Getting Started

Getting Started

This page walks you through the first minute of using OpenHPSDR Zeus.

Haven't installed OpenHPSDR Zeus yet? See Installation — there are Windows, macOS, and Linux installers, plus a PWA install path that doesn't need any of them.

1. Open OpenHPSDR Zeus

Run the desktop installer (or the PWA) — OpenHPSDR Zeus opens automatically in your default browser at http://localhost:6060. If you're connecting from another machine on the LAN, point a browser at the host running Zeus.Server — use https://<host>:6443 (the self-signed HTTPS listener) so the browser will allow microphone access for TX. Plain HTTP on :6060 works fine for RX-only listening. The page loads into a "disconnected" state — most controls are greyed out, and a Discover panel is centred on screen.

2. Discover your radio

Click Discover (top bar). OpenHPSDR Zeus broadcasts a Protocol 1 discovery packet on the local network and lists any radios that reply.

Once a radio is found:

• The top bar updates with the radio's model and IP (e.g. 192.168.100.2:12016).
• The Discover button becomes a Disconnect button.
• The panadapter, waterfall, and all RX controls go live.

If no radio is found, check that your HPSDR board is powered on and on the same subnet as the OpenHPSDR Zeus host. A firewall that blocks UDP broadcast is the other common cause.

3. Pick a band and mode

Click a band button (e.g. 20m) and a mode button (e.g. USB). OpenHPSDR Zeus remembers your last frequency and mode per band, so jumping between bands feels like using a regular radio.

See Modes and Bands for the full list.

4. Tune

Any of these will move the VFO:

• Click on the panadapter — jumps to the clicked frequency.
• Scroll on the panadapter — steps the VFO in 500 Hz increments.
• Click the frequency digits on the right-hand VFO display and type a new frequency in kHz.
• Scroll on any individual VFO digit — steps that decade.
• ← / → arrow keys — nudges the VFO ±500 Hz.
• ↑ / ↓ arrow keys — zoom in/out one step.

See Frequency and VFO and Panadapter and Waterfall for everything else.

5. Turn the audio on

At the bottom-left of the transport bar is a Mute / Unmute button. Click Unmute the first time — the browser may prompt you to allow audio playback. After that, audio streams whenever OpenHPSDR Zeus is connected.

If nothing plays, check that the browser has not muted the tab and that the server host's loopback or stream route is reachable.

6. Transmit (when you are ready)

• MOX — hold the Space bar to transmit on SSB/CW, or click the big MOX button at the bottom-left to latch it on.
• TUNE — keys a single carrier for antenna tuning. Drive is clamped to 25% while TUNE is active.

See TX Controls before transmitting — especially the parts about mic level and ALC.

7. Look up a callsign

Click ORZ Engaged (top bar) to engage QRZ lookup. Type a callsign in the right-hand QRZ card, press Lookup, and OpenHPSDR Zeus will show the station photo, grid, rig, antenna, and a great-circle line on the world map.

See QRZ Lookup and World Map for the full feature set.

8. Log the QSO

The Logbook across the bottom stores your QSOs. When a QRZ card is showing, click Log QSO on the card to pre-fill callsign, name, grid, frequency, mode, and RST.

See Logbook for export (ADIF) and QRZ publish.

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That's it. Every control, chip, and slider has its own wiki page — use the sidebar on the right to jump in.