Practical Guide to Modular RF Design
Build Your Own Software-Defined Radio combines RF circuitry with hardware programming and PC-based signal processing. The e-book presents a modular approach to building a complete SDR system using RF Bricks – from the mechanical framework and RF modules to measurement tools, PC software, and FPGA implementations. Practical explanations guide readers through real signal paths, construction steps, and measurement routines, linking hardware and software into a flexible SDR platform.
Key topics include:
Mechanical setup: RF Brick template, chassis, and 19-inch module carrier
Bridges: USB isolator, I²C level shifter, I²C power switch, and practical examples
Signal-chain design with RF Bricks: antennas, band filters, NanoVNA work, preamplifiers, PLLs, demodulators, direct-conversion chains, multiband options, and narrowband bricks
RF measurement Bricks: single- and dual-tone sources, NPR methods, noise generators, notch filters, broadband amplifiers, and impedance bridges
Useful accessories: ATU-100 tuner, X-Phase QRM eliminator, and firmware notes
PC host software: SoapyAudio adjustments, GQRX, SDR++, and added functionality
GnuRadio elements: control blocks, SSB demodulation, GUI components, messaging, and filter handling
FPGA-based SDR: VHDL, toolchains, ADC/DAC blocks, oversampling, and a complete SSB/CW signal chain
With its modular structure and detailed working examples, this e-book offers a practical path to building and extending modern SDR systems.
Downloads
Software
The AVR-IoT WA development board combines a powerful ATmega4808 AVR MCU, an ATECC608A CryptoAuthentication secure element IC and the fully certified ATWINC1510 Wi-Fi network controller – which provides the most simple and effective way to connect your embedded application to Amazon Web Services (AWS). The board also includes an on-board debugger, and requires no external hardware to program and debug the MCU.
Out of the box, the MCU comes preloaded with a firmware image that enables you to quickly connect and send data to the AWS platform using the on-board temperature and light sensors. Once you are ready to build your own custom design, you can easily generate code using the free software libraries in Atmel START or MPLAB Code Configurator (MCC).
The AVR-IoT WA board is supported by two award-winning Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) – Atmel Studio and Microchip MPLAB X IDE – giving you the freedom to innovate with your environment of choice.
Features
ATmega4808 microcontroller
Four user LED’s
Two mechanical buttons
mikroBUS header footprint
TEMT6000 Light sensor
MCP9808 Temperature sensor
ATECC608A CryptoAuthentication™ device
WINC1510 WiFi Module
On-board Debugger
Auto-ID for board identification in Atmel Studio and Microchip MPLAB X
One green board power and status LED
Programming and debugging
Virtual COM port (CDC)
Two DGI GPIO lines
USB and battery powered
Integrated Li-Ion/LiPo battery charger
From Detector to Software Defined Radio
Radio frequency (RF) technology is one of the areas which still allows putting your own ideas into practice. Countless circuit variants with special objectives allow space for meaningful experiments and projects. Many things simply aren’t available off the shelf. Crystal detector radios without their own power source, simple tube receivers with a touch of nostalgia, the first reception attempts at Software Defined Radio, special receivers for amateur radio, all this can be realized with little effort and as a perfect introduction to RF electronics.
For a long time, radio construction was the first step into electronics. Meanwhile, there are other ways, especially via computers, microcontrollers, and digital technology. However, the analog roots of electronics are often neglected. Elementary radio technology and easy-to-do experiments are particularly well suited as a learning field for electronics because you can start with the simplest basics here.
But the connection to modern digital technology is also obvious, for example, when it comes to modern tuning methods such as PLL and DDS or modern DSP radios.
This book aims to give an overview and present a collection of simple RF projects. The author would like to support you to develop your own ideas, to design your own receivers and to test them.
Program and Build Raspberry Pi 5 Based Ham Station Utilities with the RTL-SDR
The RTL-SDR devices (V3 and V4) have gained popularity among radio amateurs because of their very low cost and rich features. A basic system may consist of a USB based RTL-SDR device (dongle) with a suitable antenna, a Raspberry Pi 5 computer, a USB based external audio input-output adapter, and software installed on the Raspberry Pi 5 computer. With such a modest setup, it is possible to receive signals from around 24 MHz to over 1.7 GHz.
