python-hackrf 1.5.0.1

This is a wrapper for hackrf. It includes both libhackrf and hackrf-tools

python_hackrf

python_hackrf is a cython wrapper for hackrf.

Before installing python_hackrf library, you must have hackrf host software installed. Because this library uses dynamic linking with an existing library file. Minimum libhackrf version: 2024.02.1+ (0.9)

For windows users please use additional steps to install python_hackrf

You can install this library using

pip install git+https://github.com/GvozdevLeonid/python_hackrf.git

If your hackrf files are in non-standard paths and during installation the python_hackrf cannot find hackrf.h or the library file, you can specify the paths via environment variables

LINUX/MACOS:
export PYTHON_HACKRF_CFLAGS=path_to_hackrf.h
export PYTHON_HACKRF_LDFLAGS=path_to_hackrf.(so, dylib)
WINDOWS:
set PYTHON_HACKRF_INCLUDE_PATH=path_to_hackrf.h dir
set PYTHON_HACKRF_LIB_PATH=path_to_libhackrf.dll dir

Requirements:

• Numpy>=2.2.1
• Cython>=3.1.0,<3.2.1
• Scipy (optional, for faster work)
• pyFFTW (optional, for faster work)
• pyjnius and android (only for android)

Scope:

All functions from libhackrf are ported. On Android, connection to hackrf and obtaining a list of devices are changed.

hackrf_tools

• hackrf_info.c (Implemented)
• hackrf_operacake.c (Implemented)
• hackrf_sweep.c (Implemented)
• hackrf_transfer.c (Implemented)
• hackrf_clock.c (Will not be implemented)
• hackrf_cpldjtag.c (Will not be implemented)
• hackrf_debug.c (Will not be implemented)
• hackrf_spiflash.c (Will not be implemented and features will not be ported)

Usage

usage: python_hackrf [-h] {info, sweep, operacake, transfer} ...

python_hackrf is a Python wrapper for libhackrf and hackrf-tools.

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit

Available commands:
  {info,operacake,sweep,transfer}
    info                Read device information from HackRF such as serial number and firmware version.
    operacake           Specify either list, mode, or GPIO test option.
    sweep               Command-line spectrum analyzer.
    transfer            Send and receive signals using HackRF. Input/output files consist of complex64 quadrature samples.

python_hackrf info

usage: python_hackrf info [-h] [-f] [-s]

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -f, --full            show info like in hackrf_info
  -s, --serial_numbers  show only founded serial_numbers

python_hackrf sweep

usage: python_hackrf sweep [-h] [-d] [-a] [-f] [-p] [-l] [-g] [-w] [-1] [-N] [-B] [-S] [-s] [-b] [-r]

options:
  -h, --help  show this help message and exit
  -d          serial number of desired HackRF
  -a          RX RF amplifier. If specified = Enable
  -f          freq_min:freq_max. minimum and maximum frequencies in MHz start:stop or start1:stop1,start2:stop2 (MAX_SWEEP_RANGES = 10)
  -p          antenna port power. If specified = Enable
  -l          RX LNA (IF) gain, 0 - 40dB, 8dB steps
  -g          RX VGA (baseband) gain, 0 - 62dB, 2dB steps
  -w          FFT bin width (frequency resolution) in Hz, 245-5000000 Depends on sample rate min= sample rate * 1e6 / 8180, max = sample_rate
              * 1e6 / 4
  -1          one shot mode. If specified = Enable
  -N          number of sweeps to perform
  -B          binary output. If specified = Enable
  -S          sweep style ("L" - LINEAR, "I" - INTERLEAVED). Default is INTERLEAVED
  -s          sample rate in MHz (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20). Default is 20
  -b          baseband filter bandwidth in MHz (1.75, 2.5, 3.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 12.0, 14.0, 15.0 20.0, 24.0, 28.0). Default .75 * sample rate
  -r          <filename> output file

python_hackrf operacake

usage: python_hackrf operacake [-h] [-d] [-o] [-m] [-a] [-b] [-f] [-t] [-w] [-l] [-g]

