Beginner's Guide To The HackRF & Portapak With Mayhem
In this beginners guide to the HackRF and Portapak I show you how to update the Mayhem firmware and cover some of the receive and transmit features of the Portapak.
Purchase here:
(This one has a nice case and antennas)
www.banggood.com/custlink/3DG...
www.banggood.com/custlink/KvK...
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dli...
The HackRF & Portapack combo from the above AliExpress link I have not personally tested but the seller ensures me that it can be user updated with official firmware.
Mayhem Firmware Online Manual
github.com/eried/portapack-ma...
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Information regarding clones
01:17 What's in the box
02:20 Hardware Overview
03:39 Inside the portapak
04:23 Checking installed firmware version
05:00 Firmware update procedure
08:10 Portapak App(s) Demo
15:54 Conclusion and Outtro
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Greetings from 30 years active duty Swedish Army Paratrooper. Sir, thank you for your service, Sir! Respect 🙏
I wish I could say it was a choice but I agreed so ... I can't tell you how much Complex PTSD sucks! Read Complex PTSD in Nature Medicine 2021. There is a cure. It should be available widely to those who need it. 🙏
The TX power is only a few mW I think ? Plus it's apparently fairly deaf on UHF ?
Very nice! When I bought HackRF Portapack a while ago, I was literally messing around with it because there's not much documentation about the menu at that time. Mine was the touch screen version, so far, I love it and boy oh boy the bandwidth is so huge compared with RTL SDR lol. My pet peeve is that I wish they give a physical button to turn on/off the device, mine came with an acrylic cap for the knob so you don't accidentally turn on the device. Looking forward with this series in the future!
Curious what this cap looks like..that is 1 big design flaw...it's supposed to be portable but throwing it in a bag is a no no...next thing you know you're directing airline traffic as the device bounces arround in your pack....
@@paranoidzkitszo yea scary. how to get a letter from the FCC real fast.
Great video. If you have time, please make some more showing the features.
Pre-amp will die so just use a cheap LNA if needing that because the hackRF only does 250mw might be more on some models, Also if usb issue happens where it will not read in windows or gives unknown device" There is a small IC that when i removed it made the usb work however it will back feed usb power from the hackrf so make sure you have a usb port that can discard back feed. I hope this helped anyone with these issue i have experienced.
Great video Matt all the best for the new year
Thanks! You too!
Thank you so much for the most informative radio KZhead channel. I've used your help to activate my Analog Devices SDR's additional ARM cores and widening the frequencies. I have the version with ipv connectors for MIMO and a external clock. Could or can you use the Temperature Controlled Crystal upgrade one my Hack RF One via the Clock Out or would you think it better to get a external GPS disciplined Temperature Controlled Crystal and use it as opposed to the plug in one sold for that plugs into the HF1?
Awesome detailed video ❤
Glad you liked it!
Hi Matt, Thanks for the video content over the year. Some very interesting products. Although I find the computer programming a little difficult to understand. Happy Christmas David M0DUU
Thank you for watching David, have a great xmas!
Great video, as always 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
1.9.0 just released right after you posted this. :)
Typical! lol.. :-)
Thank you very match for this very instrucive video
I've been looking for a portable radio that will do the usual FM, amateur / broadcast SW stuff AND have DAB. I did notice a DAB item listed, so may be worth a closer look :) Thanks, Matt.
I bricked my original hackrf with the portapack H2 a few years ago. For this price the combo kit seems great!
Have you tried the dfu mode to recover it?
@@MrApolloTom there is documenting on the original designers website. I first bought just the HackRF, then a year later bought the PortaPack/Mayhem. I tried hard to get the software on the 2 combined, but no way. Got back to my PortaPack seller on Banggood, and he got me to download some remote software, and then he installed it, sitting at his desk in China.
@@MrApolloTom yeah, I don't think it can really be bricked, but sometimes it needs some special firmware so it looks bricked. My Chinese clone required one in the beginning because they swapped a display driver or something but that got incorporated into the official firmware shortly.
They're almost impossible to permanently brick. Have you tried recovering it?
@@pjhsv yes, many times, the dfu update doesn't finish and the main big NXP chip is getting hot. I even try flashing dfu while the board was in the fridge but no success.
