day-night terminator and where the sun is now (in propagation)

Time & Frequency

Clocks, radio time signals and time-zone displays for the operating position.

  • chrony — The clock follows your GPS receiver when the network is gone — chrony reading gpsd (by name only)
  • radioclk — Disciplines the system clock from an MSF, WWVB or DCF77 time signal (by name only)
  • twclock — World clock for the operating position, with a CW station-ID timer (in propagation, station)
  • tzwatch — Prints the time in several time zones at once, in a terminal (in station)

GPS & GNSS

GPS receivers and the daemon that shares one, format converters, and a GNSS receiver in software.

  • chrony — The clock follows your GPS receiver when the network is gone — chrony reading gpsd (by name only)
  • gnss-sdr — A complete GPS and GNSS receiver built entirely in software (in sdr)
  • gps-tether — Your GPS position on 127.0.0.1 for QMapShack, the browser map and GeoClue, as a user service (in navigation)
  • gpsbabel — Converts between GPS file formats and talks to the receiver (in station)
  • gpsd — GPS service daemon — one process owns the receiver, everything else asks it (in navigation, station)
  • gpsd-clients — Clients that consume what gpsd serves — xgps, gpspipe, gpxlogger, gpsdecode (in navigation, station)
  • gpsd-tools — cgps and gpsmon — the two programs you actually reach for when a receiver misbehaves (in station)
  • navit — Offline turn-by-turn navigation that follows the GPS, with spoken directions (in navigation)
  • pygpsclient — See what your GNSS receiver sees, and configure a u-blox receiver without u-center (by name only)
  • qmapshack — Offline topographic maps, trails, GPX tracks, elevation profiles and routing on foot (in navigation)

Offline maps, turn-by-turn navigation and the position on a moving map, with no network needed.

  • acma-register — The Australian regulator's licence register, for the ACMA repeater layer on the map (by name only)
  • brouter — BRouter, the offline router QMapShack runs for hiking, bike and car routes with elevation (in navigation)
  • brouter-mapcreator-profiles — The two filter files BRouter's map creator needs and its release zip leaves out (in navigation)
  • brouter-segments — BRouter routing files built from your own regions, with elevation, never downloaded (in navigation)
  • comaps — Offline vector maps with search and car, bike and foot routing, from CoMaps' own map files (in navigation)
  • comaps-maps — CoMaps' own map files for your map regions, checked against CoMaps' index (in navigation)
  • country-boundaries — Natural Earth's world country borders, which let Navit's address search find towns (in navigation)
  • dem-3dep — USGS 3DEP bare-earth elevation for your US map regions, when you choose it (in navigation)
  • dem-copernicus — Copernicus GLO-30 elevation tiles for your map regions, verified (in navigation)
  • dem-qmapshack — Hillshade, slope and 20 m contour lines for QMapShack, from the elevation tiles (in navigation)
  • eia-860m — EIA's monthly inventory of US power plants (EIA-860M), for the infrastructure layers (by name only)
  • faa-nasr-airports — The FAA's airport, heliport and seaplane base list (NASR), for the infrastructure layers (by name only)
  • gdal-bin — GDAL's command-line tools for rasters and elevation data (in navigation)
  • gps-tether — Your GPS position on 127.0.0.1 for QMapShack, the browser map and GeoClue, as a user service (in navigation)
  • graphhopper — GraphHopper, the offline router behind the browser map's car, bike, foot and hiking routes (by name only)
  • graphhopper-graph — GraphHopper's route graph built from your own regions, for routes on the browser map (by name only)
  • mapsforge-map — Mapsforge vector maps of your OpenStreetMap regions, for phone map apps (in phone-maps)
  • mapsforge-poi — Mapsforge points-of-interest files of your regions, for searching on a phone (in phone-maps)
  • mkgmap — Builds Garmin-format maps from OpenStreetMap data (in navigation)
  • mkgmap-splitter — Cuts OpenStreetMap data into tiles sized for mkgmap (in navigation)
  • navit — Offline turn-by-turn navigation that follows the GPS, with spoken directions (in navigation)
  • open-repeater — Open Repeater's CC0 list of amateur repeaters, for the repeater layer on the map (by name only)
  • opencpn — Marine chart plotter -- your position and AIS ships on nautical charts (in navigation)
  • osm-garmin — Garmin maps of your OpenStreetMap regions, with trails, for QMapShack (in navigation)
  • osm-navit — Navit's binary maps, converted from your OpenStreetMap regions, and its configuration (in navigation)
  • osm-pmtiles — Vector-tile maps of your OpenStreetMap regions, for the offline browser map (in navigation)
  • osm-regions — OpenStreetMap region extracts from Geofabrik, the regions you choose, verified (in navigation, phone-maps)
  • osm-routino — One Routino routing database over all your regions, for routes on foot (in navigation)
  • qmapshack — Offline topographic maps, trails, GPX tracks, elevation profiles and routing on foot (in navigation)
  • repeaterbook-client — The unofficial repeaterbook Python client, App (by name only)
  • routino — Offline routing over OpenStreetMap data, on foot, by bike or by car (in navigation)
  • socat (retired) — A relay between two data channels, sockets, files or programs (by name only)
  • usfs-fstopo — Forest Service FSTopo 7.5-minute sheets for your US map regions, with trail numbers (by name only)
  • usgs-ustopo — USGS US Topo 7.5-minute map sheets for your US map regions, verified (in navigation)
  • ustopo-qmapshack — The US Topo sheets as one seamless QMapShack map, collars cropped (in navigation)
  • vector-map-kit — The fixed files the offline browser map needs, from their publishers, pinned (in navigation)
  • wri-power-plants — WRI's Global Power Plant Database, for the infrastructure layers outside the US (by name only)

Locators & Bearings

Maidenhead grid squares, distance and bearing between two places.