This book is aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts and electronic engineering students, as well as at anyone interested in learning to use the Raspberry Pi 5 to build electronic projects. The book is suitable for both beginners through experienced readers. Some knowledge of the Python programming language is required to understand and eventually modify the projects given in the book. A block diagram, a circuit diagram, and a complete Python program listing is given for each project, alongside a comprehensive description.
The following popular RTL-SDR programs are discussed in detail, aided by step-by-step installation guides for practical use on a Raspberry Pi 5:
SimpleFM
GQRX
SDR++
CubicSDR
RTL-SDR Server
Dump1090
FLDIGI
Quick
RTL_433
aldo
xcwcp
GPredict
TWCLOCK
CQRLOG
klog
Morse2Ascii
PyQSO
Welle.io
Ham Clock
CHIRP
xastir
qsstv
flrig
XyGrib
FreeDV
Qtel (EchoLink)
XDX (DX-Cluster)
WSJT-X
The application of the Python programming language on the latest Raspberry Pi 5 platform precludes the use of the programs in the book from working on older versions of Raspberry Pi computers.
Resonances From Aether Days
A Pictorial and Technical Analysis from WWII to the Internet Age
From the birth of radio to the late 1980s, much of real life unfolded through shortwave communication. World War II demonstrated—beyond a shadow of a doubt—that effective communications equipment was a vital prerequisite for military success. In the postwar years, shortwave became the backbone on which many of the world's most critical services depended every day.
All the radio equipment—through whose cathodes, grids, plates, and transistors so much of human history has flowed—is an exceptional subject of study and enjoyment for those of us who are passionate about vintage electronics. In this book, which begins in the aftermath of World War II, you’ll find a rich collection of information: descriptions, tips, technical notes, photos, and schematics that will be valuable for anyone interested in restoring—or simply learning about—these extraordinary witnesses to one of the most remarkable eras in technological history.
My hope is that these pages will help preserve this vast treasure of knowledge, innovation, and history—a heritage that far transcends the purely technical.
From Detector to Software Defined RadioRadio frequency (RF) technology is one of the areas which still allows putting your own ideas into practice. Countless circuit variants with special objectives allow space for meaningful experiments and projects. Many things simply aren’t available off the shelf. Crystal detector radios without their own power source, simple tube receivers with a touch of nostalgia, the first reception attempts at Software Defined Radio, special receivers for amateur radio, all this can be realized with little effort and as a perfect introduction to RF electronics.For a long time, radio construction was the first step into electronics. Meanwhile, there are other ways, especially via computers, microcontrollers, and digital technology. However, the analog roots of electronics are often neglected. Elementary radio technology and easy-to-do experiments are particularly well suited as a learning field for electronics because you can start with the simplest basics here.But the connection to modern digital technology is also obvious, for example, when it comes to modern tuning methods such as PLL and DDS or modern DSP radios.This book aims to give an overview and present a collection of simple RF projects. The author would like to support you to develop your own ideas, to design your own receivers and to test them.
Program and build Arduino-based ham station utilities, tools, and instruments
In addition to a detailed introduction to the exciting world of the Arduino microcontroller and its many variants, this book introduces you to the shields, modules, and components you can connect to the Arduino. Many of these components are discussed in detail and used in the projects included in this book to help you understand how these components can be incorporated into your own Arduino projects. Emphasis has been placed on designing and creating a wide range of amateur radio-related projects that can easily be built in just a few days.
This book is written for ham radio operators and Arduino enthusiasts of all skill levels, and includes discussions about the tools, construction methods, and troubleshooting techniques used in creating amateur radio-related Arduino projects. The book teaches you how to create feature-rich Arduino-based projects, with the goal of helping you to advance beyond this book, and design and build your own ham radio Arduino projects.
