🌊 WaveRider SDR 🌊

Universal Cross-Platform Software Defined Radio

The only SDR with full features, rolling updates, and universal cross-platform compatibility.

Quick Start • Features • Installation • Documentation • Support

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✨ What Makes WaveRider Special

WaveRider SDR is designed to be the easiest and most fun SDR software to use, with installation simplified to just one command and executables available for all platforms.

🎯 Core Features

📡 Hardware Support ✅ RTL-SDR (RTL2832U dongles) ✅ HackRF One (via SoapySDR) ✅ Automatic device detection ✅ Multi-device support ✅ Graceful simulation fallback 🎚️ Signal Processing ✅ AM/FM demodulation ✅ SSB (USB/LSB) support ✅ CW (Morse code) decoder ✅ Real-time FFT analysis ✅ Waterfall visualization

💻 Cross-Platform ✅ Windows (7, 8, 10, 11) ✅ macOS (10.14+) ✅ Linux (All major distros) ✅ iOS/Android (Web interface) ✅ Automatic platform detection 🎨 User Interface ✅ Desktop GUI (PyQt5) ✅ Web interface (Flask) ✅ Mobile-optimized design ✅ Touch-friendly controls ✅ Responsive layouts

🆕 Advanced Features

• Multiple Modulation Modes: Support for AM, FM, USB, LSB, and CW (Morse code) demodulation
• Morse Code Decoder: Real-time Morse code (CW) detection and text display with International Morse Code support
• Meshtastic Integration: Automatic detection of Meshtastic devices via USB with LoRa communication
• Interactive Controls: Adjust center frequency, sample rate, FFT size, and update rate in real-time
• Start/Stop Controls: Simple one-button control for signal acquisition

🚀 Quick Start

One-Command Installation

Choose your platform and run the appropriate installation script:

🐧 Linux / 🍎 macOS

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR/main/install.sh | bash

or download and run:

chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

🪟 Windows

PowerShell (Recommended):

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install.ps1

Command Prompt:

install.bat

Manual Installation

If you prefer to install manually:

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR.git
cd WaveRiderSDR

# 2. Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# 3. Run WaveRider SDR
python run.py

Using Pre-Built Executables

Download the latest release for your platform:

1. Go to Releases
2. Download the appropriate file:
   • Windows: WaveRiderSDR-Windows.zip
   • macOS: WaveRiderSDR-macOS.zip
   • Linux: WaveRiderSDR-Linux.tar.gz
3. Extract and run:
   • Windows: Double-click WaveRiderSDR.exe
   • macOS: Open WaveRiderSDR.app or run ./WaveRiderSDR
   • Linux: Run ./WaveRiderSDR

That's it! WaveRider SDR will:

• ✅ Automatically detect if you're on desktop or need web version
• ✅ Check for required dependencies
• ✅ Launch the appropriate interface
• ✅ Work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android
• ✅ Automatically detect connected SDR devices
• ✅ Fall back to simulated signals if no SDR hardware present

📋 Installation Methods Comparison

Method	Pros	Best For
Installation Scripts	Automatic setup, creates shortcuts, configures firewall	First-time users, recommended
Pre-built Executables	No Python required, instant use, portable	Users without Python, quick testing
Manual Installation	Full control, easy updates via git	Developers, contributors
pip install	Standard Python package installation	Python developers

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🛠️ Installation

Detailed Installation Instructions

Option 1: Automated Installation (Recommended) ⭐

The automated installers handle everything for you:

🐧 Linux Installation

# Download and run installer
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR/main/install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

# Or one-liner:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR/main/install.sh | bash

What it does:

• ✅ Checks Python 3 installation
• ✅ Installs all required dependencies
• ✅ Offers optional SDR hardware support
• ✅ Creates launcher scripts
• ✅ Creates desktop shortcuts (optional)
• ✅ Tests the installation

Supported Distributions:

• Ubuntu / Debian / Linux Mint
• Fedora / CentOS / RHEL
• Arch Linux / Manjaro
• openSUSE
• Any Linux with Python 3.7+

