Hamlib SourceForge project page

 

Hamlib supported radios
Last modified on 3 Nov 2008

Sad, but true. There's no standardized protocol to remotely control one's rig, be it a Ham radio transceiver, a SWL receiver, any kind of scanner and other mobiles. However, some manufacturer may have designed their own proprietary protocol, implemented in some of their product family. Therefore, each rig family will require a Hamlib backend to set the VFO frequency, change mode and passband width, get current signal strength, etc.

If you are developing a Hamlib backend for a remote controllable radio, we would be grateful if you could inform us of updates (via the Hamlib mailing-list) to the backend so we can keep this page up to date. If you have been in contact with a manufacturer asking for programming information and been turned down let us know and we will update the page. If you are a manufacturer and don't like the fact that you are listed as red, then you know what to do. You may be interested to know that this site is getting well over 50 unique visitors per day. Not much yet, but still potential customers per year you could be losing out on.

The following is a key to the colour coding in the tables.

  The rig listed should function with few problems.
  Although a driver is in development, it is either not available yet or still in an alpha state and might not work for you.
  This manufacturer refuses to release documentation, or documentation is only available from user manual. If you own such a rig and want to see supported the models listed, please provide the Hamlib team with the protocol documentation or consider joining the development team.
  No backend currently exists. It is unknown whether the manufacturer will provide the documentation needed to write a driver.



Below is a list of models from different manufacturers and the status of any support that is available with Hamlib that we have complied. This list is by no means complete or necessarily accurate. However any information that could be used to expand the scope and accuracy of this page will be greatly appreciated.

If you don't see your favorite radio in this list, please feel free to contact the Hamlib mailing-list and ask kindly for support.

The list of supported radios can also be represented in a busy table: rigmatrix.

Manufacturer Models Status
Alinco DX77   Documentation available at Alinco website. Testers needed.
AOR AR8200, AR8000, AR5000, etc.   Testers needed. Documentation available at AORUK web site.
Drake R-8A, R-8B   Testers needed. Seeking volunteers.
Flex Radio SDR-1000   Seeking volunteers. Experimental.
GNU Radio MC4020, sound cards w/ or w/o I&Q   Seeking volunteers. Experimental. Details here.
Icom IC706, IC-R8500, IC756PRO, Optoscan's, etc. (most ICOM rigs)   This backend has support for the CI-V protocol. Icom appears to be unwilling to release the necessary documentation to enable a Hamlib backend to be written. However, documentation is available from the excellent Ekki's site, and at the end of the user manual. Also appreciated, support from SuSE in getting more documentation.
  PCR100, PCR1000   These "computer" rigs are controlled by a different protocol than the Icom's CI-V. Currently unsupported.
JRC NRD-535, NRD-545   Only one rig currently supported. Seeking documentation and volunteers for other JST/NRD line rigs.
Kachina 505DSP   Testers needed! Documentation available from Kachina's web site.
Kits Elektor 3/04, DDS-60, etc.   Various kits. Feel free to add more.
SAT-Service Schneider DRT1/SAD1   DRM compatible RF tuner unit with great specs, ideal for SDR work.
Kenwood TS-450, TS-570, TS-870S, TS-2000, etc.   Documentation comes from the Kenwood website. Some rigs well supported, but more testers needed.
Lowe HF235   Alpha support. Seeking volunteers.
Racal RA37xx   No support currently. Seeking volunteers and manual.
Radioshack RS20xx   These are acutally either Icom's or Uniden's rebranded. See correspoding backends.
RFT EKD500   Alpha support. Feedback welcome.
Rohde & Schwarz ESM, EK   No support currently. Seeking volunteers and manual.
Skanti trP8000   Alpha support. Feedback welcome.
TAPR DSP-10   No support currently. Seeking volunteers. Please join the sourceforge linux DSP-10group.
Ten-Tec RX-320, Pegasus, Jupiter, Argonaut, Orion   Testers needed. Documentation/sources available. Note: Omni-VI is using Icom backend. Note: Ten-Tec refuses to detail RX-340 protocol.
BC Radio Tuners Video4Linux tuners   Control tuner embedded in CE broadcast tuners supported by Video4Linux. Testers needed. Other OS's patches welcome.
Uniden BearCat 245, 895   Seeking testers and volunteers. Any Trunk scanner specialist out there?
Watkins-Johnson HF, WJ8888   Alpha support. Seeking volunteers and manual.
WinRadio WR-1550, G303, etc.   Very good support from LinRADiO team. Feedback welcome.
Yaesu FRG-100, FT-847, FT-817, FT-920, FT-1000MP, etc.   Still a WIP. FT-817 support added by Chris, AA1VL 15 Dec 2001.
FT-920 support, WIP, by Nate, N0NB.