Author: GullCode

Portapack Mayhem V2.2.0

GullCode

A new release of the famous Mayhem firmware for the HackRF + Portapack is out !

https://github.com/portapack-mayhem/mayhem-firmware/releases/tag/v2.2.0

We’re excited to share the latest updates in v2.2.0:

New Applications & Utilities:
– App Manager: A new settings app to manage which applications are visible in the menu.
– Detector: A new wide-band signal detector with a graphical RSSI history to help you find nearby transmitters.
– GFX EQ: A beautiful graphical audio equalizer for the WFM radio.
– Hopper: A powerful frequency hopping utility. Load a list of frequencies and transmit across them in various patterns.
– Level: The popular Level meter is back as an external app.
– Scanner: The frequency scanner is now an external app with improved performance.
– SD Card Wipe: The utility to securely wipe your SD card is now an external app.
– Stopwatch: A handy stopwatch and timer utility.
– WAV Viewer: The WAV file viewer and analyzer is now an external app.
– Antenna Length: The whip antenna calculator is now an external app.
– Playlist Editor: A new utility to create and edit .PPL replay playlists directly on the PortaPack.
– Debug PMem: A new debug utility to dump the contents of the persistent memory to the SD card.

New Games:
– Snake
– Tetris
– Breakout
– Doom
– Blackjack
– Battleship (POCSAG-based multiplayer)
– Space Invaders
– Dino Game (Chrome’s classic, now on your PortaPack!)

New Weather Satellite Decoders:
– WeFax Receiver: A dedicated app for receiving and decoding HF Weather Fax transmissions.
– NOAA APT Receiver: A dedicated app for receiving and decoding NOAA APT weather satellite images.

Enhancements & Improvements
– Analog Audio App:
New Demodulation Modes: Added AM-FM and WFM-AM modes specifically for decoding weather satellite transmissions (WeFax and NOAA APT).
Waterfall Zoom: Added a “ZOOM x2” feature in AM and AM-FM modes for a closer look at the spectrum.
Settings Saved: Your preferred AM mode and zoom factor are now saved and restored on startup.

– BLE RX App:
MAC Vendor Lookup: The app can now use the new MACADDRESS/macaddress.db file on your SD card to identify the manufacturer of BLE devices.
Improved Stability: Refactored to use the new asynchronous USB messaging system, improving stability and performance.
Better Channel Hopping: Channel hopping is now sequential (37-38-39) instead of random, ensuring more consistent discovery.
Accurate Power Reading: The reported dBm value now correctly accounts for LNA and VGA gain settings.
UI/UX: Improved error handling, keyboard entry modes, and list clearing.

– ADSB Receiver:
Enhanced Decoding: Now decodes more frame types (DF4, DF5, DF20, DF21) to extract Squawk codes, more accurate altitude, and callsigns.
True Airspeed (TAS): The app can now calculate and display True Airspeed (TAS) from Indicated Airspeed (IAS) and altitude data.
Improved Logging: Logs now include more detailed information like Squawk, SIL, and vertical rate.
Beep on Packet: Added an option to beep whenever a valid ADSB packet is received.

– Signal Generator (SigGen):
Major Overhaul: The SigGen app has been completely revamped with new modulation types, including BPSK, QPSK, DSB, AM (50% & 100% depth), and Pulsed CW. This makes it a much more versatile testing tool.
Improved UI: The user interface has been updated to logically group modulation and shape options.
File Manager:
Improved Navigation: The directory listing and pagination logic has been completely rewritten for a smoother and more intuitive experience.
Waterfall Gradient Installer: When you open a .txt file from the new WATERFALLS directory, you’ll be prompted to install it as the new default waterfall color scheme.

– Capture App:
Your settings for capture rate, file format, and auto-trim are now saved and restored automatically.
UI & UX Improvements
Customizable Waterfall Colors: The Looking Glass and Search apps now use a customizable color gradient. Create your own waterfall.txt file in the WATERFALLS directory on your SD card to change the look!
New “Dark” Theme: A new theme has been added for those who prefer a darker interface.

– New Settings Menus:
Display: Control the new “Fake Brightness” feature and set your screen type (TFT vs. IPS).
Button Speed: Adjust the repeat delay, repeat speed, and long-press delay for the physical buttons.
Responsive UI: Many applications and widgets now dynamically adjust their layout to better fit different screen resolutions.
Improved Keyboard: The on-screen keyboard now defaults to the most logical mode (Alpha, Numeric) depending on the context.
New Icons: Added a huge number of new icons for all the new apps and features.

Under the Hood & For Developers
– External App Architecture: The firmware now supports loading and running applications from the SD card. This is a fundamental architectural shift that allows for greater flexibility and expansion.
– Build System: The minimum required CMake version has been updated to 3.16.
– Code Refactoring: Many internal apps have been moved to the new external app system, cleaning up the main firmware codebase. The de_bruijn.cpp generator has been removed in favor of more modern methods.