🍎 macOS Installation

# Download and run installer
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR/main/install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

# Or one-liner:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR/main/install.sh | bash

What it does:

• ✅ Checks Python 3 installation
• ✅ Installs all required dependencies
• ✅ Offers optional SDR hardware support
• ✅ Creates launcher scripts
• ✅ Tests the installation

Requirements:

• macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later
• Python 3.8+ (Install via python.org or brew install python3)

🪟 Windows Installation

Method 1: PowerShell (Recommended)

# Download installer
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR/main/install.ps1" -OutFile "install.ps1"

# Run installer
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install.ps1

Method 2: Batch File

# Download installer
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR/main/install.bat

# Run installer
install.bat

What it does:

• ✅ Checks Python 3 installation
• ✅ Upgrades pip to latest version
• ✅ Installs all required dependencies
• ✅ Offers optional SDR hardware support
• ✅ Creates launcher batch files
• ✅ Creates desktop shortcuts (optional)
• ✅ Configures Windows Firewall for mobile access (optional, requires admin)
• ✅ Tests the installation

Requirements:

• Windows 7 or later (Windows 10/11 recommended)
• Python 3.8+ (Install from python.org - check "Add Python to PATH"!)

Option 2: Pre-Built Executables (No Python Required) 🎁

Download ready-to-use executables from the Releases page:

Platform	File	Instructions
Windows	WaveRiderSDR-Windows.zip	Extract and double-click WaveRiderSDR.exe
macOS	WaveRiderSDR-macOS.zip	Extract and open WaveRiderSDR.app
Linux	WaveRiderSDR-Linux.tar.gz	Extract and run ./WaveRiderSDR

Advantages:

• No Python installation required
• Portable - run from USB drive
• Instant startup
• Self-contained

Option 3: Manual Installation (For Developers) 🔧

# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Deployed-Labs/WaveRiderSDR.git
cd WaveRiderSDR

# 2. Install core dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# 3. (Optional) Install SDR hardware support
pip install pyrtlsdr

# 4. Run WaveRider SDR
python run.py

For developers:

# Install in development mode with all extras
pip install -e ".[all]"

# Or install specific feature sets:
pip install -e ".[desktop]"  # Desktop GUI only
pip install -e ".[web]"      # Web interface only
pip install -e ".[sdr]"      # SDR hardware support only

Option 4: Python Package Installation 📦

Install WaveRider SDR as a Python package (coming soon to PyPI):

# Install from PyPI (when available)
pip install waverider-sdr

# Install with all features
pip install waverider-sdr[all]

# Run from command line
waverider

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🎮 Usage

Basic Usage

Running WaveRider SDR

The universal launcher automatically detects your platform:

python run.py

Command-line options:

python run.py           # Auto-detect best interface
python run.py --web     # Force web interface
python run.py --desktop # Force desktop GUI
python run.py --help    # Show help message

Using launcher scripts (after installation):

# Linux/macOS
./waverider              # Auto-detect
./waverider-web.sh       # Web version
./waverider-desktop.sh   # Desktop version

# Windows
waverider.bat            # Auto-detect
waverider-web.bat        # Web version
waverider-desktop.bat    # Desktop version

First Run

1. Launch the application using any method above
2. Select interface (or let it auto-detect):
   • Desktop GUI launches automatically on Windows/macOS/Linux with display
   • Web interface launches on headless systems or mobile devices
3. Connect SDR hardware (optional):
   • Plug in your RTL-SDR or HackRF device
   • Application auto-detects devices
   • Select device from dropdown if multiple devices
4. Click "Start" to begin signal acquisition
5. Adjust settings as needed (frequency, sample rate, etc.)

