Looking for a pocket rf spectrum analyzer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 10:26:51 am
content: Hi,I searched and read a lot in the forum about spectrum analyzers and i am not sure which one would be best or if i need something else.This stuff is quite complex and i didnt have much to do with rf in general yet so its not easy for me to decide.I want to be able to check which wifi frequencies are occupied, which frequencies my microwave, cell phone or other devices are emitting.And i would like to check if devices like my remote controls for light and garage opener and other rf devices are working at all or how well the reception at specific places is.I do have a GQ EMF-390 which provides a simple spectrum view and i can achieve some of the mentioned functions with it.But the user interface is bad, the resolution is not the best and it just has an internal antenna which has not the best reception.So i was looking for a device to replace it.It should be a pocket size device which has external antennas, good readable display and good UI.From what i found the tinySA Ultra and RF Explorer 6G meet this conditions best.The tinySA has the better display and touch function but the rf explorer seems for me to have the better build quality and maybe better (more capable) electronics ?Can anyone confirm this or are they similar performance wise ?Is there an alternative device or are these already the best ones in this segment ?Next question, what if i would like to see and (kind of) decode the signals itself ?I am not talking about WiFi but for example looking at the signal of a lighting remote or garage opener which uses different address groups.What would i need to decode these kind of signals ?I guess it would need a device connected to a pc with a software which would do the decoding ?A portable device would probably be too expensive.Budget for a spectrum analyzer would be up to 1k$.Thanks for any inputRegards,Olaf

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 11:51:21 am
content: You are interested in pulsed and intermittent signals, therefore "probability of intercept" is something you need to consider."Conventional" spectrum analysers are, in effect, swept superhet radio receivers. They will only "intercept" a signal at a frequency if they are tuned to that frequency when during the transmission. If the signal has a wider bandwidth than their "video" and/or "resolution" bandwidths, they will only intercept a part of the signal."Real-time" spectrum analysers downconvert a portion of the RF spectrum, capture it with an ADC, and display the FFT of the captured data. The maximum bandwidth they can capture is determined by the ADC's sampling rate. Whether they continually capture signals or stop capturing during processing depends on the specific device. Potentially they are also capable of processing the captured signal in different ways, e.g. to decode a message."SDR" analysers have an architecture similar to real-time spectrum analysers, but presume a specific type of signal and concentrate on decoding the captured samples.If you are interested in whether or not a signal will be received correctly, then in general you will want an instrument that processes the RF spectrum in the same way as a dedicated receiver. A simple example of that is DSSS signals, where the RF power can be below the RF noise.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 01:29:06 pm
content: Okay, so decoding is on a different level...What would be an example for a real time spectrum analyzer ?No pocketable device i guessBut my main point is to check for signals at all so a conventional SA would be sufficient.I tend to try the tinySA Ultra unless someone is confident about that the rf explorer is the better one to go for even for the higher price ?

author: RAPo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 02:17:07 pm
content: I have botha RF Explore 6G combo plus(with the wide band license) and a Tiny SA ulra.The tiny SA gets more use, but if you are working in the field the RF explorer is a more sturdy option.For the decoding option, you could think about a flipper zero, they are in stock again.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 03:43:30 pm
content: @RAPoYou have both, cool.Can you tell me why the tinySA gets more use ? Is it faster, better UI or what is it ?Never heard of flipper zero, will have a look, thanks

