[Hackrf-dev] Is my new (old) HackRF Deaf?

[Gavin Jacobs]

Jerry,

Learning how to use Ubuntu, and Gnu, and HackRF is a challenge! I went down that path about a year ago. The issue you describe hits every new user. When you are running GNU radio, you have to turn up the IF gain to about 40 - it defaults to 0. Also, turn up the BaseBand gain to about 30. Leave the RF gain at 0 (that setting is confusing; a value of 0 just means the RF LNA is left off; 14 means it is on; but you rarely need it on).


Also, a word of caution. Since you are a ham, you likely have an HT or a base station. You have to take care to never exceed the maximum field strength anywhere near the HackRF. I don't recall the exact spec, but basically if you transmit with a 5 Watt HT, right next to HackRF, you can fry the RF front end.


Hope that helps.

Jake


________________________________
From: HackRF-dev <hackrf-dev-bounces at greatscottgadgets.com> on behalf of Jerry Stern <jsternmd at att.net>
Sent: July 10, 2017 2:54:16 PM
To: hackrf-dev at greatscottgadgets.com
Subject: [Hackrf-dev] Is my new (old) HackRF Deaf?


Is my HackRF deaf?  I am a ham radio hobbyist and I bought a HackRF One to enhance my deeper learning of SDR but also as a broadband RF source.  To my dismay, installing the software has become days of learning Ubuntu basics and dealing with instructions that are at times outdated or nuanced towards a person with much more than basic Linux skills.  So, I gave up on Ubuntu only because it was faster for me to install and test with Windows 7.   My HackRF One (GreatScott) must have been a leftover as the firmware was dated 2014(August).  I installed the latest version HackRF tools and updated the firmware to Feb 2017.  I followed Mike's video tutorial for creating a basic GNU flow for FM and also installed SDR#.  I have very strong FM broadcast stations in my area which I can easily demodulate with my Rigol Spectrum analyzer using the ANT500. However both with GNU and SDR# my HackRF appears deaf in FM broadcast mode.  I read that a few years back there may have been some issues with cold solder joints on the HackRF pcb....  I have a lot of test equipment - from RF generators up to 2 GHz, etc but before I go that route is there something I am perhaps missing in my setup.  Not sure where or what details to provide here without overloading my question further .


Thanks


Jerry


Sent from my iPhone
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