An Introduction to Pagers with the HackRF PortaPack and an RTL-SDR

Over on YouTube user HackedExistence has uploaded a video explaining how POCSAG pager signals work, and he also shows some experiments that he's been performing with his HackRF PortaPack and an old pager.

The Portapack is an add on for the HackRF SDR that allows the HackRF to be used without the need for a PC. If you're interested in the past we reviewed the PortaPack with the Havok Firmware, which enables many TX features such as POCSAG transmissions.

POCSAG is a common RF protocol used by pagers. Pagers have been under the scrutiny of information security experts for some time now as it is common for hospital pagers to spew out unencrypted patient data [1][2][3] into the air for anyone with a radio and computer to decode.

In the video HackedExistence first shows that he can easily transmit to his pager with the HackRF PortaPack and view the signals on the spectrum with an RTL-SDR. Later in the video he explains the different types of pager signals that you might encounter on the spectrum, and goes on to dissect and explain how the POCSAG protocol works.