This book is intended for Amateur Radio Operators, Short Wave Listeners, and anyone interested in radio as a hobby. It includes sections on how different types of software defined radios work, the advantages of using them, and how they are tested. It also covers future trends including the development of Direct Fourier Conversion. There is a big section with tips for PowerSDR users and sections about other commonly used SDR software, plus a comparison of the basic specifications of 65 different SDR receivers and transceivers. The book is not a textbook or a reference book.

It is written in an easy to read conversational style. I explain the basics without getting too technical. There are no pages of software code or complex mathematics. I find that simple diagrams can often make things easier to understand so I have included some helpful drawings and photographs.