Analog Radio Hunter - Digital DSD+ OP25 + DSD-NEO Features & Full User Guide

Screenshots

Digital DSD+ OP25 Control Channel Finder

What This Software Does

Purpose

Analog Radio Hunter is a professional RF analysis and monitoring application built around GNU Radio and Fosphor. It scans large RF spans, quickly locks onto active signals, monitors analog transmissions with NFM/AM/WFM, and now supports dual digital workflows: classic DSD+ OP25 constellation processing and DSD-NEO external-decoder integration with live trunk-follow controls. In v1.05, the Digital path is more stable runtime and faster control-channel operations.

Real-time FFT + waterfall spectrum display
Fast scan with dwell, pause-on-squelch, and skip-ignored channels
Detection list with hits, timestamps, and smart deactivation
Favorites profiles with monitor and favorites-only scan modes
Built-in recorder with auto-record and event log
Dedicated WFM broadcast receiver with presets
Advanced digital DSD+ OP25 processing with constellation analysis
Control Channel Finder with automated detection algorithms
Real-time constellation visualization for signal quality assessment
Three CC detection methods: Find CC, Fixed View, Classic Sweep
Dual RTL-SDR support for digital processing (main + secondary)
DSD-NEO integration (optional toggle) with external dsd-neo.exe process control over local UDP/runtime links
NEO settings panel: Mode, SQL, BW, Gain, PPM, Vol, Dig Gain, Trunk, UDP Ctrl, Bias-T, Auto PPM, follow controls, TG Hold, Hang
Smart Tool popup for creating valid Channel/Group/Key CSV files and DMR Tier III LCN helper output
NEO key/privacy panel support: Key CSV Dec/Hex, BP Key, Force Key, Force RC4, RC4/H/Stream key inputs
NEO call info + recording toggle (default OFF) with optimized recent-line logging
v1.05 DSD folder-first runtime workflow with safer fallback handling for non-writable locations
Hybrid runtime mode: Use control list ON starts receiver in -rc; OFF starts in -rv, with automatic restart when mode switching is required
cc RTLv2 Report live scan flow with fixed 8-second probe dwell and cleaner control-channel validation
New RTL-only Radio tab PPM Calibration Tool with known-carrier input, live error view, and suggested PPM apply action
Multi-SDR device support (RTL-SDR, Airspy, HackRF, BladeRF) with auto-detect and smoother runtime switching
Initialize SDR workflow: open GUI fast, initialize/detect devices from UI, then Start when ready
NFM and AM audio demodulation (in addition to WFM)
Peak-follow in span (auto-tune to strongest signal inside the current MS/s window)
Frequency list filtering to skip/mute ignored channels
Scan and detection profiles (save/load named presets)
PPM correction for RTL-SDR calibration
Spectrum interaction controls (cursor readout, click-to-tune, wheel step, drag-pan)
Recorder options (record when muted, timestamp/frequency in filename, beep on favorite)
WFM de-emphasis selection (50/75 µs) and preset management
Audio Output menu with refresh (route audio to speakers, VB-Cable, or USB output)
LAN Live Audio Stream for remote listening to active demod audio from browsers on the same network
Signal Stability Filter with Min Open + Grace timing and per-target routing
Histogram IQ Rec with live IQ follow controls and Histogram integration
Auto Squelch Calibrate (noise floor + margin) for faster field setup
Adaptive Squelch Smart Auto mode (no manual open/close margins) with gain-change re-learning
Smart Deactivate dual-layer logic (time-based + hit-rate busy rule)
Favorites cooldown auto-reactivation for busy channels
Favorite TX tones (Tone 1-9), edge selection, and tone test buttons
Learning Mode hover guidance for faster onboarding
Status bar live metrics for Last, Active, Favorite, Peak SNR, and Level

Unique scanning and detection approach: Traditional sweep scanners only see the center frequency they step to. Analog Radio Hunter monitors an entire chunk of spectrum at once and reacts to peaks inside it. That is a major differentiator.

Signal Stability Filter: Logic and Tuning

Purpose: reject short squelch flicker and noisy open/close chatter before actions trigger.
Min Open (ms): raw squelch must stay open this long before stable-open is accepted.
Grace (ms): stable-open is held briefly after raw close to avoid tiny dropouts.
Apply targets: Detection, Rec+Alerts, Scan Hold, and optional Audio Out gating.
Start values: Min Open 150-250 ms, Grace 40-80 ms, then tune by channel behavior.

If short real calls are missed, reduce Min Open. If chatter remains, increase Grace first, then slightly increase Min Open.

Supported SDR Devices

RTL-SDR (multiple indexes supported)
Airspy (high-rate wideband monitoring)
HackRF (wide tuning range and flexible sampling)
BladeRF (supported in runtime device workflow)

The app supports initialize-then-start flow: detect devices from GUI, pick your SDR, then run. For DSD-NEO decode path, a dedicated RTL device is recommended.

High-Impact Capabilities

Wide-span reactive scan engine that hunts activity across a full chunk, not one center point at a time.
One-click IQ capture and histogram visualization with follow and idle flow controls.
Adaptive Squelch Smart Auto operation that tracks noise floor and auto-tunes open/close thresholds without manual margin input.
Peak-follow persistence filtering that rejects one-shot spikes before retune/open, reducing false activity from random noise bursts.
Carrier-resilient channel management using Smart Deactivate + favorites cooldown logic.
Field-ready setup speed using Auto Cal squelch and persistent live status metrics.
Operator-selectable audio routing to speakers, VB-Cable, or USB audio output devices.
Live LAN audio monitoring stream so remote operators can hear current demod audio in real time.
Dual digital path in one GUI: classic DSD+ OP25 constellation workflow plus optional DSD-NEO mode with trunk/follow controls.
v1.05 cc RTLv2 workflow adds fixed 8-second candidate validation and cleaner report export for faster field confirmation.
RTL-only PPM calibration assistant reduces manual trial-and-error by computing suggested correction from live carrier error.
Smart Tool guided CSV generation that reduces manual format errors for Channel, Group, and Key files.
External decoder architecture keeps ARH and NEO separated: ARH controls and reads dsd-neo.exe over local control paths.
Role-secured LAN collaboration with Team Wall + integrated live logs, login-gated Web Control commands, and permission-scoped actions.
Team Wall Collaborative Operations Center: Multi-operator LAN workspace with shared live radio snapshot/log monitoring, per-frequency notes/tags, frequency claim/release system, and role-based access control (observer/controller/admin) with integrated live log monitor showing metrics, detections, favorites, and scan debug data in one unified coordination interface. Now supports NFM/AM mode logging and real-time live voice streaming for local team monitoring.
Team Wall Setup Note: When first running the Team Wall server, you may need to allow LAN server access in your firewall or use the provided allow-lan-server.exe tool located in the software directory to enable network connectivity for team operations.
Operational clarity from GUI color heatmaps, scan debug reasons, and learning-mode tips.

