Background: RF Explorer is a handheld spectrum analyzer which can be used on all popular ISM bands, to keep this thread short I won't extend much on current capabilities, you can get more info at http://www.rf-explorer.com. Let me know if you need any more details.
Now the question: I am going to extend the current firmware with packet sniffer functionality, so RF Explorer can decode and show on screen any wireless packet being OOK or FSK, the two most popular modulation schemes. More interestingly, RF Explorer will be able to send and receive OOK / FSK packets so it can act as a packet monitor but also as a remote control for a configurable frequency and packet format.
I am looking for ideas, suggestions and specific needs to fulfill in this area. It will be implemented in a way that can work with any RF transceiver in the other end, assuming it works with OOK or FSK. Arduino code examples will be used in all cases.
An example of how the Packet Sniffer may work is:
- You create a project with an Arduino board which uses a RF transceiver for wireless communication (for instance a CC1101 like RFBee or a Si4xxx like HopeRF modules)
- You easily call the RF module library for a simple "hello world" in a given frequency and baud rate
- Configuring RF explorer baud rate and frequency will show you the "hello world" string on screen, in addition to showing exact frequency read value and received power
The Open Source Windows PC Client will display packet in a similar way as Texas Instrument Packet Sniffer does for SimpliciTI (see screenshot below), the only difference is RF Explorer is not limited to a specific vendor protocol.
Any suggestions on specific needs beyond that you may suggest?
As a second phase it will include a RAW data decoder so binary signal will be shown on screen. This will allow to hack and decode any signal, including weather stations, door openers, PT2262 and family of coders, etc. Again ideas will be appreciated on how you would like to get this available in the RF Explorer screen so it can be easily reused in an Arduino board with a RF transceiver. Probably an HEX code dump will be all we need...
Thanks in advance!