  • qgrid — Maidenhead grid square calculator with a map and a compass (in propagation)
  • wwl — Distance and bearing between two Maidenhead locators, from the command line (in antenna, propagation)

Digital Modes & Morse

FT8 and the weak-signal modes, keyboard modes, NBEMS, digital voice, SSTV and amateur TV, EchoLink, CW.

FT8, JS8 & Weak Signal

WSJT-X and its family, JS8Call, QRSS: contacts at signal levels you cannot hear.

  • glfer — QRSS and DFCW receiver for extremely slow narrowband CW on LF/MF (in digital-modes)
  • gridtracker2 — Live map of FT8/JS8 activity, fed by WSJT-X and JS8Call (by name only)
  • js8call — Weak-signal keyboard-to-keyboard messaging built on the FT8 modem (in digital-modes)
  • js8spotter — JS8Call's companion — spot tracking, forms, APRS and SMS gateways (by name only)
  • jtdx — WSJT-X derivative tuned for DX working and crowded FT8 conditions (in digital-modes)
  • mshv — Multi-mode weak-signal application with multi-stream FT8 decoding (in digital-modes)
  • wsjtx — Weak-signal digital modes — FT8, FT4, JT65, JT9, WSPR, Q65 (in digital-modes)
  • wsjtx-improved — Community fork of WSJT-X with additional decoding and UI features (by name only)

PSK, RTTY & Keyboard Modes

Fldigi and the keyboard-to-keyboard modes: PSK31, RTTY, Olivia, MT63 and their accuracy checkers.

NBEMS Messaging

Forms, files and checksums over radio: flmsg, flamp, flwrap.

  • comptext — Compares two text streams and scores how much of one arrived intact (in digital-modes)
  • flamp — Sends files over radio in numbered blocks that can be filled in later (in digital-modes)
  • fldigi — Multi-mode digital modem for PSK31, RTTY, Olivia, MT63 and more (in digital-modes)
  • flmsg — Fills in and transmits the standard message forms EMCOMM runs on (in digital-modes)
  • flwrap — Wraps a file with a checksum so the far end knows it arrived intact (in digital-modes)

Digital Voice

FreeDV over HF and decoders for the digital voice protocols heard on VHF and UHF.

  • droidstar — M17, DMR, D-STAR, Fusion, P25 and NXDN over reflectors, with software vocoders and no radio (in digital-modes)
  • dsdcc — Decodes digital voice protocols from demodulated audio (in listening)
  • freedv — Digital voice over HF in the bandwidth of an SSB signal (in digital-modes)

SSTV, Fax & Amateur TV

Pictures over radio: slow-scan television, weather fax, and analogue television transmission.

  • hacktv — Generates and transmits analogue television — a HackRF as a TV station (in rf-research)
  • qsstv — Slow-scan television and radiofax — receive and transmit pictures (in digital-modes)
  • xwefax — Receives HF weather fax and draws the chart (in digital-modes)

EchoLink clients, SvxLink repeater and node software, and their link and calibration tools.

  • droidstar — M17, DMR, D-STAR, Fusion, P25 and NXDN over reflectors, with software vocoders and no radio (in digital-modes)
  • qtel — EchoLink client — work repeaters and stations over the internet (in digital-modes)
  • remotetrx — Puts an SvxLink receiver or transceiver at the end of a network link (by name only)
  • svxlink-calibration-tools — Sets the audio levels an SvxLink node needs to work properly (by name only)
  • svxlink-gpio — Lets SvxLink key a radio and read squelch through GPIO pins (by name only)
  • svxlink-server — Repeater controller and EchoLink node in software (by name only)
  • svxreflector — Conference server that links many SvxLink nodes into one talk group (by name only)

CW (Morse)

Keying, decoding and sending Morse on the air, keyers and beacons.

  • aldo — Morse trainer with four teaching methods, including Koch (in morse)
  • cw — Sounds text as Morse from the command line — the unixcw core tool (in morse)
  • cwcp — Curses Morse tutor — unixcw with a menu instead of a command line (in morse)
  • cwdaemon — Network service that keys a transmitter's Morse from a serial or parallel port (in morse)
  • cwwav — Turns text into a Morse audio file, from the command line (in morse)
  • ebook2cw — Converts a text file or ebook into Morse code audio at a chosen speed (in morse)
  • ebook2cwgui — Graphical front end for ebook2cw (in morse)
  • flwkey — Control panel for the Winkeyer hardware CW keyer (in morse)
  • ibp — Shows which NCDXF/IARU beacon is transmitting right now, on which band (in morse, propagation)
  • morse-classic — Text-to-Morse sounder and trainer, Eric Raymond's morse-classic (in morse)
  • morse-runner — CW contest simulator, the native Lazarus port of VE3NEA's Morse Runner (by name only)
  • morse2ascii — Decodes Morse out of a recorded WAV file (in listening, morse)
  • qrq — High-speed Morse trainer that pushes your callsign copy to its limit (in morse)
  • tlf — Console contest logger built for speed, driven from the keyboard (in logging)
  • twclock — World clock for the operating position, with a CW station-ID timer (in propagation, station)
  • wordsworth — Generate Morse practice text the Wordsworth way — words, not characters (by name only)
  • xcwcp — Qt Morse tutor that both sends practice and reads your keying (in morse)
  • xdemorse — Live Morse decoder with a GTK waterfall, from a sound card (in listening, morse)

Packet, Mesh & Emergency Comms

AX.25 packet, soundcard modems, nodes and BBS, Winlink, APRS, LoRa mesh and the EMCOMM stack.

