HackRF One – Radio Signal Interceptor

INTRODUCTION

     This article will provide a thorough introduction to Software-Defined Radios(SDR) and HackRF One. Software-Defined Radios are the perfect tool for any frequency. These tools allow users to create their own custom radio by writing scripts. we will review what a Software-Defined Radio is, the design and use cases of the HackRF One, and all of its best features.           Let’s dive into the topic:

Introduction to SDR:

                     Software defined radio can be configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation with desired parameters without the need for any hardware changes. Software-defined radio (or SDR) is a type of technology that lets you generate parts for the radios using computer programs. This makes the production of transmitted signals much more efficient and less expensive. You can focus on other aspects of your business without needing any tedious knowledge about the hardwiring, hardware issues, and components like mixers, amplifiers, filters, modulators/demodulators or detectors, etc. Can be easily built on a computer or smaller device through the use of the software.

 Basics Of Radio

              “Radio waves” refer to the group of electromagnetic radiation waves.  The Two important wavelengths are A.M and F.M in these wavelengths only audio data is encoded.

1. A.M – Amplitude Modulation

The information is kept in the radio wave by changing the height of the wave.      2. F.M – Frequency Modulation Information is kept in the radio wave by changing how close the waves are to each other. Let’s look up into the hardware part:

Hardware Introduction (HackRF One)

1. HackRF One device 2. Micro USB to USB cable 3. Antenna                        Here, HackRF One is for receiving or transmitting signals from 1 MHz to 6 GHz and micro USB-USB cable is for connecting the computer with HackRF also it is risky to use the device without an antenna that may cause damage to the device so it’s up to you. This device is very expensive, can also be used by hackers and it is one of the powerful weapons for hackers. We can see the functions of the device on our computer also it is recommended to Ubuntu Linux as an operating system(OS).

Today we’re taking a quick look at the hardware components of HackRF One.

                       If you look at it from the top of the right side of the device you can find the two red light additional SAV ports and one micro USB port. On the top left of the device, you can observe many LEDs and that confuses your mind, So we have explained briefly about the LEDs and also other parts on the device:

1. RESET BUTTON- Used to reboot the HackRF One, which is similar to unplugging the device and plugging it back into HackRF One (Blue buttons).
2. 3v3 LED, 1v8 LED, RF LED– These three LEDs are used to indicate the power of the device and HackRF One should light up when it is plugged in. Different colors are used on HackRF One to distinguish the different LEDs.
3. USB LED- It shows that the device is using a USB connection when it’s plugged into a computer.
4. DFU LED- This is used to install or update the firmware if the microcode does not work properly or is not installed.
5. RX LED- An orange light shows that the device is receiving the signals.
6. TX LED- A red light indicates the device is transmitting the information.
7. ANTENNA- It is an important hardware part of the device that can transfer and receive the signals to the device also there are some types of antenna’s but we can discuss them later in the next topic.

These are the hardware parts in the HackRF One. Here, the antenna plays a key role if the device may receive the signal when transmitting or receiving signals without an antenna but the device may soon be damaged. So the antenna is necessary for this type of peripherals, there are different types of antennas for different purposes. They are available at online stores that you can shop from, so why not check it out? Now we are moving to the antenna part and discuss the different types of antennas below:

• ANTENNA TELESCOPIC – ANT500

The range of this antenna is 75 MHz to 1 GHz telescopic antenna.

ANT500 is a powerful telescopic antenna that enables you to listen to transmissions from 75 MHz – 1 GHz. Its total length is customized from 20cm to 88cm. It is made of stainless steel, the features are a male SMA connector, rotating shaft, also adjustable elbow and it is 50-ohm antenna is specially designed for HackRF One. The basic antenna that can be available in the budget is also helpful for simple needs in daily life.

•  ANTENNA TELESCOPIC – ANT700

The range of this telescopic antenna is 300 MHz to 1.1 GHz. From Great Scott Gadgets ANT700 is a telescopic antenna designed for the operation from 300 MHz to 1.1 GHz. The configurable length is 9.5 cm to 24.5 cm. It also has approximately the same features as the SMA male connector, rotating shaft, and adjustable elbow. ANT700 has a 50-ohm antenna configured to match with HackRF One. We can use YARD Stick One, NESDR SMArt, and most other SMA- equipped SDRs. These are some extra types of equipment used for ANT700 also it is available in the online store.

• ANTENNA 700-5800MHz

This antenna is designed to pick up frequencies including cellular, ISM, and Wi-Fi. It is 50 ohms impedance and it is pinned at a 90 degree ending with an SMA connector. This antenna is agreeable with the popular SDR HackRF One. It is also available in the online store, but it depends on whether you afford it.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, software-defined radio have been proven to be a worthwhile investment for engineers & experimenters. Chip-based radios such as the HackRF One can open up all sorts of new possibilities, so if you’re an RF aficionado it’s worth looking into. Software-defined radio and HackRF are both innovative pieces of technology that allow people to listen in on different signals. The difference between them is that SDRs can be used for many different purposes such as monitoring wireless traffic, transmitting data, and running software-defined radios. HackRF, on the other hand, is a very specialized piece of hardware designed for specific tasks such as intercepting wireless transmissions or jamming a signal.

We really hope that you’ve found this text interesting and taken something useful away from it. Consider sharing with your colleagues and peers if you wish to see more articles like this on the web. 🙂