The projects we install¶
Hammunition writes none of the radio software it installs. Every program below is somebody else's work — often one person's, maintained for years in their spare time — and the catalog only describes how to install it well. This page links each one to its own home, so the credit and the support questions go where they belong.
326 programs and packages from the catalog, laid out the way the desktop menu is. Each appears once, under its first category; its page in the package reference lists the others, what it needs before it works, its known problems and where to get help with it.
Where a row says Debian package page, the link is the distribution's page for the package rather than the author's own site: that was the maintained home the catalog could find.
The six projects whose curation seeded the catalog are credited on Credits.
Operate the Station¶
Control the rig, keep the log, work the cluster, set the clock and the position.
Rig Control (CAT)¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| aethersdr | Linux client for FlexRadio transceivers | github.com/aethersdr/AetherSDR |
| flrig | Rig control with a real front panel, shared between programs over XML-RPC | w1hkj.org/flrig-help |
| icom | Minimal CI-V control for Icom radios from the command line | tracker.debian.org/pkg/icom — Debian package page |
| kappanhang | Opens an Icom network radio as an ordinary sound card and serial port | github.com/nonoo/kappanhang |
| libhamlib-utils | The command-line tools for hamlib — test a radio before blaming software | hamlib.org |
| pihpsdr | Operator program for OpenHPSDR transceivers -- ANAN, Hermes Lite 2 and their kin | github.com/dl1ycf/pihpsdr |
| rig-service | One shared rigctld for the station's rig, as a systemd user service | hamlib.github.io |
| wfview | Control a modern Icom radio, waterfall and all, over USB or the network | wfview.org |
Logbooks & QSL¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| cqrlog | Full-featured station log with a database behind it and rig control in front | cqrlog.com |
| fllog | Logging server the W1HKJ programs write contacts into | w1hkj.org |
| kel-agent | Bridges browser-based logging software to the radio hardware on your desk | github.com/k0swe/kel-agent |
| klog | Cross-platform Qt station log that stays out of the way | github.com/ea4k/klog |
| pyqso | Simple GTK logger in Python, easy to read and easy to change | github.com/ctjacobs/pyqso |
| qlog | Modern Qt station log with award tracking and online-service upload | github.com/foldynl/QLog |
| trustedqsl | Signs and uploads logs to ARRL Logbook of the World | sourceforge.net/projects/trustedqsl |
| xlog | Small GTK station log that opens instantly and does the basics well | xlog.nongnu.org |
Contesting¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| country-files | The DX-cluster country file (cty.dat) — callsign prefix to entity, zone and coordinates | country-files.com |
| not1mm | A contest logger that speaks to your rig, keyer and cluster | github.com/mbridak/not1mm |
| tlf | Console contest logger built for speed, driven from the keyboard | tlf.github.io |
| tucnak | VHF and above contest logger, built around locator scoring and networking | tucnak.nagano.cz |
DX Cluster & Spots¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| flcluster | DX cluster client that feeds the rest of the W1HKJ suite | w1hkj.org |
| xdx | DX cluster client — see what other operators are hearing, right now | sourceforge.net/projects/xdxclusterclient |
Station Dashboards¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| hamclock-next | Maintained SDL2 rewrite of HamClock — grey line, propagation, DX cluster | github.com/k4drw/hamclock-next |
| hammunition-hill | Local-first ham radio dashboard — the Hammunition family's own | github.com/Renegade-Penguin/hammunition-hill |
| openhamclock | Community continuation of HamClock as a browser dashboard — grey line, propagation, spots, satellites | github.com/accius/openhamclock |
| sunclock | World map showing the day-night terminator and where the sun is now | github.com/nongiach/Sunclock |
Time & Frequency¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| chrony | The clock follows your GPS receiver when the network is gone — chrony reading gpsd | chrony-project.org |
| radioclk | Disciplines the system clock from an MSF, WWVB or DCF77 time signal | buzzard.me.uk/jonathan/radioclock.html |
| twclock | World clock for the operating position, with a CW station-ID timer | tracker.debian.org/pkg/twclock — Debian package page |
| tzwatch | Prints the time in several time zones at once, in a terminal | tracker.debian.org/pkg/tzwatch — Debian package page |
GPS & GNSS¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| gnss-sdr | A complete GPS and GNSS receiver built entirely in software | gnss-sdr.org |
| gpsbabel | Converts between GPS file formats and talks to the receiver | gpsbabel.org |
| gpsd | GPS service daemon — one process owns the receiver, everything else asks it | gpsd.io |
| gpsd-clients | Clients that consume what gpsd serves — xgps, gpspipe, gpxlogger, gpsdecode | gpsd.io |