Packet Terminals & AX.25

AX.25 configuration and the terminals you connect with once a port is up.

  • ax25-apps — The programs you actually use over AX.25 once a port is up (in packet)
  • ax25-tools — Configures the kernel AX.25 stack — ports, interfaces, NET/ROM, Rose (in packet)
  • ax25-xtools — X11 versions of the AX.25 monitoring tools (in packet)
  • linpac — Terminal for AX.25 packet with a built-in mail client and macros (in packet)
  • paracon — Packet radio terminal that talks AGWPE to Direwolf, with no kernel AX.25 (in packet)
  • qttermtcp — Packet terminal that connects over TCP to a BPQ node (in packet)

Soundcard Modems & TNCs

Direwolf, QtSoundModem, ARDOP and the TNCs built into radios.

  • ardopcf — HF data modem for Winlink and packet over poor paths (in packet)
  • baycomepp — Driver for the HB9JNX parallel-port packet modem (by name only)
  • baycomusb — Driver for the HB9JNX USB packet modem (by name only)
  • direwolf — Software TNC — turns a sound card into an APRS and packet modem (in packet)
  • freedata — HF messaging and file transfer over codec2 modems, with a browser interface (in packet)
  • mercury — Open HF data modem that speaks VARA's TCP interface, so pat uses it unchanged (in packet)
  • minimodem — General-purpose audio FSK modem — Bell 103, RTTY, AX.25 and anything else (in digital-modes, packet)
  • qtsoundmodem — Soundcard packet modem with a scope — an alternative to Direwolf (in packet)
  • tmd710-tncsetup — Configures the built-in TNC on Kenwood TM-D710 and TH-D72 radios (in packet)
  • z8530-utils2 (retired) — Configures Z8530-based HDLC cards for high-speed packet (by name only)

Nodes, BBS & Gateways

BPQ32, URONode, FBB, packet mail and the routing that ties them together.

  • ampr-ripd — Keeps a gateway's routes current on the amateur radio IP network (in packet)
  • aprsdigi — APRS digipeater — repeats packets so they reach further than one hop (in packet)
  • aprx — APRS digipeater and internet gateway, small enough for a Pi (in packet)
  • ax25mail-utils — Utilities for exchanging mail with an FBB packet BBS (in packet)
  • axmail — Mail reader that packet callers reach through a node (in packet)
  • fbb — The classic packet radio BBS and mailbox (by name only)
  • linbpq — BPQ32 packet-radio node, BBS and Winlink gateway (in packet)
  • uronode — Node front end that lets other stations reach services on your machine (in packet)

Radio email when the internet is down: pat, ARDOP, gateways.

  • ardopcf — HF data modem for Winlink and packet over poor paths (in packet)
  • garim — Graphical ARIM messaging over an ARDOP TNC (by name only)
  • linbpq — BPQ32 packet-radio node, BBS and Winlink gateway (in packet)
  • mercury — Open HF data modem that speaks VARA's TCP interface, so pat uses it unchanged (in packet)
  • pat — Winlink client — radio email that works when the internet does not (in packet)

APRS

Position reporting and messaging: clients with maps, digipeaters, iGates and pager bridges.

  • a2d — Bridges APRS messages to DAPNET pagers (in packet)
  • aprsdigi — APRS digipeater — repeats packets so they reach further than one hop (in packet)
  • aprx — APRS digipeater and internet gateway, small enough for a Pi (in packet)
  • direwolf — Software TNC — turns a sound card into an APRS and packet modem (in packet)
  • qtbpqaprs — G8BPQ's Qt APRS client, the messaging-focused one (by name only)
  • xastir — APRS client with real maps — see and be seen on the packet network (in packet)
  • yaac — Yet Another APRS Client — the deep, portable Java one (by name only)

LoRa Mesh

Meshtastic, MeshCore and Reticulum: off-grid text over LoRa.

  • gtk-meshtastic-client — Desktop GUI for Meshtastic nodes (in mesh)
  • lxmf — LXMF, Reticulum's message layer, and lxmd, its store-and-forward propagation daemon (in mesh)
  • nomadnet — Nomad Network, an encrypted messenger and page browser for the terminal, over Reticulum (in mesh)
  • python3-meshtastic — Meshtastic command-line client and Python API (in mesh)
  • rns — Reticulum, encrypted networking over any medium, with its shared instance and the RNode flasher (in mesh)

Emergency Comms

Net control, message forms, weather charts and the rest of the public-service stack.

  • a2d — Bridges APRS messages to DAPNET pagers (in packet)
  • eia-860m — EIA's monthly inventory of US power plants (EIA-860M), for the infrastructure layers (by name only)
  • faa-nasr-airports — The FAA's airport, heliport and seaplane base list (NASR), for the infrastructure layers (by name only)
  • flamp — Sends files over radio in numbered blocks that can be filled in later (in digital-modes)
  • flmsg — Fills in and transmits the standard message forms EMCOMM runs on (in digital-modes)
  • flnet — Net control operator's list — who checked in, in what order (in logging)
  • flwrap — Wraps a file with a checksum so the far end knows it arrived intact (in digital-modes)
  • freedata — HF messaging and file transfer over codec2 modems, with a browser interface (in packet)
  • garim — Graphical ARIM messaging over an ARDOP TNC (by name only)
  • ics-forms — FEMA's 39 fillable ICS forms, 205 radio communications plan and 213 general message among them (in reference)
  • js8spotter — JS8Call's companion — spot tracking, forms, APRS and SMS gateways (by name only)
  • svxlink-server — Repeater controller and EchoLink node in software (by name only)
  • wri-power-plants — WRI's Global Power Plant Database, for the infrastructure layers outside the US (by name only)
  • xygrib — Views GRIB weather files — wind, pressure, waves, on a map (in packet)

Mail Clients

Desktop mail clients and PGP, carried for stations that move traffic by mail.

