M0AWS Amateur Radio – A legacy of service, a future of innovation

14 November 202614 November 2026

piText – SDR Waterfall Messaging App

piText – Send short messages via the waterfall

piText is a fun little app that I put together as an exercise to learn how to use the Transceiver Control Interface (TCI) capability in piHPSDR-Improved.

piText lets you type a short message and “write” it into the waterfall of anyone watching your signal.

It converts the text to audio whose spectrogram (frequency across, time down) spells out the message, and passes that audio to piHPSDR-Improved over the TCI WebSocket protocol. piHPSDR transmits it like any other SSB audio.

Written in Python it runs on any Linux computer but, is squarely aimed at Debian based distro’s like Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Linuxmint/RaspberryPi OS etc.

True to our promise, piText comes with its own GUI installer, just like all our Pi series of apps, making it easy to install and run on any Linux computer without the hassle of having to manually install packages and compile code.

piText - GUI Installer — piText – GUI Installer

piText was never intended for release into the wild as it was just a project for me to learn about the piHPSDR-Improved TCI but, we decided to share it with the HAM community as it has a number of use cases that others may find useful or fun.

This of course means it’s been through The Three Amigos testing phase during the development cycle so, you can rest assured it’ll work out the box. We’ve tested it in our shacks so you can just install it and have fun.

piText has a simple user interface, a field to enter your message into and a display field showing what the message will look like in an SDR waterfall.

Settings to connect to piHPSDR-Improved are also user changeable so that the SDR software can run either locally on the same computer as piText or on a remote computer. Just change the host and port settings accordingly.

A full user manual is included in the docs folder detailing how to set the Row S, Font and Hz/Col to get the best results. The manual also goes into the technical detail of how the messages are generated for those that are interested in what’s under the hood.

Like all our apps, just download the zip file, unzip it into a directory of your choice and double click the installer. You’ll be ready to go in no time at all.

piText-v0.1 Download

We’re actively developing new apps for piHPSDR-Improved that will bring enhanced functionality to the HPSDR platform for the Linux user.

As always, thanks to Steve (M0XVT) and Alan (G1SQB) for help in putting this app together and for all their hard work testing and debugging it. Without them I’d still be searching for bugs!

More soon …

30 October 20262 November 2026

piLog v1.0 – A New Approach to Amateur Radio Logging

The Three Amigos, Steve (M0XVT), Alan (G1SQB) and Mike (M0AWS) are delighted to announce piLog v1.0, a new Linux logging application for Amateur Radio Operators, with close integration for piHPSDR-Improved and support for FLRig. Designed to make logging simple without getting in the way of operating, piLog follows your radio and handles much of the routine work involved in recording a QSO.

piLog – A New Approach to Amateur Radio Logging

Connect to piHPSDR-Improved through its rigctl CAT server or to FLRig using XML-RPC, and piLog follows frequency, band and mode in real time. It also reads the active receiver, split operation, satellite mode and PTT status. Frequency, mode and band are all filled in automatically whilst entries remain editable. piLog can also be used without a connected rig if required.

Logging a contact is straightforward. Enter a callsign and piLog can retrieve station details from its local QRZ cache, your previous log entries or QRZ.com , when configured (QRZ XML subscription required). Name, QTH, grid square and other available information are filled in automatically. Add signal reports, power or comments and press Save. Every contact is written to a local, standard ADIF file first, so your log is retained even when an online service is unavailable.

A major feature of piLog v1.0 is Net Mode. Instead of working with just one QSO form, operators can add multiple entries and prepare contacts as stations check into a net. Each entry is saved independently, avoiding the need to repeatedly clear and reuse a single form.

We believe piLog is the first amateur radio logging application to provide this kind of Net Mode logging, allowing more than one log entry to be entered at a time. It is a feature many amateurs have been asking for and, as far as we can establish, one not previously offered by another logging application.

Contacts can be organised automatically into ADIF files by mode, power (QRP or QRO) and satellite use, or kept together in one file. Optional background uploads send contacts to QRZ Logbook and eQSL. If an upload fails, piLog keeps it in a retry queue and tries again when connectivity returns. Satellite contacts, split operation and transverter/upconverter frequency offsets are also supported.