Click images to view larger:

Constellation and control-channel visualization for DSD+ OP25 workflows. In v1.04, DSD-NEO mode is also available for trunk/follow control from the same Digital tab.

Analog Radio Hunter - Web Control

Core Features

GPU Fosphor Spectrum

High-performance spectrum + waterfall rendering with real-time cursor readout, click-to-tune, wheel stepping, and drag pan.

NFM / AM / WFM Receivers

Live analog demod chains with AM bandwidth presets, WFM de-emphasis, per-mode volume control, and quick mode switching.

Digital DSD+ OP25 Processing

Advanced digital signal processing for OP25 trunked systems with DSD+ integration, constellation analysis, and automated control-channel detection.

Digital DSD-NEO Integration

Optional NEO mode in Digital tab launches external dsd-neo.exe, supports live trunk-follow data, and keeps ARH UI control/log visibility in one place.

Control Channel Finder

Automated detection of OP25 control channels using three methods: Find CC button, Fixed View constellation analysis, and Classic Sweep frequency scanning.

Real-time Constellation Visualization

Live constellation plot display showing digital signal modulation patterns with 4-dot cross detection for OP25 signals and quality assessment metrics.

Dual RTL-SDR Digital Processing

Recommended dual-device setup: main receiver for scan/analysis and secondary RTL device for dedicated digital decode path (DSD+ or DSD-NEO).

Advanced CC Detection Algorithms

Signal processing algorithms using constellation plot analysis to automatically identify and validate OP25 control channels with confidence scoring.

NEO Smart Tool + CSV Workflow

Built-in Smart Tool popup helps generate valid Channel/Group/Key CSV files and DMR Tier III helper outputs, with save-later or immediate-apply flow.

Initialize SDR + Smooth Switching

Fast GUI-first startup with SDR initialize-from-UI flow and improved runtime switching across RTL-SDR, Airspy, HackRF, and BladeRF devices.

Audio Output Routing Menu

Built-in output selector to route demod audio and tone tests to PC speakers, VB-Cable, or connected USB audio devices.

Advanced Scan Engine

Range scan with dwell timing, pause/resume, skip, preset spans (5± to 80±), squelch-hold hang, and favorites-only scan mode.

Scan Debug Panel

Colorized two-line GUI logs for START / STOP / PAUSE / RESUME / SKIP with reason tags and highlighted frequency values.

Histogram IQ Rec

Integrated live IQ recording + Histogram launch with speed/FFT/zoom/power controls, follow mode, and idle hold/pause options.

Histogram Start Interlock

Prevents invalid launches while WFM or NFM/AM is active, with clear popup guidance for safe sequence of operation.

Detection List + Heatmap

Automatic frequency discovery with Active/Hits/Last Seen tracking, heatmap rows, full-row selection highlight, and profile support.

Smart Deactivate (2 Layers)

Auto-deactivate busy channels using both open-duration and hit-rate rules to handle constant carriers and multi-carrier scenarios.

Signal Stability Filter

Debounces squelch chatter using Min Open + Grace timers, with per-target routing for Detection, Rec+Alerts, Scan Hold, and Audio Out.

Favorites Profiles + Cooldown

Named favorites profiles, monitor mode, scan-only mode, temporary mute cooldown timers, and auto-reactivation after cooldown expiry.

Recorder + Compact Event Log

Manual/auto WAV capture, stop-delay, min-voice gating, and compact event table with event heatmap coloring and clock-only timestamps.

Favorite Alert Tones

TOT favorite beep plus optional TX tones with selectable start/end edges, Tone 1-9 patterns, and built-in test buttons.

Adaptive Squelch Smart Auto

No-input adaptive mode that learns noise floor, auto-computes open/close thresholds, warms up faster, and stays consistent with Auto Cal level domain behavior.

Peak-Follow Persistence Filter

Requires repeated peak confirmation before retune/open, reducing random spike-triggered opens while keeping fast lock on real carriers.

Auto Squelch Calibrate

One-click baseline threshold calibration from sampled noise floor + margin, useful as a reference before adaptive tracking.

Status Bar Live Metrics

Persistent colored metrics for Last Signal, Active Frequency, Favorite Active Frequency, Peak SNR, and Active Level.

Web Control (LAN)

Built-in browser control for frequency tune, kHz step tuning, gain/PPM, WFM/NFM mode switching, manual/automatic tuning mode, scan actions, and login-first secured access over local network.

LAN Live Audio Stream

Serve current demod audio over LAN so browser clients on the same network can listen live without direct audio-cable routing.

Web Log Monitor Page

Live log page with Detection list, Favorites list, Scan Debug stream, active metrics, and heat-color activity highlighting; the same live monitor is also embedded in Team Wall.

Team Wall Login + Roles

Account-based Team Wall access with host-admin bootstrap, user management, role-based UI visibility, and observer/controller/admin permission enforcement.

Learning Mode

Toggle-based hover help that explains controls directly in the GUI while skipping list/table regions to keep usage clean.

