Tech Minds: A Beginners Guide to the HackRF and Portapack with Mayhem Firmware
In one of his latest videos Matt from the Tech Minds YouTube channel has created a beginners guide to the HackRF and Portapack with the Mayhem Firmware. The HackRF is a popular affordable software defined radio with wide frequency range and transmit capabilities. An addon called the Portapack allows the HackRF to go portable, and custom firmware called 'Mayhem' significantly expands it's capabilities.
Matt uses a Chinese HackRF and Portapack clone set from Banggood which can be found very cheaply for around $200 shipped. The original Portpack can be found from the Sharebrained store for $200, and then original HackRF can be found form various resellers listed on the greatscottgadgets website.
In the video Matt unboxes the Portapack, shows an overview of the hardware and then goes on to show how to update the stock firmware to the Mayhem firmware. He then demonstrates a few of the capabilities of the Mayhem firmware.
I’m really stuck on this new HackRF Portapack H2M+ on how to use it properly, I’m just not “clicking” or “getting it” as I normally would with say, a new Laptop, a new Windows version, or like I would with an intricate peice of software.
I’m testing out all these little features that it came with, Spyglass, HackRF mode, HackRF to USB mode, Transmit, Receive, Morse Code, and something that scared me, some Airband module that had Altitude, Speed, Flight Number, Tail Number, Squawk Number, it looked to me like this would closely mock an airplane’s details, yikes, this is definitely a piece of hardware that isn’t for the uncontrolled types, either uncontrolled over themselves or someone should be looking after them but isn’t, like a kid and his/her parents or some kook in a shack in the mountains in Montana that has zero self control.
Now I have to ask, will it really do what I think this “feature” is?
Does it actually pretend to be an airplane anywhere you want to put it on a world map?
I’m pretty sure it can do that and more, hence the warning about those who can’t exercise a little self control and I’m also very sure I should say the following…
… THIS IS NOT A TOY, DO NOT BUY THIS FOR THOSE WITH UNDER-DEVELOPED THOUGHT PROCESSES, PERSONS WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS OR ANYONE WHO HAS A “THING” FOR ABSOLUTE TURMOIL, DRAMATIC UPHEAVAL AND ANYONE WHO EXCESSIVELY SAYS “I’M BORED” OR “THIS IS BORING” AND MAYBE EVEN “WHOA DUDE, LOOK WHAT THIS DOES, LIKE, OH MY MOT#&%! F*&#$&% GOD, BRO, COME LOOK AT THIS!”.
Anyone feel like just giving me the straight up first 5 things I should do to set up this device in an easy, non-developer, but still smart enough to follow directions on any computer issue so this should be ok, right? kind of way?
I thank you ahead of time and appreciate the time you’ve already given me.