Using with SDR Hardware

📡 RTL-SDR Setup

Step 1: Install RTL-SDR Software

pip install pyrtlsdr

Step 2: Install RTL-SDR Drivers

• Windows: Use Zadig to install WinUSB driver
• Linux: Install rtl-sdr package

  # Ubuntu/Debian
  sudo apt-get install rtl-sdr librtlsdr-dev
  
  # Fedora
  sudo dnf install rtl-sdr

• macOS: Install via Homebrew

  brew install librtlsdr

Step 3: Connect and Use

1. Plug in your RTL-SDR device
2. Run WaveRider SDR
3. Device appears in dropdown automatically
4. Select device and click "Start"

Supported RTL-SDR Devices:

• RTL2832U-based USB dongles
• NooElec NESDR series
• RTL-SDR Blog V3/V4
• FlightAware ADS-B dongles
• Most generic DVB-T dongles with RTL2832U chip

📡 HackRF Setup

Step 1: Install SoapySDR

• Ubuntu/Debian:

  sudo apt-get install python3-soapysdr soapysdr-module-hackrf

• Fedora:

  sudo dnf install python3-SoapySDR SoapySDR-module-hackrf

• macOS:

  brew install soapysdr hackrf

• Windows:

  1. Download SoapySDR from GitHub
  2. Download HackRF drivers from GitHub
  3. Install both packages

Step 2: Connect and Use

1. Plug in your HackRF device
2. Run WaveRider SDR
3. HackRF appears in dropdown automatically
4. Select device and click "Start"

Supported HackRF Devices:

• HackRF One
• HackRF-compatible devices

Interface Controls

Both desktop and web interfaces provide the same controls:

Control	Description	Range/Options
Center Frequency	Tuning frequency	Device-dependent (typically 24 MHz - 1.7 GHz for RTL-SDR)
Sample Rate	ADC sample rate	2.4 MHz, 2.048 MHz, 1.024 MHz
FFT Size	Frequency resolution	512, 1024, 2048, 4096 bins
Update Rate	Display refresh	50-1000 ms
Modulation	Demodulation mode	None, AM, FM, USB, LSB, CW
Device Selection	Choose SDR device	Auto-detected devices
Start/Stop	Control signal acquisition	Button toggle
Morse Decoder	Enable/disable CW decoding	Button toggle (CW mode only)

Demodulation Modes

WaveRider SDR supports multiple demodulation modes:

Mode	Type	Best For	Typical Use Cases
None	Raw IQ	Spectrum analysis	General scanning, signal detection
AM	Amplitude Modulation	530 kHz - 1.7 MHz	AM broadcast radio, aviation (108-137 MHz)
FM	Frequency Modulation	VHF/UHF	FM broadcast (88-108 MHz), NOAA weather, 2m ham
USB	Upper Sideband	HF bands	SSB ham radio, shortwave voice comms
LSB	Lower Sideband	HF bands	SSB ham radio, marine radio
CW	Continuous Wave	All bands	Morse code transmissions, ham radio CW

To use demodulation:

1. Select modulation mode from dropdown
2. Signal is automatically demodulated
3. For CW mode, enable Morse decoder to see decoded text

Morse Code Decoder

The integrated Morse code decoder translates CW transmissions in real-time:

How to use:

1. Select "CW (Morse)" from Modulation dropdown
2. Click "Enable Morse Decoder" button
3. Tune to a frequency with Morse code
4. Decoded text appears in real-time
5. Supports standard International Morse Code

Supported characters:

• Letters: A-Z
• Numbers: 0-9
• Punctuation: . , ? ' ! / ( ) & : ; = + - _ " $ @
• Prosigns: SK, AR, BT, etc.

Mobile Access

Access WaveRider SDR from phones and tablets:

Step 1: Start Web Server

python run.py --web
# Or use: python waverider_web.py

Step 2: Find Your IP Address

• Windows: Run ipconfig in Command Prompt
• macOS: Run ifconfig in Terminal
• Linux: Run ip addr or ifconfig
• Look for IPv4 address (usually 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x)

Step 3: Connect from Mobile

1. Ensure mobile device is on same WiFi network
2. Open browser on phone/tablet
3. Navigate to: http://<your-ip>:5000
   • Example: http://192.168.1.100:5000
4. Bookmark for easy access!