Profile Persistence Engine

Saves scan, detection, favorites, recorder, and histogram preferences so operators can resume quickly with consistent behavior.

Favorite-Aware Scan Workflow

Combines monitor mode, favorites-only scan, smart deactivate, and cooldown logic to keep scanning productive on busy RF environments.

Operator-Centric Visual Clarity

Heatmap rows, colorized scan debug states, and live status metrics provide faster decision-making during real-time monitoring.

Latest Build Highlights

New Features v1.05

Major Digital runtime modernization focused on DSD folder workflow and cleaner one-EXE behavior.
Smarter control-channel hunting with cc RTLv2 Report live popup, counters, elapsed timer, and compact export output.
Probe dwell is now fixed at 8 seconds per candidate for more reliable CC validation.
Hybrid control-list runtime enforced: control list ON follows control-list mode, control list OFF follows main/manual tuning mode.
Automatic receiver restart is applied when required so runtime mode changes take effect without manual recovery.
Improved Digital Start/Stop/Restart reliability for repeated dongle use across RTL-SDR, Airspy, and related workflows.
Digital tab now preserves selected device intent better across refresh/start/stop/restart flows.
Added Extract Report workflow and cleaner one-sheet report output in Smart Tool path.
Added/expanded Digital live visibility panels including Channel Activity, Log Analytics, and Error Burst metrics.
Popup close flow in cc RTLv2 now restores Use Control List ON and restarts receiver to return to expected operating state.
Added new RTL-only PPM Calibration Tool in Radio tab with known-carrier, live error readout, and suggested PPM apply.
PPM tool includes safety gates: receiver running, NFM enabled, and Automatic tuning enabled.

v1.05 runtime note: DSDPlus files remain external third-party binaries. ARH creates and uses the DSD runtime folder, and users should place official DSDPlus files there.

New Features v1.01

Histogram button upgraded to Histogram IQ Rec with launch interlock and live control set.
GUI Scan Debug panel added with colorized event categories and two-line readable records.
Skip scan control added next to Pause for instant hop to next frequency.
Auto Cal squelch button added (noise estimate + margin -> threshold).
Signal Stability filter added with per-target routing, including optional Audio Out gating.
Audio Output menu added in Radio tab (device dropdown + refresh for speakers, VB-Cable, or USB audio).
Favorite cooldown (temporary mute) added with automatic re-enable logic.
Favorite TX tones added with edge mode, tone library (1-9), and test controls.
Learning Mode toggle added for hover-based guided usage.

New Digital Features v1.03

Added Digital DSD+ OP25 Processing with advanced constellation analysis and control channel detection
Added Control Channel Finder with three detection methods: Find CC button, Fixed View, and Classic Sweep
Added Real-time Constellation Visualization showing digital signal modulation patterns and 4-dot cross detection
Added Dual RTL-SDR Support for digital processing (main dongle for scanning, secondary for DSD+ decoding)
Added Advanced CC Detection Algorithms using constellation plot analysis with confidence scoring
Added Digital Tab Interface with control channel management, constellation viewer, and auto-catch functionality
Added Signal Quality Metrics for digital signals including SNR, persistence, history points, and constellation quality scores
Added Constellation Auto Catch with Fixed View and Classic Sweep modes for automated CC detection
Added DSD+ Integration requiring external DSD+ Public Release files for voice processing
Added Frequency Source Options for constellation viewer (Control, Active, Automatic modes)

DSD+ Requirement: To enable voice processing, please download the third-party latest DSDPlus Public Release software and the DLL package from the official DSDPlus website. Extract all files into a dedicated /DSD subfolder within this application's directory. Our software remains a separate entity that 'points' to this external tool and will communicate with it via local TCP for audio and control data. We do not distribute DSDPlus binaries; you must obtain them directly from the official source.

New Features v1.04

Added DSD-NEO Integration in Digital tab with optional NEO toggle (OFF uses original digital flow, ON uses NEO flow).
Added external process control where ARH GUI communicates with dsd-neo.exe over local runtime + UDP control.
Added expanded NEO settings panel (Mode, SQL, BW, Gain, PPM, Vol, Dig Gain, Trunk, UDP Ctrl, Bias-T, Auto PPM, follow controls, TG Hold, Hang).
Added key and CSV workflow controls: Channel CSV, Group CSV, Key CSV Dec/Hex, BP Key, RC4/H/Stream keys with explicit apply actions.
Added Smart Tool popup to generate valid Channel/Group/Key CSV files and DMR Tier III LCN helper output without manual formatting errors.
Added NEO Recording toggle (default OFF) and optimized Call Info log behavior for lower UI load.
Added Key/Privacy panel including BP/RC4/H/Stream keys and CSV key import support (Dec + Hex).
Added Trunk follow controls (Group/Private/Data/Encrypted) plus TG Hold and Hang-time.
Added Auto PPM result indicator in Digital tab so live correction status is visible when enabled.
Improved core runtime startup: smoother first GUI launch, cleaner SDR initialization flow, and stronger Start/Stop behavior.
Improved multi-device switching for RTL-SDR, Airspy, HackRF, and added/confirmed BladeRF support in runtime workflow.
Added SDR initialization flow that lets user initialize/select devices from list, then start receiver when ready.

DSD-NEO Setup: ARH creates a DSD_NEO folder on first run (same location as Analog-Radio-Hunter.exe). Download the official Windows bundle dsd-neo-msvc-x86_64-native-nightly.zip from upstream developer sources and extract files manually into DSD_NEO. ARH does not bundle NEO binaries by default.

Quick NEO start tip: set SQL around -70. For trunk monitoring, select trunk mode, enable follow options, choose BW (24 or 48), add control frequencies, enable Use control frequency list, then click Start and choose your control channel row.

Source links: arancormonk/dsd-neo and e4mwak/dsd-neo (fork/build source).

License/attribution note: DSD-NEO is an external third-party decoder project (GPL-3.0 upstream). ARH controls it as a separate process; users should download binaries from official developer sources.