| gpsd-tools | cgps and gpsmon — the two programs you actually reach for when a receiver misbehaves | gpsd.io |
| pygpsclient | See what your GNSS receiver sees, and configure a u-blox receiver without u-center | github.com/semuconsulting/PyGPSClient |
Navigation & Maps¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| acma-register | The Australian regulator's licence register, for the ACMA repeater layer on the map | acma.gov.au |
| brouter | BRouter, the offline router QMapShack runs for hiking, bike and car routes with elevation | github.com/abrensch/brouter |
| brouter-mapcreator-profiles | The two filter files BRouter's map creator needs and its release zip leaves out | github.com/abrensch/brouter |
| brouter-segments | BRouter routing files built from your own regions, with elevation, never downloaded | github.com/abrensch/brouter |
| comaps | Offline vector maps with search and car, bike and foot routing, from CoMaps' own map files | comaps.app |
| comaps-maps | CoMaps' own map files for your map regions, checked against CoMaps' index | comaps.app |
| country-boundaries | Natural Earth's world country borders, which let Navit's address search find towns | naturalearthdata.com |
| dem-3dep | USGS 3DEP bare-earth elevation for your US map regions, when you choose it | usgs.gov/3d-elevation-program |
| dem-copernicus | Copernicus GLO-30 elevation tiles for your map regions, verified | registry.opendata.aws/copernicus-dem |
| dem-qmapshack | Hillshade, slope and 20 m contour lines for QMapShack, from the elevation tiles | gdal.org |
| eia-860m | EIA's monthly inventory of US power plants (EIA-860M), for the infrastructure layers | eia.gov/electricity/data/eia860m |
| faa-nasr-airports | The FAA's airport, heliport and seaplane base list (NASR), for the infrastructure layers | faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/aero_data/NASR_Subscription |
| gdal-bin | GDAL's command-line tools for rasters and elevation data | gdal.org |
| gps-tether | Your GPS position on 127.0.0.1 for QMapShack, the browser map and GeoClue, as a user service | github.com/Renegade-Penguin/hammunition-gps-tether |
| graphhopper | GraphHopper, the offline router behind the browser map's car, bike, foot and hiking routes | github.com/graphhopper/graphhopper |
| graphhopper-graph | GraphHopper's route graph built from your own regions, for routes on the browser map | github.com/graphhopper/graphhopper |
| mapsforge-map | Mapsforge vector maps of your OpenStreetMap regions, for phone map apps | github.com/mapsforge/mapsforge |
| mapsforge-poi | Mapsforge points-of-interest files of your regions, for searching on a phone | github.com/mapsforge/mapsforge |
| mkgmap | Builds Garmin-format maps from OpenStreetMap data | mkgmap.org.uk |
| mkgmap-splitter | Cuts OpenStreetMap data into tiles sized for mkgmap | mkgmap.org.uk/doc/splitter.html |
| navit | Offline turn-by-turn navigation that follows the GPS, with spoken directions | navit-project.org |
| open-repeater | Open Repeater's CC0 list of amateur repeaters, for the repeater layer on the map | openrepeater.org |
| osm-garmin | Garmin maps of your OpenStreetMap regions, with trails, for QMapShack | mkgmap.org.uk |
| osm-navit | Navit's binary maps, converted from your OpenStreetMap regions, and its configuration | navit-project.org |
| osm-pmtiles | Vector-tile maps of your OpenStreetMap regions, for the offline browser map | github.com/systemed/tilemaker |
| osm-regions | OpenStreetMap region extracts from Geofabrik, the regions you choose, verified | download.geofabrik.de |
| osm-routino | One Routino routing database over all your regions, for routes on foot | routino.org |
| qmapshack | Offline topographic maps, trails, GPX tracks, elevation profiles and routing on foot | github.com/Maproom/qmapshack |
| repeaterbook-client | The unofficial repeaterbook Python client, App | github.com/MicaelJarniac/repeaterbook |
| routino | Offline routing over OpenStreetMap data, on foot, by bike or by car | routino.org |
| socat (retired) | A relay between two data channels, sockets, files or programs | dest-unreach.org/socat |
| usfs-fstopo | Forest Service FSTopo 7.5-minute sheets for your US map regions, with trail numbers | data.fs.usda.gov/geodata/rastergateway |
| usgs-ustopo | USGS US Topo 7.5-minute map sheets for your US map regions, verified | usgs.gov/programs/national-geospatial-program/us-topo-maps-america |
| ustopo-qmapshack | The US Topo sheets as one seamless QMapShack map, collars cropped | gdal.org |
| vector-map-kit | The fixed files the offline browser map needs, from their publishers, pinned | openmaptiles.org |
| wri-power-plants | WRI's Global Power Plant Database, for the infrastructure layers outside the US | datasets.wri.org/dataset/globalpowerplantdatabase |
Locators & Bearings¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| qgrid | Maidenhead grid square calculator with a map and a compass | qsl.net/on4qz/qgrid/index.html |
| wwl | Distance and bearing between two Maidenhead locators, from the command line | db.net/downloads |
Digital Modes & Morse¶
FT8 and the weak-signal modes, keyboard modes, NBEMS, digital voice, SSTV and amateur TV, EchoLink, CW.