Supported Mobile Browsers:

• iOS: Safari, Chrome
• Android: Chrome, Firefox, Samsung Internet, Edge

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🌍 Platform Support

Desktop Platforms

Platform	Desktop GUI	Web Interface	Notes
Windows 7	✅	✅	Fully supported
Windows 8/8.1	✅	✅	Fully supported
Windows 10	✅	✅	Recommended
Windows 11	✅	✅	Recommended
macOS 10.14+	✅	✅	Mojave or later
Ubuntu/Debian	✅	✅	All recent versions
Fedora/RHEL	✅	✅	All recent versions
Arch Linux	✅	✅	Rolling release
Raspberry Pi	⚠️	✅	Web recommended
Linux Server	❌	✅	Headless only

Mobile Platforms

Platform	Support	Method	Notes
iOS (iPhone)	✅	Web Browser	Safari, Chrome
iOS (iPad)	✅	Web Browser	Safari, Chrome
Android Phone	✅	Web Browser	Any modern browser
Android Tablet	✅	Web Browser	Any modern browser

Browser Compatibility

Desktop Browsers:

• ✅ Chrome/Chromium 90+
• ✅ Firefox 88+
• ✅ Safari 14+
• ✅ Edge 90+
• ✅ Opera 76+

Mobile Browsers:

• ✅ Safari (iOS 14+)
• ✅ Chrome (iOS/Android)
• ✅ Firefox (Android)
• ✅ Samsung Internet
• ✅ Edge Mobile

Requirements:

• HTML5 support
• WebSocket support
• JavaScript enabled
• Canvas API support

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🔒 Security Best Practices

WaveRider SDR takes security seriously:

Built-in Security Features

• ✅ Random secret keys - Not hardcoded
• ✅ SRI integrity - CDN scripts verified
• ✅ Local network binding - Safe defaults
• ✅ No telemetry - Your data stays local
• ✅ Open source - Fully auditable code

Network Security

Default Configuration (Safe):

• Server binds to 0.0.0.0:5000 (all interfaces)
• Allows local network access for mobile devices
• Safe on trusted networks only

Recommended Firewall Rules:

Windows Firewall

# Restrict to local subnet (safe)
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="WaveRider SDR" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=5000 remoteip=localsubnet profile=private

# For specific IP range
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="WaveRider SDR" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=5000 remoteip=192.168.1.0/24

Linux Firewall (UFW)

# Allow from local networks
sudo ufw allow from 192.168.0.0/16 to any port 5000 proto tcp
sudo ufw allow from 10.0.0.0/8 to any port 5000 proto tcp

# Or specific subnet
sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any port 5000 proto tcp

macOS Firewall

1. Open System Preferences → Security & Privacy
2. Click Firewall tab
3. Click Firewall Options
4. Add Python application
5. Set to "Allow incoming connections"

Security Checklist

• ✅ Use on trusted networks only (home WiFi, not public WiFi)
• ✅ Configure firewall to restrict to local network
• ✅ Don't expose port 5000 to internet without authentication
• ✅ Keep software updated for security patches
• ❌ Never run on public WiFi without VPN
• ❌ Don't port forward to internet without HTTPS + auth

Localhost-Only Mode

For maximum security (no mobile access):

Edit waverider_web.py line ~100:

# Change from:
socketio.run(app, host='0.0.0.0', port=5000)

# To:
socketio.run(app, host='127.0.0.1', port=5000)

This prevents all network access except from the same computer.