Security behavior note: one-file EXE builds may extract runtime files into %TEMP% at launch. If app flashes then closes, check Windows Security Protection History for possible quarantine events.

New Features v1.02

Added Adaptive Squelch Smart Auto mode for no-input operation (no manual open/close margin required).
Smart Auto now learns floor from the same NFM level reference used by Auto Cal for better threshold accuracy.
Adaptive runtime now re-learns quickly after SDR gain changes to keep squelch behavior stable.
Added on-page Smart Auto simulator to visualize floor/open/close threshold behavior interactively.
Added Peak-Follow Persistence Filter so retune/open requires repeated peak confirmation, blocking random one-shot spikes.
Added optional Spot-lock until squelch closes mode for peak-follow: lock the current active spot while open, then return to strongest-peak search after close.
Added top-right GUI status dots: RX dot (blue in WFM, gray when NFM/AM is off, and green/orange by NFM + squelch state), Favorite RX dot (purple when active RX is a favorite), and Recorder dot (blinking red while recording).
Added top-header Tune Step 12.5 kHz quick buttons (- / +) directly under the v1.02 caption for fast channel nudging.
Added top-header Manual tuning and Automatic tuning buttons (mutually exclusive): Manual turns off Tune to peak in span, Automatic turns it on.
Added top-header Active frequency readout near v1.02 using 4-decimal MHz format (example: 422.7250).
Expanded Web Control with mode buttons for WFM and NFM/AM, including conflict popups when trying to enable both modes together.
Added Manual tuning and Automatic tuning buttons in Web Control, linked to the same GUI Tune to peak in span logic.
Added LAN Live Audio Stream in Web Control for real-time browser listening to current demod audio on the same local network.
Updated Web Control Tune Step display to kHz and improved Log Page with live heat-coloring for Detection, Favorites, and Scan Debug entries.
Added login-first access for Web Control and Log Page; remote clients now authenticate before controls are shown.
Added web connection badge (green connected / red disconnected) and per-page favicon for Web Control, Log Page, and Team Wall.
Merged Team Wall and the live log monitor into one shared page so operators can watch logs while adding notes/claims.
Upgraded LAN Team Wall to account-based access with login page, role permissions (observer/controller/admin), and host-admin user management.
Updated Team Wall role UI: Join/Update, Presence, and Back Control are admin-only; observer/controller do not see them.
Added live web value coloring for active/last/changeable fields: green when changed and yellow when stable.
Added Team Wall persistence for shared data and accounts (auto-save/restore using teamwall_data.json), plus admin-only wall reset controls.

Team Wall - How to Use v1.02

1) Before You Start (Beginner Checklist)

All devices must be on the same LAN (same router/subnet).
On host PC, start Web Control in GUI and confirm server is ON.
Use host URL from GUI (example: http://192.168.1.50:5000).
Team Wall URL is: http://HOST_IP:PORT/wall.
Use host LAN IP, not 127.0.0.1, for other devices.

2) Admin Side (Host PC) Step-by-Step

Open /wall on host PC and click Host Admin to login.
Go to Admin - User Management.
Create operators with username, password, role, and enabled state.
Roles:
- observer: notes/claims/actions in Team Wall (no Web Control commands).
- controller: notes/claims/actions in Team Wall + Web Control commands.
- admin: full control + user management + clear wall + Join/Update + Presence.
Share login credentials and Team Wall URL with your team.

3) Client Side (Other Operators) Step-by-Step

Open browser to host URL + /wall.
Login using admin-created username/password.
Observer/controller users can start notes/tags and claim/release immediately after login.
Join / Update and Presence are admin-only panels (not shown to observer/controller).
Use the integrated live log monitor on the same page while coordinating actions.

4) Daily Workflow (Recommended)

Observer/controller sees active signal and adds a shared note/tag (security/noise/priority).
Observer/controller claims channel to avoid overlap.
Team follows Action Feed for handoff and decisions.
Release claim when finished so channel becomes available.

5) Data Persistence + Recovery

Team Wall saves data and accounts automatically to teamwall_data.json.
On app restart, Team Wall state is restored automatically.
Admin can use Clear Wall Data for manual reset of wall activity data.

6) Why Team Wall Is Useful (Benefits)

Shared operational view for all operators.
Role-based control limits risky commands while still allowing notes/claims collaboration.
Faster coordination with fewer duplicate actions.
Persistent shared context across restarts.

7) Troubleshooting (Beginner Friendly)

Client cannot login: verify account was created by host admin and user is enabled.
Host Admin fails on client PC: this is expected (host-admin login is host-only access).
Client cannot connect: verify host Web server ON and LAN IP/Port are correct.
Claim blocked: channel may already be claimed by another operator (check Claims table).

Important: Operators are managed by host admin accounts. All users login first; Join/Update and Presence are admin-only panels.

Fixes and UI Improvements v1.01

Fixed histogram multi-launch from accidental double/triple clicks.
Fixed scan session carry-over after changing scan range and restarting scan.
Fixed smart-deactivate behavior when multiple carriers stay active together.
Fixed favorites cooldown recovery so detection is re-enabled when cooldown clears/expires.
Added row heatmap balancing and preserved heatmap colors during selection.
Tables compacted to fit default GUI width (favorites/recorder), with larger visible recorder area.
Status bar improved with persistent AutoCal log visibility and live metrics clarity.

Behavior Notes v1.02

Smart Auto warm-up now seeds earlier from short history to reduce false OPEN on plain noise after enabling.
Manual adaptive mode now uses the same channel-level dB domain as Auto Cal for consistent absolute Open/Close behavior.
Peak-follow now uses persistence gating and short hold logic to avoid jittery retune/open from transient spikes.
Spot-lock mode follows classic scanner flow: latch on squelch-open, hold during active TX, release on squelch-close, then resume normal peak-follow.
Adaptive floor/margins reset paths improved when toggling adaptive mode or changing gain.