SD Card Content

New Directories:
– WATERFALLS/: Place your custom waterfall color gradient files here (e.g., aurora.txt, flame.txt).
– HOPPER/: Store your frequency lists for the new Hopper app here.
– MACADDRESS/: Place the macaddress.db file here for the BLE RX vendor lookup feature.
– SUBGHZ/: For Flipper-compatible .sub files.

New Files:
– Added example files for the new WATERFALLS and HOPPER directories.
– Added macaddress.db for BLE vendor lookup.
– Cleaned Up: Removed old and unused FREQMAN files.

Don’t forget our various and usefull websites:

Mayhem HUB: https://hackrf.app/

Mayhem Main Repository: https://github.com/portapack-mayhem/mayhem-firmware

Mayhem Wiki: https://github.com/portapack-mayhem/mayhem-firmware/wiki

Mayhem User Provided Freqman Files: https://github.com/portapack-mayhem/mayhem-freqman-files

Mayhem MDK: https://github.com/portapack-mayhem/mayhem-mdk

Mayhem ESP32 Module: https://github.com/htotoo/ESP32-Portapack

Thanks to all the contributors on that release !!

#hackrf #portapack #mayhem

MinGW / MSYS tip of the day

GullCode

If ever you encounter error like this:

(159/159) checking for file conflicts                                                                                          [###################################################################] 100%
error: failed to commit transaction (conflicting files)
mingw-w64-i686-glib2: /mingw32/bin/gi-compile-repository.exe exists in filesystem
mingw-w64-i686-glib2: /mingw32/bin/gi-decompile-typelib.exe exists in filesystem
mingw-w64-i686-glib2: /mingw32/bin/gi-inspect-typelib.exe exists in filesystem
mingw-w64-i686-glib2: /mingw32/bin/libgirepository-2.0-0.dll exists in filesystem
...and so on...

The use the following command to update your system:

pacman -Suuy --overwrite "*"

HackRF Portapack Mayhem 2.0.1

GullCode


The new stable firmware is out, with a bunch of bugfixes, new features, and new apps !!
Here you go for a detailed changelog since 2.0.0 !
First apps changes are listed, and then the UI / Radio / Baseband / Website / GIT ones.

TLDR, main features for that update:

  • Freqman is supporting a lot more files than before
  • Tone beep has been added to a ton of apps and as a global setting too
  • 2 new apps which will make use of the incoming ESP32 USB tooling
  • Auto record and repeat in Recon
  • Autostart app on power on option
  • RX IQ CALibration
  • lots of fixes and cleanings
  • some new preset/freqman files
  • some new BLE options

List of updated apps:

ADSB:

  • Beep-on-packet support in ADSB RX app
  • Added sil value ASDB

AIS:

  • Beep-on-packet support in AIS app

Audio:

  • Adding Rx IQ error phase CAL to SPEC Audio_App
  • Added a beep duration parameter
  • Improved audio beep tone

BLE:

  • Added all and all-safe attack types to blespam
  • Bt namespam

Capture/Recording apps:

  • Record gps lat, lon, satinuse from recorder app if there was gps signal

Recon:

  • Fix Recon Modulation/Bandwidth presets
  • Recon repeat auto recorded file mode
  • Added enums for recon_config bits

ERT:

  • beep on packet

Freqman:

  • Add FPV analog frequenqies to FREQMAN
  • Update FPV_ANALOG.TXT
  • Limiting description size to 30, and minor fix
  • SSTV Freqs
  • Added and fixed freqs
  • Create RADIOS_FM_FR_PARIS.TXT with FM Radios in Paris
  • Adding Australian UHF channels and Brisbane Airband to FREQMAN

Fileman:

  • Support “clean” files
  • File manager “Clean” button tweaks
  • Darken FileMan button colors for visibility
  • Fileman memory opt
  • Allow to load more files but unordered
  • Continued folder names consolidation & GPS default folder
  • FileMan support for folder Cut & Paste and Timestamp Rename

Games:

  • Cheat code protect in pacman app

Fox hunt:

Level:

  • Added Rxsat in Level app
  • Level app: coloration of RxSat value
  • Level fix and beep, RSSI avg fix
  • Fixing level beep, bad copy paste on special SPEC mode
  • Fix gui glitch on beep squelch

Looking glass:

  • Looking glass beep
  • Added CubeSats to Presets
  • Adding Australian UHF to Looking Glass
  • Adjust GUI for more preset name room

Mic:

  • Mic audio ak4951 fix

POCSAG:

  • Beep-on-packet support in POCSAG app

RadioSonde:

  • Fixed Sonde RSSI “Beep”
  • Radiosonde beep tone tweaks
  • Radiosonde QR code fixes

Settings:

  • Autostart option
  • Fix Cancel button in Settings->Autostart
  • Beep-on-packets option in Settings

TPMS:

