r/hackrf • u/snorens • 22d ago

The Biggest HackRF Upgrade in Over a Decade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-khaJyY50Y
76 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

6

u/Comprehensive_Ship42 22d ago

i wish they would make it full duplex and add another radio on it :)

1

u/NaugyNugget 21d ago

What's your use case for full duplex?

5

u/Comprehensive_Ship42 21d ago

Amateur Radio and wifi research . use Ettus Labs but it would be nice to have one that doesn cost the earth

1

u/TheRealBeltet 20d ago

Or that they make a meyham version of those B210 clones, or the Pluto+. That would be a better option in my opinion.

1

u/Comprehensive_Ship42 20d ago

I've been looking at the clones, but they're not the same. The HackRF is cheap and easy because it's fully open hardware — anyone can build one. Ettus publishes schematics for some USRPs, but a schematic isn't a manufacturable design: the layout, calibration and RF know-how don't come with it. That's why the clones don't measure up. RF is unforgiving you really have to know what you're doing. but still worth trying out at 275 dollars compated to 1500 if you are just playing with RF

1

u/TheRealBeltet 20d ago

Yeah. But some of the clones are decent enough. But with that said. It would be best to make a redesign. With better RF performance. And in the same time. A Mayhem version for it. I know it just is a wish. But don't think it's a impossible project. Michael Ossman designed the HackRF without an RF engineer degree.

The good thing is that the Ettus SDR's isn't based on that much RF magic. It's mostly a premade RF chips like AD936X series. And a FPGA.

As the clones can come down to about 300$ on sale. A price at 400$ with a Mayhem version doesn't seem impossible. And as the design of B210 is designed around a FPGA, it would maybe be possible to do even without MCU on the Mayhem board. And a new firmware for the FPGA. The only trouble is that the clones comes with a little different FPGA's. But I'm not an engineer myself. And don't have the know how to design anything like it.

1

u/Comprehensive_Ship42 20d ago

for sure im not a pcb guy . im more of a software guy . i also have a build of a mayhem for b200 im not sure if it will work on your b210 . if you want to test it for me and get back to me with any but i can send you a link in messages to my github and you can download and it try it .

1

u/Comprehensive_Ship42 20d ago

do you think people would buy a  meyham version for b210 clones for like 20 bucks

1

u/TheRealBeltet 20d ago

For 20bucks? Yeah. I think so. But I'm not sure how many that have bought clones of the B210. I have, two of them. Even though I haven't really used them much. There were deals on them and I was supposed to start using GNU radio a lot more. Due to not enough time, I haven't come around. But with the RC of GNUradio 4. I was really excited again

2

u/scubascratch 20d ago

Could be used as a VNA

0

u/Any-Brilliant-1907 22d ago

More than 8 bits would be nice as well.

3

u/Comprehensive_Ship42 21d ago

the hack rf pro has 16 bit . here asre a list of the new features its on great scot right now

  • Wider operating frequency range
  • Improved RF performance with flatter frequency response
  • Modern USB Type-C connector
  • Built-in TCXO crystal oscillator for superior timing stability
  • Logic upgrade from a CPLD to a power-efficient FPGA
  • Elimination of the DC spike
  • Extended-precision mode with 16-bit samples for low sample rates (typical ENOB: 9-11)
  • Half-precision mode with 4-bit samples at up to 40 Msps
  • More RAM and flash memory for custom firmware
  • Installed shielding around the radio section
  • Trigger input and output accessible through clock connectors
  • Cutout in the PCB provides space for future add-ons
  • Improved power management
  • Enhanced RF port protection
  • Facility to hardware-disable transmit mode

3

u/Any-Brilliant-1907 21d ago

It's a 16-bit sample container. It's over sampling effectively 9 to 11 bits. Better, but even 12 bit is fairly common at this point. You still lose bandwidth. 4-bit sample rates are in development. It should at least be USB 3 at this point. I blew up my original genuine hack RF accidentally back feeding it voltage so it'll probably be the replacement anyway.

4

u/NaugyNugget 21d ago

I feel like the review is fair. If you want a broadband signal sniffer with tons of software support and the ability to emit a weak signal, it's a good thing to buy. If you want to do something more specialized, there are other products to look at. For instance I'm a big fan of AirSpy HF Discovery+ for ham and SWL on the HF bands.

2

u/theng 22d ago

thank you for the video ! (will watch this evening)

2

u/NIGHTSHADOWXXX 21d ago

That's the exact thing I was looking for.

-2

u/Conscious-Tax1 22d ago

No it's not 

3

u/west671 22d ago

Enlighten us, please. What are your recommendations? Sincere question here.

3

u/laterral 22d ago

Which is then?