How to Hack a Radio to Pick Up Different Frequencies - Including Law Enforcement & More « Null Byte :: WonderHowTo

Hardware hacks are something I feel we don't get enough of atNull Byte, so today I figured I would introduce a fun one. I've always been a curious hardware hacker. Taking things apart and learning how their internals work has always been a part of my nature. Quite some years ago, my father showed me a really cool trick on how to hack normal radios to scan frequencies that are normally non-listenable. This little hack allowed us to scan frequencies belonging to law enforcement, and even frequencies that the town fair had used to make announcements over a loudspeaker.To have fun with this cool hack, we're going to need a few things.Note:I'm not sure if this works on all radios. I haven't tried it on anything other than 3 cheap radios from Wal-Mart. I would imagine that all radios work the same, so in theory, this should be possible with any radio.RequirementsA cheap, disposable radioA Philips-head screwdriverStep1Pop Open the RadioFirst, let's take apart the radio so that we can get to its internals. You need to remove all of the screws necessary to get the case completely separated. Depending on the radio model, this may mean that you need to removeallof the screws.Step2Hack the TunerRadios change which station they're listening to by adjusting a small, copper-looking wire coiled around a cylinder. When adjusted, the gaps between the coils in the copper wire become tighter or more separated depending on how the tuner knob is adjusted.In order to hack your radio, here's what you need to do:Turn the tuning knob on the outside of the radio.Observe the mechanism connected to the tuning knob on the inside of the radio, while continuing to turn the knob. This will lead to your wire and cylinder that controls what frequency the radio is scanning.Turn the radio on. If it doesn't turn on, make sure everything is connected properly.Turn the volume up.Pull and separate the wire that is on the cylinder. You should hear the static shift and warp, this means you are changing stations. Adjust the coil until you start hearing human-related sounds from the speakers.Congratulations! You are listening to a broadcast that isn't supposed to be a broadcast.Follow and Chat with Null Byte!TwitterGoogle+IRC chatWant to start making money as a white hat hacker?Jump-start your hacking career with our2020 Premium Ethical Hacking Certification Training Bundlefrom the newNull Byte Shopand get over 60 hours of training from cybersecurity professionals.Buy Now (90% off) >Other worthwhile deals to check out:97% off The Ultimate 2021 White Hat Hacker Certification Bundle99% off The 2021 All-in-One Data Scientist Mega Bundle98% off The 2021 Premium Learn To Code Certification Bundle62% off MindMaster Mind Mapping Software: Perpetual LicenseRelatedHow To:Keep the Government Out of Your SmartphoneHow To:Rural surveillanceNews:Here's How Apple's Stopping Police from Breaking into iPhonesHow To:Block Annoying GDPR Cookie Pop-Ups While Browsing the Web on AndroidNews:The OnePlus 7 Pro's GPS Is So Much Better Than Other Phones Thanks to This Unique FeatureHow to Hack Radio Frequencies:Building a Radio Listening Station to Decode Digital Audio & Police DispatchesHow To:Keep Law Enforcement Out of Your iPhone (& Your Privacy Intact)How To:Disable the 'Unlock iPhone to Use Accessories' Notification in iOS 11.4.1 & HigherHack Like a Pro:Digital Forensics for the Aspiring Hacker, Part 1 (Tools & Techniques)How to Hack Radio Frequencies:Hijacking FM Radio with a Raspberry Pi & WireHow To:Everything You Need to Know About 5G — Answers to the Most Common QuestionsHow To:Keep Law Enforcement Out of Your Android DeviceHow To:Here's What That 5G+ Icon in Your Status Bar Really MeansNews:Vuzix Blade Teams with Facial Recognition Company to Provide Law Enforcement SolutionHow To:Quickly Turn Off Face ID on Your iPhoneHow To:Listen to FM Radio on a Google Android SmartphoneHow To:Connect a wireless camera receiver to a Cambox DVRHow To:Quickly Disable Fingerprints & Smart Lock in Android Pie for Extra SecurityHow To:Why the LG V30 Is the Only Phone You Should Buy if You Have T-MobileHack Like a Pro:Digital Forensics Using Kali, Part 1 (The Tools of a Forensic Investigator)How To:Eavesdrop from a Distance with This DIY Parabolic "Spy" MicrophoneHow To:Increase the range of a USB Bluetooth adapter with a high performance antennaNews:Galaxy S9 & S9+ Will Support T-Mobile's New 600 MHz LTE Band — Rural Users RejoiceHow To:Hack a transistor radio to hear Air Traffic ControlNews:All the Phones That Work on T-Mobile's 600 MHz Band 71 NetworkNews:Nvidia VP Makes Case for Driverless-Friendly Laws at Senate HearingHow To:Apply a Joint Lock Like a MasterNews:Block Cell Phone Signals on the Carrier of Your Choice by Hacking a Radio Frequency JammerKnow Your Rights:How to Escape Unlawful Stops and Police Searches with Social EngineeringNews:Sound TerminologyNews:News Update 2/27/2012How To:This Is A Test About How Audio Frequency WorksNews:The Cosmic ConnectionFormer FBI Agent:Surveillance State Trashing Constitutional ProtectionsNews:WATCH THIS INSTEAD - Grown UpsNews:Space Painting with a Tesla Coil and One Million Volts of ElectricityNews:Grown UpsHow To:Pick Basic Tumbler LocksHow To:Tune in to Your Favorite Radio Station by Just Asking SiriNews:Supreme Court Rules on Police Cell Phone Searches