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The Raspberry Pi has earned a permanent place in the amateur radio shack. This small, inexpensive single-board computer runs a full Linux operating system and provides enough processing power to handle software-defined radio, digital mode operation, repeater control, APRS gateways, and many other applications that previously required a full desktop computer. Its low power consumption, compact size, and extensive community support make it ideal for both home stations and portable or remote installations.
Where an Arduino excels at real-time control tasks (reading sensors, driving relays, generating signals), the Raspberry Pi shines when you need an operating system, file storage, network connectivity, or the ability to run complex software. Many ham radio projects combine both — an Arduino handling time-critical hardware control while a Raspberry Pi provides the user interface, logging, and network features.
The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card-sized computer built around an ARM processor, with RAM, USB ports, GPIO (general-purpose input/output) pins, Ethernet (on most models), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI video output, and a microSD card slot for storage. It boots a Linux-based operating system (most commonly Raspberry Pi OS, formerly Raspbian) and can run the same kinds of software as a desktop Linux computer, albeit at more modest performance levels.
Several models are available. The Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 5 offer quad-core processors and multiple gigabytes of RAM, sufficient for SDR applications and multi-tasking. The Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is physically tiny and very low power, suited for embedded applications like APRS trackers or simple gateways where size and power consumption matter more than raw performance. For most ham radio applications, a Pi 4 or newer with at least 2 GB of RAM is a good starting point.
One of the most popular uses of the Raspberry Pi in amateur radio is as an SDR platform. An inexpensive USB SDR receiver (such as those based on the RTL2832U chipset, commonly known as RTL-SDR dongles) plugged into a Pi creates a capable wideband receiver for a few tens of dollars.
Software packages like Gqrx, CubicSDR, and SDR++ provide a graphical waterfall display and demodulation for AM, FM, SSB, CW, and other modes. For headless (no-monitor) operation, rtl_tcp streams I/Q data over the network to a client application on another computer, allowing you to place the receiver near the antenna and operate it remotely.
More capable SDR hardware — HackRF, SDRplay, or the ADALM-Pluto — also works with the Raspberry Pi for both receive and transmit applications, though transmit use requires appropriate filtering and licensing.
The Pi can also run OpenWebRX, a web-based SDR receiver that lets anyone with a web browser tune your receiver remotely. This is popular for setting up community receivers that can be accessed over the internet, similar to the WebSDR and KiwiSDR networks.
The Raspberry Pi runs all the major digital mode applications used in amateur radio, making it a compact and power-efficient digital station.
WSJT-X for FT8, FT4, and other weak-signal modes runs well on a Raspberry Pi 4 or newer. Paired with a radio that supports CAT (Computer Aided Transceiver) control and a USB sound card or built-in audio interface, the Pi becomes a complete FT8 station. The low power consumption is particularly attractive for portable and solar-powered digital operation.
Fldigi provides a multi-mode digital modem for PSK31, RTTY, Olivia, and many other modes. JS8Call runs on the Pi for keyboard-to-keyboard messaging over HF. JTDX is an alternative to WSJT-X favoured by some operators.
Direwolf turns the Pi into a software TNC (terminal node controller) for packet radio and APRS. Combined with a simple radio, it creates a complete packet station or APRS tracker without any dedicated packet hardware.
One of the most common Raspberry Pi projects in amateur radio is an APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) iGate — a gateway that receives APRS packets over the air and forwards them to the internet-based APRS-IS network (or vice versa). A Pi running Direwolf, connected to a VHF radio tuned to the local APRS frequency (typically 144.390 MHz in North America, 144.800 MHz in Europe), provides this function with minimal hardware and very low power consumption.
An APRS iGate can run unattended for months, making it an ideal service to the local amateur community. Adding transmit capability (with appropriate filtering and identification) turns it into a fill-in digipeater that extends APRS coverage in areas with gaps.
The Raspberry Pi is widely used as a controller for amateur radio hotspots — low-power digital voice access points that connect to reflectors and talk groups over the internet. Projects like Pi-Star (now WPSD) provide a complete, pre-configured operating system image that supports DMR, D-STAR, System Fusion, M17, P25, and NXDN. Paired with an inexpensive digital radio board (MMDVM modem), a Pi becomes a personal hotspot that connects your digital radio to worldwide networks from anywhere with an internet connection.
For conventional analogue repeaters, the Pi can serve as the controller — handling identification, courtesy tones, time-out timers, and remote control functions. Several open-source repeater controller projects run on the Pi, replacing dedicated hardware controllers.
Allstar Link and EchoLink both have Pi-compatible implementations that let you connect a radio to VoIP (Voice over IP) linking networks, extending the reach of local repeaters or creating internet-linked simplex nodes.
Winlink is the global radio email system used extensively by emergency communicators and maritime operators. A Raspberry Pi running Pat (a Winlink client) or the Linux-based RMS Gateway software creates a radio email station or a public gateway that others can use to send and receive email over HF or VHF radio. This is particularly valuable in emergency communications — a Pi-based Winlink gateway in a go-kit provides email capability independent of internet infrastructure.
The Pi's built-in networking makes it well-suited for remote station operation. Hamlib and rigctld running on a Pi can provide network-based CAT control of a radio, allowing logging software and digital mode applications on another computer to control the radio over the network. flrig provides a graphical rig control interface.
For fully remote stations — where the radio is at one location and the operator is at another — the Pi can host audio streaming, rig control, rotator control, and monitoring services. Packages like RemoteHams and custom solutions using open-source audio streaming tools make this practical.
The Pi runs several amateur radio logging applications, including CQRLOG and PyQSO. For operators who prefer a lightweight, always-on logging station, a Pi with an attached display provides a dedicated logging terminal that does not tie up a more powerful computer.
The Pi can also run Node-RED, a visual programming environment that is useful for creating custom station dashboards — combining rig control, SWR monitoring, rotator status, and other data streams into a single web-based display.
The Raspberry Pi runs satellite tracking software like Gpredict, which calculates satellite positions and pass times, and can control a rotator to track satellites automatically. For amateur satellite operators, a Pi-based tracking station handles the predictions, Doppler correction, and antenna pointing, freeing the operator to focus on making contacts.
Many Pi-based ham radio projects run "headless" — without a monitor, keyboard, or mouse. The Pi boots automatically, starts its services (iGate, hotspot, gateway, SDR server), and runs unattended. Administration is done remotely over SSH or through a web interface. This makes the Pi suitable for installation at remote sites (repeater locations, club stations, hilltop receivers) where physical access is infrequent.
For embedded applications, the Pi Zero 2 W is particularly attractive. Its small size, low power consumption (under 1 watt idle), and built-in Wi-Fi make it practical for projects like portable APRS trackers, solar-powered remote sensors, and compact digital hotspots.
If you are new to the Raspberry Pi, the basic setup is straightforward: download the Raspberry Pi Imager tool, write an operating system image to a microSD card, insert it into the Pi, connect power, and boot. For ham radio applications, you can start with the standard Raspberry Pi OS and install amateur radio software as needed, or use a pre-built image like Pi-Star/WPSD (for digital hotspots) that comes ready to use.
The GPIO pins on the Pi can interface with external hardware — keying a transmitter, reading push-to-talk switches, driving LEDs, or communicating with I2C devices. Libraries for Python and C make GPIO programming accessible. For interfacing with radios, USB sound cards and USB-to-serial adapters are the most common connections.
The Raspberry Pi community — both the general community and the amateur radio subset — is enormous and active. Documentation, tutorials, forum posts, and complete project guides are widely available for virtually every ham radio Pi application.
The Raspberry Pi's power consumption varies by model and load, but a Pi 4 typically draws 3–6 watts. This is low enough for battery or solar operation, but it adds up over time in off-grid installations. The Pi Zero 2 W draws under 1 watt, making it much more suitable for solar-powered remote sites. Proper shutdown procedures (or read-only filesystem configurations) are important to prevent SD card corruption from unexpected power loss.