author: RAPo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 05:58:33 pm
content: Quote from: kultakala on September 01, 2023, 03:43:30 pmTSA pro:-color screen-sd card save-signal generatorRFE pros:-delivered with antenna's-longer battery life-higher frequency bandwidth-very nice softwarespeed is not very different.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 01, 2023, 06:30:26 pm
content: Most ideal would likely be a real-time spectrum analyzer for these intermittent fast package signals and hence consumer wifi, stretches from 2.4Ghz to 7.25Ghz with 6E that is gonna be more pronounced in 2023 & years to come. but since you are in Germany its max-spanned to 6.5Ghz (80Mhz / WIFI 6E 0.5GHz span from 5925 to 6425Mhz in EU.Though a real-time handheld spectrum analyzer that can manage up around 7Ghz is expensive and sadly above 1K.Cheaper handheld spectrum explorers/analyzers..quite a few choices but not sure if they will satisfy your need if its fast sporadic signals your after..Purchased soem of these cheaper alteratives over the last 5 years - as a crude hands-on approach for a newcommer fiddling with RF signals, and hopefully learn a little along the way..My favorite RF product is the handheld HackRF portapack with internal battery and speakers... extremely diversed half-duplex SDR tool with tons of software.. some SDR software will operate at its 20Mhz span and some will sweep the whole 6.5Ghz with the limits that HackRF got for such a wide span..If you wanna do tangible measures and have a dedicated handheld spectrum analyzer.. I would recommend TinySA Ultra, as its a very capable SA entry tool with tons of SA features, and very impressive how many settings & SA features the creator Erik, have managed to put into this 120 to 150 product.. it can pick up wifi with its waterfall or with max hold and in the faster sweep settings.It's the one below, with a bigger 4" screen.If you just wanna fiddle around with everyday RF signals and work with them, record, manipulate, and broadcast at minute power.. I would look at SDR devices, like fx HackRF with portapack.. superb community behind that product, not least the people making MayhemOS..tons of info on githubhttps://github.com/eried/portapack-mayhemand discord.Over the last handful of years purchased these RF explorer devicesHackRF 3.2" H2+ Portapack 150 USPC spectrum unit (MAX2870 synth chip) 100 USPC Spectrum unit (ADF4351 - synth chip) 25US (board)TinySA CL 35 USTinySA Ultra 135 UDTinySA Ultra will in theory do up to a tad over 12Ghz, but obviously not linear all the way, and obtained with harmonic mixing at the higher gig span..Signal gen 10 to 790MHz & 6150 to 6510MhzSweep with a small (half-baked) relative cheap signal gen from China with touchy interface, costs around 45US (incl. EU 25%VAT), goes from 23.5MHz to 6.54GHz.. the second SMA socket is 25Mhz ref-out.https://tinyurl.com/yc6me9rfExample with an analog 5.8GHz AiO-FPV cam with one of these PC spectrum explorers/analyzers.. Its Quite an old unit based around MAX2870 synthesizer chip.. works from 22Mhz to up around 6.6GHz.. sweephttps://tinyurl.com/3m494359HackRF with Android tablet with 5.8GHz FPV camhttps://tinyurl.com/23w3s9ajOn the HackRF's with its portapack add-on 3.2" (Mayhem OS) stand as a self-contained unit, you rely on its waterfall display for visualizing carrier signals at a given frequency.. but you can record, replay signals and do pretty much anything under the sun. check YT for videos.An example of the waterfall with an old Spektrum DX6i radio at 2.4GHzhttps://tinyurl.com/4nduye9w.Digital signals LTE mobile with PCOne is with an SDR program (max 20MHz span) and the other (blue waterfall) is spectrum PC software where you could have the full 6.5Ghz span/sweep visualized at once, with a slower sweepspan... span at 14MHz 876Mhz to 890MHz with an LTE call.HackRF, looked at the digital RF handshake between DJI Air2 and DJI controller.Do find it interesting to be able to visualize it, and what it does when losing fx transmitter connection...120MHz sweepspan.https://tinyurl.com/4vbrtxxhAs I do not have any professional incentive or even the fundamental knowledge on these topics, my motive is solely fiddling around with a crude-budget-orientated hands-on approach & hopefully learning a little along the way, while trying to make sense of it all, - so both cost & also product-footprint plays a big role, as I (sadly) do not have the room for a full fledge lab here in our apartment in inner Copenhagen.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2023, 08:11:32 am
content: Quote from: RAPo on September 01, 2023, 05:58:33 pmThanks, i think i will go for the tinySA. Mostly because of the price and even if it has a quite cluttered menu system seems to be very capable.Quote from: DaneLaw on September 01, 2023, 06:30:26 pmThe HackRF looks interesting but i assume i would have to fiddle around a lot with the device and software to get that running ?Thanks a lot!Edit: Has the HackRF also a "normal" Spectrum Analyzer function like the tinySA ?And is it purchasable somewhere in europe, do you know that ?

