Tagged: spectrum analyzer

New Khanfar Software: Spot Scanner, Phased Based DF, IQ Playback

Recently, software developer M. Khanfar has been releasing a lot of new SDR and RTL-SDR compatible software including a Spectrum Analyzer and FM demodulator, directional antenna based radio direction finder, and a gr-phosphor based spectrum visualizer.

His pace of development continues, and recently he's developed three new programs.

The first is Khanfar Spot Scanner, a tool for detecting active signals. 

Khanfar Spot Scanner is a powerful and feature-rich spectrum analyzer designed for radio frequency enthusiasts, wireless security researchers, and professional RF engineers. Supporting multiple SDR hardware devices including RTL-SDR, Airspy, and HackRF, this software provides comprehensive spectrum visualization, automated signal detection, and in-depth analysis reporting.

Khanfar Spot Scanner

The second software is called "Khanfar Phase-Based Direction Finding" a tool for phase based radio direction finding.

Khanfar Phase-Based DF is advanced direction finding software that uses phase difference analysis to determine the bearing of radio signal sources. Unlike traditional direction finding systems that rely on directional antennas and signal strength comparison, this software utilizes an array of omnidirectional antennas and sophisticated signal processing algorithms to analyze the phase relationships between received signals.

We want to add to this a note that we're not entirely sure how this software can possibly work as phase based direction finding with RTL-SDRs requires synchronized clocks, and sample and phase alignment to be performed via a correlation with a noise source first which this software does not enable. Without those steps taken results will be totally random. We gave this software a brief test with a KrakenSDR, but as expected, did not see the results we expected. We're keen to hear feedback from other users.

Khanfar Phase-Based Direction Finding Software

The third program is called "Khanfar IQ Live-Rec-Playback" a tool for recording and playing back IQ files, with IQEngine integration.

Khanfar RTL-SDR IQ Live+Rec+Playback is a powerful, feature-rich spectrum analyzer application designed for RTL-SDR devices. This professional-grade software provides real-time RF spectrum visualization with GPU-accelerated rendering, comprehensive IQ data recording capabilities in multiple industry-standard formats, and advanced playback features for signal analysis. With IQEngine and IQ Analyzer integration, you can seamlessly export your recorded signals for comprehensive online analysis, visualization, and collaboration.

Khanfar IQ Live-Rec-Playback

ADALM PlutoSDR Spectrum Analyzer: Sweep from 100 MHz to 6 GHz

Thank you to RTL-SDR.COM reader Maka for sharing his latest software for the ADALM PlutoSDR, "ADALM PlutoSDR Spectrum Analyzer." The software is a sweeping spectrum analyzer that uses the 'lock-in amplifier techniques' and it allows you to view the entire 100 MHz to 6 GHz tuning range of the PlutoSDR.

The program is an open-source MIT-licensed Python script that can be run on Linux systems. Instructions to install and connect to the PlutoSDR are available on the program's GitHub page. Maka has also provided a YouTube video (embedded below) demonstrating the software and explaining the lock-in amplifier technique used in his software, as well as two other videos, one explaining the code, and another showing how to measure a filter with it.

Maka writes:

I built an open-source real-time spectrum analyzer using the ADALM Pluto SDR and Python. It allows you to sweep across wide frequency ranges (100 MHz to 6 GHz) and visualize RF signals like Wi-Fi, LTE, GSM, and Bluetooth in real-time.

It includes a custom PyQt GUI with:

  • Adjustable sweep parameters
  • Peak hold
  • Threshold alerts
  • Draggable markers
  • Highlighted known bands
  • Data export to CSV
See Invisible Electromagnetic Waves Around You with ADALM Pluto SDR Spectrum Analyzer + Code

Khanfar Spectra-All: Combine Multiple SDRs into a Wideband Spectrum Analyzer Display

Over the past few weeks we've posted about the release of multiple Windows software programs from M. Khanfar an SDR hobbyist who has begun developing new software for the RTL-SDR and other SDR devices. He's released a Spectrum Analyzer and FM demodulator, directional antenna based radio direction finder, and a gr-phosphor based spectrum visualizer.

Recently, M. Khanfar has released a new Windows program called "Khanfar Spectra-All" which is a gr-phosphor based spectrum analyzer that can combine the bandwidths from multiple SDR devices, including RTL-SDR, Airspy and, HackRF SDRs into a wideband display.

Khanfar writes:

Control all connected SDR devices through a single unified interface. No manual alignment needed - devices automatically position frequency ranges to maintain continuity.

Seamless Spectrum Coverage: Create ultra-wideband monitoring setups that exceed capabilities of any single SDR. Ultra-fast frequency scanning with dwell times as low as 8ms for rapid spectrum sweeps.

Uninterrupted visualization across device boundaries. See all connected SDRs in a single, coherent display. Software automatically detects, initializes, and synchronizes all available SDR hardware on startup. All connected SDR devices function as a single block during scanning operations.

Customize dwell time, frequency steps, and range to optimize for specific monitoring needs. Handles the complexity of coordinating multiple SDRs, presenting a unified interface.

Frequency Locking Across Multiple SDR Instances: Creates a continuous spectrum view by intelligently aligning frequency ranges of all connected devices.

One-Control Operation: Control all connected SDR devices through a single interface with synchronized parameter adjustments.

Turbo Scanning with 8ms Dwell Time: Ultra-fast frequency scanning capabilities for rapid signal discovery.

GPU-Accelerated Visualization: Uses Fosphor, a high-performance GPU-based spectrogram engine, for smooth real-time rendering.