Thanks, Matt 👍
My pleasure!
Amazing video. Very well done
Thank you very much!
Also, it would be good to warn people NOT to enable AMPs (RX nor TX) until they know a bit more what they're doing, and to avoid turning those amps on near strong RF (even on a hill next to any kind of transmitter, or when keying up a radio). It _WILL_ burn.
It's an RX amp, but you are easily able to burn up your RX chip with hot signals.
i guess then I burnt it 😅 i was playing with it and the end of antenna touched the metal body of my PSU iam using as a bench power supply and suddenly the RX went silent and Disabling it allows RX to be heard more strong and clear 🥲🥲 And guide on how it can be Repaired?
@@Davidslabofficial that amplifier chip can be replaced, but be prepared to to that regularly as it will burn again. Supposedly the original version doesn't have this problem, I actually bought it and swapped over the Chinese clone that came with my porrapack but I'm afraid to use it now :) there are also modifications that solve this problem, I bet if you Google it you will find it, if not I'll try looking it up. There are version of aliexpress with this modification but the question is whether it can be trusted and if it's not better to just buy the much much more expensive original... From my short testing it seems to be much more sensitive and with much higher SNR than the clone, but YMMV.
@@Davidslabofficial btw mine burned just from receiving FM radio next to an antenna amplifier (or at least that's what I think it was). And it's both the RX and TX amps that like to let electrons loose... To be honest it doesn't amplify that much, but I'm not a HAM and never had much time to play with it in depth, but I didn't miss it that much. The TX amp hurts more but it still works for experiments even without it, just not that good for general mischief. A good antenna helps :)
What's a good indicator if this has occurred? My HRF came with an amp which I'd used willy nilly at the time- a RF naive time - having learned since...I haven't used the external amps and take care adjusting internal one/lna... But, not sure if I have burned mine when I wasn't so careful... I unfortunately live in a very RF polluted environment..so many random signals..strong and littered across the spectrum. I'd think blowing my HRF would cause all sorts of noise to be presented to me instead of any sort of clear signal... would that be correct? Any feature I can utilize to confirm a healthy or burned hack rf?
You should explain what it is and it's use first. If you already know, you don't need this beginner guide, if you don't, this guide will be a bit confusing. My biggest issue with the device is the prominent selector knob that prevents it from fitting in most pockets. I fabricated a cap to cover it but the bulk is annoying. The lack of battery display sucks too. Your biggest omission are the features of the hackrf independent of the portapack.
Screenshots are alsu useful as half the apps fail to save the data recieved. If you are a hobby coder, there is lots to wok on and many more features to be enabled and enhanced.
The biggest PITA is when you press the knob while transporting it, then take it out to use at your destination and it's dead. Also sometimes you can turn it off by pressing the knob twice, sometimes you need to hold it down for 30 seconds, sometimes it turns back on by itself again. Maybe some clones work better, but I've handled at least 3 and they were all wonky.
@@zviratko this is the experience I have... For a "portapack" and the purpose the portapack serves... it's not very portapacky..I mean portable. Some times I'll grab it outta my bag to see it in the TX menu- which makes me nervous- what could've done
@@paranoidzkitszo I 3d printed a cover that sits on top and makes it impossible for the buttons to be pressed, works quite nicely but is another piece you need to put somewhere making it even less portapacky :-) It's is not exactly hightech, after all it came out 2014 or so?
Hi Matt I have got my portapack today, the same one as your new one, i have updated it to the same version as you, it is receiving well decoding air-plain data, and it is receiving aprs audio well but it is not decoding the aprs data, is there any settings i have to do ? Thanks Dave 2E0DMB
i have a really big question that i hope you could answer, when im go into the audio app and select the SPEC i get a small tab underneath and it say BW with selectable options such as 20m, 2m and 500K. what are these numbers referring to?
wonderful video !
Thank you very much!
The latest version 1.9.0 is now available. Many apps are now stored on the SD card so updating the SD card files is necessary to have all applications available.
