sdrdegen: The HackRF One with PortaPack H2+C is a software-defined radio (SDR) for working with wireless signals. The HackRF One covers 1 MHz to 6 GHz, with a sample rate of 20 million samples per second and 8-bit quadrature sampling (I and Q). It can transmit and receive, with a transmit power up to 15 dBm depending on the frequency. The PortaPack H2+C adds a 3.2-inch TFT display (240x320 resolution), a jog wheel, buttons, a microSD slot, a USB-C port, and a TCXO for frequency stability (±0.5 ppm). It also has 3.3V I/O pins, a reset button, a DFU mode for firmware updates, and an SMA antenna connector, all in a metal case.
I use it to revive old smart home devices that don’t work anymore because their servers shut down. For example, I can capture the signals from a defunct smart plug—say, on 915 MHz with OOK modulation—decode the “on” command, and then transmit that signal with the HackRF to control the plug again. A real example is from RTL-SDR.com, where someone used a HackRF One to control a 433 MHz smart outlet after its app stopped working due to a server shutdown. They sniffed the signals, decoded the commands, and sent them with the HackRF to toggle the outlet. Here’s the link: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/using-a-hackrf-to-reverse-engineer-and-control-433-mhz-devices/.
sdrdegen: A mischievous use could be to mess with someone’s old wireless doorbell operating on a common frequency like 433 MHz. You’d use the HackRF to capture the doorbell’s signal when it’s pressed—likely using a simple ASK (amplitude-shift keying) modulation. After decoding the signal pattern, you could repeatedly transmit it from a distance, making the doorbell ring randomly throughout the day to annoy or confuse the owner. This kind of prank can be pulled off without much effort since many older doorbells lack encryption. A real-world example of similar misuse is from a 2019 DEF CON talk, where researchers showed how to use SDRs like HackRF to interfere with 433 MHz devices, including doorbells, as part of a broader security demo (https://www.defcon.org/html/defcon-27/dc-27-index.html).
PluckyDuck: @sdrdegen: Yeah I don't think you ought to be giving anyone this info. This is the kind of behavior that causes the internet to be regulated.
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I use it to revive old smart home devices that don’t work anymore because their servers shut down. For example, I can capture the signals from a defunct smart plug—say, on 915 MHz with OOK modulation—decode the “on” command, and then transmit that signal with the HackRF to control the plug again. A real example is from RTL-SDR.com, where someone used a HackRF One to control a 433 MHz smart outlet after its app stopped working due to a server shutdown. They sniffed the signals, decoded the commands, and sent them with the HackRF to toggle the outlet. Here’s the link: https://www.rtl-sdr.com/using-a-hackrf-to-reverse-engineer-and-control-433-mhz-devices/.
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