Radio HackRF

The radio OnAir is developed and tested with.

What it is good for

• Wide channels. The HackRF samples fast enough for 6 to 8 MHz TV channels (DVB-T2, DVB-T, ATSC, ISDB-T, DTMB) and wide modes such as DVB-S/S2 through an LNB, MAC and analogue TV.
• Everything else. DAB, FM and every narrow mode work too. Its range runs from about 1 MHz to 6 GHz (the HackRF Pro from 0.1 MHz), so HF needs an up-converter or you accept a weak signal.
• Spectrum analyser. The analyser mode uses the HackRF's native sweep: 1 to 6000 MHz in about a second.

Setup

1. Windows: install the WinUSB driver once with Zadig. macOS and Linux: nothing to install; the library is in the download.
2. Plug the radio in; it appears in the source list as HackRF One or HackRF Pro (OnAir has its own USB driver for both, and also loads libhackrf).
3. Pick a mode, enter a frequency and press Start.

Gain

The HackRF has three stages: the LNA, the VGA and the Amp switch. Use Auto-tune, or Optimise gain, which sweeps the whole gain range and keeps the lowest gain within 0.5 dB of the best that does not overload the converter. On the command line --lna, --vga and --amp set them. The bias-tee is remembered per mode and per radio.

Good to know

• The radio's centre (DC) spike is handled by the DC spike options in Radio settings.
• Sample rates are chosen per mode (the mode's table asks for a rate; a radio that cannot reach it runs as fast as it can). ADS-B asks for 4 Msps, ISDB-T runs at 6 to 20 Msps, the spectrum analyser at 20 Msps.
• A HackRF can also transmit; see Transmit.
• If the radio is not found, see Troubleshooting.