The latest version 1.2 of Khanfar Spectra-All also adds a mobile web interface that can be used to control the settings of the SDRs remotely.

As mentioned in previous posts, antivirus software can flag M. Khanfar's software as suspicious. We suspect these are false positive results due to the PyInstaller system used to create the exe, but please take your own precautions just in case.

Khanfar Spectra-All

Khanfar Spectrum Analyzer: Signal Analysis Tools for the RTL-SDR

Thank you to M. Khanfar for submitting news about the release of his new spectrum analyzer, sweeper, and FM Radio demodulator tools for the RTL-SDR. The tools are freely released, however, they do not seem to be open source.

THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE VIRUS WARNING: We just want to note that Khanfar's software shows a few positive results for viruses on VirusTotal. These are most likely false positives, but please use this software at your own risk, especially as it is not open source.

The first tool M. Khanfar is releasing is the Khanfar Full Spectrum RTL-SDR Sweeper tool, a wideband spectrum analyzer for the RTL-SDR. It allows the RTL-SDR to produce a spectrum sweep over a large bandwidth by rapidly re-tuning the frequency and plotting each 2.4 MHz live sweep sequentially. This is the same concept used by previous tools like rtl_power and Spektrum.

Khanfar RTL-SDR Sweeper
Khanfar RTL-SDR Sweeper

The second tool released is the Khanfar Advanced Spectrum Analyzer. This tool allows you to view the live spectrum from an RTL-SDR in various visualization modes.

Khanfar Spectrum Analyzer
Khanfar Spectrum Analyzer

The third tool is Khanfar-FM-Radio, a text-based wideband and narrowband FM demodulator for the RTL-SDR.

Khanfar WFM-NFM Demodulator
Khanfar WFM-NFM Demodulator

M. Khanfar notes that all tools can open multiple instances of themselves, allowing them to be used use multiple RTL-SDR dongles on the same machine.

In the video embedded below, M. Khanfar shows his three software applications in action.

Khanfar Spectrum Analyzer

Tech Minds: Testing the Jstvro Handheld Spectrum Analyzer

In one of his latest videos Matt from the Tech Minds YouTube channel tests out the "Jstvro" handheld spectrum analyzer which can be found on sites like Banggood and Aliexpress (the device is cheaper on Aliexpress) for about US$127.50 for the single antenna model, and US$165 for the dual antenna model including shipping. The device appears to be a clone of the RF Explorer, which is a spectrum analyzer that has been on the market for several years.

A spectrum analyzer can be used to visualize the RF spectrum and find frequencies that are active. It cannot demodulate signals like an SDR.

The Jstvro spectrum analyzer covers 240-960 MHz on the first port and 15 - 2700 MHz on the second port, with a total visible bandwidth of anywhere between 112 kHz to 600 MHz. It comes with a single color illuminated LCD screen.

In the video Matt gives an overview of the spectrum analyzer and shows it operating. He notes that the USB-C connection to the PC does not appear to be working and Matt was unable to find the PC software or firmware updates mentioned in the manual. In the rest of the video Matt demonstrates the 2.4G WiFi analyzer feature, the spectrum analyzer feature and goes over the settings.

Visualize the RF Spectrum With This Handheld Spectrum Analyzer

tinySA Ultra Reviews: A 0.1 MHz – 6 GHz Spectrum Analyzer for $120

A few weeks ago the tinySA Ultra was released. This is a spectrum analyzer capable of operating between 0.1 - 800 MHz, or 0.1 MHz - 6 GHz with the 'Ultra' mode enabled. A spectrum analyzer is a tool that allows users to visualize signals on the radio spectrum.

Previously the standard tinySA was released back in 2020. The Ultra version brings enhancements to the frequency range, signal generator range, bandpass filter range as well as an optional 20dB LNA, and a larger 4 inch color display. 

The TinySA Ultra costs US$119 + shipping direct from the Aliexpress store in China, or $129.95 from R&L in the USA (currently out of stock). The full list of resellers can be found at https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.Buying.

We wanted to thank RTL-SDR.com reader Ben for providing us with links to a bunch of reviews of the tinySA Ultra which we are posting below.

The tinySA Ultra
The tinySA Ultra

SignalsEverywhere: Spectrum Analyzer and Tracking Generator with Pluto SDR

In the latest video on the Signals Everywhere YouTube channel, Sarah investigates how a PlutoSDR can be used as a Spectrum Analyzer with the SATSAGEN software. The SATSAGEN software is able to work as a spectrum analyzer by rapidly sweeping over multiple frequencies and stitching the spectrum slices together. It support SDRs like the HackRF, PlutoSDR and RTL-SDR (in receive mode only). The PlutoSDR can transmit, so it is able to work as a full spectrum analyzer with tracking generator, allowing users to measure RF devices such as filters, tune antennas, and work as a frequency generator.

In the video Sarah demonstrates how to use the PlutoSDR and SATSAGEN to measure our RTL-SDR Blog Broadcast FM filter, and to tune our multipurpose dipole antenna.

Spectrum Analyzer and Tracking Generator with Pluto SDR

SignalsEverywhere: Setting up the Retrogram Terminal Spectrum Analyzer for the PlutoSDR

This week on the SignalsEverywhere YouTube channel Sarah shows how to install the "Retrogram" software. This is a command line 'retro' styled spectrum analyzer designed to be used with the PlutoSDR. The software makes use of ASCII art to display the spectrum, meaning that a spectrum can be viewed directly in an SSH terminal, without any GUI. 

In the video Sarah goes through the steps to install the software before demonstrating it in action.

Retrogram - A Command Line Spectrum Analyzer For The PlutoSDR