Exploring the HFTRX SDR Transceiver: A Powerful Open-Source Project for Ham Radio Enthusiasts

If you’re passionate about amateur radio and embedded systems, you might want to check out HFTRX, an advanced SDR transceiver project hosted on GitHub by ua1arn. Designed with serious radio operators in mind, HFTRX stands out for its deep integration of SDR (Software Defined Radio) technology, open-source firmware, and support for a wide range of hardware platforms—from STM32 and Cortex-A series to Zynq and even Allwinner SoCs.

But this isn’t just another software project. It’s the backbone of a high-performance HF transceiver called Storch (Аист), aimed at covering the entire 30 kHz to 54 MHz band with robust transmit power and excellent receive sensitivity. With extensive documentation, build instructions, and community support, the HFTRX project is accessible for DIYers, radio builders, and embedded developers alike.

📡 Key Features of the “Storch” Transceiver

The HFTRX-based Storch is no toy—it’s a serious rig capable of:

• Wide Frequency Coverage:
  • Receive: 30 kHz to 54 MHz
  • Transmit: 500 kHz to 54 MHz
• High Power Output:
  • 100W typical from 1 MHz to 40 MHz (200W with tuned antenna)
  • 10W below 1 MHz, and 20–35W above 40 MHz
• 16-bit ADC @ 122.88 MHz, delivering high dynamic range (≥125 dB)
• 24-bit audio for crystal-clear sound quality
• Multi-band reception across sub-bands simultaneously

🧠 Built for Performance

What makes the HFTRX design unique is its direct digital conversion (DDC) architecture, which eliminates many analog stages and offers superior performance with fewer components. This not only simplifies design but also boosts stability and scalability.

Some standout components of the design include:

• Built-in antenna switcher (2 TX/RX + 1 RX)
• Automatic antenna tuner (ATU) with memory presets
• IQ output for external signal processing
• Remote access via Ethernet
• USB recording and control
• Adaptive cooling system with low noise levels
• Robust protection circuits against overheating, ESD, and polarity reversal

🛠️ Developer & Maker Friendly

HFTRX isn’t just plug-and-play—it’s also developer-friendly with source code and hardware documentation readily available. Whether you’re a hardware hacker, firmware tinkerer, or FPGA enthusiast, you’ll find valuable resources like:

• Full Gerber files and schematics
• Detailed BOM (Bill of Materials)
• Assembly and tuning manuals
• Support for Eclipse and CMSIS-based IDEs
• FPGA projects in VHDL and Verilog
• Modular structure across STM32, Zynq, and Allwinner targets

Developers can jump right in with setup instructions and an active development branch, while radio builders can dive into the assembly and tuning docs to bring their own Storch to life.

🌐 Community Support & Collaboration

The project is spearheaded by Gennadiy Zavidovskiy (UA1ARN) and features contributions from a small but passionate group of developers and amateur radio operators. Communication channels are available through Telegram:

• Chat: Sokol_SDR_DDC
• Channel: sokol_ddc

This open collaboration approach makes it easy to ask questions, share builds, and contribute code.

⚡ Ideal for Experimenters, Hackers, and Operators

If you’ve been looking for a modern, DIY-friendly SDR project that doesn’t skimp on features or performance, HFTRX is a solid contender. Whether you want a powerful HF transceiver, a flexible SDR platform, or just a way to dive deeper into embedded development for radio systems, this project has something to offer.

With the added flexibility of external VHF transverter support (e.g. 144–146 MHz), Ethernet and USB interfaces, and high-quality digital audio paths, this project is a future-proof entry into the world of homebrew high-performance rigs.

📥 Get Started

You can explore the project, download the code, and access all documentation here:
🔗 https://github.com/ua1arn/hftrx