GrGSM shows nothing using hackrf

[Umair Riaz]

Hi all. hope you will be enjoying good of your health.

i am totally newbie to theses things. i have installed grgsm and it works perfectly fine with RTL but when i try to run same command using hackRF it keeps scanning but shows nothing. tx ligth on hack also gets on but grgsm shows nothing... any leads plzz

[Nikos Balkanas]

Hi,

grgsm uses gr-osmocom for all external radio access.
That said, the same code runs whether it is connected to an RTL or
hackrf or usrp.
If there is problem with your hackrf, it should be with the gr-osmocom module.
Check for any initialization errors when you start grgsm, and post them here.
Or you can check with osmocom about it.

HTH
Nikos

On Thu, May 20, 2021 at 9:49 AM Umair Riaz <uria...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi all. hope you will be enjoying good of your health.
> i am totally newbie to theses things. i have installed grgsm and it works perfectly fine with RTL but when i try to run same command using hackRF it keeps scanning but shows nothing. tx ligth on hack also gets on but grgsm shows nothing... any leads plzz
>

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[Umair Riaz]

Thank for the reply.

There are no initialization errors when we start grgsm_scanner.

 Hackrf receiving light also gets turn on but it continuously scans the spectrum and shows nothing... no errors at all... can be seen in figure attached

same grgsm_scanner runs fine for RTL.

i also want to add another point here that hackrf works fine for kal and scans some frequencies

[Vasil Velichkov]

Hi Umair,

On 21/05/2021 06.34, Umair Riaz wrote:
> There are no initialization errors when we start grgsm_scanner.

You need to start grgsm_scanner with --debug parameter

> Hackrf receiving light also gets turn on but it continuously scans the
> spectrum and shows nothing... no errors at all... can be seen in figure
> attached

Do you have a suitable antenna? Try with different gain values.

-g GAIN, --gain=GAIN Set gain [default=24.0]

> same grgsm_scanner runs fine for RTL.
> i also want to add another point here that hackrf works fine for kal and
> scans some frequencies

What about the other grgsm tools? Do they work with hackrf? Try starting grgsm_livemon on one of the frequencies that you've found with the RTL dongle.

Regards,
Vasil

[Nikos Balkanas]

Hi,

grgsm_scanner is having some issues with file_dup and suppresses all output.

You need to comment out these lines, or better yet use grgsm_livemon:)

HTH

Nikos

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gr-gsm/51dd7b78-118b-4a9f-ab07-4bd5f950b5a6n%40googlegroups.com.

[Umair Riaz]

Thank you @vasil.

yes i tried it with -debug and i am getting output Setting "DC offset compensation is not possible on this device." this can be seen in attached picture.

[Umair Riaz]

Thank you @ Nikos.

if you are talking about these lines

 os.dup2(null_fds[0], 1)

 os.dup2(null_fds[1], 2)

yes i have commented thses lines but still no progress

[Vasil Velichkov]

Try specifying your device in the --args parameter

grgsm_scanner --debug --args=hackrf

And please copy-paste the text from the terminal and do not attach screenshots.

>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gr-gsm/51dd7b78-118b-4a9f-ab07-4bd5f950b5a6n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>
>>> .
>>>
>>
>

[Umair Riaz]

Now it shows nothing when i try to debug it using arg

rx ligth is on

lab@lab:~$ grgsm_scanner --debug --args=hackrf

Args= hackrf

gr-osmosdr 0.2.0.0 (0.2.0) gnuradio 3.8.1.0

built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd miri hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy airspyhf soapy redpitaya freesrp 

Using HackRF One with firmware 2018.01.1

[Vasil Velichkov]

Do you have an antenna? Have you tried different gain settings? Have tried grgsm_livemon on a known frequency with the same args parameter?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gr-gsm/c3ba2438-6ec7-4f50-99b0-f6053a4f2ab0n%40googlegroups.com.

[Nikos Balkanas]

Hi umair,

As Vasil mentioned, try with livemon. No need to know gsm bands beforehand.
You can manually scan for valid signals.
Scanner has more issues other than the os_dup lines. Not the best tool
used for testing.
How is hackrf connected to your PC? usb? ethernet?

BR,
Nikos

> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gr-gsm/c3ba2438-6ec7-4f50-99b0-f6053a4f2ab0n%40googlegroups.com.

[Umair Riaz]

Sorry for the late replies...

My hack is connected to PC via USB cable

Grgsm_livemon also doesn't work 

[Nikos Balkanas]

Strange. It seems that osmosdr finds your hack, yet livemon & scanner
don't output anything.
You mentioned you have an rtl dongle. Use that and try to find a gsm signal.
Use livemon and capture on it. If it still doesn't work, you need to
check with syslog, lsusb
and other linux tools for errors. Lastly don't forget to ask hackrf
and osmosdr about it.
Hopefully with all these tests, you should get some error messages.
Without them, there is very little we can do:(

HTH
Nikos

> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gr-gsm/12bed5cb-73c5-4160-95ab-7dc90ddc1ca8n%40googlegroups.com.

[Umair Riaz]

i have checked it multiple times with rtl dongle... it works fine with both scanner and livemon... the problem is only for hackRf....i have also changed hackrf hardware but same response 

[Cinaed Simson]

Hi Umair - you're using firmware 2018.01.1 - are you using software tools from 2018.01.1?

The 2018.01.1  release was a special release for people who frequently boot from the DFU bootloader.

I'm still using 2017.02.1 - I don't know if your version would be a problem - but I tried the livemon for my version and it worked.

Also, you might want to try updating hackrf_cpld_default.xsvf for your version.