  • claws-mail — The fast, plain-text-first mail client AHRL shipped (by name only)
  • evolution — GNOME's integrated mail, calendar and groupware client (by name only)
  • geary — The minimal, conversation-view mail client (by name only)
  • gpa — GNU Privacy Assistant — a GTK front end to GnuPG for signed and encrypted traffic (by name only)
  • thunderbird — Mozilla's full-featured mail client — the household name (by name only)

SDR & Listening

SDR receivers and toolkits, device support, and receive-only decoders for aircraft, ships, broadcast, weather and pagers.

SDR Receivers & Transceivers

Gqrx, SDR++, CubicSDR, SDRangel, Quisk, Linrad: the programs a dongle turns into a radio.

  • aethersdr — Linux client for FlexRadio transceivers (by name only)
  • cubicsdr — Cross-platform SDR receiver with several demodulators running at once (in sdr)
  • cutesdr — Small demodulator and spectrum display for networked receivers (by name only)
  • gqrx-sdr — Graphical SDR receiver — waterfall, demodulators and a bookmark list (in listening, sdr)
  • linrad — SM5BSZ's DSP receiver — the deep-toolbox SDR for weak-signal work (by name only)
  • pihpsdr — Operator program for OpenHPSDR transceivers -- ANAN, Hermes Lite 2 and their kin (in sdr)
  • quisk — SDR transceiver software with a real front panel, driving hardware or a dongle (in sdr)
  • sdrangel — SDR transceiver and analyser that does several things at once (by name only)
  • sdrpp — SDR++ — cross-platform SDR receiver with a modular DSP chain (in sdr)
  • supersdr — Turn any KiwiSDR into your rig's panadapter, synchronized over CAT (in listening)
  • wfview — Control a modern Icom radio, waterfall and all, over USB or the network (by name only)

GNU Radio & DSP Toolkits

Build a radio out of blocks: GNU Radio and its hardware sources, DAB encoders and modulators.

  • gnss-sdr — A complete GPS and GNSS receiver built entirely in software (in sdr)
  • gnuradio — Build a radio out of signal-processing blocks instead of hardware (in sdr)
  • gr-air-modes — Decodes aircraft transponder replies with GNU Radio (in listening)
  • gr-fosphor — GPU-drawn real-time spectrum and waterfall display blocks for GNU Radio (in sdr)
  • gr-funcube — GNU Radio source blocks for the FUNcube Dongle Pro and Pro+ (by name only)
  • gr-hpsdr — GNU Radio blocks for OpenHPSDR transceiver hardware (by name only)
  • gr-limesdr — GNU Radio blocks for LimeSDR hardware (by name only)
  • gr-osmosdr — One GNU Radio source block that speaks to nearly every SDR (in sdr)
  • gr-satellites — Decoders for the telemetry of hundreds of amateur satellites (in satellite)
  • odr-audioenc — Encodes audio into the DAB and DAB+ formats a multiplexer expects (by name only)
  • odr-dabmod — Turns a DAB ensemble into a transmittable OFDM signal (by name only)
  • odr-dabmux — Assembles audio services into a DAB ensemble multiplex (by name only)
  • odr-padenc — Encodes the text and images that ride alongside a DAB service (by name only)

Signal Analysis & Identification

Look at a capture and work out what it is: inspectrum, the sigidwiki reference, RDS, frequency calibration.

  • artemis — Signal identification reference — the sigidwiki database, offline (in listening, rf-security)
  • gr-rds — Decodes the data carried alongside broadcast FM — station names, traffic (in sdr)
  • inspectrum — Offline visualiser for captured radio signals — read a waveform by eye (in rf-security, sdr)
  • kalibrate-rtl — Measures an SDR dongle's frequency error against GSM base stations (in listening)

SDR Device Support

Host tools, libraries, udev rules and SoapySDR modules for every supported receiver and transceiver.