FT8, JS8 & Weak Signal¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| glfer | QRSS and DFCW receiver for extremely slow narrowband CW on LF/MF | qsl.net/in3otd/glfer.html |
| gridtracker2 | Live map of FT8/JS8 activity, fed by WSJT-X and JS8Call | gridtracker.org |
| js8call | Weak-signal keyboard-to-keyboard messaging built on the FT8 modem | github.com/JS8Call-improved/JS8Call-improved |
| js8spotter | JS8Call's companion — spot tracking, forms, APRS and SMS gateways | kf7mix.com/js8spotter.html |
| jtdx | WSJT-X derivative tuned for DX working and crowded FT8 conditions | sourceforge.net/projects/jtdx-improved |
| mshv | Multi-mode weak-signal application with multi-stream FT8 decoding | lz2hv.org/node/10 |
| wsjtx | Weak-signal digital modes — FT8, FT4, JT65, JT9, WSPR, Q65 | wsjtx.github.io/wsjtx/index.html |
| wsjtx-improved | Community fork of WSJT-X with additional decoding and UI features | sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt-x-improved |
PSK, RTTY & Keyboard Modes¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| comptext | Compares two text streams and scores how much of one arrived intact | w1hkj.org |
| comptty | The same accuracy comparison as comptext, for Baudot RTTY streams | w1hkj.org |
| fldigi | Multi-mode digital modem for PSK31, RTTY, Olivia, MT63 and more | sourceforge.net/projects/fldigi |
| minimodem | General-purpose audio FSK modem — Bell 103, RTTY, AX.25 and anything else | whence.com/minimodem |
| psk31lx | PSK31 in a terminal, with no desktop and no waterfall | tracker.debian.org/pkg/psk31lx — Debian package page |
| twpsk | PSK31 in an X11 window, the graphical companion to psk31lx | tracker.debian.org/pkg/twpsk — Debian package page |
NBEMS Messaging¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| flamp | Sends files over radio in numbered blocks that can be filled in later | w1hkj.org/flamp-help |
| flmsg | Fills in and transmits the standard message forms EMCOMM runs on | w1hkj.org/flmsg-help |
| flwrap | Wraps a file with a checksum so the far end knows it arrived intact | w1hkj.org/flwrap-help |
Digital Voice¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| droidstar | M17, DMR, D-STAR, Fusion, P25 and NXDN over reflectors, with software vocoders and no radio | github.com/nostar/DroidStar |
| dsdcc | Decodes digital voice protocols from demodulated audio | github.com/f4exb/dsdcc |
| freedv | Digital voice over HF in the bandwidth of an SSB signal | freedv.org |
SSTV, Fax & Amateur TV¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| hacktv | Generates and transmits analogue television — a HackRF as a TV station | github.com/fsphil/hacktv |
| qsstv | Slow-scan television and radiofax — receive and transmit pictures | qsl.net/on4qz/qsstv |
| xwefax | Receives HF weather fax and draws the chart | qsl.net/5b4az/pages/wefax.html |
EchoLink & Repeaters¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| qtel | EchoLink client — work repeaters and stations over the internet | svxlink.org |
| remotetrx | Puts an SvxLink receiver or transceiver at the end of a network link | svxlink.org |
| svxlink-calibration-tools | Sets the audio levels an SvxLink node needs to work properly | svxlink.org |
| svxlink-gpio | Lets SvxLink key a radio and read squelch through GPIO pins | svxlink.org |
| svxlink-server | Repeater controller and EchoLink node in software | svxlink.org |
| svxreflector | Conference server that links many SvxLink nodes into one talk group | svxlink.org |
CW (Morse)¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| cwdaemon | Network service that keys a transmitter's Morse from a serial or parallel port | cwdaemon.sourceforge.net |
| flwkey | Control panel for the Winkeyer hardware CW keyer | w1hkj.org |
| morse2ascii | Decodes Morse out of a recorded WAV file | aluigi.altervista.org/mytoolz.htm |
| xdemorse | Live Morse decoder with a GTK waterfall, from a sound card | qsl.net/5b4az/pkg/morse/xdemorse/xdemorse.html |
Packet, Mesh & Emergency Comms¶
AX.25 packet, soundcard modems, nodes and BBS, Winlink, APRS, LoRa mesh and the EMCOMM stack.
Packet Terminals & AX.25¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| ax25-apps | The programs you actually use over AX.25 once a port is up | linux-ax25.in-berlin.de/wiki/Ax25-apps |
| ax25-tools | Configures the kernel AX.25 stack — ports, interfaces, NET/ROM, Rose | linux-ax25.in-berlin.de/wiki/Main_Page |
| ax25-xtools | X11 versions of the AX.25 monitoring tools | linux-ax25.in-berlin.de/wiki/Main_Page |
| linpac | Terminal for AX.25 packet with a built-in mail client and macros | sourceforge.net/projects/linpac |
| paracon | Packet radio terminal that talks AGWPE to Direwolf, with no kernel AX.25 | github.com/mfncooper/paracon |
| qttermtcp | Packet terminal that connects over TCP to a BPQ node | github.com/g8bpq/QtTermTCP |
Soundcard Modems & TNCs¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| ardopcf | HF data modem for Winlink and packet over poor paths | github.com/pflarue/ardop |
| direwolf | Software TNC — turns a sound card into an APRS and packet modem | github.com/wb2osz/direwolf |
