Category: News

Crimean Resident Arrested under Accusation of Spying for Ukraine with RTL-SDR Dongles

Back in early 2014 Crimea was annexed from the Ukraine by Russian forces. Recently we've heard news that a Crimean resident was arrested by the Russian Federal Security Service under the suspicion of being a Ukrainian informant who was intending to transfer, or was transferring military data abroad using RTL-SDRs.

A video of the arrest has been uploaded to YouTube, and RTL-SDR dongles running with the Airspy SDR# software on his laptop can clearly be seen as having been photographed. The photos of the SDR# screen appear to show that he was monitoring the commercial aviation band with a scanner plugin.

The YouTube description is translated below:

Today it was reported about the arrest of a Crimean resident, either intending to transfer, or transferring military data abroad.

The FSB has published footage of the arrest. The time on the laptop caught on the video during the search of housing 07:40 date 06/22/21. The laptop is turned on, the AIRSPY radio frequency scanning program is running, the laptop is in the dust - only traces of pressing some keys are visible, and the touchpad was not used. There are many icons in the room, books on radio engineering, a Ukrainian flag, aircraft models, several pennants "Tavria 1958", an ICOM IC-R6 radio, maps.

The detainee transferred the information received to Ukraine on one basis, collected it on the other and intended to transfer it.

The court sent the man to the pre-trial detention center for 2 months. If his guilt is proven, then high treason "shines" and does not shine to see the will for 25 years.

According to an article on RadioFreeEurope, the man was detained as he was "collecting data on the flights of Russian military planes for Ukrainian intelligence".

It is unclear if the man was knowingly providing intelligence services, or is simply an aviation hobbyist caught up in politics. If anyone has more information about his story, please let us know in the comments.

UPDATE 29 June 2021: More information on the story at this link.

Украинский осведомитель был футбольным фаном. Болел за «Таврию»

Crimean resident arrested for using RTL-SDRs to monitor the airband
Commercial Aviation Frequencies Monitored

This is a reminder to those in politically dangerous situations to take care when using SDRs. In the past we have seen a Slovenian researcher almost jailed for performing University research with an RTL-SDR, a UN expert arrested for possessing an RTL-SDR in Tunisia, and SDRs come under fire when Trump tweeted a now-debunked conspiracy theory on how an RTL-SDR was being used as a close range scanner by the black lives matter protestor who was shoved to the ground on video by Buffalo police.

CaribouLite: A 30-6000 MHz 13-bit 4MHz SDR HAT for the Raspberry Pi

Thank you to David for submitting news about his company Caribou Labs' new product called "CaribouLite" which will be a software defined radio HAT for the Raspberry Pi. The product is currently in the pre-launch stage over on Crowd Funding platform CrowdSupply and you can sign up for future updates on the release. David writes:

I'd like to inform you of a product we have developed called CaribouLite board, which is essentially a Raspberry Pi HAT that enabled up to 6GHz SDR capabilities Tx and Rx, and an additional TxRx Sub 1GHz channel.

It uses Microchip's modem AT86RF215 as an I/Q ADC, DAC and frequency conversion is done using Qorvo's RFFC5072 IC. An FPGA (ICE40) is used to stream data packets (I/Q @ 13 bit x2 / sample) back and forth between the Raspberry Pi and the Modem, over an interesting fast interface called SMI.

I think this project brings new ideas to the table and would be interesting to the SDR community.

The use of the SMI interface is an interesting idea and not something we see utilized often as apparently the official documentation is sparse and poor. But David notes how it allows for up to 500Mbit/s of data to be exchanged between the FPGA and Raspberry Pi, although the true throughput depends on the specific Raspberry Pi model used. Regardless the SMI data rate is more than enough for the 120 MBit/s required by the two streams of 13-bit IQ data that the CaribouLite generates.

The campaign also notes that the sample rate is 4 MSPS, with 4 MHz bandwidth, and up to 14 dBm of transmit power is possible. They also note that they are planning to release a wide range of library code that allows for use cases such as wide range spectrum analysis, a signal / protocol generator, an analog / digital DAB+ receiver, an ADS-B receiver and more.

The software and hardware design is also fully open source and available on GitHub.

The CaribouLite SDR HAT mounted on a Raspberry Pi Zero

Avoiding Fake RTL-SDR Blog V3 Clones + 2021 Supply Chain Updates

As a follow on to the previous post on fake SDRplay units, we also wanted to provide some guidance on fake RTL-SDR Blog V3 clones which are on the market. We are starting to receive an increase in support requests for fake RTL-SDR Blog V3 units. Please be aware that we cannot support these devices, and most of them are missing key features like the bias tee and the TCXO despite advertising these features on the listing and writing on the dongle body. Also as mentioned below a good majority of them appear to have a defect and poor performance.