Beyond logging, piLog includes searchable log history, statistics by band, mode and power, and a world map showing stations worked. Its integrated DX Cluster view displays live spots on a zoomable map; click a spot to tune the connected radio and put the callsign into a QSO log entry. Distance and beam heading are displayed when grid information is available.

You can also send spots into the DX Cluster Network simply by adding a callsign and comment into the fields provided, the frequency is taken from the current active VFO and the spot is sent immediately into the DXC network once the “Spot” button is clicked.

Staying true to our promise of providing a simple to use GUI installer for all our creations, getting started is a breeze using our custom built piLog graphical installer. Built with Python and PyQt6, piLog is designed from the ground up as a Linux application, and its use of the widely supported ADIF format makes QSO data easy to use with other logging software and online services.

We’ve also written a detailed User Manual that you’ll find in the docs folder. It covers every aspect of piLog including details about where data is stored, how it’s stored and a lot more.

piLog v1.0 has been tested on Debian Linux 12/13, Linuxmint, Kubuntu, Ubuntu and of course RaspberryPi OS 12/13 and is ready for the amateur radio community.

We’ve put a lot of effort into testing over the last few weeks and have been using piLog whilst on air to ensure it’s as easy to use as possible and doesn’t get in the way of enjoying your air time.

We hope it makes everyday logging easier, and that Net Mode proves especially useful to operators running or taking part in on air nets by handling multiple contacts with ease.

You can get piLog simply by clicking the Download button below, unzip the file into a directory and run the installer. You’ll be ready to go in seconds.

piLog-v1.0 Download

More soon …

29 October 202629 October 2026

piSync v1.1 Released: Two Way Sync and Named WebSDRs

Steve (M0XVT), Alan (G1SQB) and Mike (M0AWS) are pleased to announce the release of piSync v1.1.

piSync Logo

piSync keeps a KiwiSDR or PA3FWM WebSDR receiver tuned to the frequency, mode and band of your piHPSDR powered SDR transceiver or any radio supported by FLRig, the same as winSync does on Windows.

Version 1.1 is now released and brings a couple of important updates since v0.9.

piSync v1.1 has now gained a way to steer your radio from the WebSDR receiver, a friendlier drop down receiver list, and a detailed user manual.

Two Way Sync

Until now piSync only worked in one direction: radio to WebSDR receiver. v1.1 adds an optional Two Way Sync checkbox on the control page. When it is ticked, a frequency or mode change you make in the KiwiSDR or WebSDR page is sent back to the radio: to piHPSDR over CAT, or to FLRig over XML-RPC. This makes it easy to click on a signal in the WebSDR waterfall and have your radio follow.

The feature is deliberately cautious:

It is off by default.
Changes are debounced and the last change wins, so dragging across the band does not flood the radio.
piSync recognises the echo of its own changes and does not re-apply them, so the two sides cannot fight each other.
Nothing is sent while the radio is transmitting.
piSync may only write frequency and mode. Commands that key the transmitter or switch receivers (TX, RX, ZZTX, FR, FT, and PTT in FLRig) remain forbidden and are blocked.

Named WebSDRs

The WebSDR receiver drop-down used to show only URLs. v1.1 adds a “Description” box next to the URL field (See screenshot above). The drop-down now shows your own name for each WebSDR receiver with the URL underneath. A pencil button lets you edit the name later. Names are stored with the list in ~/.config/piSync/urls.json; lists saved by older versions of piSync still load as before.

A Detailed User Manual

There is now a User Manual in the docs folder. It covers installation (graphical installer and terminal based setup.sh), the launcher, the control page, using KiwiSDR and WebSDR receivers, Two Way Sync, a configuration reference and troubleshooting. We believe a picture is worth a million words and so we’ve included screenshots in the manual to help remove any confusion as to how piSync works.

