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The HackRF One/PortaPack H2 kit scans the Wi-Fi radio spectrum

The HackRF One/PortaPack H2 kit scans the Wi-Fi radio spectrum

Adrian Kingsley Hughes/ZDNET

That I love Flipper Zero. This is the Multi-function device for $169 It can interact with digital interfaces in the physical world.

With it, you can emulate RFID and NFC cards, analyze radio protocols, imitate remote controls, and much more. It’s like a “digital Swiss Army knife” for cybersecurity enthusiasts, tinkerers, and those interested in exploring the digital side of their environment.

also: Tesla cars are vulnerable to the Flipper Zero hack – here’s how to protect yourself

If you have one of these, the next logical step for you is to get one hackrf one Software Defined Radio, or SDR.

The HackRF One, made by Great Scott Gadgets, is an SDR designed to capture and transmit radio signals from 1MHz to 6GHz.

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HackRF One technical specifications

  • Transmit or receive any radio signal from 1MHz to 6000MHz
  • Unidirectional transceiver
  • Maximum sample rate: 20 million samples per second
  • 8-bit quadrature samples
  • High-speed microUSB interface
  • Powered via USB

It’s radio, but it’s radio that goes beyond music and talk shows. This is a radio that can pick up Wi-Fi, signals from car keys, Bluetooth, amateur radio, ADS-B for aircraft, transmit AIS signals, and much more. As for casting, the sky’s the limit, anything you can capture, you can technically record and send.

You can also venture into areas like Obfuscation, but again this is where you have to be extremely careful so you don’t end up with the Men in Black knocking on your door.

also: 7 cool and useful things you can do with Flipper Zero

If having a gadget that gives you the ability to transmit and jam signals seems too rich in your blood due to the laws, regulations, and rules that govern that, not to mention things like licenses, then you might be better off with an SDR that can only receive radio signals, something like this RTL-SDR V3 SDR Blogwhich you can get for less than $50.

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You can take your HackRF One, connect it to a computer, and capture data from the air using your favorite spectrum analysis software. There is a steep learning curve here, in fact dozens of steep learning curves, but fortunately, there is a lot of good information on the web. A great setup guide can be found at Hackers-Arise website (Where you can also find some of the best real-world cybersecurity training available.)

also: Flipper Zero and Raspberry Pi are teaming up to release the Video Game Module

If you like the idea of ​​the HackRF One, but don’t like the idea of ​​having to plug it into a laptop, there’s a more portable option in the form of HackRF One integrated with PortaPack H2.

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Combining the HackRF One with the PortaPack H2 adds a battery, touchscreen, buttons, and more, freeing you from the need to own a laptop. The PortaPack runs Mayhem firmware, and this pack can do a lot of cool things.

The HackRF One/PortaPack H2 kit powers Mayhem.

The HackRF One/PortaPack H2 kit powers Mayhem.

Adrian Kingsley Hughes/ZDNET

This of course adds more steep learning curves.

also: Do you need an anti spy camera finder and bug detector? Do they even work?

You can do so much with the HackRF One/PortaPack H2 combo that you’ll honestly feel like you’ve got super power! It’s really limited by your imagination and experience. Just the other day I used my device to simulate an RF eavesdropping device Spy camera finder/bug detector test.

Testing a spy camera RF detector/bug finder using the HackRF One/PortaPack H2 kit

Adrian Kingsley Hughes/ZDNET

Also note that hackrf one It’s not a replacement for Flipper Zero, but it is a tool that allows you to explore the radio side more deeply. The Flipper Zero is still a great tool for playing with NFC and RFID, and for working as an infrared remote.

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