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2023, 06:26:08 pm
content: Quote from: kultakala on September 02, 2023, 08:11:32 amThe HackRF if you just purchased as per'se from an ofc. EU reseller, would not be the same product as exampled above, & not a self-contained handheld unit, would likely be an org. HackRF-board fitted inside a black box intended for PC only at a significantly higher price.The unit above & the price listed is a Chinese clone of Ossman open-source HackRF project.HackRF above is fitted with a Portapack H2+ (second board with a 3.2" display.I purchased it in 2019 or 2020 from China -it came like this pictured below with a handfull of antennas, both magnetic & extendable, the price for that kit incl. HackRF was around 150US delivered (Denmark)"HackRF SDR" is more like a jack of all trades, and its down to the community making so many free programs alongside Mayhem OS, spent almost the same in donations to the software backland, as the original product cost' as they are the stars of this product...some of these free SDR & spectrum programs for Windows, Linux, Mac or Android are surprisingly polished, very impressive.If you just want a plug-&-play handheld device for looking at - and perhaps measuring RF signals, HackRF (with Portapack), aint ideal.The basic TinySA are not optimal for Wifi or LTE signals.. as its a sub 350MHz device in its linear range, you can look at signals above in its "high" output from 240MHz to 960Mhz but if you wanna do tangible power measurements in that range.. You need to calibrate with third-party equipment around the frequencyrange you wanna use it in.There are two TinySA products on the market from Erik Kaashoek.(1) TinySA and (2) TinySA Ultra.. the nominal prices seem to be around (1) 60 & (2) 150 US and perhaps a tad more from an EU reseller.Be a tad carefull with the small (1) TinySA as there are a lot of clones on the market on eBay or Chinese resellers, its a unit that got a sub-performance vs the original, but you can find sources here for resellers of the original on TinySA own page, also resellers in Europe.https://www.tinysa.org/wiki/If you're interested in signals higher than 350MHz' as your OP post indicated, then take a look at TinySA Ultra.. its the same infopage as listed above with all the details.TinySA Ultra 0-2.6GHz and 0 to 4GHz (sourceclick gives better clarity for values & settings)0 to 9.999Ghz and 0 to 12.072Ghz (max) spansweep-speed varies greatly depending on settings & RBW.. fx a sweep from 0 to 12GHz can vary from 356ms to hours, depending on your settings..The four spanpictures here are all with avg on.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2023, 06:50:55 pm
content: I will go and give it a try with the tinySA, Ultra of course.HackRF sounds very nice but i dont need transmit function and dont want to analyze too deeply into the signals.Just want to check if something is present and at which frequencies.Maybe i will buy a HackRF laterThanks so far!

