WSPR (amateur radio software)
| WSPR | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Joe Taylor, K1JT |
| Initial release | 2008 |
| Written in | C++ (GUI), Fortran, C |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Available in | English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian |
| Type | Amateur radio and DSP |
| License | GPL |
| Website | wsjt.sourceforge.io |
WSPR (pronounced "whisper") is an acronym for Weak Signal Propagation Reporter. It is a protocol, implemented in a computer program, used for weak-signal radio communication between amateur radio operators. The protocol was designed, and a program written initially, by Joe Taylor, K1JT. The software code is now open source and is developed by a small team. The program is designed for sending and receiving low-power transmissions to test propagation paths on the MF and HF bands.
WSPR implements a protocol designed for probing potential propagation paths with low-power transmissions. Transmissions carry a station's callsign, Maidenhead grid locator, and transmitter power in dBm. The program can decode signals with a signal-to-noise ratio as low as −28 dB in a 2.5 kHz bandwidth. Stations with internet access can automatically upload their reception reports to a central database called WSPRnet, which includes a mapping facility.