Summary

piSync v1.1 brings Two Way Sync, WebSDR Receiver Names and a new, Detailed User Manual which round off nicely our latest release of this extremely popular little app that adds some great functionality to piHPSDR-Improved and FLRig for amateur radio operators around the world.

piSync-v1.1 Download

More soon …

25 October 202625 October 2026

MB7IBW Gateway Closed Down

Since June 2026 I’ve been running an AllStarLink Gateway on the 2m band with the callsign of MB7IBW. The gateway has been on 24/7 for this period of time but sadly, it gets no use whatsoever apart from the occasional use by Alan, G1SQB who lives locally (who I chat with daily) or if I use the node to talk to others in the Matrix HAM Radio community located elsewhere in the world.

The VHF/UHF bands in this part of Suffolk are hardly used at all and I was hoping that bringing up a gateway that was connected to the world would bring back some interest locally but, sadly not.

With it using 23kw of electricity per month and the extortionate energy costs in the UK at the moment, I’ve decided it’s not worth the effort and money to keep it on air and so I’ve decided to close down the service permanently.

I remember the days back when I was a G1 how active both the 2m and 70cm bands were and the huge enjoyment I used to get from chatting with people on the two bands on a daily basis, especially when out mobile.

Today both the 2m and 70cm bands are full of nothing but RF Tumbleweed, it’s such a shame as it’s a huge amount of bandwidth that isn’t being used, I’m amazed we still have the allocations.

Anyway, looking forward I will use the equipment for other projects in the very near future so, it won’t go to waste.

More soon …

22 October 202622 October 2026

piLog v1.0 in Test

Steve (M0XVT), Alan (G1SQB) and I are pleased to announce that piLog v1.0 Beta 1 is now in test, and we expect a release version to be available soon.

piLog is a logging program for the amateur radio operator, designed to sit alongside piHPSDR-Improved and piSync.

piLog v1.0 Beta 1 logical user interface

FLRig is also supported so, whether you’re using a modern SDR with piHPSDR-Improved or a conventional transceiver that you’ve had for years, you can still use piLog for all your logging needs.

piLog can follow your radio’s frequency, operating mode, active VFO and PTT status directly from the radio or piHPSDR-Improved so, you don’t have to key the information in manually, making log entries quick and easy

Type a callsign and piLog looks it up on QRZ.com, filling in name, QTH, grid square, country and more. It also shows the distance and beam heading to the DX station.

Contacts are saved in standard ADIF files and uploaded automatically to your QRZ Logbook and eQSL. If you’re offline, the uploads are queued and retried later.

piLog DX Spots Map with fast QSY via a simple click

Beyond the basics, piLog suits both casual and busy operating:

Single and Net modes.
Log one contact at a time, or keep several log entries open at once for nets and pile-ups. We believe this is a first in amateur radio logging and a feature that will be used by many people, especially if you regularly take part in on air nets like we do.

Automatic log sorting.
QSOs are filed by mode and by QRP/QRO power category, with a separate file for satellite contacts. There is of course the option to store all QSOs in a single logfile.

DX Cluster map.
Live spots appear on a zoomable map, with greyline and Maidenhead grid overlays. Click a spot in the list or a map pin to load the callsign into piLog and tune your radio to the DX station in an instant.
Want to post a spot on the DX Cluster? It’s as simple as entering a Callsign, comment and clicking the “Spot” button.

Statistics and log map.
See your QSOs by mode, band and power, along with countries worked, distances covered and a map of every grid square contacted.

Search.
Look up previous contacts with a station quickly and easily.

piLog is designed to run on RaspberryPi SBCs and Intel/AMD PCs running most Debian/Ubuntu based operating systems.

Of course we’ve created an easy to use installer for piLog, taking away all the frustrations of trying to install software from sites like github and the like. A simple double click and it’s installed, ready for use.

piLog Installer - Double click and piLog is ready to use in seconds.

The aim is to keep the logger out of your way so, you spend less time typing and more time on the air, afterall that is what radio is all about.

Keep an eye here as we’ll hopefully be releasing piLog very soon.

20 October 202625 October 2026

WinSync – By Mark, G1INU

In the last week or so The Three Amigos released piSync for Linux, a neat little utility that enables Amateur Radio operators to sync their piHPSDR powered SDR or physical radio (via FLRig), to a WebSDR receiver on the internet anywhere in the world.

This has proven to be very popular in the HAM community and has been downloaded many times already.

Mark, G1INU has now taken the opensource code from piSync and ported it over to the Windows platform and today released it on github.

winSync from Mark, G1INU – A Windows port of piSync

winSync is designed to work with Thetis, probably the most popular SDR software in the Windows community and works with both Anan SDR transceivers and the now famous Hermes Lite 2.

We’re really pleased that Mark has created winSync as none of us are Windows programmers and so, have no idea about creating Windows apps.

You can download winSync directly to your desktop in an easy to use ZIP format by using this link. Unzip it, install it and be connected to the world of WebSDRs in just a few clicks.

We’re looking forward to seeing future enhancements to winSync, making it more widely available to users of other radios too.

More soon …

12 October 2026

piHPSDR-Improved v2.451 Released – More Features, More Flexibility!

The Three Amigos are pleased to announce piHPSDR-Improved v2.451, bringing another round of enhancements to our evolving Linux SDR application.

Our aim remains simple: to build on the excellent original piHPSDR software and make it even more capable, intuitive and enjoyable to use.

What’s New?

A Better Large-Screen Experience

We’ve continued refining the VFO for LARGE Screens layout, with improved dual-VFO presentation, independent RX1 and RX2 S-meters, clearer filter displays and a more flexible floating toolbar. The result is a cleaner, more informative layout that makes better use of available screen space.

Improved Passband Tuning

The Var1/Var2 filter controls have been renamed PBT1/PBT2 and now behave like passband tuning on Icom radios. Adjust filter width and shift to fine-tune the received audio, with consistent operation across modes.

A More Informative Toolbar

Toolbar buttons now provide clear visual feedback when functions such as Split, Duplex, SAT, noise reduction and transmission are active. The indicators follow changes made through CAT, MIDI, GPIO and keyboard controls too.

piHPSDR-Improved v2.451 - Floating Toobar — piHPSDR-Improved v2.451 – Floating Toobar

Smarter Memories and Waterfall Controls

Memory slots now retain Split and Duplex settings, while RX1 and RX2 waterfall levels are remembered independently for each band. The 60-metre bandplan has also been refined to accommodate receive-only Volmet channels and labels without permitting transmission out of band.

Installation and Usability Improvements

We’ve fixed installation issues involving directory paths containing spaces, improved the floating toolbar and menu positioning, and increased the rigctl TCP/IP CAT server capacity to six simultaneous connections.

As always, we’ve also included smaller fixes and refinements to improve day-to-day operation. (Full details in the CHANGELOG)

Tested in Our Shacks, Ready for Yours!

Development and testing have covered Raspberry Pi OS, Kubuntu (KDE Plasma), LinuxMint and Debian 12/13 across both Intel/AMD systems and Raspberry Pi hardware. We’ve been working hard to make piHPSDR-Improved a practical and accessible choice for Linux-based amateur radio stations.

piHPSDR-Improved v2.451 - New Big Screen Display with dual S Meters — piHPSDR-Improved v2.451 – New Big Screen Display with dual S Meters

Get piHPSDR-Improved

If you’re already using piHPSDR-Improved, this release brings plenty of reasons to update. If you’re discovering it for the first time, our GUI installer makes getting started with Linux SDR software easier.

We’re three radio amateurs developing and testing the software because we believe there’s still plenty of potential to unlock in piHPSDR.

piHPSDR-Improved-v2.451 Download

More soon …

12 October 202630 October 2026

piSync v0.9 Released – Bringing Synchronised WebSDR Access to More Radios

Steve (M0XVT), Alan (G1SQB) and I are pleased to announce piSync v0.9, bringing synchronised WebSDR access to Linux users running piHPSDR-Improved and now, a much wider range of transceivers through FLRig.

Windows users have enjoyed this kind of functionality through applications such as CatSync for some time. To the best of our knowledge, piSync may be the first Linux application to offer an equivalent solution for both piHPSDR-Improved and the huge range of transceivers supported by FLRig.

Bringing New Life to Existing Radios

The addition of FLRig support is a significant step forward. piSync can follow your radio’s frequency, operating mode, active VFO and PTT status, allowing a compatible WebSDR receiver to follow you around the bands.

Whether you’re using a modern SDR or a conventional transceiver, piSync opens up new possibilities for exploring propagation and comparing signals received at different locations around the world — without replacing your existing radio.

What’s New in v0.9?

This release also introduces several improvements:

Persistent WebSDR list: Your receiver URLs are now saved on your PC and restored after restarting piSync, rather than being stored in your web browser.
Improved audio muting: Fixes muted WebSDR audio unexpectedly returning after transmit/receive cycles.
WebSDR map: A new launcher button provides quick access to the WebSDR World Map.

piSync v0.9 - Synchronising WebSDR's to your Radio. — piSync v0.9 – Synchronising WebSDR’s to your Radio.

Easy Installation for Linux Users

Getting started with piSync is easier than ever, thanks to its new GUI installer. Designed to simplify installation and setup, it makes piSync more accessible to everyone, including amateur radio operators making the move from Windows to Linux.

Alongside the GUI installer developed for piHPSDR-Improved, this is another step towards making Linux a practical and welcoming platform for amateur radio enthusiasts.

piSync GUI Installer - One Double Click and it's ready to use. — piSync GUI Installer – One Double Click and it’s ready to use.

We’ve Kicked the Tyres, So You Can Hit the Airwaves!

piSync has been tested on Raspberry Pi, Kubuntu (KDE Plasma), Linux Mint (Cinnamon), Debian 13 (Trixie) and Ubuntu. While we can’t test every Linux distribution, it should work on most Debian and Ubuntu based systems. We’ve done the testing so you can spend less time setting up and more time enjoying your radio!

Get piSync

If you’re a Linux-based amateur radio operator, whether using piHPSDR-Improved or a transceiver supported by FLRig, piSync is worth a look.

Synchronised WebSDR access, on Linux, using the radio you already own.

UPDATE: PiSync v1.1 has been released, download from this article.

More soon …

10 October 202612 October 2026

It’s been a busy week!

It’s been a busy week of software bug fixes and enhancements on piHPSDR-Improved and piSync.

piSync v0.9 is currently in test after we added the support for FLRig. This extends the support for many transceivers new and old along side piHPSDR-Improved and makes it useful to HAMs who aren’t using SDR’s.

pySinc v0.9 with FLRig support in test — piSync v0.9 with FLRig support in test

piHPSDR-Improved has also had a lot of work done to it this week with a splurge of bug fixes and enhancements being made. We decided to bring the release forward as we can then concentrate on writing the new modules to bring even more functionality to the SDR solution.

We’ve put some effort into tidying up the user interface in piHPSDR-Improved along with the new, second S Meter for VFOB. This is a really nice enhancement we’ve been wanting to do for some time but, haven’t had the time to devote to it until now.

piHPSDR-Improved v2.45 in test with Horizontally stacked RX

The floating toolbar has also had some upgrades and is not only looking good but, we’ve added new functionality to it as well.

piHPSDR-Improved v2.45 Floating Toolbar in Test

We’re hoping to release both of these updated software packages very soon once we’ve completed all our testing and are happy that’s it ready for release.

More soon …

4 October 202630 October 2026

piSync v0.7 Release

Steve, M0XVT found a little bug in piSync v0.6 last night whilst we were all chatting on the 80m band and so, I jumped on it this morning and got a fix in place.

The bug only raised its head if you manually muted the WebSDR and had “Mute on TX” enabled. With a TX/RX cycle the WebSDR would become unmuted even though the button/checkbox on the WebSDR page still showed “Mute” was enabled.

This bug doesn’t appear on KiwiSDRs, only the PA3FWM type WebSDRs.

piSync Logo

So, if you’ve already downloaded piSync v0.6 in the piHPSDR-Improved release, grab yourself the v0.7 update below and uninstall v0.6 via the installer and then install the new bug fixed version. (Make sure to delete the .venv directory in the v0.6 directory as well)

Take a look at the CHANGELOG included in the zip file for full details on the bug and how it was fixed.

UPDATE: piSync v1.1 has been released, download it from this article.

More soon …