# Release Notes

## v0.5.0-pre — HW-integration readiness

### Go/No-Go status

**Gate: First real HW smoke test** — ARCHITECTURALLY READY
- [x] Extended SoapyDriver interface (Start/Stop/Caps/Stats)
- [x] Continuous TX engine with chunk-based generation
- [x] Device rate separated from composite rate
- [x] TX safety: default off, explicit start required
- [x] Runtime telemetry available via /runtime
- [ ] Actual CGO SoapySDR binding (next step)

**Gate: Serious HW bring-up** — P1 ITEMS DONE
- [x] Blackbox spectral checks (19/38/57 kHz)
- [x] Operator truth tests for all risky config switches
- [x] Fail-loud PI validation
- [x] Level/injection ownership: unity sources, direct combiner gains

### What works
- Complete DSP chain: pre-emphasis → stereo → RDS → MPX → limiter → FM mod
- 79 passing tests including spectral verification
- All signal sources unity-normalized, combiner controls final levels
- Continuous TX engine with Start/Stop/Stats
- Control plane with /tx/start, /tx/stop, /runtime

### What's next
- CGO SoapySDR driver binding (the actual hardware call)
- Live audio ingest (streaming/network sources)
- End-to-end decode verification with external RDS decoder