Requirements

System

Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
CPU (minimum for smooth operation): 10th generation Intel/AMD or newer
RAM (minimum): 16 GB
GPU acceleration (minimum): 4 GB VRAM
USB 2.0/3.0 port for SDR
Audio output device (headphones/speakers)
GPU recommended for Fosphor rendering
Recommended display for best view: 26-inch screen or larger

Drivers

RTL-SDR drivers (Zadig) for RTL devices
Airspy drivers if using Airspy
HackRF drivers if using HackRF
BladeRF drivers/runtime if using BladeRF

Important: This software does not work correctly inside virtual machines.
Startup note: You can launch GUI first, then initialize/select SDR from UI, then press Start.
DSD-NEO requirement (v1.04): ARH creates DSD_NEO on first run. Download the official NEO Windows bundle and place files manually in that folder if you enable NEO mode.

Quick Start

Show / Hide Quick Start

Basic Start

Connect SDR, launch the EXE, and select your device.
Set center frequency, sample rate, and gain.
Use click-to-tune and cursor readout for quick navigation.

Listen (NFM/AM)

Enable Narrowband Audio and choose mode.
Select Audio Output device (speakers, VB-Cable, or USB) in the Radio tab.
Set squelch manually or press Auto Cal.
Watch Active Level, Squelch State, and status-bar metrics.

Scan + Debug

Set start/stop/step/dwell and press Start Scan.
Use Pause and Skip as needed.
Use Scan Debug panel to verify run/pause/skip reasons.

WFM + Histogram IQ Rec

Enable WFM for broadcast radio and presets.
To start Histogram IQ Rec, first turn off WFM/NFM/AM.
After histogram starts, you may enable modulation again if needed.

Digital (DSD+ OP25)

Use Control Channel tools (Find CC, Fixed View, Classic Sweep) to populate and verify candidate channels.
Select control frequency from list and start Digital processing.
Monitor constellation quality and live trunk data activity in Digital tab.

Digital (NEO v1.04)

Enable NEO toggle and confirm files exist in DSD_NEO folder.
Set SQL around -70 as starting point, then tune Gain/PPM/BW (24 or 48 commonly used).
For trunk systems: enable Trunk + follow controls, add control frequencies, enable Use control frequency list, then click Start.
Use Smart Tool to create/import Channel/Group/Key CSV files, then apply from NEO settings panel.
If Start fails, verify official NEO bundle files are present and no other app is locking the same RTL device.
If audio is weak/choppy, correct PPM first, then retune SQL/Gain/BW gradually.

Quick OP25 CC Find Guide (cc RTLv2 Report)

Start software, click Initialize SDR, select the RTL-SDR you want in Radio tab, then click Start.
In Radio tab, go down and enable NFM, then enable Mute.
Open Digital tab and click Refresh to load the second receiver list.
Select digital receiver device: RTL-SDR or Airspy.
If you selected RTL-SDR, enter correct PPM. If you selected Airspy, no PPM entry is needed.
Set Digital bandwidth to 12.5 kHz.
Click Digital Start.
Tune to target band area in spectrum (example: around 866 MHz).
Click cc RTLv2 Report to start live detection and processing.
When scan finishes, save detected control channels and use them from the Control Channel List.

Non-Trunk Live Decode (Digital Running)

After Digital is running, disable Use control list.
Enable Automatic tuning in the GUI.
Move to any frequency you want in spectrum.
When a digital spike appears, decoding starts immediately.
This works like analog peak-follow behavior while Digital stays running in background.

Signal Stability quick tune: start with Min Open 150-250 ms and Grace 40-80 ms. If short calls are missed, reduce Min Open. If chatter remains, increase Grace.

Android audio routing note (NFM/AM): You can pipe audio to an Android phone using third-party software such as SoundWire (SoundWire Server on PC + SoundWire app on phone). Both devices must be on the same LAN. Official site: https://georgielabs.net.

All Buttons and Controls (Complete Reference)

Show / Hide Complete Reference

Device and Flowgraph

Device Dropdown	Select SDR device/type/index. Source and available sample-rate options update by device.
Initialize SDR	Detect connected devices and refresh the runtime device list from GUI without forcing immediate SDR start.
Start	Start SDR processing and live spectrum updates.
Stop	Stop SDR processing safely and release device resources.

Radio Tab: Frequency, RF, and Display

Frequency (MHz) + Set	Enter center frequency and apply immediately.
Step Size	Select tuning step used by wheel/step actions.
Frequency Slider	Drag-tune center frequency across valid range.
PPM + Apply	Apply frequency correction for SDR oscillator offset.
Gain Slider	Adjust RF gain. Higher gain can improve weak signal visibility but may increase noise/overload.
Sample Rate	Select SDR sample rate. Affects visible spectrum span and DSP load.
Audio Output (Device + Refresh)	Select where demod audio and test tones play (PC speakers, VB-Cable, USB audio). Use Refresh after plugging/removing devices. For Android listening, you can route NFM/AM audio via third-party SoundWire (PC server + phone app on same LAN).
Cursor Readout	Show cursor line and frequency readout on spectrum.
Drag Pan	Enable mouse drag panning across spectrum.

Radio Tab: Narrowband Audio (NFM/AM)

Enable Narrowband Audio	Enable NFM/AM demod audio chain.
Mode (NFM / AM)	Choose demod type for analog voice.
AM Presets (Aviation / HF AM)	Quick-load recommended AM bandwidth values.
AM Audio BW / Transition	Set AM low-pass bandwidth and transition width.
AM Boost / AM AGC	Set AM gain multiplier and optional AGC normalization.
AM RMS Meter	Live AM audio level monitor.
Volume	Adjust narrowband audio output gain.

Radio Tab: Squelch, Auto Cal, and Live Readouts

Squelch Toggle	Enable/disable squelch gate.
Squelch Threshold	Set dB threshold that must be exceeded to open squelch.
Use Level	Set threshold from current active level.
Auto Cal	Auto-calibrate squelch from measured noise floor plus margin.
Adaptive Squelch	Live adaptive mode that continuously tracks floor and applies dynamic open/close thresholds.
Smart Auto (No Manual Margins)	Computes open/close margins automatically and re-learns when SDR gain changes.
Auto Cal Result Line	Persistent green result under Auto Cal showing noise + margin to applied threshold.
Active Level / Active Freq / Last Signal	Live values for level and current/last detected frequencies.
Squelch State	Shows OPEN, SQUELCH, or IGNORED state.