Please check our store at www.rtl-sdr.com/store for our official stores on Amazon, eBay, Aliexpress and this site. We also have links on our store to our official local resellers.

We note that we tested a few of the "RTL.SDR" clones, and all had a defect causing very strange distorted spectrums where the signals where wider than they should be, and some units introduced a mysterious high pitched whine into every signal.

Spectrum from clone
Spectrum of an original RTL-SDR Blog V3

To be clear, different brands of RTL-SDR are perfectly fine - no one owns the RTL-SDR hardware concept and we are not any more "official" than any other brand (although we believe we were the first to start designing and producing significantly improved units and the first to design in a factory fitted TCXO, SMA connector, bias tee, thermal pad, and a redesigned PCB for lower noise and less spurs).

However, these clones shown in the image above can be considered a sort of scam as they attempt to trick buyers into believing that they are purchasing our RTL-SDR Blog V3 units with false advertising and by copying the enclosure design, when in fact the PCB inside is something inferior.

2021 Supply Chain Updates

As many of you may know the world is currently dealing with a major shortage of many electronics parts so we wanted to provide an update on the supply chain for the RTL-SDR Blog V3.

In particular, the world is very short on temperature compensated oscillators (TCXO's), a critical component used in our units to ensure frequency stability. The TCXO shortage is actually much worse than other components as AKM, the Japanese semiconductor factory that produces a critical component for making TCXOs burned down late last year. There are alternative suppliers, however their pricing is many multiples higher, and they are also inundated with orders increasing lead times.

We believe that we have enough TCXO stock in storage to last us several more months, however we may run into a shortage in the later months of this year. After we expend our current TCXO stock, we expect to have TCXO again around December, with more RTL-SDRs being ready by January 2022. We want people to be aware, as during these months of no stock more clones may appear on the market. Most clones do not use TCXOs, and hence have poor frequency stability.

Also on a related note our Amazon stock levels may be a little spotty throughout this year as there are currently often delays with shipping and the ports.

We also note that other products that we resell on our store such as the FlightAware Prostick Plus and NanoVNA V2+ are also experiencing supply issues, and may not have stock for a while. Production of some of our other products like the L-band Patch are also delayed due to shortages. 

Due to the shortages component prices are also significantly increasing, and you may notice an increase in RTL-SDR pricing from us and competitors too. We hope that we will be able to reduce our pricing again once the global shortage is over, most likely around early next year.

Freenode ##rtlsdr IRC Channel Moving to Libera

The ##rtlsdr IRC Freenode chat channel will be moving to irc.libera.chat. However ##rtlsdr admins note that the Freenode channel will remain open for now. This move is in wake of the recent takeover drama surrounding Freenode, and the resignation of the majority of Freenode staff.

The ##rtlsdr IRC channel is where many RTL-SDR, software defined radio and RF enthusiasts hang out. You can join and idle with any IRC client, or a web client is available at https://kiwiirc.com/nextclient/irc.libera.chat/##rtlsdr.

A discussion about the move has also been opened on Reddit /r/rtlsdr.

Many other related project channels such as #gnuradio are also moving over to Libera.

Smart Meter Hacking Hack Chat to be held April 14 Noon Pacific Time

In the last post from a couple of days ago we posted about RECESSIM's YouTube series about smart meter hacking. Hackaday have noted that Hash, the security researcher behind the RECESSIM channel will be hosting a Hack Chat on April 14 noon pacific time. If you're unfamiliar with them, hack chats are live chat events where you can chat directly with an expert on a particular topic.

That electrical meter on the side of your house might not look like it, but it's pretty packed with technology. What was once a simple electromechanical device that a human would have to read in person is now a node on a far-flung network. Not only does your meter tote up the amount of electricity you use, but it also talks to other meters in the neighborhood, sending data skipping across town to routers that you might never have noticed as it makes its way back to the utility. And the smartest of smart meters not only know how much electricity you're using, but they can also tease information about which appliances are being used simply by monitoring patterns of usage.

While all this sounds great for utility companies, what does it mean for the customers? What are the implications of having a network of smart meters all talking to each other wirelessly? Are these devices vulnerable to attack? Have they been engineered to be as difficult to exploit as something should be when it's designed to be in service for 15 years or more?

These questions and more burn within Hash, a hardware hacker and security researcher who runs the RECESSIM reverse-engineering wiki. He's been inside a smart meter or two and has shared a lot of what he has learned on the wiki and with some in-depth Smart Meter Hacking videos. He'll stop by the Hack Chat to discuss what he's learned about the internals of smart meters, how they work, and where they may be vulnerable to attack.

