v0.4

New features

• The radio command is now airwaves instead of sdr, and the downloads are named airwaves too. Replace sdr with airwaves in your scripts and shortcuts. (#24)
• The directory commands (radio-locator, zipsignal, tunein, iheart, streema, and broadcastify) are now unsupported. They are too much effort to maintain without a clear reason to do so. I will keep the readme updated if this changes. For now, their documentation can be found in docs/other-commands.md.

Bug fixes

• Fixed an error in airwaves.conf losing the presets and settings after it on the next save. The radio now leaves the file as it is and names the line to fix. (#18)
• Fixed a crash during a save damaging airwaves.conf.
• Fixed scanning and HD Radio hanging after an error while decoding the signal. (#25)
• Fixed the browser stream staying open when the browser paused the player, for example when headphones were unplugged or a call came in. (#28)
• Fixed an ACARS message with a signed ETA, such as /ETA-123, printing as raw text. (#26)
• Fixed a failed write to the --log file stopping the radio. The radio now shows an error and stops writing the log.
• Fixed the web page redrawing the play and mute buttons on every status update.

Version 0.3.1

New features

Web page

• It is now possible to control the radio from a browser with --web, on port 8000 by default, or --web PORT for another port. Anyone on your network can open the page.
• Add --web-password PASSWORD to ask browsers for a password.
• The page works on mobile devices as well as on PC. The UI is perfectly accessible to screen readers as well, and every button has a corresponding keystroke. Additionally, short sounds play for key presses, while seeking, and at the end of a band. Settings (press S) turn each sound and spoken item on or off.

macOS and Linux

• sdr now runs on macOS (Apple silicon) and Linux. Both have downloads on the release page.
• HD Radio works on both.
• On macOS, install the RTL-SDR driver with Homebrew. On Linux, install your distribution's rtl-sdr package.
• The Linux download runs on distributions with glibc 2.35 or later, such as Ubuntu 22.04 and later, Debian 12 and later, and Fedora.

Tuning

• Add a --gain DB option, which sets the tuner gain, from 0 to 50 dB. --gain auto uses automatic gain. To keep a gain, add gain = 30 to airwaves.conf.
• Add a --ppm PPM option, which corrects the dongle's frequency error, from -200 to 200. To keep a correction, add ppm = 42 to airwaves.conf.
• Add a --device N option, which picks a dongle when more than one is plugged in, counting from 1.
• These options are available programmatically through the Receiver API.

Bug fixes

• Fixed a % sign in airwaves.conf crashing the radio. (#17)
• Fixed a frequency typed after --sonos or --airplay being read as the speaker name. (#19)
• Fixed casting to a Sonos speaker that went offline never stopping. The radio now plays on the computer again after about 30 seconds. (#22)

v0.3

New in version 0.3:

• It is now possible to record what you hear to an MP3 or WAV file. Press r to start and r again to stop. Start the program with --record-format wav to get WAV, and --record-dir to choose the folder.
• In ACARS mode, r saves messages to flights.log.
• Save a station or HD channel as a preset with P (Shift+P). Press p to pick a preset.
• The volume and presets are saved in airwaves.conf and load the next time you start.
• ACARS: reads more position reports. Label 16 reports give altitude, ETA, and heading. Label 15 reports give altitude and temperature. Onboard system reports also show.
• ACARS: fault reports, flight data reports, and wind forecast requests now show as readable lines.
• New Receiver.on_audio callback. It gets each block of audio.
• Fixed: alerts for the whole US were dropped when you used --county.
• Fixed: after a seek, you could hear the old station for a moment after the fade.
• Fixed: the ACARS checksum strip cut text off the end of fault and engine reports.
• Fixed: some ACARS positions were not read. This happened when digits came after the position, when the longitude had a space in front, or when decimal positions had a slash.
• Fixed: Airbus #CFB.1 fault reports were not recognized.
• Fixed: -SA text was left unread after ACARS weather requests.
• Fixed: when a Sonos cast failed to start, the stream kept running.

v0.2.1

Version 0.2.1 is a hotfix for the Windows driver.

• New dongle driver. sdr.exe now includes the osmocom rtl-sdr v2.0.2 driver. The old driver failed on every tune with LIBUSB_ERROR_PIPE on some dongles.
• Clear error when the dongle stops. If the dongle stops responding, the receiver stops and tells you to try another USB port or computer.
• Less driver noise. Driver messages no longer print over the status line while you tune or scan.

v0.2

New in version 0.2:

• HD Radio. When you're on an FM station that broadcasts in HD, press d to switch to the HD signal, then press d and D (shift+d) to navigate between HD stations. "s", "w", or "t" will return you to analog mode.
• ACARS. ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) is how aircraft and ground stations send short text messages. Press a or start with --acars to decode them. Each message shows as one readable line with the flight, route, position, altitude, and ETA.
• Flight log. Use --log FILE to save each ACARS message to a file. Each entry has the readable line and the message as sent.
• Documented steps to set up the RTL-SDR driver.
• Improved the README.

v0.1

Initial public release.