HackRF is an open source hardware project to build a Software Defined Radio (SDR) peripheral. SDR is the application of
Digital Signal Processing to radio waveforms. It is similar to
the software-based digital audio techniques that became popular a couple
of decades ago. Just as a sound card in a computer digitizes audio
waveforms, a software radio peripheral digitizes radio waveforms. It's
like a very fast sound card with the speaker and microphone replaced by
an antenna. A single software radio platform can be used to implement
virtually any wireless technology (Bluetooth, ZigBee, cellular technologies, FM radio, etc.). Digital audio capabilities in general purpose computers enabled a
revolution in the sound and music industries with advances such as hard
disk recording and MP3 file sharing. Today's computers are fast enough
to process radio waveforms in similar ways, and the radio communications
industry is going through the same sorts of changes. One critical
advance is finally taking place now, and that is the availability of low cost
tools enabling anyone to take part in the revolution. Wide Operating Frequency RangeHackRF
operates from 30 MHz to 6 GHz, a wider range than any SDR peripheral
available today. This range includes the frequencies used by most
of the digital radio systems on Earth. It can operate at even
lower frequencies in the MF and HF bands when paired with the Ham It Up
RF upconverter. TransceiverHackRF can be used to transmit
or receive radio signals. It operates in half-duplex mode: it can
transmit or receive but can't do both at the same time. However,
full-duplex operation is possible if you use two HackRF devices. PortableYou
don't have to carry an external power supply with you when taking
HackRF on the road because it is powered by USB. It is small
enough to fit easily into a typical laptop bag. Your HackRF will
be slightly smaller than the beta unit pictured above and will protected
by a full enclosure. HackRF is designed primarily for use with a
USB-attached host computer, but it can also be used for stand-alone
applications with Jared's HackRF PortaPack, an add-on that gives HackRF
an LCD screen, directional buttons, and audio ports.
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