Thread

Various Projects Find Hidden SDR Capabilities in ESP32 Microcontrollers

288 points · 67 comments · nkw

mallets · 1790879919 · focus · HN ↗
So many $1 wireless ICs have a powerful "SDR", but will never be documented due to certification/compiliance/export-control reasons. The projects listed here rightly limited the scope to RX-only but Espressif might be forced to "patch" this away if arbitrary TX too is possible (or starts making headlines). Hope it doesn't come to that, more cheap options for RF-to-bits is always welcome.
On a technical note, not much I can find about the signal quality. Phase noise, images, DC Offset, etc. Have to get my hands on one, ESP32-S31 seems promising.
1. jasonjayr · 1790913205 · focus · HN ↗
  <a href="https://github.com/F5OEO/rpitx" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/F5OEO/rpitx
  You don't need much to spam random RF energy into the air. That project just flips a GPIO pin at the right frequency, and gets a signal into the air.
  It won't be very powerful, and the harmonics will probably bleed all over the place if you just hang a wire off of it with no filters.....
  1. Gibbon1 · 1790924391 · focus · HN ↗
    An SX1262 has a frequency range from 150MHz to 960 MHz.
    Actual FCC licensed products are supposed to not be naughty. But nothing prevents components from being naughty.
    Inside ISM bands there are rules but beyond that anything goes.

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