| freedata | HF messaging and file transfer over codec2 modems, with a browser interface | freedata.app |
| mercury | Open HF data modem that speaks VARA's TCP interface, so pat uses it unchanged | github.com/Rhizomatica/mercury |
| qtsoundmodem | Soundcard packet modem with a scope — an alternative to Direwolf | github.com/g8bpq/QtSoundModem |
| tmd710-tncsetup | Configures the built-in TNC on Kenwood TM-D710 and TH-D72 radios | github.com/fmarier/tmd710_tncsetup |
Nodes, BBS & Gateways¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| ampr-ripd | Keeps a gateway's routes current on the amateur radio IP network | yo2loj.ro/hamprojects |
| ax25mail-utils | Utilities for exchanging mail with an FBB packet BBS | sourceforge.net/projects/ax25mail |
| axmail | Mail reader that packet callers reach through a node | sourceforge.net/projects/axmail |
| fbb | The classic packet radio BBS and mailbox | sourceforge.net/projects/linfbb |
| linbpq | BPQ32 packet-radio node, BBS and Winlink gateway | github.com/g8bpq/LinBPQ |
| uronode | Node front end that lets other stations reach services on your machine | uronode.sourceforge.net |
Winlink Email¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| garim | Graphical ARIM messaging over an ARDOP TNC | whitemesa.net/garim/garim.html |
| pat | Winlink client — radio email that works when the internet does not | getpat.io |
APRS¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| a2d | Bridges APRS messages to DAPNET pagers | github.com/NGC2023/a2d |
| aprsdigi | APRS digipeater — repeats packets so they reach further than one hop | github.com/n2ygk/aprsdigi |
| aprx | APRS digipeater and internet gateway, small enough for a Pi | thelifeofkenneth.com/aprx |
| qtbpqaprs | G8BPQ's Qt APRS client, the messaging-focused one | github.com/g8bpq/QtBPQAPRS |
| xastir | APRS client with real maps — see and be seen on the packet network | github.com/Xastir/Xastir |
| yaac | Yet Another APRS Client — the deep, portable Java one | ka2ddo.org/ka2ddo/YAAC.html |
LoRa Mesh¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| gtk-meshtastic-client | Desktop GUI for Meshtastic nodes | gitlab.com/kop316/gtk-meshtastic-client |
| lxmf | LXMF, Reticulum's message layer, and lxmd, its store-and-forward propagation daemon | github.com/markqvist/LXMF |
| nomadnet | Nomad Network, an encrypted messenger and page browser for the terminal, over Reticulum | github.com/markqvist/NomadNet |
| python3-meshtastic | Meshtastic command-line client and Python API | github.com/meshtastic/python |
| rns | Reticulum, encrypted networking over any medium, with its shared instance and the RNode flasher | github.com/markqvist/Reticulum |
Emergency Comms¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| flnet | Net control operator's list — who checked in, in what order | w1hkj.org |
Mail Clients¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| claws-mail | The fast, plain-text-first mail client AHRL shipped | claws-mail.org |
| evolution | GNOME's integrated mail, calendar and groupware client | wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evolution |
| geary | The minimal, conversation-view mail client | wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Geary |
| gpa | GNU Privacy Assistant — a GTK front end to GnuPG for signed and encrypted traffic | gnupg.org/related_software/gpa |
| thunderbird | Mozilla's full-featured mail client — the household name | thunderbird.net |
SDR & Listening¶
SDR receivers and toolkits, device support, and receive-only decoders for aircraft, ships, broadcast, weather and pagers.
SDR Receivers & Transceivers¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| cubicsdr | Cross-platform SDR receiver with several demodulators running at once | cubicsdr.com |
| cutesdr | Small demodulator and spectrum display for networked receivers | rfspace.com/RFSPACE/OtherApps.html |
| gqrx-sdr | Graphical SDR receiver — waterfall, demodulators and a bookmark list | gqrx.dk |
| linrad | SM5BSZ's DSP receiver — the deep-toolbox SDR for weak-signal work | sm5bsz.com/linuxdsp/linrad.htm |
| quisk | SDR transceiver software with a real front panel, driving hardware or a dongle | pypi.org/project/quisk |
| sdrangel | SDR transceiver and analyser that does several things at once | sdrangel.org |
| sdrpp | SDR++ — cross-platform SDR receiver with a modular DSP chain | github.com/AlexandreRouma/SDRPlusPlus |
| supersdr | Turn any KiwiSDR into your rig's panadapter, synchronized over CAT | github.com/mcogoni/supersdr |
GNU Radio & DSP Toolkits¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| gnuradio | Build a radio out of signal-processing blocks instead of hardware | gnuradio.org |
| gr-fosphor | GPU-drawn real-time spectrum and waterfall display blocks for GNU Radio | gitea.osmocom.org/sdr/gr-fosphor |
| odr-audioenc | Encodes audio into the DAB and DAB+ formats a multiplexer expects | github.com/Opendigitalradio/ODR-AudioEnc |
| odr-dabmod | Turns a DAB ensemble into a transmittable OFDM signal | github.com/Opendigitalradio/ODR-DabMod |