Sooo behind the times. 1.9.1 🙋🏼♂️. 😆
I hope you’re enduring all the apocalyptic style weather England has been hit with recently. I have a portapack question. Are the headers on the PCB set up in such a way as to allow it to be used with the OperaCake?? Seems like the antenna switch would be invaluable when changing between the different functionality of the portapack
Digging in the docs, there are some interesting directions that the HackRF at 1 point or another was heading... Then the portapack hit the scene and took over.... Out of all the other hardware than the PP, the only 1 I see is the Opera Cake 🍰- which really surprises me, with the time out in public plus how popular the HRF can get at times... I'm really really surprised that we don't see a plethora of other hardware...or "add ons" or projects utilizing hardware. This includes Opera Cake- it's been around for a hot minute...yet, we barely see anyone present us with their endeavours with said hardware.... It surprises me... Maybe it's a timing thing...not many people documented things the same way back then like they do now.... I'm thinking Flipper Zero... Look at how many add ons, dev boards, modules there are and how many different videos / content we have to be able to digest and build on. Maybe it's because there are other products that have the features the cake plus HackRF would give us but with better performance/ form factor? Like an BladeRF or Evil Crow or Pluto or more industrial/ non consumer devices.. anyways...I'd love to see content surrounding adventures experimenting with the Opera Cake. Do share if you go down this route!
Hi again Matt, What is the best size and speed SD card to get for this portapack, Also dose it have the high spec TCXO installed and the 2 amp battery as advertised ? Thanks Dave 2E0DMB
Check the firmware size, extra SD card stuff, then add as much space for sampling as you think you will use. It's not that big. I just grabbed an old one from a phone.
It needs FAT32 so no larger than 32GB for the SD card.
@@TechMindsOfficial Ok thanks I will update the unit when it arrives, Thanks for all of the good Information, Thanks Dave
Is there any big difference between the Chinese copy u bought and the actual hack rf?
this is very educational video bro tnx.. SO how can i open the cars door with this equipment in my street... ;)
From the looks of it, you know how to use the hackrf one with Portapack. I have one of the first ones with 1 rotery encoder in the middle, completely up to date V1.9.1 and everything works fine, but when I connect it to the PC it often goes wrong because the sample rate does not go lower than 8 msps, SDR sharp and others quickly fail and crash. . You can then just start over again, but of course nothing will change in the end. My question is, can this be lower than 8 msps or not? There is of course no added value in purchasing this.
I got one after watching this. It has been working fine, then suddenly just a black screen. I've done nothing to it. I've tried booting it pressing the menu keys, but nothing happens. The LED status lights do not light up. On separating the boards and plugging the Hack RF into the USB socket lights them up. Any ideas folks? I'm new to all this stuff...
Hi to all, I have a question, I was planning to buy a TinySA ultra, now seeing this video, I was wondering if this Hackrf + portapack can do EVERYTHING a Tiny SA can do. A TinySA can show the whole frequency range from lowest frequencies to highest frequencies. Can the Hackrf show this also? Thanks for any useful info.
Im on the same boat ! Any answers ? 😀
Does this firmware make changes only to the Portapack, or does it change the program and the Hackrf itself?
Yes. There are updates to firmware several times a year. Currently it is ver. 191.1 .... Contributors change functionality , fix bugs, add applications etc. so the hackrf functions updated and the portapack (the display and buttons etc) show changes and allow navigation across
Can you make video explaining the use of each antennas
Could a newbie get to use this device.
Hi Matt, I know you have an older one of these, have your preamp chips ever gone bad on you, Is it worth keeping some in my parts bin just in case , Thanks Dave 2E0DMB
To be honest, never have I ever had a problem with any of my HackRFs. I guess I just treat them with care or never done something to fry them.
@@TechMindsOfficial Ok thanks that is good news, I keep reading that allot have failed, I will let you know when mine arrives, normally 10 days from Banggood, A few more for Xmas, Also , have a good 🎄 Xmas Thanks Dave 2E0DMB
Can you ensure your frequency is not traced or tracked when receiving or sending?
The content of your radio transmissions might be encrypted but any radio transmission can be “traced” and its location determined if it’s transmitting long enough. Look up radio fox hunting. People track radios for fun
Interesting
Hi Matt, Thanks for this video as I have ordered this one from Banggood 5 days ago and it is on the plain today, so I should have it in the new year, good news that it has a speaker, as I didn't see this in the add, Thanks Dave 2E0DMB
Most do not actually have the speaker, but there is an internal header for one so it's easy to add.
