DIY Antennas, QRP, SDR & Ham Radio Projects from VU3DXR
The SDR section focuses on Software Defined Radio hardware, firmware, and real‑world operating techniques. Here you’ll see coverage of Linux‑based SDR transceivers like sBitx and ZBitx, handheld SDR projects, ADS‑B and flight tracking setups, Mini Radio / ATS‑Mini firmware updates, and practical guides to HF digital reception such as WEFAX and FT2
Ashhar Farhan has officially unveiled the zBitx v2, a significant leap forward for the compact SDR transceiver. With upgraded hardware including a passive FET mixer and a game-changing Wi-Fi-based front-panel connection, the v2 fixes legacy bugs while paving the way for custom user interfaces.
The Khanfar Spectrum Analyzer project has quietly grown into one of the more capable free SDR software suites available for Windows. This post walks through the full tool collection — from the flagship analyzer to CFAR-based signal detection and multi-SDR direction finding
Software Defined Radios have made high-performance spectrum analysis accessible to anyone with a laptop and $30 to spare. This guide covers every worthwhile SDR from cheap RTL dongles to dedicated HF receivers — with software picks, antenna advice, and practical projects to get you on the air fast.
FT2 promises ultra‑fast QSOs with 3.8‑second cycles and up to 240 contacts per hour, but early adopters are divided. This in‑depth report analyzes FT2’s technical trade‑offs, including its weaker –12 dB sensitivity, very tight ±50 ms clock requirement, Windows‑only Decodium client, and limited award support. It also compiles global feedback from Facebook, Reddit, YouTube, blogs, and WhatsApp groups—ranging from contesters who love the speed to operators who see FT2 as risky, unnecessary, or too fragile for weak‑signal DX.
Weather Facsimile—commonly known as WEFAX, HF-FAX, or Radiofax—is easily one of the most rewarding niches in the shortwave hobby. There is a certain “magic” in tuning your receiver to a scheduled frequency and watching a high-resolution synoptic chart or satellite image slowly materialize on your screen, line by line, over several minutes.
sBitx v5.301 update refines the v5.3 platform with FT8/FT4 stability fixes, UI polish, improved logging/UDP integration, and CW decoding tweaks — enhancing reliability of the Linux SDR transceiver
Upgrade your Mini Radio Pocket SI4735 experience! The new firmware adds EiBi transmitter data and an eco-friendly power-saving mode for longer listening sessions.
sBitx v5.3 software update brings a touch-optimized UI, advanced FT8/FT4 automation, xOTA logging, CW decoding upgrades, and SWR protection — enhancing the Linux SDR transceiver platform.
ADSBee 1090 is an open-source ADS-B receiver that decodes 1090 MHz aircraft transponder signals using RP2040 PIO — a low-power standalone aviation tracker with Wi-Fi data streaming.
Software Defined Radio technology has revolutionized base station infrastructure, laboratory-grade receivers, and bench equipment for years, yet handheld transceivers have stubbornly clung to traditional fixed-function architectures. The LinHT SDR shatters this paradigm entirely, delivering a genuine software-defined transceiver in a genuinely portable package.