| odr-dabmux | Assembles audio services into a DAB ensemble multiplex | github.com/Opendigitalradio/ODR-DabMux |
| odr-padenc | Encodes the text and images that ride alongside a DAB service | github.com/Opendigitalradio/ODR-PadEnc |
Signal Analysis & Identification¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| inspectrum | Offline visualiser for captured radio signals — read a waveform by eye | github.com/miek/inspectrum |
| kalibrate-rtl | Measures an SDR dongle's frequency error against GSM base stations | github.com/steve-m/kalibrate-rtl |
SDR Device Support¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| airspy | Host tools and library for Airspy R2 and Mini receivers | github.com/airspy/airspyone_host |
| airspyhf | Host tools and library for the Airspy HF+ HF and VHF receiver | github.com/airspy/airspyhf |
| bladerf | Command-line tools for Nuand bladeRF transceivers | nuand.com/bladeRF |
| gr-funcube | GNU Radio source blocks for the FUNcube Dongle Pro and Pro+ | github.com/dl1ksv/gr-funcube |
| gr-hpsdr | GNU Radio blocks for OpenHPSDR transceiver hardware | github.com/Tom-McDermott/gr-hpsdr |
| gr-limesdr | GNU Radio blocks for LimeSDR hardware | wiki.myriadrf.org/Gr-limesdr_Plugin_for_GNURadio |
| gr-osmosdr | One GNU Radio source block that speaks to nearly every SDR | osmocom.org/projects/gr-osmosdr/wiki |
| hackrf | Host tools for HackRF — transfer, sweep, spectrum and firmware utilities | github.com/greatscottgadgets/hackrf |
| hydrasdr-host | Host library and command-line tools for the HydraSDR RFOne receiver | github.com/hydrasdr/hydrasdr-host |
| langford-utils | Control programs for the Per Vices Noctar board | pervices.com |
| libbladerf2 | Library and udev rules for Nuand bladeRF boards | github.com/Nuand/bladeRF |
| libfobos | Host library and command-line tools for the RigExpert Fobos SDR receiver | github.com/rigexpert/libfobos |
| libfobos-sdr-agile | Host library for RigExpert Fobos SDR boards running the "agile" firmware | github.com/rigexpert/libfobos-sdr-agile |
| libiio-utils | Command-line tools that find and talk to IIO devices such as the PlutoSDR and ADALM2000 | github.com/analogdevicesinc/libiio |
| libmirisdr4 | Open driver for Mirics-based receivers, including SDRplay RSP hardware | github.com/f4exb/libmirisdr-4 |
| limesuite | Host tools and library for LimeSDR hardware | github.com/myriadrf/LimeSuite |
| miri-sdr | Command-line tools for Mirics-based receivers | github.com/f4exb/libmirisdr-4 |
| osmo-sdr | Tools for the original OsmoSDR hardware | osmocom.org/projects/osmosdr |
| qthid-fcd-controller | Sets frequency and gain on a FUNcube Dongle | oz9aec.net/radios/funcube-dongle/updated-fcdctl-for-the-funcube-dongle-pro-and-pro |
| rtl-sdr | Host tools and library for RTL2832U-based receivers | gitea.osmocom.org/sdr/rtl-sdr |
| soapyremote-server | Serves a local SDR over the network to software on another machine | github.com/pothosware/SoapyRemote/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-airspy | SoapySDR driver module for Airspy hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-audio | SoapySDR driver module for sound-card SDRs and Airspy HF hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapyAudio/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-bladerf | SoapySDR driver module for bladeRF hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-fobos | SoapySDR driver module for the RigExpert Fobos SDR | github.com/rigexpert/SoapyFobosSDR |
| soapysdr-module-hackrf | SoapySDR driver module for HackRF hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-hydrasdr | SoapySDR driver module for the HydraSDR RFOne | github.com/hydrasdr/SoapyHydraSDR |
| soapysdr-module-lms7 | SoapySDR driver module for LimeSDR (LMS7002M) hardware | github.com/myriadrf/LimeSuite |
| soapysdr-module-mirisdr | SoapySDR driver module for Mirics hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-osmosdr | SoapySDR driver module for OsmoSDR and MiriSDR hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapyOsmo/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-plutosdr | SoapySDR driver module for the ADALM-Pluto | github.com/pothosware/SoapyPlutoSDR |
| soapysdr-module-redpitaya | SoapySDR driver module for Red Pitaya boards used as an SDR | github.com/pothosware/SoapyRedPitaya/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-remote | The client half of SoapyRemote — uses an SDR served by another machine | github.com/pothosware/SoapyRemote/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-rfspace | SoapySDR driver module for RFSpace networked receivers | github.com/pothosware/SoapyOsmo/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-rtlsdr | SoapySDR driver module for RTL-SDR hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki |
| soapysdr-module-uhd | SoapySDR driver module for Ettus USRP hardware | github.com/pothosware/SoapyUHD/wiki |
| soapysdr-tools | Command-line tools for the SoapySDR hardware abstraction layer | github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki |
| uhd-host | USRP Hardware Driver — host tools and firmware images for Ettus USRP radios | github.com/EttusResearch/uhd |
