# PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python by Marc Lichtman

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/pysdr-a-guide-to-sdr-and-dsp-using-python/

5 people recommended PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python by Marc Lichtman in Hacker News comments, 2 had mixed feelings and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 12 months, in 2 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

4 of the 5 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python”.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as a practical, engineering-oriented introduction to SDR and DSP, with a good complexity gradient for refreshing basics. Critics say its specifics are hand-wavy.

Summary written by Claude from 7 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Clear explanations at a good level (2 comments in the sample): "I still find it's explanations delightful and useful perspectives." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46415240)) "the right complexity gradient and the right levels of abstraction" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49629051))
- Good overall resource for refreshers (2 comments in the sample): "I do overall think this is a good resource. However, the hand-waviness of the specifics gets to me." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46417217)) "this is usually the first resource I go to when I need to re-familiarize myself with some basics" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46414954))

## What people warn about

- Specifics feel hand-wavy (1 comment in the sample): "I would like to see references out to less hand wavy material." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46419934))

## Other electronics books people recommend

- [The Secret Life of Circuits by Michał Zalewski](https://hackerapproved.com/p/secret-life-of-circuits/): 21 recommend, 5 mixed, 8 criticize
- [The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill](https://hackerapproved.com/p/art-of-electronics/): 9 recommend, 2 mixed, 2 criticize
- [Forrest Mims electronics books](https://hackerapproved.com/p/forrest-mims-electronics-books/): 4 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize
- [Getting Started in Electronics by Forrest Mims](https://hackerapproved.com/p/getting-started-in-electronics/): 4 recommend, 1 mixed, 1 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python by Marc Lichtman", https://hackerapproved.com/p/pysdr-a-guide-to-sdr-and-dsp-using-python/ (5 recommend, 2 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.