Ok thanks It looks like I have ordered the exact one in this video and Banggood link, But yes I will add one if mine hasn't, Thanks Dave,
When adding a speaker, take care as to not get anything over, now I can't recall exactly ugh if it was 5watts, 50 or 15...getting it mixed up because I'm dealing with 50ohm antenna stuffs... But, anyway, the speaker+ circuit in that area can heat up drastically if the speaker is over 1 of those watt values. This can affect performance and possibly hurt your HackRF. I've actually been collecting speakers from many electronics devices that I'd taken apart. One of the best for the portapack I've found were in Nintendo DS... Plus they are in stereo, so taking 1 speaker out, doesn't kill the ability of the Nintendo DS to have sound...it's just mono going forward.... that, and you'll now have sound, be it not that loud though, but still... your HackRF will make some noise..
Wheres the jammer option?
Am i right in saying that it is easy to fry the amp on the hack rf.
hi i got a hack rf. and it came with version 1.9.1. is this the latest. and how do i get maps on it please. this is probably 1 of a million question . so please be gental.... tks
what would i do if my computer doesnt have a micro sd port
Do it contain sd card or it needs to store files in it or what?
can i connect ham it up to it ?
It wont work for me,tells me hackrf not found,can someone help? Looked into it but anything i try wont work
Try as I might, I cannot get maps to show on my Portapack H2... I have downloaded the files and the latest firmware from the github site. But all I get is 'no maps.bin file found'... I cannot figure it out! I'm getting aircraft data with my outside antenna (airband antenna) - but no maps will display. Any idea what I need to do...? Thanks for the video. M0VXD.
Make sure to use a SD card 32GB or lower and make sure it’s FAT32, not exFAT. Then copy the sdcard folders to the root of the sdcard and try again :)
Good afternoon. Tell us why the two lower antenna outputs of the device are needed.
External TXCO in and out.
Remember you HAVE TO roll the drive back to the 1.0 found in the mayham download
Does it receive short wave.
Yep, they do.
or its possible to make this show digital tv and use as mini tv? Also is there software version that removes dangerous app and leaves only safe ones?
There is an analogue receiver, but not digital. However, if you connect it to your computer you can use a piece of software called SDRangel
@@TechMindsOfficial thanks. I bought this from Ali as it was promoted item bec I was looking at v8 finder that acts as signal finder for setttalite and digital terrestrial TV (also work as mini TV and radio) and I thought this was similar to that. But after looking up and finding ur video I see it's very different. Maybe I can still find some uses for it. Using it to watch digital TV and lissening to radio on pc sound interesting will look for videos for that software. Thanks again.
@@TechMindsOfficial is there any tutorial for that?
What is this device used for
Bangood version includes the speaker which is nice.... I have the 1 from Ali and that 1 comes with an amp, where the Banggood version does not. Was gonna order a second one ffrom banggood since the coupon value is great but: "This coupon can only be used in Australia,Brazil,Russian Federation,United Kingdom,United States" I live in Vancouver Canada.... lame.
I'm really disappointed with build quality from aliex, I'd save your $$
What happens if you use the wrong antenna for a specific app?. Will it break the device or the antenna?
Wont break the antenna, not at that power, but could potentially damage the HackRF. I would always recommend to use a resonant antenna with a transmitter.
@@TechMindsOfficial Do you think the Clifford HACKRF is also a safer alternative to the OG HackRF?
I have a love hate relationship with the H2. I think out of all the issues the power bttn is the worse, that and no responsive key presses happen all the time. Just wish they would fix these issues in the next reversion if any.
It’s possible your unit is faulty, as I have two the same and both are perfect, very responsive buttons, even the encoder is great.
@@TechMindsOfficial I had this unit for a few years but before that i owned 3 other units the 1st one had no issues other then falling from a waterfall :( but the last 2 have issues with encoder not moving or moving back and froth and bttns not responding. But maybe its just ali express?
@@TechMindsOfficial Also thanks to this channel i 1st found out about the hackrf and gps sim. Love it :)
FYI: This coupon can only be used in Australia, Brazil, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States.
As a European I can't use the code. Otherwise I would jumped on the deal. Thanks for the video!
yeah me too
I'd really like them to work on the scanner function. It has always been lame.
