Reading weather data with software-defined radio
Waverider
Armed with a US$ 20 hunk of hardware and a free software-defined radio tool, Konstantin starts the hunt for radio-transmitted data from a weather station.
Weather stations with transmitters (Figure 1) are used in many households today, including my own. The small transmitter, in this case, is on the window sill, measuring weather data such as temperature, air pressure, and humidity and transmitting the results digitally to a base station, which then displays them. However, a base station is not even necessary for receiving the data. With a little passion for tinkering, and the help of software-defined radio, I can receive, read, and even produce this wireless data with my own computer.
Software-defined radio (SDR) picks up electromagnetic waves almost directly at the antenna and uses software to process them. In the simplest case, an SDR-receiver consists of an antenna and an analog-to-digital converter plus software. Depending on the device, it can thus scan a very large frequency range. Applications for implementing SDR include GNU Radio, GNU Radio Companion, or Gqrx (see the "GNU Radio from a PPA" box).
The software does the majority of the work, so your soldering iron can stay safely in the cabinet. You only need to find the right hardware, which costs only a few dollars, as well as an editor to process the digitized radio data on your computer.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.