BandWacht is a new open-source tool for automatic band monitoring for radio amateurs. The software connects to any WebRX receiver on the internet, analyses the spectrum in real time, and notifies you immediately when activity is detected on a monitored frequency. The goal: Never miss a QSO again.
BandWacht is currently in Beta (v0.1.0) and is being actively developed. The software is already fully functional and is being actively tested in the field.
How BandWacht Works
BandWacht connects to WebRX receivers (Software Defined Radio in the browser) via the internet and monitors configured frequencies. As soon as a carrier is detected that exceeds the set threshold, an event is triggered and a notification is sent to the configured channels – for example Telegram.
This allows you to monitor whether someone is active on the SOTA frequency 145.550 MHz or on the 2m calling frequency 145.500 MHz – automatically and around the clock, without having to sit at your radio.
Key Features
- Multiple SDR instances: Monitor any number of WebRX receivers simultaneously
- Flexible monitoring targets: Frequency, bandwidth, and threshold individually configurable per target
- Real-time spectrum display: Live spectrum directly in the dashboard
- Notifications: Instant alerts via Telegram (more channels planned)
- Logbook: All detections with timestamp, frequency, signal strength, and label – exportable as CSV
- CLI (Command Line Interface): BandWacht can also be operated via command line and integrated into your own workflows
The Logbook – Every Activity Documented
Every detected activity is recorded in the event logbook: timestamp, frequency, signal strength (peak in dB), duration, and a custom label. This gives you an overview of when and where activity took place. The logbook can be filtered, searched, and exported as CSV.
What’s Coming Next?
BandWacht is being actively developed. The following features are currently being worked on:
- Audio recording: Automatic recording of the audio signal when activity is detected
- Callsign recognition: Automatic detection and identification of callsigns from the audio signal
There are many more cool features to come – BandWacht is just getting started!
Idea: BandWacht Meets APRS
An exciting idea for the future: BandWacht notifications could be integrated into the OE8CKK APRS Service. Imagine receiving an APRS message directly on your radio telling you that activity has been detected on your monitored frequency – no smartphone, no internet needed. BandWacht notifications via APRS, hi! Whether and when this will happen remains to be seen – but the possibility is there and we are in contact with Christopher OE8CKK.
More WebRX Receivers = Better Coverage
BandWacht thrives on having as many WebRX receivers as possible to connect to. The more receivers available on webrx.at, the better the band monitoring works and the more frequencies and regions can be covered.
Join in! If you run a WebRX receiver or would like to set one up, register it on webrx.at. Every additional receiver helps strengthen the network and make band monitoring more comprehensive. You can find a build guide directly on the site.
Get Involved and Contribute
BandWacht is a community project and helpers are wanted! Whether you want to help with testing, have ideas for new features, run WebRX instances, or want to contribute to development – all support is welcome. The full source code is available on GitHub – check it out, create issues, submit pull requests, or give the project a star!
In addition to the web interface, BandWacht also offers a CLI (Command Line Interface) that lets you control the software entirely from the command line. Ideal for use on servers, Raspberry Pis, or in your own automations.
Don’t Want to Miss Anything? Join the Telegram Group!
Don’t want to miss any activity on your favourite frequencies and want to stay up to date? Then join our BandWacht Telegram group! There you’ll learn about new features, exchange ideas with other users, and get the latest updates first-hand.
BandWacht – Never miss a QSO again.
73 de OE8YML