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📖 Documentation

Complete Documentation:

• README.md - This file (main documentation)
• PLATFORM_GUIDE.md - Detailed platform-specific instructions
• IMPLEMENTATION_SUMMARY.md - Technical implementation details
• OPTIMIZATION_SUMMARY.md - Performance optimizations

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📁 Project Structure

WaveRiderSDR/
├── 📄 run.py                    # Universal launcher (auto-detects platform)
├── 📄 waverider_sdr.py          # Desktop GUI application (PyQt5)
├── 📄 waverider_web.py          # Web interface (Flask + SocketIO)
├── 📄 waverider_common.py       # Shared utilities and classes
│
├── 🛠️ Installation Scripts
│   ├── install.sh               # Linux/macOS automated installer
│   ├── install.bat              # Windows batch installer
│   └── install.ps1              # Windows PowerShell installer
│
├── 🏗️ Build Files
│   ├── build.py                 # PyInstaller build script
│   ├── setup.py                 # Python package configuration
│   └── requirements.txt         # Python dependencies
│
├── 📁 templates/
│   └── index.html               # Web interface HTML template
│
└── 📚 Documentation
    ├── README.md                # Main documentation (this file)
    ├── PLATFORM_GUIDE.md        # Platform-specific guides
    ├── IMPLEMENTATION_SUMMARY.md # Technical details
    ├── OPTIMIZATION_SUMMARY.md   # Performance info
    └── LICENSE                   # MIT License

Key Components

waverider_common.py - Shared functionality:

• SDRDevice - RTL-SDR and HackRF hardware interface
• SignalGenerator - Simulated signal generation
• Demodulator - AM/FM/SSB/CW demodulation
• MorseDecoder - Morse code decoding
• MeshtasticDetector - Meshtastic device detection
• LoRaCommunication - LoRa management
• compute_fft_db() - Optimized FFT computation

waverider_sdr.py - Desktop GUI:

• PyQt5-based native interface
• Real-time waterfall display
• Interactive controls
• Windows/macOS/Linux support

waverider_web.py - Web Interface:

• Flask + SocketIO server
• HTML5 canvas waterfall
• Mobile-optimized responsive design
• Cross-platform browser support

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🔧 Building Executables

Create standalone executables for distribution:

# Install PyInstaller
pip install pyinstaller

# Build for your platform
python build.py

Output locations:

• Windows: dist/WaveRiderSDR/WaveRiderSDR.exe
• macOS: dist/WaveRiderSDR.app and dist/WaveRiderSDR/WaveRiderSDR
• Linux: dist/WaveRiderSDR/WaveRiderSDR

Distribution:

Releases are automatically created via GitHub Actions when a new version tag is pushed:

# Create and push a new version tag
git tag -a v1.0.0 -m "Release version 1.0.0"
git push origin v1.0.0

This will trigger the build workflow which:

1. Builds executables for Windows, macOS, and Linux
2. Creates archives for each platform
3. Automatically creates a GitHub release with all artifacts attached

Alternatively, you can manually trigger the workflow from the Actions tab for testing.

For local builds:

1. Test the executable
2. Create archive (zip/tar.gz)
3. Use the automated release workflow as described above

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🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Python not found

Symptoms: python: command not found or 'python' is not recognized

Solutions:

• Windows: Reinstall Python from python.org and check "Add Python to PATH"
• macOS: Install Python via brew install python3 or from python.org
• Linux: Install via package manager: sudo apt install python3 python3-pip

Try python3 instead of python if standard command doesn't work.

Permission denied errors (Linux/macOS)

Symptoms: Cannot run install scripts

Solutions:

chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

# Or for specific scripts:
chmod +x waverider

ImportError: No module named 'PyQt5'

Symptoms: Desktop version won't start

Solutions:

pip install PyQt5

# Or reinstall all dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt

Alternative: Use web version instead:

python run.py --web

RTL-SDR device not detected

Symptoms: No devices shown in dropdown

Solutions:

1. Install pyrtlsdr:

   pip install pyrtlsdr

2. Install RTL-SDR drivers:

   • Windows: Use Zadig to install WinUSB driver
   • Linux: sudo apt-get install rtl-sdr
   • macOS: brew install librtlsdr

3. Check device connection:

   # Linux/macOS
   rtl_test
   
   # Should show: "Found 1 device(s)"

4. Unplug and replug the device

5. Restart WaveRider SDR

HackRF device not detected

Symptoms: HackRF not shown in device list

Solutions:

