Exploring the Wireless World with the USRP B200

Ettus Research, creators of the high end USRP software defined radios have posted a well produced video on YouTube showing off various applications that an SDR can perform. In the video they go through and explain FM Radio, APRS, AIS, Multi-Channel Decoding, Pagers, ADS-B/Mode S, ACARS, RADAR Analysis and 802.11a decoding.

For these apps they use a USRP B200, which costs $675 USD. Most of the applications shown should also be compatible with other SDRs, such as the cheaper HackRF and BladeRFs. Even the cheap RTL-SDR will at least work for FM Radio, APRS, AIS, Pagers, ADS-B and ACARS. Of course, the USRP is still probably the most top of the line SDR available.

USRP B200: Exploring the Wireless World

Update: The video creator, Balint has also uploaded a video on his personal YouTube channel which is a longer presentation of the topics that were briefly discussed in the USRP video.

Hacking the Wireless World (short version) @ iSec Open Forum

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In Car ADS-B with a Raspberry Pi and RTL-SDR

Over on YouTube user adsbrus shows us his project which is an in car ADS-B aircraft tracker using a Raspberry Pi mini computer and an RTL-SDR. The system uses an LCD screen mounted where the car radio usually is to show aircraft identifier, altitude, and speed information in text.

ADS-B in CAR (Raspberry PI & USB TV RTL2832U+R820T)

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Exploring Unintended Radio Emissions with the RTL-SDR – Talk now available on YouTube

A few weeks back we posted about some slides from the Defcon conference by information security researcher Melissa Elliot which detailed how she used an RTL-SDR to explore the world of unintended radio emissions.

The talk to go with the slides is now available on YouTube

DEF CON 21 - Melissa Elliott - Noise Floor Exploring Unintentional Radio Emissions

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Tip to Reduce Radio Interference on the RTL-SDR

A few months back we posted about a tip to reduce RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) on the RTL-SDR. Now Akos from the SDR for mariners blog has tried this tip for himself and written about his experience with it, after getting inspired to by a post in the rtl-sdr.com/forum.

To reduce RFI, the tip recommends disconnecting the shield connection of the USB cable from the ground connection of the RTL-SDR dongle. This overcomes a design flaw in the RTL-SDR which allows the shield of the USB extension cable to act as an antenna, causing unwanted RFI.

What Akos did was to remove the metal part of the USB extension cables connector to prevent any ground connection. This already reduced an interfering signal by 10dB. He also found that wrapping the connection point in foil further reduced the noise. Connecting coax to the ground then coiling it up and putting the RTL-SDR in the center of the coil also appears to significantly reduce RFI.

Update: Akos has also tried using ferrite chokes on the USB cable, and also found they significantly reduce interference.

Check out the full post by Akos for more information here

RFI noise reduction in the RTL-SDR

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Improved SDR Support for Kali Linux

The blog at needsec.com brings us news that Kali Linux is soon to be updated to version 1.0.5 which will come with several software defined radio tools preinstalled. Kali is a Debian Linux based operating system that is popular with the security and penetration testing community as it comes with several relevant tools preinstalled. This new version adds several useful SDR software programs including

  • Kalibrate for RTLSDR
  • gr-air-modes
  • RTLSDR Scanner
  • pyrtlsdr
  • GNU Radio Signal Scanner
  • libosmocore 0.6.3
  • grextras
  • gr-baz
  • gr-osmosdr
  • gr-iqbal
  • rtl-sdr 0.5.0
  • HackRF for SDR
  • gr-fcdproplus for SDR
  • UHD Images

via needsec.com

Update: Official Release now out

kali-site-logo2

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LNA4All Low Noise Amplifier Review

Over on the SDR for Mariners blog, author Akos has reviewed the LNA4All low noise amplifier. The LNA4All is a 25 euro amplifier designed to improve the performance of the RTL-SDR.

His results show that the LNA works very well. Akos tested the LNA4ALL on multiple frequencies and applications including commercial radio, airband, NOAA weather satellites, AIS and ADSB. As an example of the improvement, his ADSB reception was improved from 83km to 94km. In his review Akos also shows how to provide power to the LNA, and puts the LNA through some simple stress tests.

LNA4ALL Airband Performance

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Potential Major Security Flaw on HP Laptop Discovered with RTL-SDR

Over on Reddit, user cronek discovered by using his RTL-SDR that the microphone on his HP EliteBook 8460p laptop computer was continuously and unintentionally transmitting the audio from the built in microphone at 24 MHz in FM modulation. He found that the only requirement needed for the microphone to transmit was that the laptop needed to be turned on – even muting the microphone did nothing to stop the transmission.

Click here to read the original post.

I accidentally stumbled upon a signal in the 24MHz range, appearing to be 4 carriers. I tuned to it and heard silence, then someone came into my office and started talking and I could hear them speak. The signal appeared to be coming from my other laptop (not the one running the SDR) and was pretty weak (my antenna, the crappy one that comes with the dongle, stuck to a metal stapler was right next to the HP laptop).

This is of potential concern as as the US Military is apparently transitioning to this particular laptop. However, this may be an isolated incident, as in the thread cronek explains that other laptops he tested did not display this behavior.

HP Laptop Microphone Leak at 24 MHz

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RTL-SDR.COM Forum

I’ve had a few email requests by different people over the past few months to start up a discussion forum.

The new forum can be found at rtl-sdr.com/forum, and can also be accessed from the Discussion Forum link in the top menu. Please register and post. If you have any suggestions for the forum such as categories you think should be added, you can reply in the welcome thread.

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