  • airspy — Host tools and library for Airspy R2 and Mini receivers (by name only)
  • airspyhf — Host tools and library for the Airspy HF+ HF and VHF receiver (by name only)
  • bladerf — Command-line tools for Nuand bladeRF transceivers (by name only)
  • gr-funcube — GNU Radio source blocks for the FUNcube Dongle Pro and Pro+ (by name only)
  • gr-hpsdr — GNU Radio blocks for OpenHPSDR transceiver hardware (by name only)
  • gr-limesdr — GNU Radio blocks for LimeSDR hardware (by name only)
  • gr-osmosdr — One GNU Radio source block that speaks to nearly every SDR (in sdr)
  • hackrf — Host tools for HackRF — transfer, sweep, spectrum and firmware utilities (by name only)
  • hydrasdr-host — Host library and command-line tools for the HydraSDR RFOne receiver (by name only)
  • langford-utils — Control programs for the Per Vices Noctar board (by name only)
  • libbladerf2 — Library and udev rules for Nuand bladeRF boards (by name only)
  • libfobos — Host library and command-line tools for the RigExpert Fobos SDR receiver (by name only)
  • libfobos-sdr-agile — Host library for RigExpert Fobos SDR boards running the "agile" firmware (by name only)
  • libiio-utils — Command-line tools that find and talk to IIO devices such as the PlutoSDR and ADALM2000 (in electronics)
  • libmirisdr4 — Open driver for Mirics-based receivers, including SDRplay RSP hardware (by name only)
  • limesuite — Host tools and library for LimeSDR hardware (by name only)
  • miri-sdr — Command-line tools for Mirics-based receivers (by name only)
  • osmo-sdr — Tools for the original OsmoSDR hardware (by name only)
  • qthid-fcd-controller — Sets frequency and gain on a FUNcube Dongle (by name only)
  • rtl-sdr — Host tools and library for RTL2832U-based receivers (in sdr)
  • soapyremote-server — Serves a local SDR over the network to software on another machine (in sdr)
  • soapysdr-module-airspy — SoapySDR driver module for Airspy hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-audio — SoapySDR driver module for sound-card SDRs and Airspy HF hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-bladerf — SoapySDR driver module for bladeRF hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-fobos — SoapySDR driver module for the RigExpert Fobos SDR (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-hackrf — SoapySDR driver module for HackRF hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-hydrasdr — SoapySDR driver module for the HydraSDR RFOne (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-lms7 — SoapySDR driver module for LimeSDR (LMS7002M) hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-mirisdr — SoapySDR driver module for Mirics hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-osmosdr — SoapySDR driver module for OsmoSDR and MiriSDR hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-plutosdr — SoapySDR driver module for the ADALM-Pluto (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-redpitaya — SoapySDR driver module for Red Pitaya boards used as an SDR (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-remote — The client half of SoapyRemote — uses an SDR served by another machine (in sdr)
  • soapysdr-module-rfspace — SoapySDR driver module for RFSpace networked receivers (by name only)
  • soapysdr-module-rtlsdr — SoapySDR driver module for RTL-SDR hardware (in sdr)
  • soapysdr-module-uhd — SoapySDR driver module for Ettus USRP hardware (by name only)
  • soapysdr-tools — Command-line tools for the SoapySDR hardware abstraction layer (in sdr)
  • uhd-host — USRP Hardware Driver — host tools and firmware images for Ettus USRP radios (by name only)
  • uhd-soapysdr — Makes SoapySDR devices visible to software written for UHD (by name only)

Broadcast Radio & DAB

DAB and DAB+ receivers and the data alongside broadcast FM.

  • dablin — Lightweight DAB receiver for the command line or a small window (in listening)
  • gr-rds — Decodes the data carried alongside broadcast FM — station names, traffic (in sdr)
  • nrsc5 — HD Radio (NRSC-5) receiver for an RTL-SDR -- the digital side of North American FM and AM (in listening)
  • odr-audioenc — Encodes audio into the DAB and DAB+ formats a multiplexer expects (by name only)
  • odr-dabmod — Turns a DAB ensemble into a transmittable OFDM signal (by name only)
  • odr-dabmux — Assembles audio services into a DAB ensemble multiplex (by name only)
  • odr-padenc — Encodes the text and images that ride alongside a DAB service (by name only)
  • welle-io — DAB and DAB+ digital radio receiver with a modern interface (in listening)

Aircraft (ADS-B, ACARS, Airband)

Transponder and datalink decoders, multilateration feeders, airband voice.

  • acarsdec — VHF ACARS decoder for aircraft datalink messages (in listening)
  • acarsserv — Stores what acarsdec and dumpvdl2 decode into a SQLite database (in listening)
  • dump1090-mutability — The older dump1090 fork, kept because two targets still carry it (by name only)
  • dump978-fa — Decoder for 978 MHz UAT, the second ADS-B link -- US general aviation below 18,000 ft (in listening)
  • dumphfdl — HFDL decoder for long-range oceanic aircraft datalink (in listening)
  • dumpvdl2 — VDL Mode 2 decoder for aircraft datalink (in listening)
  • gr-air-modes — Decodes aircraft transponder replies with GNU Radio (in listening)
  • libacars — Shared library that decodes ACARS application-layer messages (in listening)
  • mlat-client-adsbfi — Contributes ADS-B timing data so a network can locate aircraft by multilateration (in listening)
  • readsb — Efficient Mode S and ADS-B decoder — the maintained dump1090 successor (in listening)
  • rtlsdr-airband — Multi-channel AM/NFM voice receiver with streaming output (in listening)
  • tar1090 — The ADS-B aircraft map for readsb, served on this machine only, with no outside requests (in listening)

Ships (AIS)

AIS receivers and decoders with maps of vessel traffic.

  • ais-catcher — AIS receiver and decoder for marine vessel traffic, with a web map (in listening)
  • gnuais — Decodes AIS from the discriminator output of a VHF receiver (in listening)
  • gnuaisgui — Puts the vessels gnuais has heard on an OpenStreetMap display (in listening)
  • opencpn — Marine chart plotter -- your position and AIS ships on nautical charts (in navigation)
  • rtl-ais — Receives both AIS channels at once from one cheap dongle (in listening)

Weather, Sensors & Radiosondes

ISM-band sensors, weather balloons, weather fax and GRIB charts.

