SSTV software for Windows — six families, no virtual cables
Open Signal is SSTV software for Windows 10 and 11 — receive for free, forever, or license the full version from £15 a year — that transmits and receives all the popular slow-scan television modes, detects the incoming mode automatically, and logs every contact: one self-contained executable, with none of the MMSSTV-era plumbing.
Everything the classic SSTV programs do
SSTV — slow-scan television — sends still pictures as audio tones through a normal SSB radio. Open Signal implements it from the published mode specifications, so it interoperates with the wider SSTV world the way MMSSTV-family programs do:
- All the popular modes: Martin, Scottie, Robot, Wraase and PD — plus MMSSTV's narrow MP/MR modes.
- Automatic mode detection. The VIS header on an incoming signal tells Open Signal which mode is arriving; it announces it and just decodes.
- Clock-drift immunity. The line clock re-locks on every sync pulse, so a slightly-off sound-card clock never slants the image.
- FSK callsign ID. Open Signal appends your callsign as an FSK ID after every SSTV picture — which also satisfies station-ID rules and lets receivers log you.
…without the MMSSTV-era plumbing
Traditional SSTV setups mean a decoder, a rig-control layer, and often a virtual audio cable to route sound between them. Open Signal collapses all of that:
- One self-contained .exe. No FLDIGI, no Hamlib, no virtual audio cables. Copy it anywhere and run it.
- Built-in rig control. CAT drivers for Kenwood, Elecraft, Yaesu and Icom read your frequency and can key PTT — or use serial RTS/DTR, or VOX.
- Receiving needs zero action. Open Signal listens continuously and decodes whatever arrives — any SSTV mode, its own digital bursts, and photo files — at once.
- Digital modes too. Beyond analog SSTV, Open Signal adds an error-corrected digital picture mode and byte-exact photo-file transfer.
SSTV software — questions
Is Open Signal free SSTV software?
The receive-only version is free — permanently, for everyone. The full version, with transmit and the live network, is licensed at £15 a year or £45 for life. Both ship as a single self-contained executable for Windows (and 64-bit Linux) — no runtime install, no virtual audio cables.
Which SSTV modes does Open Signal support?
Six families: Martin M1–M4, Scottie S1–S4 and DX, Robot 24/36/72 colour and B/W 8/12, Wraase SC2-60/120/180, PD50 through PD290, and MMSSTV's narrow MP73–175 and MR73–175 modes. Transmit and receive are both supported, and the incoming mode is detected automatically from its VIS header.
Does Open Signal run on Windows 11?
Yes. Open Signal runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11 (and Windows Server). Because it is self-contained, there is no .NET runtime or other dependency to install first.
How is Open Signal different from MMSSTV?
Open Signal does everything MMSSTV does for analog SSTV — the same modes, automatic mode detection, FSK callsign ID — but it is actively maintained, needs no virtual audio cables, and adds an error-corrected digital picture mode, byte-exact photo-file transfer, and a self-filling logbook. Note that off-air MMSSTV interop is not yet field-verified.
More about Open Signal
Get on SSTV the modern way
Six SSTV families, automatic detection and a self-filling logbook — with no virtual audio cables to wrestle. Enter your callsign and transmit.