A software defined radio (SDR) replaces traditional analog hardware components like mixers, filters, and modulators with software algorithms running on a computer or embedded system. An SDR uses an analog-to-digital converter to digitize the incoming radio frequency spectrum, allowing software to isolate and decode specific signals. This flexibility allows a single piece of hardware to tune into wildly different frequencies and protocols simply by loading a new program.
We used a cheap USB software defined radio to capture and analyze the raw packets from the remote weather sensor.
Also heard as
- SDR
Related terms
Frequency
The number of cycles a radio wave or alternating current completes per second.
Spectrum
The entire range of electromagnetic frequencies available for transmitting wireless communication signals.
Baseband
The original frequency range of a transmission signal before it is modulated onto a higher-frequency carrier wave.