Software Defined Radio for Education: Spectrum Analyzer, FM Receiver/Transmitter and GSM Sniffer with HackRF One

Abstract

Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology enables a programmable radio platform that can serve as a multimode transceiver. One such example of SDR is the HackRF One, which covers the frequency of 30 MHz - 6 GHz and can be programmed as an FM receiver/transmitter, a GSM receiver, or a simple spectrum analyzer. Compared to an expensive spectrum analyzer, the HackRF One provides an affordable solution for education and simple research projects. We compare the measurement of HackRF One with a spectrum analyzer and found that spurious signals were seen with HackRF One due to the mixing and down-conversion process. However, such imperfections may offer opportunities for hands-on learning and deeper understanding of the radio signal processing. Due to its half-duplex operation, HackRF One cannot be used as a GSM BTS. However, it can still function as a GSM signal sniffer. The flexibility and programmability of SDR provide an ideal platform for project-based learning in telecommunication engineering.