Radio Tab: Scan, Hold, Peak, Profiles, and Debug

Scan Start / Stop / Step / Dwell	Configure scan range (MHz), step (kHz), and dwell time (ms).
Start Scan	Start/stop scan loop.
Pause	Pause/resume active scan without clearing settings.
Skip	Skip current active frequency and continue scan immediately.
Preset Span Buttons (5±, 10±, 20±, 40±, 80±)	Quick-set scan span around current center frequency.
Pause Scan When Squelch Opens	Hold scan while active signal is present.
Hang	Delay resume after signal closes to avoid rapid bounce.
Tune to Peak in Span	Auto-tune to strongest in-span signal when SNR exceeds threshold.
Spot-lock Until Squelch Closes	When enabled with peak-follow, latch onto one detected spot while squelch is open, then release and resume normal strongest-peak search after squelch closes.
Peak Min SNR / Offset / Peak SNR	Peak-follow threshold and live offset/SNR readouts.
Scan Profile (Save / Load / Delete)	Store and recall named scan configurations.
Scan Debug Panel	Colorized two-line logs for START/STOP/PAUSE/RESUME/SKIP with reason tags.
Scan Debug Clear	Clear scan debug history in GUI.

Detections Tab

Detection Table	Detected frequency list with Active, Frequency, Hits, Last Seen.
Enable List Filtering	Use active/inactive detection state in scan-hold behavior.
Smart Deactivate + After	Auto-mark busy channels inactive after continuous-open duration.
Busy Rule (Hits in Seconds)	Second smart-deactivate layer for persistent multi-carrier busy conditions.
Signal Stability	Enable debounce filter with Min Open and Grace timing.
Apply To Toggles	Choose where stability is applied: Detection, Rec+Alerts, Scan Hold, Audio Out.
Set Inactive / Set Active	Change selected detection rows to inactive/active.
Copy - Favorites	Copy selected detection rows to favorites list.
Delete / Delete All	Remove selected rows or clear full detection list.
Skip Last Signal	Quick action on most recent detected signal.
Detection Profile (Save / Load / Delete)	Store and recall named detection configurations.

Favorites Tab

Profile + New / Ren / Del	Manage favorites profiles.
Monitor Favorites	Mute non-favorite channels when signal is open.
Scan Favorites Only	Restrict scan hopping to active favorite entries.
Cooldown (min) + Mute Sel + Clear	Temporarily mute selected favorites, then auto-reactivate after cooldown.
Last Signal	Last favorite hit readout for quick monitoring.
Add (MHz + Label)	Add a manual favorite frequency with optional label.
Favorite Table	Columns: On, MHz, Label, Hits, Seen, CD (cooldown).
Set Active / Set Inactive / Delete	Activate, deactivate, or remove selected favorite entries.
Info	Show app information dialog.
Learning Mode (Toggle)	Enable hover help for controls across the GUI (tables intentionally excluded).

WFM Tab (Broadcast FM)

Enable WFM	Enable broadcast WFM audio chain.
De-emphasis (50/75 us)	Select regional de-emphasis standard.
WFM Volume	Adjust WFM audio output level.
Tuned + Rate Labels	Show current tuned WFM frequency and effective processing rate.
Preset Buttons + Add	Quick-tune presets, add new presets, and use long-press preset actions.
100k Left / Right + FM Band	Fast stepping and one-click tune to FM band center.
WFM Cursor + Drag Pan	Display and mouse pan controls in WFM mode.

Digital Tab (DSD+ OP25 + DSD-NEO v1.05)

Start / Stop / Restart / Apply	Run, stop, restart, or apply Digital-path settings depending on selected digital mode.
NEO Toggle	OFF uses original digital flow. ON uses DSD-NEO runtime flow and NEO settings panel.
Use Control Frequency List	When enabled, Digital runtime follows frequencies from the control channel list.
cc RTLv2 Report	Starts live control-channel scan/report flow with fixed 8-second validation per candidate and compact export output.
Extract Report	Exports a compact one-sheet summary report from current digital activity into Smart Tool folder.
Channel Activity + Log Analytics	Shows normalized activity rows and live analytics/error-burst visibility for active Digital sessions.
RTL Device + Refresh RTL	Select target RTL index for digital decode path and refresh available RTL devices from GUI.
Control Channel List	Store and click known control channels for quick activation and follow switching.
Find CC / Constellation Tools	Detect OP25 control channels using Find CC, Fixed View, or Classic Sweep workflows.
Digital Status + Heartbeat	Shows idle/starting/running/stopped state and live activity indicators while Digital runtime is active.
Mode	Select DSD-NEO decode/profile mode for the active digital workflow.
SQL	NEO squelch threshold. Recommended starting point is around -70, then tune by site/noise conditions.
BW (12 / 24 / 48)	Decoder bandwidth preset for NEO path. 24 or 48 kHz are common trunk workflow starting points.
Gain / PPM / Vol / Dig Gain	RF and decode-path adjustment controls for NEO operation and audio quality tuning.
Trunk + UDP Ctrl	Enable trunking behavior and ARH-to-NEO UDP control path for tuning/follow operations.
Bias-T	Enable bias power on supported RTL hardware when required by active RF setup.
Auto PPM + Auto PPM SNR	Enable automatic PPM correction and control SNR behavior threshold for correction decisions.
Auto PPM Result Label	Shows live correction outcome/status next to Auto PPM controls for fast validation.
Follow Group / Private / Data / Encrypted	Choose which trunk activity types ARH/NEO should follow in live operation.
TG Hold / Hang s	Hold on selected talkgroup and control release hang-time behavior.
Channel CSV / Group CSV	Browse and apply channel/group maps for trunk/call label handling.
Key CSV Dec / Key CSV Hex	Import decimal/hex key lists, then apply when needed for supported decode workflows.
BP Key / Force Key / Force RC4 / RC4 Key / H Key / Stream Key	Manual key/privacy controls for supported call handling paths in NEO mode.
Disable DMR Late Entry	Toggle late-entry behavior handling for DMR decode logic.
Auto Apply	When enabled, applies required runtime setting changes automatically on eligible edits.
Call Info Log	Shows recent digital call activity lines. Optimized to keep recent lines and avoid heavy UI load.
NEO Recording	Enable per-call recording for NEO path (default OFF). Files are written to ARH recordings folder.
Smart Tool	Opens helper popup to build valid Channel/Group/Key CSV files and DMR Tier III LCN helper data.