In addition, this book describes in detail the design, construction, programming, and operation of the following projects:
CW Beacon and Foxhunt Keyer
Mini Weather Station
RF Probe with LED Bar Graph
DTMF Tone Encoder
DTMF Tone Decoder
Waveform Generator
Auto Power On/Off
Bluetooth CW Keyer
Station Power Monitor
AC Current Monitor
This book assumes a basic knowledge of electronics and circuit construction. Basic knowledge of how to program the Arduino using its IDE will also be beneficial.
Program and build RPi Pico-based ham station utilities, tools, and instruments
Although much classical HF and mobile equipment is still in use by large numbers of amateurs, the use of computers and digital techniques has now become very popular among amateur radio operators. Nowadays, anyone can purchase a €5 Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller board and develop many amateur radio projects using the “Pico” and some external components. This book is aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts, Electronic Engineering students, and anyone interested in learning to use the Raspberry Pi Pico to shape their electronic projects. The book is suitable for beginners in electronics as well as for those with wide experience.
Step-by-step installation of the MicroPython programming environment is described. Some knowledge of the Python programming language is helpful to be able to comprehend and modify the projects given in the book. The book introduces the Raspberry Pi Pico and gives examples of many general-purpose, software-only projects that familiarize the reader with the Python programming language. In addition to the software-only projects tailored to the amateur radio operator, Chapter 6 in particular presents over 36 hardware-based projects for “hams”, including:
Station mains power on/off control
Radio station clock
GPS based station geographical coordinates
Radio station temperature and humidity
Various waveform generation methods using software and hardware (DDS)
Frequency counter
Voltmeter / ammeter / ohmmeter / capacitance meter
RF meter and RF attenuators
Morse code exercisers
RadioStation Click board
Raspberry Pi Pico based FM radio
Using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with Raspberry Pi Pico
Radio station security with RFID
Audio amplifier module with rotary encoder volume control
Morse decoder
Using the FS1000A TX-RX modules to communicate with Arduino
Program and Build Raspberry Pi 5 Based Ham Station Utilities with the RTL-SDR
The RTL-SDR devices (V3 and V4) have gained popularity among radio amateurs because of their very low cost and rich features. A basic system may consist of a USB based RTL-SDR device (dongle) with a suitable antenna, a Raspberry Pi 5 computer, a USB based external audio input-output adapter, and software installed on the Raspberry Pi 5 computer. With such a modest setup, it is possible to receive signals from around 24 MHz to over 1.7 GHz.
This book is aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts and electronic engineering students, as well as at anyone interested in learning to use the Raspberry Pi 5 to build electronic projects. The book is suitable for both beginners through experienced readers. Some knowledge of the Python programming language is required to understand and eventually modify the projects given in the book. A block diagram, a circuit diagram, and a complete Python program listing is given for each project, alongside a comprehensive description.
The following popular RTL-SDR programs are discussed in detail, aided by step-by-step installation guides for practical use on a Raspberry Pi 5:
SimpleFM
GQRX
SDR++
CubicSDR
RTL-SDR Server
Dump1090
FLDIGI
Quick
RTL_433
aldo
xcwcp
GPredict
TWCLOCK
CQRLOG
klog
Morse2Ascii
PyQSO
Welle.io
Ham Clock
CHIRP
xastir
qsstv
flrig
XyGrib
FreeDV
Qtel (EchoLink)
XDX (DX-Cluster)
WSJT-X
The application of the Python programming language on the latest Raspberry Pi 5 platform precludes the use of the programs in the book from working on older versions of Raspberry Pi computers.
Program and build Arduino-based ham station utilities, tools, and instruments
In addition to a detailed introduction to the exciting world of the Arduino microcontroller and its many variants, this book introduces you to the shields, modules, and components you can connect to the Arduino. Many of these components are discussed in detail and used in the projects included in this book to help you understand how these components can be incorporated into your own Arduino projects. Emphasis has been placed on designing and creating a wide range of amateur radio-related projects that can easily be built in just a few days.
This book is written for ham radio operators and Arduino enthusiasts of all skill levels, and includes discussions about the tools, construction methods, and troubleshooting techniques used in creating amateur radio-related Arduino projects. The book teaches you how to create feature-rich Arduino-based projects, with the goal of helping you to advance beyond this book, and design and build your own ham radio Arduino projects.
