The RTL-SDR

[HTH]

I wasn't sure if this was the place to post this... but it's definitely got a security side to it, so mods feel free to move this or berate me but I think most will find this cool.

It's 20$. It has a frequency range of roughly 22 mhz to 2.2 ghz, depending on the tuner inside. Most top out at like 1.5 ghz iirc. It has a decent sample rate too.

I've had it in my possession for all of 6 hours and I've already monitored (it's only a receiver):

My Car Keys O.O
The garage door opener
A smart meter
A NOAA Weather Satellite (barely. I need a better antenna to actually get pictures)
All of the airplanes around my house (like 150 km of them)
FM Radio ( had to listen to something while i tuned it for oscillator error)
Plus GSM information,
and private conversations through the radio system we have throughout the city.
I know it'll be AMAZING when i take it to the university tommorow

Has anyone played with one of these. Am I missing something kickass? If you haven't... seriously. Spend 20$. Buy one. Lets play

I can help anyone set it up if hey need it

[Axon]

This is one of the interesting things I wanted to try, but never had the right time to give it a shot. You can do many wild things with RTL-SDR, one dude managed to get a signal with from a Chinese space station.
http://www.rtl-sdr.com/receiving-chinese-space-station-tiangong-1-rtl-sdr/
Back in 2012, I made a topic in this forum about number stations.
https://evilzone.org/general-galactica/number-stations/
One of the many things I would really want to try, is the possibility of capturing signals from numbers stations using the RTL-SDR?

[Ghost Face]

I was thinking about getting one and did research after watching a defcon chat on sdr a few days ago. Going to wait a few days, seems like the best price for getting into sdr.


Think i might have to look into it more through as i dont think i fully understand everything yet.

[Kulverstukas]

This is some really cool shit. I will have to buy one +1

[HTH]

Sounds good haha, when you do be sure to tune for oscillator error. And let me know if you find anything cool (+ need help setting it up lol)

 I got it from hak5, but that's just cause i also ordered a pineapple at the same time. Lots of places sell them

[kenjoe41]

And how much work needs to be done for it to be able to send out. But recieving is already super awesome.

[Axon]

HTH, can you listen to military communication if you are in close proximity to a military base?  Have you done something like that and what are the risks of getting busted?

[proxx]

HTH, can you listen to military communication if you are in close proximity to a military base?  Have you done something like that and what are the risks of getting busted?

Not like you didnt think of this but since sniffing is passive there is no way of telling.
Apart from the fact that its encrypted anyway(right?!)

[Pak_Track]

Not like you didnt think of this but since sniffing is passive there is no way of telling.
Apart from the fact that its encrypted anyway(right?!)

Yep, most military channels will be encrypted. Any attempt to listen in will be illegal.

[HTH]

Most military communications are encrypted. Not all are however. I haven't personally listened in to those yet as I just got it. Yes, trying to listen into those are illegal, though I doubt they'd be able to prove it.

Side note: lots of people who use encrypted trunked radios, usually have an unencrypted backup/failsafe.

kenjoe41: not entirely sure, I know that it IS possible to send out from them somehow, but i've been led to believe by most people that it just isn't worth it.

Side note, I may go visit my friend in the Canadian Armed Forces with it running and see what I can see. There's a base about 40 miles from my home, and he has to go there every weekend anyway. I could offer to drive him

"HTH why is there a sattellite dish in the back with some weird antenna in the middle?"
"Project for school."

[0E 800]

I purchased a cheap RTL-SDR but wasnt very awed by the antennae. Where I work I could not pick up any FM radio signals. Thanks for posting, I need to play with it some more.

Also pretty interesting for your viewing pleasure:

http://hackaday.com/2013/10/22/cracking-gsm-with-rtl-sdr-for-thirty-dollars/

http://acassis.wordpress.com/2014/02/02/collection-of-sites-using-rtlsdr-to-hack-rf/

http://www.rtl-sdr.com/hacking-playstation-3-using-rtl-sdr/

[HTH]

The antenna is hit or miss, I plan on building proper antennae for most of the frequencies i intend to listen to often.

I actually got one of the better little metal expanding ones. Not fucking amazing but better thn the shitty little whip antennae i see in pictures.

Also sweet thanks +1 because the ps3 one is cool 

[Pak_Track]

Meh, it's the Canadians. They won't do anything.

[HTH]

Not to the americans. But to one canadian citizen sitting outside their base in his car trying to listen in... well fuck id be done!

They'd take away my Maple Syrup privileges for like... a week!