author: G0HZU
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 02, 2023, 07:11:19 pm
content: The TinySA Ultra does look to be a neat device. I'm tempted to buy one despite already owning quite a few spectrum analysers. There's a youtube video in the link below where someone has used the TinySA Ultra to look at Wifi signals.Obviously, it's going to struggle a bit here, but it did OK once the max hold feature was enabled.I've got various spectrum analysers here including a few RTSA types. They are all big and heavy lab instruments so they aren't portable, let alone pocket sized. The RTSA analysers generally perform really well when looking at WiFi signals. One feature they offer is the ability to capture and store any signal of interest and export the data as a MAT file.This can be post processed and/or copied across to a vector signal generator to allow the signal to be re-created and studied in detail.I think the HackRF and that Flipper Zero device can do similar things and probably with a lot less fuss in terms of data management and they are much cheaper too.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2023, 03:31:42 pm
content: I watched some videos about the HackRF and the sweep mode.On a pc with Qspectrumanalyzer you can have it work as a full spectrum analyzer like tinySA.What i couldnt find out yet is if this function is also possible when using it portable with the portapack.Then i could use it to find frequencies like i want to do with the tinySA.I know that the HackRF can do more things including transmit and decoding etc.But my main use would be just to look at the spectrum and find frequencies in use.Can the HackRF with portapack do this ?Or just like in the video about the tinySA, just show the spectrum of the WIFI band ?

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2023, 04:12:17 pm
content: There have been many great replies so far, so there is little to add.I don't own the RF Explorer. What I know about this device is that it is more expensive than a TinySA Ultra and the screen resolution is pretty low.The TinySA Ultra is the best low-cost spectrum analyser you can buy today. It features most functions a professional spectrum analyser would cover, the GUI is similar (but not as easy to use a SA with dedicated buttons). And you can connect it to a PC and capture/process the swept samples yourself. The sweep rate is pretty good and the frequency range is amazing.The HackRF One is a totally different device. It is an SDR and as such can demodulate signals. It will capture the samples of a bandwidth up to 10MHz (beware of the USB2 limitation, though). These samples can then be demodulated or converted by FFT into a spectrum.BUT: The rendered spectrum is RELATIVE! It will be shown in dB instead of dBm. You won't be able to carry out comparative signal strength measurements. Also, to produce a sweep over 10MHz, samples need to be taken for each frequency segment and converted by FFT.The typical use would be:TinySA Ultra (don't go for the standard model) -> spectrum analyser, measurement of RF frequencies and amplitude, etc.HackRF One (with or without the Portapack) -> RF hacking, recording a frequency range of up tp 10MHz over time, replaying at the same or different frequency, demodulating signals, etc.Buttom line: these are two different devices with different applications in mind. I would never use a HackRF One as a spectrum analyser (SATSAGEN -https://www.albfer.com/en/2020/02/21/satsagen-2/- is probably the best spectrum analyser software for this device). Nor would I try to demodulate signals with the TinySA Ultra (you can actually listen to FM/AM transmitters).Then you have the whole world of "cheap" spectrum analysers:- Siglent SSA3021X-P (Plus model, can be converted into a SVA1032) - about 1500 Euro- Second hand spectrum analysers (boat ancors - mind you, prices are normally just crazy)- R&S CMU200 / CRTU - sometimes available at a great price, but again, used and perhaps expensive to maintain

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 03, 2023, 06:29:33 pm
content: I have an RF Explorer (early model with 3G combo add-on plus matching signal gen), a HackRF Blue (i.e. clone), as well as a Rigol DSA815TG, a Signahound SA44B/TG44A, and an Aaronia Spectran HF-6080 V4. Also have a couple of other signal gens (boat anchors and moRFeus), and both an xavna and a NanoVNA. Not to mention Aaronia antennas and a bunch of TekBox EMC gear. I've bought these at different times over the last 10 years or so. The DSA815 certainly gets the majority of use (for EMC precompliance work).And yet, I just ordered myself a TinySA Ultra - because they all have their good and bad points and I miss having a portable SA with nice UI that doesn't require a PC.Damn EEVblog forums!

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2023, 06:50:28 pm
content: Quote from: Bicurico on September 03, 2023, 04:12:17 pmGuess i will have to order a tinySA UltraQuote from: Kean on September 03, 2023, 06:29:33 pmI would sign that!

