HackRF Sensitivity

[vsboost]

Hi All,

Could someone please if you have a HackRF and RTL Dongle please do a test for me, i have linked in a screenshot comparison of what i am getting, and my results are showing an average of 10db worse on the HackRF compared to a RTL Dongle.

Thanks

https://mega.co.nz/#!MwUxVIZS!JWhfoou7LcwI6HeHVU5jxsfsamFpADulwez6Wz6oNEk

 

[rdoetjes]

Well same here!

I actually got mine in yesterday and I already had a ported Dump1090 with HackRF support in it.
And when I run this I got only half of the planes than my el-cheepo RTL dongle.

I did some measurements with qgrx and I noticed that the signal to noise ratio is appalling.
So I tried playing with vga and lna gain levels but you can't do that on gqrx (or I have not yet found out) but the signal is weaker and the noise levels far higher.

Not happy about that to be honest especially since you confirm it too
Well maybe I will send it back and dish out an extra 300 euros of a URSP B200.

Hi All,

Could someone please if you have a HackRF and RTL Dongle please do a test for me, i have linked in a screenshot comparison of what i am getting, and my results are showing an average of 10db worse on the HackRF compared to a RTL Dongle.

Thanks

https://mega.co.nz/#!MwUxVIZS!JWhfoou7LcwI6HeHVU5jxsfsamFpADulwez6Wz6oNEk

 

[vince48]

I too am very dissatisfied with my HackRf. it is one of the worst purchases I made. I have had mine close to a year now and most likely cannot send back for a refund. The HackRf is just nota a good receiver. Unless you are a Linux user forget about trying anything to get them most out of your HackRF.
I have the ETTUS B200. It is night and day compared to the HackRf.

 

[rdoetjes]

I was just sending an email to the vendor on how to return it. It's utterly useless in the reception department, transmitting is very decent I have to say.
So I will invest the other 395 dollars to get a B200. I should have done that from the get go, but hey I am a cheap Dutch man

 

[mancow]

Interesting, I was one of the kickstarter purchasers so I've had one for quite a while. It works well for me. I pick up plenty of things with it connected to external antennas.

 

[vince48]

Mancow
I to have had the HackRf connected a Diamond dipole. I too pickup plenty, but a lot is noise with the signal. The HackRf might have a chance to survive if there was more Windows support.
The purchase funds use could have gone to a better cause..at least in my case. If it works well for you, great.

 

[rdoetjes]

That is the same issue as I have and since I mainly focus on digital communication (especially reverse engineering protocols for security checks) therefore I need a very nice signal to noise ratio.

And I was rather sad to see that a 300+ euro Hack RF is outdone by a realtek dongle and my spectrum analyzer; which is not even officially designed for demondulation and hence the drift is horrible but despite the drift I am able to decode more and get far better signals out of it.

And here I thought HACK RF is exactly designed for that purpose, so it should be superior but I am not impressed with it.
The oscillator though is rock solid but the lna okay but vga is a white noise generator and the pre-amp is like standing under a waterfall.

And I already miss the B200 that I rented for a job.

Mancow
I to have had the HackRf connected a Diamond dipole. I too pickup plenty, but a lot is noise with the signal. The HackRf might have a chance to survive if there was more Windows support.
The purchase funds use could have gone to a better cause..at least in my case. If it works well for you, great.

 

[vsboost]

Thanks guys, its fairly disappointing isn't it.

 

[vsboost]

I actually got mine in yesterday and I already had a ported Dump1090 with HackRF support in it.
And when I run this I got only half of the planes than my el-cheepo RTL dongle.

I did some measurements with qgrx and I noticed that the signal to noise ratio is appalling.
So I tried playing with vga and lna gain levels but you can't do that on gqrx (or I have not yet found out) but the signal is weaker and the noise levels far higher.

Not happy about that to be honest especially since you confirm it too
Well maybe I will send it back and dish out an extra 300 euros of a URSP B200.

You should see some gain controls similar to these in gqrx.

https://camo.githubusercontent.com/...32d396566632d3366653961636538613730622e706e67

the first one "RF Gain" when that hits 14 it switches the LNA on

 

[hoof]

+1 for me, I purchased the Hack RF about four months ago. I like the videos Mike did for promoting SDR in general. I tarted out the the twenty dollar dongle and was quite impressed. I "Upgraded" to the HackRF and thoght it was something that I was doing wrong. Well this thread confirms its not me. Thank you all

Hoof (Ray)

 

[prc117f]

People who bought the HackRF and are dissapointed, bought the wrong product. The HackRF is more for people who want to experiment with transmitters etc.. ie building custom RF emitters/prototyping them.

HackRF sucks as a receiver, its not meant to be one.

Airspy is a better product if you just want a receiver since it was designed as one from the beginning.


I would not recommend the B200, it is not officially supported under windows and it uses a hack to operate under windows but it has suboptimal performance due to the use of an unsupported hack. It is a GnuRadio product and it is for prototyping RF emitters.

 

[prc117f]

+1 for me, I purchased the Hack RF about four months ago. I like the videos Mike did for promoting SDR in general. I tarted out the the twenty dollar dongle and was quite impressed. I "Upgraded" to the HackRF and thoght it was something that I was doing wrong. Well this thread confirms its not me. Thank you all

Hoof (Ray)

Just because something costs more does not mean it is a better product. Always read the specs and reviews and see if the product fits your requirements.

HackRF is a niche use product.

 

[foxtail]

I put my hackrf into a Hammond cast alum. box wrapped usb cord with choke/ferrit and have seen a big improvement. And with a discone ant. Just need to play with more when I'm not busy...