  • radiosonde-auto-rx — Automatically receive, decode and map weather-balloon radiosondes (by name only)
  • rtl-433 — Decoder for the unlicensed ISM bands — weather stations, sensors, tyre monitors (in rf-security)
  • xwefax — Receives HF weather fax and draws the chart (in digital-modes)
  • xygrib — Views GRIB weather files — wind, pressure, waves, on a map (in packet)

Pagers & Audio Decoders

POCSAG, FLEX, DTMF and the other audio-band modes multimon reads.

Satellites & Propagation

Satellite passes, satellite imagery and telemetry, HF propagation and the solar picture.

Satellite Tracking

Pass prediction and antenna and radio control for amateur and weather satellites.

  • gpredict — Real-time satellite tracking and pass prediction, with radio control (in satellite)

Satellite Decoding & Imagery

Weather-satellite images and cubesat telemetry from a recording or a live receiver.

  • gr-satellites — Decoders for the telemetry of hundreds of amateur satellites (in satellite)
  • noaa-apt (retired) — Decoder for NOAA weather-satellite APT imagery (by name only)
  • satdump — Satellite data processing — receive, decode and image from weather and science satellites (in listening, satellite)

HF & VHF Propagation

VOACAP predictions, terrain path analysis, beacons, grey line and the solar picture.

  • hamclock-next — Maintained SDL2 rewrite of HamClock — grey line, propagation, DX cluster (in propagation)
  • ibp — Shows which NCDXF/IARU beacon is transmitting right now, on which band (in morse, propagation)
  • openhamclock — Community continuation of HamClock as a browser dashboard — grey line, propagation, spots, satellites (in propagation)
  • pythonprop — Graphical front end that makes VOACAP predictions readable (in propagation)
  • signal-server — Multi-threaded radio coverage prediction from SPLAT! terrain, on the command line (in antenna)
  • splat — Terrain-aware path analysis for VHF and above, from real elevation data (in antenna)
  • splat-sdf — SPLAT! and Signal-Server terrain, made from your map regions' elevation (in antenna)
  • sunclock — World map showing the day-night terminator and where the sun is now (in propagation)
  • voacapl — The VOACAP HF propagation prediction engine, ported to Linux (in propagation)

Antennas, Bench & Programming

Antenna design and analysers, spectrum analysers, electronics, radio memories, flashers, serial terminals and drivers.

Antenna Design & Modelling

NEC2, Yagi and Moxon design, dish modelling, coil and line calculators.

  • atlc — Computes impedance of a transmission line of any cross-section, from a picture of it (in antenna, electronics)
  • cassbeam — Models Cassegrain dish antennas — the microwave and radio-astronomy case (in antenna)
  • coil64 — Calculates inductance for coils of almost any geometry (in electronics)
  • electronics-radio-dev — Metapackage pulling in the Blend's RF circuit-design tools (by name only)
  • fl-moxgen — Designs Moxon rectangle antennas and prints them to scale (in antenna)
  • gsmc — Interactive Smith chart for designing impedance matching networks (in electronics)
  • nec2c — The NEC2 antenna modelling engine as a C program, for scripting (in antenna)
  • signal-server — Multi-threaded radio coverage prediction from SPLAT! terrain, on the command line (in antenna)
  • splat — Terrain-aware path analysis for VHF and above, from real elevation data (in antenna)
  • xnec2c — Interactive antenna modelling — NEC2 with a live graphical front end (in antenna)
  • yagiuda — Analyse and optimise Yagi-Uda arrays without writing a NEC model (in antenna)

VNA & Antenna Analysers

NanoVNA and RigExpert analysers from the computer.

  • antscope2 — RigExpert's own analyzer software, for their antenna analyzers (by name only)
  • flaa — Drives a RigExpert antenna analyser from the desktop (in antenna)
  • librevna — The PC program for the LibreVNA, an open-hardware 6 GHz vector network analyser (in electronics)
  • nanovna-saver — Sweep, chart and calibrate a NanoVNA from the computer (in antenna, electronics)

Spectrum Analysers

tinySA, Wi-Spy and the Ubertooth as a spectrum display.

  • qttinysa — Desktop front end for the tinySA and tinySA Ultra spectrum analysers (in electronics)
  • spectools — Spectrum display for MetaGeek Wi-Spy dongles and the Ubertooth One (by name only)

Electronics & EDA

Circuit design, matching networks, lab instruments and the Blend's RF design tools.

  • atlc — Computes impedance of a transmission line of any cross-section, from a picture of it (in antenna, electronics)
  • coil64 — Calculates inductance for coils of almost any geometry (in electronics)
  • electronics-radio-dev — Metapackage pulling in the Blend's RF circuit-design tools (by name only)
  • gsmc — Interactive Smith chart for designing impedance matching networks (in electronics)
  • libiio-utils — Command-line tools that find and talk to IIO devices such as the PlutoSDR and ADALM2000 (in electronics)
  • librevna — The PC program for the LibreVNA, an open-hardware 6 GHz vector network analyser (in electronics)
  • m2kcli — Command-line control of the ADALM2000 lab instrument (in electronics)
  • tempest-for-eliza — Makes a monitor radiate music on an AM radio — a TEMPEST demonstration (by name only)

Radio Memories (Codeplugs)

Writing channels and settings into a transceiver: CHIRP and the TNC built into Kenwood radios.