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2023, 07:59:13 pm
content: Quote from: kultakala on September 03, 2023, 03:31:42 pmAs Bicurico mentions they are quite different tools, and if you are into RF signals they both have their place.The user "Biurico", certainly been down with many of these products, not least these CN PC spectrum analyzers, as he is the maker of the PC spectrum program "VMA Simple Spectrum Analyzer" that got support for many of these PC spectrum analyzers, - I recall WMA is one of the only programs that also will give you a waterfall for these Chinese PC spectrum analyzers, mentioned above, with chips like ADF4350/51 and MAX2870 etc.HackRF with Portapack is one weird product, as it's so diverse'd, thanks to all the community software for it.Some of these programs, not least for Linux (*an OS I'm not into bed with) you can literally program HackRF to your heart's desire & what you want to do with RF signals, also for people that are up to no good.The coding aspect is above my skills & knowledge, I use it with the plug & play programs for Windows or Android or the Portapack units self-contained MayhemOS, and even here it can be a task to get your heading.I'm still on an old Mayhem OS from years back on My HackRF, so I don't know if later MayhemOS-revisions (*that OS that runs on the Portapack screen as a self-contained handheld unit) perhaps are able to give you a visual spectrum and not just a waterfall?I recall a mention of something called "looking-glass" on newer MayhemOS rev. but If I recall correctly it was still a "waterfall" just over a very wide span, and not an actual spectrum.?In certain menus you have a dial-in spectrumhttps://tinyurl.com/mr3eyr8e,but not in the main spectrum setting and not as the one your pursuing as a dedicated spectrum explorer/analyzer..You can plug it into a PC and run it, like here below, seems there are a few programs that gives you a user-definne wide-span, and not the SDR-20Mhz which are the limit in most SDR programs, like fx Console.- cycling through FPV 5.8Ghz channels for quad/multi rotors. exampled 300MHz span from 5.6GHz to 5.9GHz to give an indication of swethe 300MHz span sweepspeed, but things are as far from optimized, with a polarized circular 5.8Ghz FPV antenna and a telescoppic HackRF antenna..HackRF with Ludicris 6.5Ghz sweep [24MHz to 6.5Ghz] and even with a corny telescopic antenna like this, the carriers will visualize, but all aspects of measuring RF-power, are more or less out with the bathwater, its visualize carriers and conclude the frequencyIf you are in the market for a relatively cheap handheld Spectrum analyzer, that are valid for tangible RF-power measurements, quite far up its freq-span.. TinySA Ultra is the one to get in 2023, its an impressive little tool that has surprisingly many nominal SA-features & settings, and the Dutch vendor behind it "Erik Kaashoek". its his channel above posted in a previous post with the WIFI TinySA Ultra example... Erik is constantly optimizing and adding features. (big plus in my book)..it also got a solid TinySA/Ultra PC app, and there is also talks about an Android apk.My HackRF with Portapack is more like an RF-playroom, it is minute broadcast power without third-party amplifiers, I got around a max of 25mW at 2.4Ghz (but again, I am using the bottom of the barrel from the Chinese flea market of an old USB3 RF power meter, and one thing I do know, is that accurate RF power meters going from 0 to like 10 or 11GHz and you just dial it it in a will ..usually don't hang on the threes for 30 to 40 bucks, so take these values with a pinch of salt, (fx amount of harmonics incl. etc)but its still a joy, to take your handheld HackRF and just hit record on its screen, & record a given RF signal from fx a crude RF remote, and then replay it and see the effect with RF controlled items in your household...it goes without saying that there are strict regulations when broadcasting RF, and not least for variable RF SDR tools thay give you leeway from 0 to up around 7Ghz, these HackRF Portapack on their standalone MayhemOS, also got both receive and broadcast for both sea (AIS) & air (ADS-B), alongside other things like air-ballon, pagers, Bluetooth, wireless mics, analog TV, POGSAG, NRF, BTLE, ERT Meter, AFSK, APRS, BHT Xy/EP, GPS Sim, LGE Tool, Morse, Burgerpgr, OOK, SSTV, TEDI/LCR, RDS, Touchtime etc etcgot tons of program inbuild for many of these things, where a lot I dont know what is and how it works..Alongside an extensive jammer with all the repository of different regions relevant frequencies.. also got menus with other things with cars, certain carbrands, TPMS, keyfobs.. so you are gonna pick up boats & planes in your neighborhood, and they will plug out on its Portapack screen, with their data,fligthumber, speed, altitude etc and a map)If anybody is interested in some of these features and want a screendum of the relevant menu for some of these features.. just say so.It also got an active DC load on its SMA-in/out, where you can toggle at will (haven't used it, I reckon it is 5v)You also have an extensive call menu and scanner menu, freq manager, like I use below with the RF power meter and you can save things, screendumps, audio recordings, RF signals etc.. to your device SD-card...It's a potent little RF gadget with 3.2" touchscreen..I am on the old "Mayhem OS v1.2" from years back.. if other HackRF Mayhem users' are on a newer MayhemOS and there are significant changes.. would love to know.?

