Abstract: The fully digitalized receiver is the important basis for software radio. Some key technologies about how to realize the HF ground wave radar receiver based on the HSP50216 are addressed. First, the function of the four channel digital programmable down-converter HSP50216 is introduced. Then, the structure of HF ground wave digital IF receiver and how to use the HSP50216 in it are analyzed. The emphasis is placed on how to use the HSP50216 to decimate the over-sampled signal and filter the out of band signal. Last, experimental results about using the HSP50216 in a far-distance HF ground wave radar show that it improves the receiver system's flexibleness and performance greatly.