Author Archives: the machinegeek

RTL-SDR wide spectrum analyzer

Claudio Giuliani has designed an RTL-SDR based wide spectrum analyzer. The code is available on AlterVista. Software prerequisites are a Linux box (no Windows/OSX version) with Gnuradio and rtl_sdr utilities installed. The spectrum analyzer program is a frontend GUI of rtl_power for spectrum visualization and control and is coded in Basic for Gambas (a sort […]

EasyEDA web based design tool

Dillon He writes with an update on EasyEDA, a web based EDA tool for electronics engineers, educators, students, makers and enthusiasts. It is the work of a tiny hacker team over a period of three years and nine months. It can be used by all hardware and operating system, whether you are using Linux, Mac […]

Open source data logger for biodiversity research

Ed Baker of the Natural History Museum, London, UK, has published a paper outlining his build of an open source hardware data logger for scientific purposes. “Proprietary data loggers can be expensive – for example a three channel data logging system is available from Alphatemp for £465.00. Such costs make large scale deployment of such […]

Google Summer of Code 2014

Michael Ossmann, co-developer of the HackRF open source SDR platform, writes reminding us that the deadline for student’s entries for the Google Summer of Code 2014 is fast approaching. If you or someone you know is a college student who would like to spend the summer getting paid to work on open source source software, […]

Academic paper: hacking with RF replay attacks

If you’re new to RF hacking you may have heard the term “replay attack” and wondered what it takes to implement one. In this academic presentation Practicing a Record-and-Replay System on USRP a group of researchers from the Shenzhen Key Lab of Advanced Communications and Information Processing and Shenzhen University, give a succinct and practical […]

Dissertation: security analysis of contactless payment cards

Here’s an interesting academic document we found related to hardware hacking. In this published doctoral dissertation, Timo Kasper from the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, presents in detail his efforts in analyzing the security of Mifare smart cards. “The tools are first employed for analyzing a contactless payment application, which is based on Mifare Classic technology, with […]

MPLAB X IDE v2.05 released

Microchip has announced the release of MPLAB IDE v2.05. This release provides:Major performance improvements in opening and closing projects. Added Emulation Header Data Breakpoint comparisons on , !=. Avoid building projects when tool options are changed that do not require a rebuild. ASM hyperlinks to labels and Include files. Jump Trace added for 33/24EP devices. […]

LuxBlaster: Arduino controlled light sensor/response device

Techbitar writes, LuxBlaster is an Arduino gizmo that detects and tracks the most intense light source then sends back an intense light in the same direction. Beware, rude drivers. The LuxBlaster is coming!! When you drive at night, every once in a while a car will approach you from behind with its annoying high beam […]

Arduino network uptime monitor with Twitter updates

Steve from Hackshed.co.uk has posted project details on their Arduino network monitor. They use an Arduino, an Arduino Ethernet Shield, the Twitter Library and the ICMP Ping Library by Blake F to monitor the network and send updates via Twitter. He reports, “It was actually surprisingly easy; we had the Twitter posting code from the […]

How to: compiling Arduino Caterina with new VID/PID

Compiling the Arduino Leonardo bootloader (aka Caterina) is a required step in making your own Arduino Leonardo-compatible board available to others. Steven Casagrande has written this post detailing what you need to do in order to make your derivative board valid for sale. Via the contact form.

Listening to D-STAR digital voice with DSD 1.7

Brazilian amateur radio operator PU2VLW has written a post (in Portugese) detailing how to use DSD version 1.7 to decode amateur radio D-STAR digital voice transmissions. (Google translate may be helpful.) DSD can be downloaded as source from GitHub. His setup uses a Windows machine running SDR# to receive the D-STAR signal using an RTL-SDR […]

Digitally controlled HiFi Amp with 4 way mixer

Michael shares his project files for a digital HiFi amp featuring a 20 W stereo power amplifier, 4 way audio in and digital volume control interface. Though I am a musician I don’t care for calling an expensive hi watt stereo my own. For years I have used a homebuilt stereo amplifier built around the […]

Picberry: R-Pi / Allwinner A10 PIC programmer using GPIO connector

WallaceIT has developed a Raspberry Pi / Allwinner A10 PIC Programmer using GPIO connector. “It currently supports dsPIC33F and PIC18FxxJ families, though other “code-programmed” families can easily be added. Feel free to use and comment it! Any feedback will be appreciated!” Via the contact form.

RTLAMR: an RTL-SDR receiver for 900 MHz smart meters

It never ceases to amaze how many projects are developed making use of the RTL-SDR dongle. Bemasher has developed a software tool which interprets the signals in the 900 MHz ISM band sent from smart electric meters which are growing in popularity among utility companies. This project is a proof of concept software defined radio […]