What's inside the case
The build uses a Raspberry Pi 4, a 7-inch HDMI display, a Logitech Pebble keyboard, and an RTL-SDR V4. It runs a regular Raspberry Pi desktop with SDR++ installed. It's a small general-purpose computer when I'm not using it as a radio workstation.
The repository has the printed parts, hardware list, assembly steps, Pi setup, and helper scripts. Most of this build is about getting ordinary parts to fit together cleanly. There isn't a custom operating system hiding underneath it.
Getting the physical layout right
The top panel holds the display, speakers, and antenna mounts. The bottom panel carries the Pi and port tray. The keyboard tray follows the angle of the Pebble Keys 2 K380s, so it feels like part of the build instead of something I wedged into the remaining space.
I split the larger printed parts into left and right sections so they fit on smaller printers. It adds some assembly, but you don't need a huge print bed. The main parts use roughly 747 grams of PLA and take about 72 hours with the documented settings. Your printer will have its own opinions.
A normal desktop on a small screen
The setup configures the HDMI panel for 1024 by 600, then adds the cooling fan, RTL-SDR drivers, and SDR++. I use that order because display problems are much easier to sort out before the radio stack is involved.
The included SDR++ installation script builds the program with RTL-SDR support. Once it runs, I select the RTL-SDR source and start with the gain value in the guide. Full screen helps too. A normal desktop gets crowded quickly at 1024 by 600.
Stick with the hardware and Raspberry Pi OS version documented in the repository. Display settings and driver setup change between releases, so don't drop an old boot configuration into a newer image and assume every line still makes sense.
The knob acts like ordinary input
The rotary encoder uses GPIO 5, 6, and 26. A small Python service turns rotation into scrolling and a press into a left click through pigpio and evdev. The script handles debounce, and systemd starts it at boot.
I wanted the knob to behave like normal Linux input, not a collection of shortcuts tied to one program. The desktop and apps handle the events in the usual way, and the knob stays useful when I change the software.
How I'd approach the build
Print and test-fit the mounts first, then build the panels and tray around the actual display and keyboard. Bring up the Pi and HDMI panel next. Add cooling, radio drivers, SDR++, and the encoder service one piece at a time.
The optional hardware includes extra ports, different power banks, and case locks. Those are good places to customize the build. I'd get the desktop and radio working first, then start changing power or remixing the panel layout.
The finished deck opens into a workstation instead of a box of parts. That's the whole point. Start with the build files and assembly guide, then adjust whatever needs to fit your own hardware.