Software Defined Radio
Turn your computer into a full radio receiver covering LF through microwave. With a cheap RTL-SDR dongle and these tools you can listen to everything from AM broadcast to aircraft, weather satellites, and amateur bands worldwide.
OpenWebRX
Live interface RecommendedA full-featured SDR receiver that runs entirely in your browser. Supports RTL-SDR, HackRF, LimeSDR, PlutoSDR and more. Demodulates AM, FM, SSB, CW, digital modes, and can even decode FT8 and APRS in real time. The go-to choice for remote and web-accessible SDR operation.
sudo apt install openwebrx
GQRX
GuideA graphical SDR receiver built on GNU Radio with a clean Qt interface. Great starting point for RTL-SDR newcomers — plug in a dongle and you're receiving within minutes. Supports AM, FM, SSB, CW demodulation with a live waterfall display. Available in most Linux repositories.
sudo apt install gqrx-sdr
GNU Radio
GuideThe open-source toolkit that powers most Linux SDR software. Build custom signal processing pipelines using a visual flowgraph editor. Steep learning curve but unlimited capability — everything from ADS-B aircraft decoding to custom digital mode receivers. GQRX and OpenWebRX are both built on top of it.
sudo apt install gnuradio