Insight: The Best Logging Tools for HAM Radio on Raspberry Pi

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Insight: The Best Logging Tools for HAM Radio on Raspberry Pi







If you’re building a portable or shack-side Raspberry Pi rig for HAM radio, you’ll quickly hit a familiar question: how do I log contacts without dragging in a full-blown PC? The good news is that several Linux-friendly logging tools run just fine on the Pi—some with full GUI support, others light enough to run on a Pi Zero 2 W.


CQRLOG: Full-Featured Logging for Serious Ops

One of the most popular is CQRLOG. It’s a heavyweight logger built for serious operators—complete with LoTW support, rig control, and a SQL database under the hood. It runs best on Pi 4, 400, or Pi 5 models, and you’ll want to boot from an SSD or fast SD card if you go this route. Installation takes a bit of work, but for contesters and DXers, CQRLOG is rock solid.



FLDIGI: Digital Modes with a Built-In Logbook

A lighter and often more versatile option is FLDIGI. While it’s known for digital modes like PSK31, Olivia, and RTTY, it includes a built-in logbook that’s good enough for everyday use. It performs well even on lower-powered Pis and plays nicely with USB audio devices and serial rig interfaces. For a lot of HAMs, it strikes the perfect balance between usability and performance.


Xlog: Lightweight Simplicity for Field Ops

If you want something even simpler—no digital modes, no rig control, just a clean way to log—check out Xlog. It’s lightweight, GTK-based, and perfect for field ops, backup rigs, or stealthy installs. It won’t win beauty contests, but it won’t crash your Pi either.


Where to Find These Tools

All three tools are available via the Raspberry Pi OS APT package manager or can be compiled from source. You can install them all at once with a single command: 

Bash
sudo apt update && sudo apt install cqrlog fldigi xlog

You may need additional libraries for full rig support or sound interface integration, especially with FLDIGI and CQRLOG.


Coming Soon

Whether you’re working QRP from a park bench or logging from a solar-powered Pi in the attic, these tools give you real flexibility without leaving the Linux world. I’ll be following up with installation steps and screenshots—tested on Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm—so stay tuned if you’d like to build this into your next Pi project.


Need Raspberry Pi Expertise?

We'd love to help you with your Raspberry Pi projects.  Feel free to reach out to us at info@pacificw.com.


Written by Aaron Rose, software engineer and technology writer at Tech-Reader.blog.

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