Terminal-first ham radio utilities for remote and low-power setups
Experience a blend of command-line callsign queries, bearing calculations, and live DX cluster monitoring from a terminal. ham-tools, created by Guru-RF, packages QRZ.com lookups, a qte grid-distance tool, and ncurses DX cluster monitors into a single suite for desktop and remote use. It targets amateur radio operators and RF engineers who run sessions over SSH or on low-power hardware, offering a lightweight, installable Windows build via the winget package manager.
What does ham-tools actually provide for radio operators?
ham-tools groups several focused CLI utilities: qrz performs QRZ.com callsign lookups with a local SQLite cache, qte computes grid-square distances and short/long-path bearings from a configured QTH, and DX cluster clients connect to DX Summit, DXHeat, and HolyCluster to display live spots. The suite is written in C and exposes its features through shell commands, which suits scripted workflows and remote station management.
Does it affect system performance during operation?
The suite is designed for low resource usage, making it viable on Raspberry Pi class hardware and over SSH. Native builds exist for x64 and ARM64 Windows, macOS, and Linux, and the C implementation reduces runtime overhead. The ncurses UI lets you view live DX spots without a graphical stack, so background CPU and RAM demands remain small compared with GUI alternatives.
Is ham-tools safe to run on a production station?
Networked features require internet access for QRZ.com and DX clusters, and the qrz tool keeps a local SQLite cache for repeated queries. The suite uses standard terminal permissions and does not install a graphical service; its open-source MIT license and GitHub source let operators inspect code before deployment. Users should run it under normal account privileges and consider standard SSH security for remote sessions.
Do I need technical knowledge to use the suite effectively?
The toolset targets terminal-minded users: installation via the Windows Package Manager command is documented, and utilities expose command-line flags rather than guided wizards. Casual users may need to learn basic shell commands and configure a home QTH for bearing calculations, while experienced operators can script the tools for automated queries and monitoring.
Practical CLI toolkit for terminal-centric hams, with one trade-off
ham-tools supplies a compact set of terminal utilities that suit remote operators and low-power setups, combining QRZ lookups, bearing math, and multiple DX cluster clients in a C-based package. The main trade-off is its command-line focus: operators who require a graphical interface will not find GUI alternatives here. For anyone managing stations over SSH or on small devices, the suite performs reliably and keeps resource use low.
