HackRF

Open source software defined radio - transmit and receive from 1 MHz to 6 GHz.

Overview

The HackRF One is an open source hardware platform that can be used as a USB peripheral or programmed for stand-alone operation. It’s the Swiss Army knife of RF - affordable enough to learn on, powerful enough for real work.

Why HackRF

- Half-duplex transceiver (can TX and RX, but not simultaneously) - Massive frequency range: 1 MHz - 6 GHz - Sample rate up to 20 Msps - 8-bit samples - Open source everything - Active community

Field Notes

Forestpunk Applications

- Remote sensor triggering - Off-grid communication experiments - RF environment mapping - Wildlife tracking signal analysis

Current Projects

- Integrating with portable lab setup - Building weatherproof field deployment kit - Antenna experiments for forest penetration

Quick Start

Install GNU Radio or SDR#

Update firmware

Start with FM radio reception

Move to more complex protocols

Lessons Learned

Good antennas matter more than anything else. The stock antenna is functional but proper antennas for your target frequencies transform the experience.

Next Experiments

- LoRa packet injection tests - Forest canopy RF propagation study - Solar-powered remote spectrum monitoring