Preorder Sale: Active L-Band 1525-1660 Inmarsat and Iridium Patch Back In Stock for $44.95

We have just received stock of our new L-band active patch antenna design. The antenna is designed for receiving RHCP L-band satellites such as Inmarsat, Iridium, GPS and other satellites that transmit between 1525 - 1660 MHz (please note that you cannot use it for weak signals that require a dish like HRPT or GOES). The antenna comes as a set with a large suction cup, 3M RG174 extension cable and bendable tripod to help with mounting. Preorder pricing is US$44.95 including free worldwide shipping to most countries shipped from our warehouse in Shanghai. At the end of this week (extended for one more week!) pricing will rise to the standard cost of US$49.95. Amazon stock will require time, and won't be in for at least 6+ weeks.

Please see our store to order the unit

Like our previous patch design, this is an actively amplified antenna as it contains a built in low noise amplifier which takes power from a 3.3 - 5V bias tee. This power is available from from our RTL-SDR Blog V3 dongles, and other SDRs like the Airspy, HackRF and SDRplay. It also has a built in SAW filter after the LNA to help reduce terrestrial interference.

Compared to the previous design the new patch is larger (175 x 175 mm) with higher gain and wider radiation pattern. This allows for much easier pointing of the antenna and for much stronger signals. The upper frequency range has also been extended to 1660 MHz from 1625 MHz. The included suction cup is also much larger allowing for the patch to point at more angles without being restricted by the window. The patch is enclosed within a new weatherproof plastic enclosure. 

L-Band Patch with Accessories
L-Band Patch Mounting Examples

The screenshots below show the patch receiving various signals like AERO, STD-C and Iridium

Inmarsat Reception
Inmarsat Reception
Airspy Showing Patch Bandwidth
GPS "hump" visible

Usage Tips

  • The antenna should be used with one meter or more of coax cable. It may perform poorly if the RTL-SDR is placed right at the antenna due to interference. If you want to run very long cable, then low loss coax should be used. 
  • The patch can be used flat, or angled towards the satellite. Angling it towards the satellite will yield significantly higher gain.
  • If you have very strong cell phone interference in your area, try using the patch a bit lower to the ground, and use buildings to block the interfering signal.
  • If you want to mount this on a car roof, you can use a standard mag-mount camera adapter.
  • When using the suction cup, ensure you wipe down the cup and the window surface before sticking it on. Have a backup plan in case the suction fails.

What can you do with this antenna?

The R860 will replace the R820T2 – Same chip different name

We have recently received samples and tested the new R860 tuner chip from Rafael Micro. However, to be clear there is no change in terms of silicon or performance between the R820T2 and the R860. It is just a change in name signifying a minor change in the manufacturing chain which has allowed production of this chip to continue. In the future all R820T2 RTL-SDRs will transition to the R860 and we are just noting this now so that customers are not surprised if they see R860 markings on future dongles. We warn that some sellers of RTL-SDRs may attempt to market the R860 as an improvement, but we want to make clear that they are indeed identical to the R820T2.

Thank you to Rafael for continuing to support the SDR community, and thanks to all our customers!

The R860 tuner chip from Rafael

We note that Airspy will also be using the R860 in their products as per their latest tweet.

Testing Sharp Slicer: Multiple Spectrum Slices via SDR# with an Airspy SDR

Youssef the author of SDR# has recently released an update which adds a feature called "Sharp Slicer". This feature allows Airspy SDR users to open multiple instances of SDR#, each able to tune to a seperate signal within the currently tuned frequency range of the SDR. This is somewhat similar to the old multi-VFO plugin from rtl-sdr.ru, however the advantage of Slicer is that you can have seperate spectrum and waterfall graphs for each signal. This could be especially useful for monitoring multiple narrowband HF modes with an Airspy HF+ Discovery. 

To use Sharp Slicer you must have an Airspy SDR, be it an Airspy Mini/R2 or HF+/Discovery. Unfortunately it will not work with RTL-SDR or other SDRs. Once the SDR is running in SDR#, simply press the "+" button on the top left to open a new Slicer instance. It seems possible to open as many instances as you want, and probably the only limitation is your CPU. On our Intel i7-6700 we tested up to 8 instances running at the maximum bandwidth of an Airspy Mini, and the SDR# CPU utilization was only at 50%.

A nice touch is that you can also see the location of each VFO on the master SDR# instance, and the color can be changed on each Slicer instance.

Over on Twitter @ea3ibc has also been testing: