Ham radio, or amateur radio, is a hobby and service that uses licensed operators to communicate with each other using designated radio frequencies for non-commercial purposes. This popular hobby and service brings people, electronics and communication together. People use ham radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones.
It’s fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need.
This roundup looks at the finest ham radio tools available for Linux. We include a good variety of tools including transceiver control programs, ham radio loggers, and more.
Here’s our verdict on the best free ham radio tools for Linux. Only free and open source software is eligible for inclusion.
Let’s explore the tools at hand. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, and a screenshot of the software in action.
| Ham Radio | |
|---|---|
| HamClock | Clock and world map with extra features for amateur radio |
| WSJT-X | Basic amateur radio communication using very weak signals |
| QLog | Amateur radio logbook |
| Qtel | Qt EchoLink client |
| wfview | Controls icom ham radios |
| Flrig | Transceiver control program |
| Fldigi | Modem program for most of the digital modes |
| TrustedQSL | Tools for digitally signing Amateur Radio QSO records |
| klog | General purpose ham radio DX logging support |
| CQRLOG | Advanced ham radio logger |
| ADIF Multitool | Validate, modify and convert ham radio log files |
| Xlog | Logging program for amateur radio operators |
| PyQSO | Contact logging tool for amateur radio operators |
| JS8Call | Software using the JS8 digital mode |
| CHIRP | GUI tool for programming ham radios |
 Read our complete collection of recommended free and open source software. Our curated compilation covers all categories of software. Spotted a useful open source Linux program not covered on our site? Please let us know by completing this form. The software collection forms part of our series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. There are hundreds of in-depth reviews, open source alternatives to proprietary software from large corporations like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. There are also fun things to try, hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. |