Good video. Could you are anyone recommend a good seller?
I can only recommend 100% the item from the Bangood link in the description
i want, but my wallet says no. also banggood and aliexpress ain't origionals btw
Is the narrator Richard Ayoade?!?!?!
ADSB is 1090 MHz not GHz. Interesting gadget at an almost snap purchase price ... Late Christmas present maybe ...
He said 1.9Ghz.
@@jacko101 I sit corrected :)
I found the price too high. If the price of such pack was under the 100 bucks. I would buy it.
It's actually pretty cheap for a clone. The original HackRF itself is EUR 300.
I agree anything over $75 USD is over priced for a glorified Raspberry Pi...
I paid over $400AUD for the hackrf alone a few years ago. To get it plus pack for half that is pretty amazing. Look at the price of legit hackrf still and you're looking at $400+ I'd suggest using PC and getting one of the cheap nooelec sdrs like the nano v3. It's great!
Just so you know the original costs 300-400 Euros/Dollars and that isn't including the Portapack which is about a 200 Euros/Dollars on top if you can even find an original one.
only a criminal nerd would buy this
these are junk outdated apps nothing new , needs sstv decode, cw decode etc etc to be of any use at all
Sir, Does Opensourcesdr lab hackrf portapack 2 mayhem firmware or not
I built my own Omnidirectional QHF Helix antenna tuned for weather satellites but I would love to get that special metal dish made by Nooelec! I have their FM and Saws Sawbird (GOES) both of which really help to get the best signals. I am saving my AD Pluto to set it up with a amp and a filters for the Q100 Oscar when I am recovered enough to sit for the HB3 and ask Baskom for a GHz add on...the tests are much more difficult here in Switzerland. I am an American dual national and the U.S. Federal Laws state that my official domicile is the last one I had before leaving which was Lexington, KY. I can vote in the United States elections but don't because I vote here and I don't think that is fair. I should have to pick one for voting but the U.S. accepts but doesn't fully "recognize" dual nationally but you can have it but they will always considered you American in a conflict. I am also here as the health care is super duper superior for my issues which are Severe (hyper levels of unprovoked violence - who would have thought being a lawyer would come with that in the job description?!?). But, what do you think about this approach and anyone else could reply, given officially I am domiciled in Lexington KY for US Federal Purposes, could I not take the U.S. Amateur Radio exams via video exam as is done now there? Then, after working my way up to the Extra catagory, then ask for conversion by the Swiss as I think by agreement they will convert amateur radio licenses? I could then take the exams in English as opposed to French (my second language) as the HB9, is extremely technical meaning you better have a bachelor's in electrical engineering or have taken a special course which covers only that needed by the Baskom for the HB9. I think I could pass the HB3 in French but the HB9 looks super scary with schematics and formulas etc ... I am learning some of this anyway being a "novice hobby maker" and I am working with KICAD a little with some starting simple design PCBs but I'm not an electrical engineer or a radio frequency engineer. Second question: I really have wanted my amateur radio license since I first saw a man at camp when I was young with an old school Kenwood HF rig and super long wave length invented Vs off the trees. At college, I lived in Helena, Montana next to the National Guard Communication system and the whole field had HF wires antenna stretched out all around the place. I was also just south of Malstrom AFB (the reason the Chinese weather balloons were floating over Montana as they control 250 ICMB approx when I was a student there. We would see them when we were on the back roads going hunting as that's how my roommate and I ate well during Uni. A Mule Deer, a few white tail, and antelope for sausages. Then, we would fish in the warm weather and freeze trout and in the lakes Northern Pike and we would see the fenced off areas and a concrete slab, cameras and antenna. I was a resident of MT as I lived there before starting Uni but my roommate grew up there. He said, don't even drive down the dirt road leading up to them or by the time you reached the fence a Blackhawk helicopter and a security team of special operators would be on you that fast. But, the cool part was seeing all the different US aircraft which would fly training flights down the tight canyons in-between Helena and Great Falls doing a U-turn in the Helena valley and going back to the base. We saw all of them but mostly A-10s and Blackhawks, the occasional bat wings which are so bizarre to see flying every time you see them as it seems so odd.
Hi Matt This is a very very nice inspiration - thank you so much. 73 de OZ2BKK
My pleasure!