  • chirp — Reads, edits and writes the memory channels of hundreds of radios (in station)
  • dmrconfig — Command-line DMR codeplug tool — the text-file approach to the same job (by name only)
  • k5prog — Reads and writes a Quansheng UV-K5's memory, and flashes its firmware, over the programming cable (by name only)
  • qdmr — Codeplug editor for DMR handhelds — one codeplug, many radios (by name only)
  • radio-tool — Flashes firmware -- OpenRTX among it -- onto TYT, Baofeng, Radioddity and other DMR handhelds from Linux (by name only)
  • tmd710-tncsetup — Configures the built-in TNC on Kenwood TM-D710 and TH-D72 radios (in packet)

DMR Codeplugs

Codeplug editors for DMR radios.

  • dmrconfig — Command-line DMR codeplug tool — the text-file approach to the same job (by name only)
  • qdmr — Codeplug editor for DMR handhelds — one codeplug, many radios (by name only)
  • radio-tool — Flashes firmware -- OpenRTX among it -- onto TYT, Baofeng, Radioddity and other DMR handhelds from Linux (by name only)

Flashers & Debuggers

AVR, ESP, STM32, FPGA and flash-chip programmers, DFU, JTAG and SWD.

  • arduino-cli — Command-line toolchain for compiling and uploading Arduino-framework firmware (by name only)
  • avrdude — Reads and writes AVR microcontroller memories through almost any programmer (in electronics)
  • dfu-util — Device Firmware Upgrade tool — flash devices that expose a standard DFU mode (by name only)
  • esptool — Flash and inspect ESP8266 and ESP32 chips over their serial bootloader (in rf-security)
  • flashrom — Reads, writes and verifies SPI, LPC and parallel flash chips in place (in electronics)
  • k5prog — Reads and writes a Quansheng UV-K5's memory, and flashes its firmware, over the programming cable (by name only)
  • openfpgaloader — Universal bitstream loader for FPGAs, over JTAG and SPI (in electronics)
  • openocd — On-chip debugging and in-system programming over JTAG and SWD (in electronics)
  • stlink-tools — Flash and debug STM32 targets through an ST-Link probe (in electronics)
  • stm32flash — Flash STM32 microcontrollers over their built-in serial bootloader (in electronics)

Serial Terminals

tio, minicom, picocom, PuTTY, CuteCom: talking to a radio or a board over a serial port.

  • cutecom — A graphical serial terminal, Qt-native and simple (by name only)
  • minicom — Full-screen serial communication program, the one everyone already knows (in workstation)
  • picocom — The minimal terminal-native serial console (by name only)
  • putty — The GUI serial terminal hams reach for, with saved sessions (by name only)
  • ser2net — Serve a serial port over TCP, so a rig's CAT port can be reached from another machine (by name only)
  • tio — Serial device terminal — the modern replacement for screen on a TTY (in workstation)

Device Support & Drivers

lsusb, lspci, packet-modem drivers and companions for devices that need one.

  • baycomepp — Driver for the HB9JNX parallel-port packet modem (by name only)
  • baycomusb — Driver for the HB9JNX USB packet modem (by name only)
  • hammunition-tray — KDE Plasma tray switches for parking and waking radio devices — the Hammunition family's own (in station)
  • hammunition-tray-qt — Tray switches for parking and waking radio devices on Xfce, LXQt, LXDE, MATE and Cinnamon — the Hammunition family's own (in station)
  • pciutils — lspci — for the SDRs and capture cards that are not on USB (in workstation)
  • qflipper — Desktop companion for the Flipper Zero — firmware, files, and CLI over USB (by name only)
  • qpwgraph — PipeWire patchbay -- see and change which program is connected to which sound card (in digital-modes)
  • usbutils — lsusb — step one of every hardware problem in this catalog (in workstation)
  • z8530-utils2 (retired) — Configures Z8530-based HDLC cards for high-speed packet (by name only)

RF Security & Research

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, RFID, sub-GHz, packet capture, and consent-gated research tooling.

Wi-Fi

Capture, handshake extraction and key recovery for Wi-Fi networks.

  • aircrack-ng — Wi-Fi security auditing suite — capture, analysis and key recovery (in rf-security)
  • hcxdumptool — Wi-Fi frame capture aimed at producing hash files for offline analysis (in rf-security)
  • hcxtools — Converts captured Wi-Fi frames into hash formats analysis tools read (in rf-security)
  • kismet — Wireless network and device detector, sniffer and logger for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and SDR sources (in rf-security)
  • skid-finder — Passive BLE-spam and Wi-Fi-attack detector with foxhunting, live alerts and a sensor-net collector (in rf-security)

Bluetooth & BLE

Ubertooth sniffing and spectrum.

  • kismet — Wireless network and device detector, sniffer and logger for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and SDR sources (in rf-security)
  • skid-finder — Passive BLE-spam and Wi-Fi-attack detector with foxhunting, live alerts and a sensor-net collector (in rf-security)
  • spectools — Spectrum display for MetaGeek Wi-Spy dongles and the Ubertooth One (by name only)
  • ubertooth — Host tools for the Ubertooth One Bluetooth sniffer (in rf-security)

Cellular & IMSI-Catcher Detection

Rayhunter, GSM analysis and dongle calibration against base stations.

  • gr-gsm — GNU Radio blocks for receiving and analysing GSM signalling (in rf-research)
  • kalibrate-rtl — Measures an SDR dongle's frequency error against GSM base stations (in listening)
  • rayhunter — EFF's IMSI-catcher detector — the installer for a supported hotspot, and the offline capture analyser (in rf-security)

RFID & NFC

Proxmark3, libnfc, MIFARE key recovery and smartcard reader checks.