1. Install SoapySDR (see HackRF Setup)
2. Verify installation:

   SoapySDRUtil --find
   # Should list HackRF device

3. Check USB connection
4. Update firmware if needed
5. Restart WaveRider SDR

Cannot access web interface from mobile

Symptoms: Connection refused or timeout from phone/tablet

Solutions:

1. Verify same WiFi network: Both devices must be on same network
2. Check IP address: Use ipconfig (Windows) or ifconfig (macOS/Linux)
3. Check firewall:
   • Windows: Run netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name="WaveRider SDR"
   • Linux: Run sudo ufw status
4. Test locally first: Try http://localhost:5000 on the server computer
5. Try different port: Edit source to use port 8080 instead of 5000
6. Disable firewall temporarily to test (re-enable after!)

Web interface is slow or laggy

Symptoms: Delayed updates, freezing

Solutions:

1. Reduce update rate: Increase to 200-500ms
2. Reduce FFT size: Use 1024 or 512 instead of 4096
3. Check CPU usage: Close other applications
4. Check network: Ensure strong WiFi signal
5. Use desktop version: Native GUI is more efficient

Module 'numpy' has no attribute 'XXX'

Symptoms: NumPy-related errors

Solutions:

# Update NumPy
pip install --upgrade numpy

# Or reinstall
pip uninstall numpy
pip install numpy

PyQt5 ImportError on macOS

Symptoms: ImportError: dlopen(...): Library not loaded

Solutions:

# Reinstall PyQt5
pip uninstall PyQt5
pip install PyQt5

# Or use Homebrew version:
brew install pyqt5

Getting Help

Before asking for help:

1. ✅ Check this troubleshooting section
2. ✅ Read relevant documentation
3. ✅ Search existing GitHub issues
4. ✅ Try both desktop and web versions

When reporting issues:

1. 📋 Include your platform (OS, version)
2. 📋 Python version: python --version
3. 📋 Error messages (full traceback)
4. 📋 Steps to reproduce
5. 📋 What you expected vs. what happened

Where to get help:

• 🐛 GitHub Issues - Bug reports
• 💬 Discussions - Questions & ideas
• 📧 Email: Check GitHub profile for contact

---

🚀 Future Enhancements

Planned Features:

• Recording and playback functionality
• Frequency bookmarks and presets
• Adjustable colormap options
• Dynamic range control
• Advanced LoRa packet capture
• Meshtastic message monitoring
• Spectrum analyzer mode
• Signal strength meter (S-meter)
• Band scanning functionality
• Noise floor indication
• Peak hold display
• Signal identification tools

Hardware Support:

• Additional SDR devices (Airspy, LimeSDR, PlutoSDR)
• Audio input support (sound card as SDR)
• IQ file playback
• Network SDR support (RTSP, SpyServer)

Want to contribute? See Contributing section below!

---

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions from the community!

Ways to Contribute

1. 🐛 Report bugs - Open an issue with details
2. 💡 Suggest features - Share your ideas in Discussions
3. 📝 Improve documentation - Fix typos, add examples
4. 🔧 Submit code - Fix bugs, add features
5. 🧪 Test - Try on different platforms, report results
6. 🌍 Translate - Help translate UI and docs
7. ⭐ Star the repo - Show your support!

Development Setup

# Fork and clone
git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/WaveRiderSDR.git
cd WaveRiderSDR

# Create virtual environment (recommended)
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # Linux/macOS
venv\Scripts\activate     # Windows

# Install in development mode with all extras
pip install -e ".[all]"

# Create a feature branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

# Make changes, test, commit
git add .
git commit -m "Add: your feature description"
git push origin feature/your-feature-name

# Open Pull Request on GitHub

Code Style

• Python: Follow PEP 8 style guide
• Comments: Clear and concise
• Docstrings: Use for all functions/classes
• Type hints: Encouraged for new code

Pull Request Guidelines

✅ Good PRs:

