10 Common Mistakes Made With Software Defined Radio

Software Defined Radio, also known as SDR, is a type of radio communication system in which the components that are traditionally implemented in analogue hardware (such as mixers, filters, amplifiers, modulators/demodulators, detectors, and so on) are instead implemented by means of software on a personal computer or embedded system. The idea of software-defined radio (SDR) has been around for a while, but the fast advancing capabilities of digital electronics have made it feasible to put into practise many procedures that were previously only conceivable in theory.

µSDX QRP SDR HF Transceiver

A personal computer that is outfitted with a sound card or another type of analog-to-digital converter may constitute the core component of a simple software-defined radio (SDR) system. This component would then be preceded by an RF front end of some kind. The general-purpose CPU now handles significant portions of the signal processing, as opposed to the specialised hardware that was previously used (electronic circuits). The usage of such a design results in the production of a radio that is capable of receiving and transmitting a broad variety of radio protocols (also referred to as waveforms) merely on the basis of the software that is installed.

If you’re a new comer to the SDR or SWL hobby then here’s 10 things which will help get you started and choose the right equipment to use, depending on your requirements. In this video Matthew Miller, MØDQW provides you with a comprehensive explanation about these things.