Replay an IQ WAV file

The IQ WAV source reads stereo in-phase and quadrature samples. Radio Bench supports 16-bit PCM and 32-bit floating-point WAV data.

Open a recording

1. Stop the current stream.
2. Select IQ File in the Source panel.
3. Choose the recording file.
4. Confirm the sample rate and center frequency when they are available.
5. Select Play.

Radio Bench uses compatible metadata from its own IQ recordings. The WAV header supplies sample rate, but an external file may lack compatible RF center metadata. Do not assume its frequency labels identify the original RF dial.

Tune during playback

Tune and change receiver processing as you would with live samples. The available frequency range is limited to the recorded IQ span.

Playback becomes inactive when the file ends. Select the file again to repeat the analysis, or turn on Loop Playback to restart it automatically.

For example, replay a Radio Bench IQ recording centered at 14.200 MHz with a 768 kHz sample rate. Select USB and tune to a recorded signal near 14.250 MHz. Change the passband or noise reduction and compare the same passage with Loop Playback enabled.

The file contains only its original capture. Zooming out cannot recover signals that were never recorded. An ordinary mono audio WAV is not a stereo IQ source.

Protect original recordings

Radio Bench reads the source file without modifying it. Keep a separate working copy when you exchange files or convert their format.