options:
  -h, --help       show this help message and exit
  -d               serial number of desired HackRF
  -o , --address   specify a particular Opera Cake by address. Default is 0
  -m , --mode      specify switching mode [options: manual, frequency, time]
  -a               set port connected to port A0
  -b               set port connected to port B0
  -f               <port:min:max> or <port:min:max>,<port:min:max> automatically assign <port> for range <min:max> in MHz.
  -t               <port:dwell> or <port:dwell>,<port:dwell> in time mode, dwell on <port> for <dwell> samples. Specify only <port> to use the default
                   dwell time (with -w).
  -w               set default dwell time in samples for time mode
  -l, --list       list available Opera Cake boards
  -g, --gpio_test  test GPIO functionality of an Opera Cake

python_hackrf transfer

Be careful pyhackrf_transfer saves data in complex64 format!

usage: python_hackrf transfer [-h] [-d] [-r] [-t] [-f] [-i] [-o] [-m] [-a] [-p] [-l] [-g] [-x] [-s] [-N] [-R] -[b] [-H]

options:
  -d                  serial number of desired HackRF
  -r                  <filename> receive data into file (use "-" for stdout)
  -t                  <filename> transmit data from file (use "-" for stdout)
  -f, --freq_hz       frequency in Hz (0MHz to 7250MHz supported). Default is 900MHz
  -i, --i_freq_hz     intermediate frequency in Hz (2000MHz to 3000MHz supported)
  -o, --lo_freq_hz    front-end local oscillator frequency in Hz (84MHz to 5400MHz supported)
  -m, --image_reject  image rejection filter selection (bypass, low, high)
  -a                  RX RF amplifier. If specified = Enable
  -p                  antenna port power. If specified = Enable
  -l                  RX LNA (IF) gain, 0 - 40dB, 8dB steps
  -g                  RX VGA (baseband) gain, 0 - 62dB, 2dB steps
  -x                  TX VGA (IF) gain, 0 - 47dB, 1dB steps
  -s                  sample rate in MHz (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20). Default is 10
  -N                  number of samples to transfer (default is unlimited)
  -R                  repeat TX mode. Fefault is off
  -b                  baseband filter bandwidth in MHz (1.75, 2.5, 3.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 12.0, 14.0, 15.0 20.0, 24.0, 28.0). Default .75 * sample rate
  -H                  synchronize RX/TX to external trigger input

Android

This library can work on android. To do this, go to the android directory and download 3 recipes for p4a.

buildozer.spec

requirements = python3,android,pyjnius,numpy,libusb,libhackrf,python_hackrf
p4a.local_recipes = path_to_pythonforandroidrecipes_folder

Your recipes folder should contain at least the following files:

pythonforandroidrecipes/
    __init__.py
    libusb/
        __init__.py
    python_hackrf/
        __init__.py
    libhackrf/
        __init__.py
        hackrf_android.patch
        jni/
            Android.mk
            Application.mk
            libhackrf.mk

Examples

You can see a basic example of working with python_hackrf in this tutorial.

Please use the original hackrf documentation

Notes

For pyhackrf_transfer, FileBuffer (utils module) has been implemented, which will allow you to more conveniently receive and send iq data from sdr.

Installation on Windows

To install python_hackrf, you must first install the HackRF software. Official installation instructions are available on the HackRF documentation site. Alternatively, you can download the ZIP archive from the Releases tab of this repository. Extract the archive and move its contents to the standard location: C:\Program Files\HackRF

The HackRF directory should contain the following subfolders and files:

├── include
│ └── hackrf.h
├── lib
│ └── hackrf.dll
│ └── hackrf.lib ← for MSVC
│ └── libhackrf.a ← for MinGW
│ └── libusb-1.0.dll
│ └── pthreadVC2.dll
│ └── msvcr100.dll

In addition, the archive includes other required DLLs and dependencies to ensure proper operation of HackRF on Windows. libusb-1.0.dll pthreadVC2.dll msvcr100.dll

If you install hackrf yourself or via another path, set the following environment variables

MSVC | MinGW:

  set PYTHON_HACKRF_INCLUDE_PATH=path to .h file directory
  set PYTHON_HACKRF_LIB_PATH=path to .dll and .lib file directory
  set HACKRF_LIB_DIR=path to .dll and .lib file directory