There's also a new release

  https://github.com/mossmann/hackrf/releases/tag/v2021.03.1

which automatically upgrades the CPLD when you upgrade firmware.

See the Wiki for details on upgrading

  https://github.com/mossmann/hackrf/wiki

-- Cinaed

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[Umair Riaz]

Thank you Cinaed.

I have tried to downgrade the firmware and cpld to version  "2017.02.1" but still same response.

hackrf_info version: unknown

libhackrf version: unknown (0.5)

Found HackRF

Index: 0

Serial number: 000000000000000017c467dc2941c3c3

Board ID Number: 2 (HackRF One)

Firmware Version: 2017.02.1 (API:1.02)

Part ID Number: 0xa000cb3c 0x00584763

I have also tried to install fresh OS and all the libraries but still same response.

i am using following versions 

*****

Distributor ID: Ubuntu

Description: Ubuntu 20.04.2 LTS

Release: 20.04

Codename: focal

***********

gnuradio-config-info --version

3.8.1.0

**********

[Umair Riaz]

Any recommendation regarding versions or proper installation will be very helpful  …

[Cinaed Simson]

See

    https://github.com/mossmann/hackrf/wiki

Note, when you state your version of the firmware please state the version.

Also, the fact that the output of your hackrf_info  utility for the software tools indicates

    hackrf_info version: unknown
    libhackrf version: unknown (0.5)

Implies you don't have the right version of the software tools to match the firmware - or the software may be broken.

Here's what the software output looks like for my installation:

   hackrf_info version: 2017.02.1
   libhackrf version: 2017.02.1 (0.5)

-- Cinaed

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[Umair Riaz]

I have tried to update the firmware properly... but the problem still remains

My output for "hackrf_info" yields

hackrf_info version: 2017.02.1

libhackrf version: 2017.02.1 (0.5)

Found HackRF

Index: 0

Serial number: 000000000000000017c467dc2941c3c3

Board ID Number: 2 (HackRF One)

Firmware Version: 2017.02.1 (API:1.02)

Part ID Number: 0xa000cb3c 0x00584763

problem is still same, shows nothing

[Cinaed Simson]

Do you have gnuradio installed? If yes, what version?

-- Cinaed

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[Umair Riaz]

gnuradio-config-info --version...yields output

3.8.1.0

[Cinaed Simson]

Great!

Enclosed is a simple flow charge. Actually, it's the simplest possible narrow band FM flowchart.

See what happens.

Do you live near a major metropolitan area - that is, do you a number radio stations nearby?

What kind of antenna do you have?

I'm using this type of antenna:

   https://www.waveform.com/products/rsrf-wideband-log-periodic-outdoor-antenna?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=8183341875303&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhIvBqIfp8AIVRAPnCh3YWAOREAQYASABEgIGVfD_BwE

I built a stand for the antenna from white 1 inch furniture  PVC pipe which it sits on my desk.

-- Cinaed

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[Nikos Balkanas]

Hi,

You mentioned that your rtl dongle works fine.
Get a valid GSM frequency from that using livemon.
Use capture to get ~50 MB from that.
Plug in your hack. Use capture to get another 50 MB from that.
What sampling frequency are you using with hack?
You can display the spectrum of the sample you got using gr-fosphor,
or if you don't have it, use fosphor
block from grc-companion
Save both of your spectra and post them here.

HTH
Nikos

> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gr-gsm/29e1e351-47cc-4101-83c9-a430f60d710bn%40googlegroups.com.

[Arthur michon]

Hi,

I have similar problem like uria but my grgsm_scanner fine and my grgsm_livemon don't work i do nothing i don't have hex code

My hackrf_info show this :

hackrf_info version: unknown
libhackrf version: unknown (0.5)
Found HackRF
Index: 0

Serial number: 0000000000000000f77c60dc290d56c3

Board ID Number: 2 (HackRF One)

Firmware Version: 2021.03.1 (API:1.04)
Part ID Number: 0xa000cb3c 0x005d4f5b

I have uninstall and install three time hackrf and i have the hackrf_info unknown

please help me i so despair !

Thanks for you help Arthur

[Nikos Balkanas]

Hi Arthur,

Do you mean Umair?

For hackrf_info, you need to talk to the hachrf people...

You need to point livemon to the right frequency to capture hex code...

From your screen that seems to be around 952.4 Mhz...Try tuning there...

There is nothing at 951.8 you are tuned in:(

You can use the slider to retune your livemon easily...

Look for 40 khz bands. Not all of them will show signals...

Or since your grgsm_scanner works fine, use the frequencies you found there:)

HTH

Nikos

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/gr-gsm/9d5e57c1-1e0d-4b57-9b28-9e0cb305989bn%40googlegroups.com.

[Kali Linux]

When I want to decrypt by hackRF it does not work and I try all attempts it records the frequency but it does not work on decryption I use the Dragon system and this is the code that I used

grgsm_decode -p -v -f 935.8M -s 1e6 -c capture1_f935.8M_s1e6.cfile -m BCCH -t 0

[Kali Linux]

When I want to decrypt by hackRF it does not work and I try all attempts it records the frequency but it does not work on decryption I use the Dragon system and this is the code that I used

grgsm_decode -p -v -f 935.8M -s 1e6 -c capture1_f935.8M_s1e6.cfile -m BCCH -t 0

[Kali Linux]

When I want to decrypt by hackRF it does not work and I try all attempts it records the frequency but it does not work on decryption I use the Dragon system and this is the code that I used

grgsm_decode -p -v -f 935.8M -s 1e6 -c capture1_f935.8M_s1e6.cfile -m BCCH -t 0