In addition, this book describes in detail the design, construction, programming, and operation of the following projects:
CW Beacon and Foxhunt Keyer
Mini Weather Station
RF Probe with LED Bar Graph
DTMF Tone Encoder
DTMF Tone Decoder
Waveform Generator
Auto Power On/Off
Bluetooth CW Keyer
Station Power Monitor
AC Current Monitor
This book assumes a basic knowledge of electronics and circuit construction. Basic knowledge of how to program the Arduino using its IDE will also be beneficial.
The nRSP-ST is a networked general coverage radio receiver for frequencies from 1 kHz to 2 GHz with up to 10 MHz of spectrum visibility. The nRSP-ST is your own personal remotely accessible SDR which can also be shared with a small number of trusted friends or colleagues.
The nRSP-ST addresses the needs of radio enthusiasts who want a 'plug-and-play' solution for remote reception. As well as achieving this, we have addressed typical internet bandwidth limitations with the creation of a novel IQ Lite mode, which efficiently delivers channels of IQ data. We are also introducing the ability to control and store IQ recordings at the remote location. The nRSP-ST is ideal for anyone wanting a wideband remote receiver without needing computer skills and hours of set-up time and ongoing maintenance at the remote location.
Features
"Plug and play" integrated, networked general coverage receiver:
Combines a receiver, a host computer and a whole lot more – all in one box!
Apply power and connect to the internet (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and the nRSP-ST is automatically accessible from anywhere
Multi-platform SDRconnectTM software supports local operation or remote access on Windows, MacOS or Linux platforms
The nRSP-ST & SDRconnect are configurable for available network bandwidth:
In Full IQ mode, the nRSP-ST provides IQ data transfer of the visible spectrum bandwidth (e.g. for high-speed LAN or superfast internet connectivity)
In IQ Lite mode, the nRSP-ST provides IQ data of channels up to 192 kHz wide (e.g. for digital decoding by the client)
In Compact mode the nRSP-ST provides compressed audio (ideal for slower internet connections)
Supports multiple client connections with a simultaneous mixture of connection modes – an admin tool allows you to assign usernames and timeouts to trusted friends or colleagues.
All modes support visualization of up to 10 MHz spectrum bandwidth
Two remote connection options:
Use a remote SDRconnect client or
Use the built-in web-server for remote access from any web browsing capable device, including Android/iOS tablets and phones
The nRSP-ST offers the ability to record IQ and audio files to a NAS (network attached storage) device if available on the LAN.
The 14-bit ADC full featured wideband SDR receiver covers all frequencies from 1 kHz through VLF, LF, MW, HF, VHF, UHF and L-band to 2 GHz, with no gaps
Remotely monitor up to 10 MHz of spectrum at a time from a choice of 3 antennas
Flash upgradable for future feature enhancements
Included
1x nRSP-ST Receiver
1x WLAN antenna
1x Power supply
1x Manual
Downloads
Release notes
Software
Technology is constantly changing. New microcontrollers become available every year. The one thing that has stayed the same is the C programming language used to program these microcontrollers. If you would like to learn this standard language to program microcontrollers, then this book is for you!
Arduino is the hardware platform used to teach the C programming language as Arduino boards are available worldwide and contain the popular AVR microcontrollers from Atmel.
Atmel Studio is used as the development environment for writing C programs for AVR microcontrollers. It is a full-featured integrated development environment (IDE) that uses the GCC C software tools for AVR microcontrollers and is free to download.
At a glance:
Start learning to program from the very first chapter
No programming experience is necessary
Learn by doing – type and run the example programs
A fun way to learn the C programming language
Ideal for electronic hobbyists, students and engineers wanting to learn the C programming language in an embedded environment on AVR microcontrollers
Use the free full-featured Atmel Studio IDE software for Windows
Write C programs for 8-bit AVR microcontrollers as found on the Arduino Uno and MEGA boards
Example code runs on Arduino Uno and Arduino MEGA 2560 boards and can be adapted to run on other AVR microcontrollers or boards
Use the AVR Dragon programmer/debugger in conjunction with Atmel Studio to debug C programs