| uhd-soapysdr | Makes SoapySDR devices visible to software written for UHD | github.com/pothosware/SoapyUHD/wiki |
Broadcast Radio & DAB¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| dablin | Lightweight DAB receiver for the command line or a small window | github.com/Opendigitalradio/dablin |
| gr-rds | Decodes the data carried alongside broadcast FM — station names, traffic | github.com/bastibl/gr-rds |
| nrsc5 | HD Radio (NRSC-5) receiver for an RTL-SDR -- the digital side of North American FM and AM | github.com/theori-io/nrsc5 |
| welle-io | DAB and DAB+ digital radio receiver with a modern interface | welle.io |
Aircraft (ADS-B, ACARS, Airband)¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| acarsdec | VHF ACARS decoder for aircraft datalink messages | github.com/f00b4r0/acarsdec |
| acarsserv | Stores what acarsdec and dumpvdl2 decode into a SQLite database | github.com/TLeconte/acarsserv |
| dump1090-mutability | The older dump1090 fork, kept because two targets still carry it | github.com/mutability/dump1090 |
| dump978-fa | Decoder for 978 MHz UAT, the second ADS-B link -- US general aviation below 18,000 ft | github.com/flightaware/dump978 |
| dumphfdl | HFDL decoder for long-range oceanic aircraft datalink | github.com/szpajder/dumphfdl |
| dumpvdl2 | VDL Mode 2 decoder for aircraft datalink | github.com/szpajder/dumpvdl2 |
| gr-air-modes | Decodes aircraft transponder replies with GNU Radio | github.com/bistromath/gr-air-modes |
| libacars | Shared library that decodes ACARS application-layer messages | github.com/szpajder/libacars |
| mlat-client-adsbfi | Contributes ADS-B timing data so a network can locate aircraft by multilateration | github.com/adsbfi/mlat-client-adsbfi |
| readsb | Efficient Mode S and ADS-B decoder — the maintained dump1090 successor | github.com/adsbfi/readsb |
| rtlsdr-airband | Multi-channel AM/NFM voice receiver with streaming output | github.com/rtl-airband/RTLSDR-Airband |
| tar1090 | The ADS-B aircraft map for readsb, served on this machine only, with no outside requests | github.com/wiedehopf/tar1090 |
Ships (AIS)¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| ais-catcher | AIS receiver and decoder for marine vessel traffic, with a web map | github.com/jvde-github/AIS-catcher |
| gnuais | Decodes AIS from the discriminator output of a VHF receiver | gnuais.sourceforge.net |
| gnuaisgui | Puts the vessels gnuais has heard on an OpenStreetMap display | gnuais.sourceforge.net |
| opencpn | Marine chart plotter -- your position and AIS ships on nautical charts | opencpn.org |
| rtl-ais | Receives both AIS channels at once from one cheap dongle | github.com/dgiardini/rtl-ais |
Weather, Sensors & Radiosondes¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| radiosonde-auto-rx | Automatically receive, decode and map weather-balloon radiosondes | github.com/projecthorus/radiosonde_auto_rx |
| rtl-433 | Decoder for the unlicensed ISM bands — weather stations, sensors, tyre monitors | github.com/merbanan/rtl_433 |
| xygrib | Views GRIB weather files — wind, pressure, waves, on a map | opengribs.org |
Pagers & Audio Decoders¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| multimon | The original multimon decoder, kept for the modes its successor dropped | tracker.debian.org/pkg/multimon — Debian package page |
| multimon-ng | Decoder for POCSAG, FLEX, AFSK, DTMF and other audio-band digital modes | github.com/EliasOenal/multimon-ng |
Satellites & Propagation¶
Satellite passes, satellite imagery and telemetry, HF propagation and the solar picture.
Satellite Tracking¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| gpredict | Real-time satellite tracking and pass prediction, with radio control | gpredict.oz9aec.net |
Satellite Decoding & Imagery¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| gr-satellites | Decoders for the telemetry of hundreds of amateur satellites | github.com/daniestevez/gr-satellites |
| noaa-apt (retired) | Decoder for NOAA weather-satellite APT imagery | noaa-apt.mbernardi.com.ar |
| satdump | Satellite data processing — receive, decode and image from weather and science satellites | github.com/SatDump/SatDump |
HF & VHF Propagation¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| ibp | Shows which NCDXF/IARU beacon is transmitting right now, on which band | pa3fwm.nl/software/ibp |
| pythonprop | Graphical front end that makes VOACAP predictions readable | qsl.net/hz1jw/pythonprop/index.html |
| signal-server | Multi-threaded radio coverage prediction from SPLAT! terrain, on the command line | github.com/W3AXL/Signal-Server |
| splat | Terrain-aware path analysis for VHF and above, from real elevation data | qsl.net/kd2bd/splat.html |
| splat-sdf | SPLAT! and Signal-Server terrain, made from your map regions' elevation | qsl.net/kd2bd/splat.html |
| voacapl | The VOACAP HF propagation prediction engine, ported to Linux | qsl.net/hz1jw/voacapl/index.html |
Antennas, Bench & Programming¶
Antenna design and analysers, spectrum analysers, electronics, radio memories, flashers, serial terminals and drivers.
