SDRPlusPlus

SDR++ is a desktop application for receiving and analyzing radio signals using software-defined radio (SDR) hardware. A software-defined radio is a small USB dongle or other device that plugs into a computer and picks up radio frequencies, while the computer handles all the processing that traditional radios do with physical circuits. SDR++ is the software side of that setup: it displays incoming signals, lets you tune to different frequencies, and decodes audio from broadcasts or transmissions.

The software runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, and BSD. It is designed to stay lightweight and simple, avoiding feature bloat that slows down the interface. It supports a wide range of SDR hardware through a compatibility layer called SoapySDR, as well as dedicated built-in modules for specific devices. Multiple VFO (virtual tuner) windows can be open simultaneously, letting you monitor several frequency ranges at once from the same hardware.

SDR++ uses a modular plugin system. Each feature (radio decoder, signal recorder, hardware source, audio output) is a separate module loaded at startup. This makes it straightforward to add support for new hardware or new signal types without changing the core application. The signal processing uses SIMD instructions (special CPU operations) to speed up the math involved in analyzing radio data.

Pre-built installers are available for Windows and Debian-based Linux systems. Nightly builds with the latest changes are hosted on the project website. Users who want to add hardware support or new decoders can write their own modules by following the plugin API. A Patreon and a Discord community are linked in the README for users who want to support the project or get help with setup.