• Clear description of changes
• One feature/fix per PR
• Tests pass (if applicable)
• Documentation updated
• Clean commit history

❌ Avoid:

• Mixing multiple features
• Breaking existing functionality
• Large reformatting changes
• Undocumented changes

---

📊 Performance Tips

Optimizing for Speed

Reduce CPU Usage:

1. Increase update rate (200-500ms)
2. Reduce FFT size (512 or 1024)
3. Use lower sample rates
4. Disable features not in use

Optimize for Raspberry Pi:

# Use web interface (lighter than GUI)
python run.py --web

# Reduce settings in UI:
# - Sample Rate: 1.024 MHz
# - FFT Size: 512
# - Update Rate: 500ms

Optimize for Battery (Laptops):

• Use desktop version (more efficient than web + browser)
• Reduce update frequency
• Lower sample rate when not needed

---

❓ FAQ

Do I need an SDR to use WaveRider SDR?

No! WaveRider SDR works in demonstration mode with simulated signals if no hardware is detected. This lets you explore the interface and features before investing in hardware.

Which SDR should I buy?

For beginners:

• RTL-SDR Blog V3 (~$30) - Great starter, excellent value
• NooElec NESDR Smart v4 (~$25) - Good alternative

For advanced users:

• HackRF One (~$300) - Transmit + receive, wider range
• Airspy (~$200) - Better performance

Can I transmit with WaveRider SDR?

Currently, WaveRider SDR is receive-only. Transmission features may be added in future versions. (Transmitting requires proper licensing!)

Is WaveRider SDR free?

Yes! WaveRider SDR is open source under the MIT License. Free to use, modify, and distribute.

Can I use this for commercial purposes?

Yes, the MIT License permits commercial use. See LICENSE for details.

What frequencies can I receive?

Depends on your hardware:

• RTL-SDR: ~24 MHz to 1.7 GHz (coverage gaps vary by model)
• HackRF One: 1 MHz to 6 GHz (with gaps)

Note: Reception quality varies by frequency, antenna, and environment.

Is it legal to listen to radio signals?

In most countries, receiving radio signals is legal. However:

• ❌ Don't decode encrypted/scrambled communications
• ❌ Don't listen to cellular/mobile phone calls
• ❌ Don't disclose private communications
• ✅ Amateur radio, public safety, broadcast, aviation - typically OK

Check your local laws! Regulations vary by country.

Why is there no audio output?

Audio output is in development. Currently, demodulation is visual only. Future versions will add audio support.

Can I record signals?

Not yet - recording functionality is planned for future release. For now, use other tools like rtl_sdr for recording.

Does it work offline?

Yes! Once installed, WaveRider SDR works completely offline. No internet connection required.

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📜 License

WaveRider SDR is licensed under the MIT License.

What this means:

• ✅ Free to use
• ✅ Free to modify
• ✅ Free to distribute
• ✅ Commercial use allowed
• ✅ Private use allowed
• ⚠️ No warranty provided
• ⚠️ Author not liable

See LICENSE file for full details.

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👏 Acknowledgments

Built with:

• Python - Programming language
• NumPy - Numerical computing
• SciPy - Scientific computing
• Matplotlib - Plotting and visualization
• PyQt5 - Desktop GUI
• Flask - Web framework
• Socket.IO - Real-time communication
• pyrtlsdr - RTL-SDR Python bindings
• SoapySDR - SDR abstraction layer

Inspired by:

• GQRX
• SDR#
• CubicSDR
• GNU Radio

Special thanks to:

• The open source SDR community
• RTL-SDR.com team
• HackRF project
• All contributors and testers

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📞 Support

Getting Help

1. 📖 Documentation: Read this README and PLATFORM_GUIDE.md
2. 🐛 Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
3. 💬 Discussions: GitHub Discussions
4. ⭐ Star the Project: Show your support!

Stay Updated

• Watch the repository for updates
• Star to bookmark
• Fork to contribute

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Made with ❤️ by the WaveRider SDR Team

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