Web Control, Log Monitor, and Team Wall (LAN)

Start Web / Stop Web (GUI)	Enable or disable the built-in LAN web server.
Firewall Allow (Windows Popup / allow-lan-server.exe)	Allow LAN access either from the Windows security popup when starting web server or by running `allow-lan-server.exe` from app folder.
Open (GUI)	Open Web Control page in browser.
Web Pages: Connection Badge + Favicon	Web Control, Log Page, and Team Wall show live server connection state (green/red) and page-specific browser tab icon.
Port + Apply (GUI)	Set web server port; if server is running it restarts on the new port.
Web Control: Freq / Tune Step kHz / Gain / PPM	Remote frequency tuning, kHz step nudge, gain update, and PPM correction from browser.
Web Control: WFM / NFM Mode Buttons	Remote mode switching with mutual-exclusion popup protection (disable one mode before enabling the other).
Web Control: Manual Tuning / Automatic Tuning	Manual turns OFF "Tune to peak in span"; Automatic turns it ON (same runtime logic as GUI).
Web Control: LAN Live Audio Stream	Provide a live demod-audio stream URL for same-LAN browser clients so operators can monitor audio remotely in near real time.
Web Control: Log Page	Open live log monitor page with detection list, favorites list, scan debug, metrics, and heat-color activity rows (same monitor is embedded in Team Wall).
Web Control: Team Wall	Open shared LAN collaboration page with login, roles, notes/tags, claims, action feed, and integrated live log monitor.
Team Wall: Host Admin / Login / Logout	Authenticate operators with account-based access; host admin bootstrap is local-host only.
Team Wall: Admin User Management	Admin can add/update/delete users, assign observer/controller/admin roles, and enable/disable accounts.
Team Wall: Join / Update	Admin-only panel for setting display operator name and presence state.
Team Wall: Save Note / Delete Note	Add or remove shared tag/note entries on selected or active frequency (observer/controller/admin roles).
Team Wall: Claim / Release	Reserve a frequency while handling it, then release when finished; includes conflict protection for already-claimed channels.
Team Wall: Back Control Shortcut	Admin-only quick link back to Web Control page; hidden for observer/controller roles.
Team Wall: Clear Wall Data	Admin-only reset for shared wall activity data; persistent storage is updated immediately.

Histogram Controls

Histogram IQ Rec	Start/stop integrated IQ recording + Histogram viewer session.
Launch Interlock	Histogram start is blocked while WFM/NFM/AM is active, with guidance popup.
Pause	Pause/resume histogram IQ flow.
Realtime / Last Follow / Follow Freq	Live status labels for capture and follow target state.
Play Speed / FFT / Zoom	Control Histogram rendering speed and analysis detail.
Power Min / Power Max	Adjust display power scale limits.
Vertical View / Scales	Toggle orientation and scale overlays.
Follow Tuned/Last Signal	Automatically follow tuned frequency or latest active signal.
Hold Follow When Idle	Keep last follow target fixed during idle periods.
Pause Flow When Idle	Auto-pause histogram flow while no active NFM/AM signal is present.

Recorder Tab

Folder + Browse + Open	Set recording output folder and open it in explorer.
Auto-record on Squelch OPEN	Start recording automatically when squelch opens.
Stop Delay	Delay stop after close to avoid fragmenting speech.
Start Recording	Manual recording toggle.
Timestamp / Frequency in Name	Add time and/or frequency metadata to WAV filename.
Record Even When Muted	Continue recording even when audio output is muted by logic.
Beep on Favorite (TOT)	Play one short TOT-style alert on favorite activity.
Favorite TX Tones	Enable radio-style tone alerts for favorite TX edges.
Play Edge	Choose tone trigger point: start, end, or both.
Start Tone / End Tone	Select tone patterns (Off, Tone 1 to Tone 9).
Test Start / Test End	Preview selected tones instantly through the currently selected Audio Output device.
Event Log + Clear	Compact event table with Time, Evt, MHz, Note and event heatmap colors.
Min Voice	Minimum open duration required before auto-record starts (filters very short pulses).

Status Bar and Visual Indicators

AutoCal Status Label	Persistent yellow status text for latest calibration result/warnings.
Live Metrics	Colorized status metrics: Last, Active, Fav, Peak, and Level.
Heatmap Rows	Detection/Favorites/Recorder rows are colorized by activity state/event type.
Selection Behavior	Selection keeps heatmap background visible and highlights text/row for readability.

Signal Stability Filter: Logic and Tuning

How It Works

Purpose: suppress short squelch flicker and noisy open/close chatter.
Min Open (ms): raw squelch must stay open for this minimum time before stable-open becomes true.
Grace (ms): after raw close, stable-open is held this extra time to ignore tiny dropouts.
Routing is selectable per target: Detection, Rec+Alerts, Scan Hold, and Audio Out.
Raw state still updates live indicators; selected targets use stabilized state for cleaner behavior.

Recommended Setup

Start with Min Open 150-250 ms.
Start with Grace 40-80 ms.
If very short real calls are missed, reduce Min Open.
If pause/resume or alerts still chatter, increase Grace first, then slightly raise Min Open.
Enable Audio Out routing if you want speaker output to ignore unstable pulses too.