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2023, 08:34:14 pm
content: Quote from: Kean on September 03, 2023, 06:29:33 pmYour TEA wings are well earned.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2023, 01:25:39 pm
content: I ordered a tinySA Ultra, it arrived today and i am quite happy, works fine.I have no idea about antennas, but switched from the small supplied telescopic antenna to a Diamond SRH789 antenna which seems to give 10dB more.If i want to locate a transmitting device would a directional antenna really work on the tinySA ?I thought about a small triangular log-per antenna.Can that work or is it wasted money ?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2023, 12:20:26 am
content: Quote from: kultakala on September 07, 2023, 01:25:39 pmWithout an RF preamp you might be pissing in the wind.......Best you might achieve is with a directional high gain Yagi but even these need be suitable for the frequency of interest.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2023, 07:17:35 pm
content: Quote from: kultakala on September 07, 2023, 01:25:39 pmAny specific log antenna you have in mind and what frequency are you aiming at?Most of these Ultra wideband cheap log antenna from China, seems to all kick in above 1Ghz and claim to go up around 10Ghz..I don't know if they are any good, as I lack something to compare against.One of the very cheap kind, the SWR looks like this below' when running it on these relatively cheap 130Mhz to 2.7Ghz plug & play-antenna analyzers.Its an antenna to around 5 bucks incl. VAT. so one also need to have the price in mind.and another variant that is a few dollars cheaper but also smaller.You do have a LNA feature on TinySA Ultra for those weaker signals.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2023, 07:49:57 pm
content: Quote from: DaneLaw on September 08, 2023, 07:17:35 pmDont know exactly, i just want to play around a little bit.Maybe locating a weather station transmitter or something like that.Or wifi signals...So mainly 433 MHz and 2,4 Ghz.The only logper antenna which goes down to 400 MHz i found is quite large, understandablyGuess i will stick to my telescopic antenna.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 08:16:30 am
content: Quote from: DaneLaw on September 01, 2023, 06:30:26 pmI ordered a HackRF too... it will take a while until its here.Meanwhile i watched a lot of videos and in one of the videos someone showed how to receive and decode the signals from a weather station sensor on 433 MHz.It was on a HackRF with Portapack and it was done via the device itself.Unfortunately i cant find the video again, so i looked at the firmware features and it looks for me that it is not possible to receive and decode those weather station signals without using a computer and specific software.Does anyone know if it is possible to do this with a standalone HackRF + Portapack ?And if, how ?

author: dibro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 08:50:00 am
content: Is this the one you are looking for?

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 01:55:17 pm
content: Quote from: dibro on September 13, 2023, 08:50:00 amNo, as a PC is used in the video.I saw someone using only the HackRF plus Portapack to read and also send those Weather Sensor packets.

author: RAPo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 02:03:38 pm
content: Something like this:https://hackaday.com/2021/12/17/sdr-toolkit-bends-weather-station-to-hackers-whims/?

