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. ErroneousBosh · 1790880388 · focus · HN ↗
  > 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
  Why would they? It's perfectly legal to operate radio transmitters on any frequency you like, if you hold a suitable licence.
  1. numpad0 · 1790914489 · focus · HN ↗
    Certified unlicensed radio equipment are required to be reasonably tamper resistant, so that reasonably everything that end users might do would be practically compliant even with a bit of malice. This is one of reasons why iPhone used to use pentalobe screws.
    They are not required to be as secure as credit card chips, but they also can't be wide open.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.