Typical use case: noisy channels where very short false openings cause scan bounce, false logging, or speaker clicks. Signal Stability smooths this without over-blocking real voice traffic.

Adaptive Squelch Smart Auto Feature in our software

Live simulation of how Smart Auto tracks the noise floor and places open/close thresholds above it with hysteresis. Move the sliders to tune conditions and watch threshold behavior in real time.

SQUELCH CLOSED

Live level Noise floor Open threshold Close threshold

Base Noise Floor -63.0 dB

Noise Jitter 1.8 dB

Burst Chance 9%

Burst Strength 20.0 dB

SDR Gain Shift 0.0 dB

Auto Base Margin 6.0 dB

Manual Open Margin 6.0 dB

Manual Close Margin 3.0 dB

Smart Auto mode Pause simulator

Noise Floor--

Open Threshold--

Close Threshold--

Open Margin--

Close Margin--

Adaptive Squelch: How to Use

Smart Auto ON (recommended): no manual open/close input required. The software tracks noise floor and builds dynamic Open/Close thresholds automatically.
Smart Auto OFF (manual adaptive): you set Open Thr and Close Thr yourself for direct control, while adaptive floor tracking still follows RF baseline changes.
Main difference: Smart Auto computes margins for you; manual adaptive keeps your selected thresholds/margins and uses them as operator-driven tuning.

When to Use Each Mode

Use Smart Auto for changing environments (mobile use, wide scan, changing gain, mixed activity bands).
Use manual adaptive when you know the channel behavior and want fixed operator preference for Open/Close response.
Use fixed manual squelch + Auto Cal when you want the fastest simple baseline without adaptive behavior.

Recommended Easy Workflow

Enable squelch and press Auto Cal once to measure current noise and apply a quick baseline threshold.
Enable Adaptive squelch and keep Smart Auto ON for no-input operation.
Use Smart trim -1/+1 for fine adjustment: +1 is stricter (fewer false opens), -1 is more sensitive (better weak-signal opening).
If you still want manual control, turn Smart Auto OFF and set Open/Close directly (Open above Close for hysteresis).

Example Cases

Quiet channel misses weak calls: use Smart trim -1 or lower manual Open slightly.
Noisy band opens too often: use Smart trim +1 or increase manual Open.
Gain changed during operation: Adaptive runtime re-learns, then re-stabilizes thresholds automatically.

Auto Cal button (easy start): Auto Cal samples recent channel level, estimates environmental noise floor, then applies a practical squelch threshold (noise + margin). It gives a strong starting point before or alongside adaptive workflows.

Busy carrier handling: Smart Auto is designed with carrier-protection logic so strong always-on carriers do not directly pull the learned floor to incorrect values. The scanner also uses persistence filtering for peak-follow retune/open decisions, which helps reject one-shot spikes and keep behavior stable around active carriers.

Keyboard Shortcuts

The following keyboard shortcuts are available for controlling the GPU-accelerated spectrum visualizer:

z: Toggle zoom mode.
a / d: Move zoom frequency down/up.
s / w: Adjust zoom width (span).
q / e: Adjust screen split between waterfall and FFT/histogram.
Space: Pause/resume the display.
Left / Right Arrow Keys: Adjust dB/div (Scale).
Up / Down Arrow Keys: Adjust reference level (Offset).

Tips, Shortcuts, and Power Use

Keyboard Shortcuts

O Start/Stop Scan
P Pause/Resume Scan

Mouse Actions

Click a signal to tune to it.
Use the mouse wheel to nudge tuning by the selected step size.
Enable Drag Pan to move the spectrum while keeping tuned signal fixed.

Best Practices

Keep sample rate as low as possible for clean audio and lower CPU load.
Use Smart Deactivate to ignore constant carriers during scanning.
Use Favorites Monitor when you only care about specific channels.
Use Adaptive Squelch + Smart Auto for no-input operation; use Auto Cal when you want a fixed baseline.
Enable Signal Stability when you see squelch chatter or rapid pause/resume bounce.
Use Learning Mode to onboard new users quickly.

When scanning and following peaks, the app may retune within the current spectrum span to lock on the strongest signal. Persistence filtering now suppresses one-shot spikes, so only stable candidates retune/open.
Histogram note: Start Histogram IQ Rec only when WFM/NFM/AM are OFF. After it starts, you can enable modulation again.
IQ file note: You can delete recorded IQ CS16 files from the IQ folder located at the same EXE location. If that location is not writable, IQ files are saved to fallback: %LOCALAPPDATA%\AnalogRadioHunter\IQ.

What Gets Saved

Analog Radio Hunter saves your preferences automatically so you can continue where you left off. This includes:

Last tuned frequency and gain
Detection list and detection profiles
Favorites list and favorites profiles
Scan profiles and scan settings
Favorite cooldown states and cooldown default minutes
Recorder settings, event preferences, and favorite tone settings
Audio output device selection (for demod audio and tone tests)
WFM presets and histogram IQ rec control settings
Signal Stability settings (Min, Grace, and apply-target toggles)
Learning Mode and UI preferences (cursor, drag pan)

Settings are stored in a JSON file next to the EXE, and IQ recorder files are also stored at the EXE location for easy backup.

Download

Quick Preview

Download Analog Radio Hunter (EXE) v1.05

Note: Unzip password is 1234. This is a beta version.
Stay tuned for new features and enhancements.

Important Security Note: Some antivirus software may flag our executables as potentially suspicious. This is a common false positive issue with software compiled using PyInstaller.

Video Tutorial

Watch the full tutorial on YouTube.

Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: This software and tutorial are for educational and scientific purposes only. Analog Radio Hunter is a tool designed for receiving publicly accessible radio signals. I do not condone or encourage the interception of private, encrypted, or unauthorized communications. Users are solely responsible for complying with their local radio regulations (e.g., FCC in the US, Ofcom in the UK). This software is provided "AS IS" without any warranties.