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 02:14:04 pm
content: Not the video i look for... HackRF instead of Pluto

author: RAPo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 02:36:22 pm
content: but the principle is the same ...How about:? or one of thesehttps://www.rtl-sdr.com/tag/433-mhz/?

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 02:48:21 pm
content: Thanks for the suggestions but its not what i watched.Dont know why i didnt bookmark or saved it.Probably because i had no intention to buy a HackRF then.And now i cant find it.I am not absolutely sure that it was a HackRF, only to 90%.But i cant find any device doing what i saw in the video.A guy captured a signal from a temperature sensor on a device with a touchscreen similar to the HackRF with Portapack.The device showed the ID and values of the sensor.He could edit the fields, change the temp value and send it back out so that the weather station showed a wrong temperature until the sensor send again the correct one.I am absolutely sure that i didnt dream it

author: RAPo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 02:55:15 pm
content: if you find the video, please post it here, I'm interested.

author: kultakala
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 02:57:38 pm
content: I will do my very best!

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 13, 2023, 07:37:58 pm
content: The only "weather" feature im familiar that are baked into Mayhem from scratch (as a stand-alone unit) is the radiosonde.That is a feature where you can monitor/decode these weather systems/ballons and get their data and find them when they drop down etc.. and follow them on a map on the HackRF with Portapackexample at 4:32 in this video.

author: pinchies
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2023, 12:21:25 pm
content: Dear @Kean and others,Firstly, merry christmas all!As someone who has the trinity of hackRF, TinySA ultra, and rf explorer -- I'm interested in looking at noise in the 2.4ghz wifi bands. Would you say the sample rate and resolution of the TinySA ultra is sufficient for this? Or is the RF explorer a better tool for this? Would appreciate any insights you can give on these! I did see the youtube video of the TinySA ultra being used to show the 2.4-2.5 spectrum space, and it looked like it was maybe rather slow to update? Are the HackRF or RF Explorer better in this regard perhaps?

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 26, 2023, 01:11:30 am
content: Quote from: pinchies on December 25, 2023, 12:21:25 pmFirst, what do you mean by "noise"? I presume you actually mean channel usage?So far with the TinySA Ultra I have only done some LF filter measurements, and some EMC probing around 200MHz. I've not tried it on the WiFi band, nor have I tried it with any PC software.None of these are great for looking at intermittent transmissions, and you really want an RTSA for that. Of course an RTSA is way more expensive, so you have to make use of a few workarounds. And none of these have particularly fast sweep speeds, so you need to limit the span and adjust the RBW for faster sweeps. As shown in the video linked by G0HZU above, you can certainly get an idea of channel usage if you enable max hold and leave the device capturing for a couple of minutes.The waterfall display is also useful for seeing channel usage over time and the TinySA can even do that on the built-in LCD, whereas most other devices would require a PC. The TinySA display makes it much nicer to use than the RF Explorer, but the RF Explorer PC software is pretty good if you don't need the portability. It has been ages since I used my HackRF, but I recall there was software for it that also had a good waterfall display. The main benefit of the HackRF is the decoding and related software features.For WiFi in particular, you can use some WiFi access points (e.g. Ubiquiti) to do a scan to show channel usage.

author: pinchies
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2023, 04:10:53 am
content: Thank for the advice. I’m thinking based on what you’re saying, TinySA might be the best place to start, even with those limitations.I’m having some strange wifi connection issue, and I am suspecting more than just congestion on wifi channels. I also have other devices (e.g Eufy Home stuff) that create their own hidden wifi networks. I’m wanting to establish that there are no other 2.4ghz noise sources, so I am looking for something more powerful than just wifi scanning on my router’s “advanced tomato” firmware.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 27, 2023, 02:02:12 pm
content: If I was buying just one device and with a limited budget, it would currently be the TinySA Ultra.