SDR Software Guide
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Recommended SDR Software Tools
| Software | Download Link | Usage Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SDR# (SDRSharp) | airspy.com/download | Windows only. For RTL-SDR devices, the Zadig driver (RTL2832U) must be installed, otherwise the hardware will not be detected. |
| SDR++ | www.sdrpp.org | Cross-platform (Windows / Linux / macOS). Lightweight and high performance. Strongly recommended for Linux and Raspberry Pi. |
| Universal Radio Hacker (URH) | github.com/jopohl/urh | Powerful wireless protocol analysis tool. Supports Windows installers and Linux/macOS. Can also be installed via pip or pipx . |
| Inspectrum | github.com/miek/inspectrum | Fine-grained IQ signal analysis tool. Commonly used together with URH or GNU Radio. |
| GNU Radio | www.gnuradio.org | Advanced SDR development framework. Ideal for communication system design and research. Linux/macOS users should install via package managers. |
| dump1090 | GitHub Search | ADS-B aircraft reception software. Multiple forks exist; active versions such as dump1090-mutability are recommended. |
| Gpredict | oz9aec.dk / SourceForge | Satellite orbit prediction tool. Commonly used with SDR++ or GNU Radio for satellite reception. |
Installation Tips (Practical Notes)
- Driver Installation (RTL-SDR / Zadig): On Windows, SDR# and similar software usually require the RTL-SDR driver to be installed via Zadig first.
-
Cross-Platform Considerations: SDR++ and GNU Radio fully support Linux and macOS. Installing via system package managers (
apt,brew) is recommended. - Protocol Analysis Tools: URH and Inspectrum are best installed from official GitHub releases or via system package managers when available.
This software list covers common scenarios including signal monitoring, protocol analysis, satellite tracking, and ADS-B reception.