PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python
PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python by Marc Lichtmanby Marc Lichtman
Ranked 3 of 12 electronics books by recommenders
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.
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.
8 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 8
- criticize it
- 0
- approval share
- 100%
Recommended in 2 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 8 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- Nobody criticizes itNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 2 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Clear explanations at a good level
“I still find it's explanations delightful and useful perspectives.”
Comment from 28 Dec 2025 in “PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python” “the right complexity gradient and the right levels of abstraction”
Comment from 9 Sep 2026 in “GNU Radio in the browser” Good overall resource for refreshers
“I do overall think this is a good resource. However, the hand-waviness of the specifics gets to me.”
Comment from 29 Dec 2025 in “PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python” “this is usually the first resource I go to when I need to re-familiarize myself with some basics”
Comment from 28 Dec 2025 in “PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Specifics feel hand-wavy
“I do overall think this is a good resource. However, the hand-waviness of the specifics gets to me.”
Comment from 29 Dec 2025 in “PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python” “I would like to see references out to less hand wavy material.”
Comment from 29 Dec 2025 in “PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python” Lacks references to deeper material
“I would like to see references out to less hand wavy material.”
Comment from 29 Dec 2025 in “PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Python”
Other electronics books people recommend
The four most recommended other electronics books, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Secret Life of Circuitsby Michał Zalewski | 26 | 10 | 72% | 4 | — | Approved |
| The Art of Electronicsby Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill | 11 | 3 | 79% | 7 | — | Approved |
| PySDR: A Guide to SDR and DSP Using Pythonby Marc LichtmanThis page | 8 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| Getting Started in Electronicsby Forrest M. Mims | 5 | 1 | 83% | 4 | — | — |
| Practical Electronics for Inventorsby Paul Scherz | 4 | 2 | 67% | 4 | — | — |
What people said
7 of the 8 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“the right complexity gradient and the right levels of abstraction”
“I love your logo and Fourier animation.”
“I would like to see references out to less hand wavy material.”
“I do overall think this is a good resource. However, the hand-waviness of the specifics gets to me.”
“I still find it's explanations delightful and useful perspectives.”
“this is usually the first resource I go to when I need to re-familiarize myself with some basics”
“It has a very good practical and engineering oriented guide”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.