Antenna Design & Modelling¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| atlc | Computes impedance of a transmission line of any cross-section, from a picture of it | tracker.debian.org/pkg/atlc — Debian package page |
| cassbeam | Models Cassegrain dish antennas — the microwave and radio-astronomy case | github.com/ratt-ru/cassbeam |
| fl-moxgen | Designs Moxon rectangle antennas and prints them to scale | sourceforge.net/projects/flmoxgen |
| nec2c | The NEC2 antenna modelling engine as a C program, for scripting | qsl.net/5b4az |
| xnec2c | Interactive antenna modelling — NEC2 with a live graphical front end | github.com/KJ7LNW/xnec2c |
| yagiuda | Analyse and optimise Yagi-Uda arrays without writing a NEC model | g8wrb.co.uk/yagi |
VNA & Antenna Analysers¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| antscope2 | RigExpert's own analyzer software, for their antenna analyzers | rigexpert.com/software/antscope2 |
| flaa | Drives a RigExpert antenna analyser from the desktop | w1hkj.org |
| librevna | The PC program for the LibreVNA, an open-hardware 6 GHz vector network analyser | github.com/jankae/LibreVNA |
| nanovna-saver | Sweep, chart and calibrate a NanoVNA from the computer | github.com/NanoVNA-Saver/nanovna-saver |
Spectrum Analysers¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| qttinysa | Desktop front end for the tinySA and tinySA Ultra spectrum analysers | github.com/g4ixt/QtTinySA |
| spectools | Spectrum display for MetaGeek Wi-Spy dongles and the Ubertooth One | kismetwireless.net/static/spectools |
Electronics & EDA¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| coil64 | Calculates inductance for coils of almost any geometry | github.com/radioacoustick/Coil64 |
| electronics-radio-dev | Metapackage pulling in the Blend's RF circuit-design tools | blends.debian.org/hamradio |
| gsmc | Interactive Smith chart for designing impedance matching networks | github.com/tym163com/gsmc |
| m2kcli | Command-line control of the ADALM2000 lab instrument | github.com/analogdevicesinc/libm2k |
Radio Memories (Codeplugs)¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| chirp | Reads, edits and writes the memory channels of hundreds of radios | chirpmyradio.com |
| k5prog | Reads and writes a Quansheng UV-K5's memory, and flashes its firmware, over the programming cable | github.com/sq5bpf/k5prog |
| radio-tool | Flashes firmware -- OpenRTX among it -- onto TYT, Baofeng, Radioddity and other DMR handhelds from Linux | github.com/v0l/radio_tool |
DMR Codeplugs¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| dmrconfig | Command-line DMR codeplug tool — the text-file approach to the same job | github.com/sergev/dmrconfig |
| qdmr | Codeplug editor for DMR handhelds — one codeplug, many radios | dm3mat.darc.de/qdmr |
Flashers & Debuggers¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| arduino-cli | Command-line toolchain for compiling and uploading Arduino-framework firmware | github.com/arduino/arduino-cli |
| avrdude | Reads and writes AVR microcontroller memories through almost any programmer | github.com/avrdudes/avrdude |
| dfu-util | Device Firmware Upgrade tool — flash devices that expose a standard DFU mode | dfu-util.sourceforge.net |
| esptool | Flash and inspect ESP8266 and ESP32 chips over their serial bootloader | github.com/espressif/esptool |
| flashrom | Reads, writes and verifies SPI, LPC and parallel flash chips in place | flashrom.org |
| openfpgaloader | Universal bitstream loader for FPGAs, over JTAG and SPI | github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader |
| openocd | On-chip debugging and in-system programming over JTAG and SWD | openocd.org |
| stlink-tools | Flash and debug STM32 targets through an ST-Link probe | github.com/stlink-org/stlink |
| stm32flash | Flash STM32 microcontrollers over their built-in serial bootloader | sourceforge.net/projects/stm32flash |
Serial Terminals¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| cutecom | A graphical serial terminal, Qt-native and simple | gitlab.com/cutecom/cutecom |
| minicom | Full-screen serial communication program, the one everyone already knows | salsa.debian.org/minicom-team/minicom — Debian package page |
| picocom | The minimal terminal-native serial console | github.com/npat-efault/picocom |
| putty | The GUI serial terminal hams reach for, with saved sessions | chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty |
| ser2net | Serve a serial port over TCP, so a rig's CAT port can be reached from another machine | github.com/cminyard/ser2net |
| tio | Serial device terminal — the modern replacement for screen on a TTY | github.com/tio/tio |
Device Support & Drivers¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| baycomepp | Driver for the HB9JNX parallel-port packet modem | tracker.debian.org/pkg/baycomepp — Debian package page |
| baycomusb | Driver for the HB9JNX USB packet modem | tracker.debian.org/pkg/baycomusb — Debian package page |
| hammunition-tray | KDE Plasma tray switches for parking and waking radio devices — the Hammunition family's own | github.com/Renegade-Penguin/hammunition-tray |
| hammunition-tray-qt | Tray switches for parking and waking radio devices on Xfce, LXQt, LXDE, MATE and Cinnamon — the Hammunition family's own | github.com/Renegade-Penguin/hammunition-tray |
| pciutils | lspci — for the SDRs and capture cards that are not on USB | mj.ucw.cz/sw/pciutils |
| qpwgraph | PipeWire patchbay -- see and change which program is connected to which sound card | gitlab.freedesktop.org/rncbc/qpwgraph |
| usbutils | lsusb — step one of every hardware problem in this catalog | github.com/gregkh/usbutils |
| z8530-utils2 (retired) | Configures Z8530-based HDLC cards for high-speed packet | tracker.debian.org/pkg/z8530-utils2 — Debian package page |
RF Security & Research¶
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, RFID, sub-GHz, packet capture, and consent-gated research tooling.