  • libfreefare-bin — Tools for MIFARE DESFire, Ultralight and Classic over libnfc (in rfid)
  • libnfc-bin — Command-line tools for PN53x-based NFC readers (in rfid)
  • mfcuk — MIFARE Classic key recovery with no known key — the slow path (in rfid)
  • mfoc — Key recovery for MIFARE Classic cards with at least one known key (in rfid)
  • pcsc-tools — Smartcard reader diagnostics — is the reader even working? (in rfid)
  • proxmark3 — Client and firmware tooling for the Proxmark3 RFID and NFC research device (in rfid)

Sub-GHz, ISM & Remotes

The unlicensed bands: sensors, remotes, Flipper Zero, HackRF utilities.

  • hackrf — Host tools for HackRF — transfer, sweep, spectrum and firmware utilities (by name only)
  • qflipper — Desktop companion for the Flipper Zero — firmware, files, and CLI over USB (by name only)
  • rtl-433 — Decoder for the unlicensed ISM bands — weather stations, sensors, tyre monitors (in rf-security)

Packet Capture & Analysis

Capture traffic on any interface and decode it: Wireshark for the desktop, tcpdump for the terminal, two thousand protocols between them.

  • kismet — Wireless network and device detector, sniffer and logger for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and SDR sources (in rf-security)
  • skid-finder — Passive BLE-spam and Wi-Fi-attack detector with foxhunting, live alerts and a sensor-net collector (in rf-security)
  • tcpdump — Command-line packet capture — the tool that works when nothing else does (in rf-security)
  • wireshark — Protocol analyser — decodes captured traffic across two thousand protocols (in rf-security)

Research tooling whose lawful use is jurisdiction-dependent; installed only through the consent-gated profile.

  • gr-gsm — GNU Radio blocks for receiving and analysing GSM signalling (in rf-research)
  • hacktv — Generates and transmits analogue television — a HackRF as a TV station (in rf-research)
  • tempest-for-eliza — Makes a monitor radiate music on an AM radio — a TEMPEST demonstration (by name only)

Learn & Practise

Licence exam practice, Morse training and reference material.

Licence Exams

Practice tests for the US, Canadian and commercial licence exams.

  • canadian-ham-exam — Practice tests for the Canadian amateur radio qualification exams (in morse)
  • fccexam — Practice tests for the US FCC commercial radio licence exams (in morse)
  • hamexam — Practice tests for the United States amateur radio licence exams (in morse)

Morse Training

Koch trainers, callsign drills, text-to-Morse converters and practice generators.

  • aldo — Morse trainer with four teaching methods, including Koch (in morse)
  • cw — Sounds text as Morse from the command line — the unixcw core tool (in morse)
  • cwcp — Curses Morse tutor — unixcw with a menu instead of a command line (in morse)
  • cwwav — Turns text into a Morse audio file, from the command line (in morse)
  • ebook2cw — Converts a text file or ebook into Morse code audio at a chosen speed (in morse)
  • ebook2cwgui — Graphical front end for ebook2cw (in morse)
  • morse-classic — Text-to-Morse sounder and trainer, Eric Raymond's morse-classic (in morse)
  • morse-runner — CW contest simulator, the native Lazarus port of VE3NEA's Morse Runner (by name only)
  • qrq — High-speed Morse trainer that pushes your callsign copy to its limit (in morse)
  • wordsworth — Generate Morse practice text the Wordsworth way — words, not characters (by name only)
  • xcwcp — Qt Morse tutor that both sends practice and reads your keying (in morse)

References & Guides

Offline reference material: Kiwix books, dictionaries, ICS forms, the sigidwiki signal database, callsign and DXCC data.

Workstation

The machine the station runs on.

Workstation

The machine the station runs on rather than the radio: editors, multiplexers, version control.

  • arduino-cli — Command-line toolchain for compiling and uploading Arduino-framework firmware (by name only)
  • claws-mail — The fast, plain-text-first mail client AHRL shipped (by name only)
  • code — Microsoft's Visual Studio Code build — optional alternative to the VSCodium your distro ships (in editors)
  • codium — VSCodium — Microsoft's VS Code source, built without their telemetry or branding (in editors)
  • cutecom — A graphical serial terminal, Qt-native and simple (by name only)
  • dfu-util — Device Firmware Upgrade tool — flash devices that expose a standard DFU mode (by name only)
  • esptool — Flash and inspect ESP8266 and ESP32 chips over their serial bootloader (in rf-security)
  • evolution — GNOME's integrated mail, calendar and groupware client (by name only)
  • geary — The minimal, conversation-view mail client (by name only)
  • git — Distributed version control — the tool this project is distributed with (in workstation)
  • gpa — GNU Privacy Assistant — a GTK front end to GnuPG for signed and encrypted traffic (by name only)
  • hammunition-console (retired) — A terminal front end for the engine -- install, station, logs and updates in one full-screen program (by name only)
  • pciutils — lspci — for the SDRs and capture cards that are not on USB (in workstation)
  • picocom — The minimal terminal-native serial console (by name only)
  • pipx — Installs Python applications in their own environments, on the PATH (in station)
  • putty — The GUI serial terminal hams reach for, with saved sessions (by name only)
  • screen — Terminal multiplexer, and the serial console of last resort (in workstation)
  • tcpdump — Command-line packet capture — the tool that works when nothing else does (in rf-security)
  • thunderbird — Mozilla's full-featured mail client — the household name (by name only)
  • tmux — Terminal multiplexer for sessions that outlive the connection (in workstation)
  • usbutils — lsusb — step one of every hardware problem in this catalog (in workstation)
  • wireshark — Protocol analyser — decodes captured traffic across two thousand protocols (in rf-security)