The Hobbyist S Guide To The Rtl Sdr

This book is about tips and tutorials that show you how to get the most out of your RTL-SDR dongle. Most projects described in this book are also compatible with other wideband SDRs such as the HackRF, Airspy and SDRPlay RSP.

Based on the popular Artech House classic, Digital Communication Systems Engineering with Software-Defined Radio, this book provides a practical approach to quickly learning the software-defined radio (SDR) concepts needed for work in the field. This up-to-date volume guides readers on how to quickly prototype wireless designs using SDR for real-world testing and experimentation. This book explores advanced wireless communication techniques such as OFDM, LTE, WLA, and hardware targeting. Readers will gain an understanding of the core concepts behind wireless hardware, such as the radio frequency front-end, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, as well as various processing technologies. Moreover, this volume includes chapters on timing estimation, matched filtering, frame synchronization message decoding, and source coding. The orthogonal frequency division multiplexing is explained and details about HDL code generation and deployment are provided. The book concludes with coverage of the WLAN toolbox with OFDM beacon reception and the LTE toolbox with downlink reception. Multiple case studies are provided throughout the book. Both MATLAB and Simulink source code are included to assist readers with their projects in the field.

Understand the RF and Digital Signal Processing Principles Driving Software-defined Radios! Software-defined radio (SDR) technology is a configurable, low cost, and power efficient solution for multimode and multistandard wireless designs. This book describes software-defined radio concepts and design principles from the perspective of RF and digital signal processing as performed within this system. After an introductory overview of essential SDR concepts, this book examines signal modulation techniques, RF and digital system analysis and requirements, Nyquist and oversampled data conversion techniques, and multirate digital signal processing.. KEY TOPICS •Modulation techniques Master analog and digital modulation schemes •RF system-design parameters Examine noise and link budget analysis and Non-linear signal analysis and design methodology •Essentials of baseband and bandpass sampling and gain control IF sampling architecture compared to traditional quadrature sampling, Nyquist zones, automatic gain control, and filtering •Nyquist sampling converter architectures Analysis and design of various Nyquist data converters •Oversampled data converter architectures Analysis and design of continuous-time and discrete-time Delta-Sigma converters •Multirate signal processing Gain knowledge of interpolation, decimation, and fractional data rate conversion *Offers readers a powerful set of analytical and design tools *Details real world designs *Comprehensive coverage makes this a must have in the RF/Wireless industry

Radio astronomy is far from being beyond the scope of amateurs astronomers, and this practical, self-contained guide for the newcomer to practical radio astronomey is an ideal introduction. This guide is a must for anyone who wants to join the growing ranks of 21st Century backyard radio astronomers. The first part of the book provides background material and explains (in a non-mathematical way) our present knowledge of the stronger radio sources – those observable by amateurs – including the Sun, Jupiter, Meteors, Galactic and extra-galactic sources. The second part of the book deals not only with observing, but – assuming no prior technical knowledge of electronics or radio theory – takes the reader step-by-step through the process of building and using a backyard radio telescope. There are complete, detailed plans and construction information for a number of amateur radio telescopes, the simplest of which can be put together and working – using only simple tools – in a weekend. For other instruments, there are full details of circuit-board layouts, components to use and (vitally important in radio astronomy) how to construct antennae for radio astronomy.

The availability of the RTL-SDR device for less than $20 brings software defined radio (SDR) to the home and work desktops of EE students, professional engineers and the maker community. The RTL-SDR can be used to acquire and sample RF (radio frequency) signals transmitted in the frequency range 25MHz to 1.75GHz, and the MATLAB and Simulink environment can be used to develop receivers using first principles DSP (digital signal processing) algorithms. Signals that the RTL-SDR hardware can receive include: FM radio, UHF band signals, ISM signals, GSM, 3G and LTE mobile radio, GPS and satellite signals, and any that the reader can (legally) transmit of course! In this book we introduce readers to SDR methods by viewing and analysing downconverted RF signals in the time and frequency domains, and then provide extensive DSP enabled SDR design exercises which the reader can learn from. The hands-on SDR design examples begin with simple AM and FM receivers, and move on to the more challenging aspects of PHY layer DSP, where receive filter chains, real-time channelisers, and advanced concepts such as carrier synchronisers, digital PLL designs and QPSK timing and phase synchronisers are implemented. In the book we will also show how the RTL-SDR can be used with SDR transmitters to develop complete communication systems, capable of transmitting payloads such as simple text strings, images and audio across the lab desktop.

Modern cars are more computerized than ever. Infotainment and navigation systems, Wi-Fi, automatic software updates, and other innovations aim to make driving more convenient. But vehicle technologies haven’t kept pace with today’s more hostile security environment, leaving millions vulnerable to attack. The Car Hacker’s Handbook will give you a deeper understanding of the computer systems and embedded software in modern vehicles. It begins by examining vulnerabilities and providing detailed explanations of communications over the CAN bus and between devices and systems. Then, once you have an understanding of a vehicle’s communication network, you’ll learn how to intercept data and perform specific hacks to track vehicles, unlock doors, glitch engines, flood communication, and more. With a focus on low-cost, open source hacking tools such as Metasploit, Wireshark, Kayak, can-utils, and ChipWhisperer, The Car Hacker’s Handbook will show you how to: –Build an accurate threat model for your vehicle –Reverse engineer the CAN bus to fake engine signals –Exploit vulnerabilities in diagnostic and data-logging systems –Hack the ECU and other firmware and embedded systems –Feed exploits through infotainment and vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems –Override factory settings with performance-tuning techniques –Build physical and virtual test benches to try out exploits safely If you’re curious about automotive security and have the urge to hack a two-ton computer, make The Car Hacker’s Handbook your first stop.

Do you want to be able to receive satellite images using nothing but your computer, an old TV antenna, and a $20 USB stick? Now you can. At last, the technology exists to turn your computer into a super radio receiver, capable of tuning in to FM, shortwave, amateur "ham," and even satellite frequencies, around the world and above it. Listen to police, fire, and aircraft signals, both in the clear and encoded. And with the book's advanced antenna design, there's no limit to the signals you can receive. Combine your desktop or laptop computer with easy-to-find, Software Defined Radio (SDR) equipment, and tune in a wide range of signals in no time at all. Then, go one step further by converting a Raspberry Pi into your own dedicated SDR device. SDR USB dongles are usually designed to receive and decode high-definition digital television broadcasts, but the rising popularity of SDR has led to several of these devices being specifically made for - and marketed to - the software radio crowd. With step-by-step instructions, you'll have no problem getting everything up and running on both Windows and Linux. The antenna is the final piece in the SDR puzzle: Which antenna do you use? What shape do you need? How big does it have to be? And where do you point it? Get all the answers you need and learn what's possible when it comes to picking out or building an antenna. And if you're not particularly handy, don't worry. You can use an old-school set of rabbit ear antennas without too much modification. Discover the fun of this growing hobby and then open your ears to the hidden signals that surround you. What You Need: You will need a relatively recent computer or laptop, running either Windows or Ubuntu Linux. You can also use a Raspberry Pi. All of the software necessary is free and open-source, and the book describes in detail where to get it and how to install it, depending on your operating system.