Wi-Fi¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| aircrack-ng | Wi-Fi security auditing suite — capture, analysis and key recovery | aircrack-ng.org |
| hcxdumptool | Wi-Fi frame capture aimed at producing hash files for offline analysis | github.com/ZerBea/hcxdumptool |
| hcxtools | Converts captured Wi-Fi frames into hash formats analysis tools read | github.com/ZerBea/hcxtools |
| kismet | Wireless network and device detector, sniffer and logger for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and SDR sources | kismetwireless.net |
Bluetooth & BLE¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| skid-finder | Passive BLE-spam and Wi-Fi-attack detector with foxhunting, live alerts and a sensor-net collector | github.com/ChiefGyk3D/Skid-Finder |
| ubertooth | Host tools for the Ubertooth One Bluetooth sniffer | github.com/greatscottgadgets/ubertooth |
Cellular & IMSI-Catcher Detection¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| rayhunter | EFF's IMSI-catcher detector — the installer for a supported hotspot, and the offline capture analyser | github.com/EFForg/rayhunter |
RFID & NFC¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| libfreefare-bin | Tools for MIFARE DESFire, Ultralight and Classic over libnfc | github.com/nfc-tools/libfreefare |
| libnfc-bin | Command-line tools for PN53x-based NFC readers | github.com/nfc-tools/libnfc |
| mfcuk | MIFARE Classic key recovery with no known key — the slow path | github.com/nfc-tools/mfcuk |
| mfoc | Key recovery for MIFARE Classic cards with at least one known key | github.com/nfc-tools/mfoc |
| pcsc-tools | Smartcard reader diagnostics — is the reader even working? | github.com/LudovicRousseau/pcsc-tools |
| proxmark3 | Client and firmware tooling for the Proxmark3 RFID and NFC research device | github.com/RfidResearchGroup/proxmark3 |
Sub-GHz, ISM & Remotes¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| qflipper | Desktop companion for the Flipper Zero — firmware, files, and CLI over USB | github.com/flipperdevices/qFlipper |
Packet Capture & Analysis¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| tcpdump | Command-line packet capture — the tool that works when nothing else does | tcpdump.org |
| wireshark | Protocol analyser — decodes captured traffic across two thousand protocols | wireshark.org |
RF Research (consent-gated)¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| gr-gsm | GNU Radio blocks for receiving and analysing GSM signalling | git.osmocom.org/gr-gsm |
| tempest-for-eliza | Makes a monitor radiate music on an AM radio — a TEMPEST demonstration | erikyyy.de/tempest |
Learn & Practise¶
Licence exam practice, Morse training and reference material.
Licence Exams¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| canadian-ham-exam | Practice tests for the Canadian amateur radio qualification exams | launchpad.net/canadian-ham-exam — Debian package page |
| fccexam | Practice tests for the US FCC commercial radio licence exams | tracker.debian.org/pkg/fccexam — Debian package page |
| hamexam | Practice tests for the United States amateur radio licence exams | tracker.debian.org/pkg/hamexam — Debian package page |
Morse Training¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| aldo | Morse trainer with four teaching methods, including Koch | nongnu.org/aldo |
| cw | Sounds text as Morse from the command line — the unixcw core tool | unixcw.sourceforge.net |
| cwcp | Curses Morse tutor — unixcw with a menu instead of a command line | unixcw.sourceforge.net |
| cwwav | Turns text into a Morse audio file, from the command line | github.com/oyvholm/cwwav |
| ebook2cw | Converts a text file or ebook into Morse code audio at a chosen speed | fkurz.net/ham/ebook2cw.html |
| ebook2cwgui | Graphical front end for ebook2cw | fkurz.net/ham/ebook2cw.html |
| morse-classic | Text-to-Morse sounder and trainer, Eric Raymond's morse-classic | gitlab.com/esr/morse-classic |
| morse-runner | CW contest simulator, the native Lazarus port of VE3NEA's Morse Runner | github.com/zmetzing/MorseRunner |
| qrq | High-speed Morse trainer that pushes your callsign copy to its limit | fkurz.net/ham/qrq.html |
| wordsworth | Generate Morse practice text the Wordsworth way — words, not characters | sourceforge.net/projects/kb1oiq-k1ig-wordsworth |
| xcwcp | Qt Morse tutor that both sends practice and reads your keying | unixcw.sourceforge.net |
References & Guides¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| artemis | Signal identification reference — the sigidwiki database, offline | github.com/AresValley/Artemis |
| dictionaries | A local dictionary server with an English dictionary, a thesaurus, computing terms and acronyms | sourceforge.net/projects/dict |
| goldendict-ng | A desktop dictionary that looks words up in dictd and in Kiwix books | github.com/xiaoyifang/goldendict-ng |
| ics-forms | FEMA's 39 fillable ICS forms, 205 radio communications plan and 213 general message among them | training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/icsforms |
| kiwix | The Kiwix desktop reader for offline Wikipedia and other ZIM books | github.com/kiwix/kiwix-desktop |
| kiwix-library | The Kiwix books you chose -- Wikipedia, WikiMed, Stack Exchange -- pinned and verified | library.kiwix.org |
| kiwix-tools | Kiwix's command-line reader, server and library manager for offline ZIM books | github.com/kiwix/kiwix-tools |
| python3-pyhamtools | Python library for callsign lookup, locators and DXCC data | github.com/dh1tw/pyhamtools |
Workstation¶
The machine the station runs on.
Workstation¶
| Project | What it is | Its home |
|---|---|---|
| code | Microsoft's Visual Studio Code build — optional alternative to the VSCodium your distro ships | code.visualstudio.com |
| codium | VSCodium — Microsoft's VS Code source, built without their telemetry or branding | vscodium.com |
| git | Distributed version control — the tool this project is distributed with | git-scm.com |
| hammunition-console (retired) | A terminal front end for the engine -- install, station, logs and updates in one full-screen program | github.com/Renegade-Penguin/hammunition-console |
| pipx | Installs Python applications in their own environments, on the PATH | github.com/pypa/pipx |
| screen | Terminal multiplexer, and the serial console of last resort | gnu.org/software/screen |
| tmux | Terminal multiplexer for sessions that outlive the connection | github.com/tmux/tmux |