  • Beep-on-packet support in TPMS app

Wardrive Map:

Weather:

  • Beep-on-packet support in Weather app

Other updates:

Radio:

  • Set iq_phase_cal in radio when starting SPEC mode
  • Added RXIQCALC
  • Preserve radio mode when updating iq_tx_phase_cal

Tools/Debug:

  • Improved flash image validation
  • External sensor tester app
  • Lambda the flash util menu add item code
  • Audio Beep Test (Debug) external app
  • Improved Audio Beep Test
  • More debug Audio Beep Test tweaks
  • Show true M0 free heap space in DFU overlay
  • Commented out Debug -> Memory Usage app

Baseband:

  • Start audio DMA only in apps that use audio
  • Disabled unused baseband “no-op” process
  • Stop audio DMA in baseband::shutdown
  • Use freq from AppSettings unless passed from another app

USB/Serial:

  • Added crc32 command to usb shell
  • Dynamic usb buffer fill for screenframeshort

UI:

  • Optimized fake brightness code
  • Change sun bitmap to make it more like a sun
  • Remove unused text_info widget
  • Eliminate unnecessary NumberField to save code space
  • Deallocate menu buttons to save memory
  • Fix butngrid/capture and fix contributor name
  • Removed special font characters
  • Move the no ext app tile to forward
  • Modify warning text
  • Add GPS icon, fix overwrite bug

Code/Build:

  • Fix compiler warnings
  • Fix unused warnings
  • Fix build warning in settings
  • Declare all folder names in a single source file

Git depot:

  • Update bug_report.md
  • Create config.yml
  • Rename bug_report.md to 01_bug_report.yml
  • Update and rename feature_request.md to feature_request.yml
  • Rename feature_request.yml to 02_feature_request.yml
  • Update config.yml
  • Rename problem-upgrading-the-firmware.md to 03_problem-upgrading-the-firmware.md

Website (https://hackrf.app):

  • Fix shift back in screenshot and mayhem hub

Last notes:

If you are coming from a version <2.0.0, you have to first update using the classic hackrf_spiflash method to bring your firmware to a version >=2.0.0. It will only update the parts of the firmware on the flash, all external apps will NOT be updated using only hackrf_spiflash.

In a second time use the web interface at https://hackrf.app to update to lastest stable/nightly. It will ALSO update external apps that are stored on the sdcard.

If your firmware is already >= 2.0.0, just directly go to https://hackrf.app and update all in one go from there.

!! all sdcard content is NOT updated through website, only the external apps !!

Links:
https://github.com/portapack-mayhem/mayhem-firmware/releases
https://github.com/portapack-mayhem/mayhem-firmware/wiki/Update-firmware

#hackrf #portapack #mayhem #firmware #update

scp error: path canonicalization failed

GullCode

If you’re doing scp command, with ‘-r’ recursive option, and stumble upon a strange “path canonicalization failed” out of nowhere:

Starting from SSH 9.0.0 scp is using sFTP to copy files. And in sFTP, target directories must exist.

Simple fix: use -O, legacy mode:

“Use the legacy SCP protocol for file transfers instead of the SFTP protocol. Forcing the use of the SCP protocol may be necessary for servers that do not implement SFTP, for backwards-compatibility for particular filename wildcard patterns and for expanding paths with a `~’ prefix for older SFTP servers”

#SSH #SCP #ERROR

reMarkable 2, quick review and advanced configuration

GullCode

Overview

The reMarkable 2 tablet is an e-ink paper feel like tablet, aimed at note taking, quick drawing, and PDF/EPub reading.

You can read the product informations/hardware directly on the reMarkable website.

It’s voluntarily simple and with no extra apps/functions so you stays focused on what you’re doing. Some says it’s a default, some says it’s a perk. I think it’s a perk 😉

The environnement of the reMarkables (1 & 2) is an open source based linux. By default you can have an ssh access to your tablet, and you have the root access.

reMarkable Guide

Nearly every information on that article can be found in great details here: https://remarkable.guide/

That guide is like the “hitchhiker’s guide to the remarkable world”.

They’re also the ones behind the excellent ‘reMarkable’ discord server

!! Warning for what’s following !!

We are not responsible if you break your device.

Read all the documentation BEFORE acting so you know what you do.


If you want to try something undocumented / unsupported, you better ask the question on remarkable discord first.

Extra warning on reMarkable 2: you’ll need a special pogo connector to do a real factory reset !! (see https://remarkable.guide/tech/recovery.html for more informations)

List of the hacks I use / links to project pages

Let’s start by stating that I’m not willing to use any cloud related functions on that tablet.

I used first codexctl to downgrade the tablet to the last toltec supported version, that is 2.15.1.1189 at the time of the article. Support for 3.X is in the tube, but not yet ready for users.

Then I used toltec to install / manage the linux packets on the reMarkable system.

Once toltec installed, I used the provided opkg commands to install Oxide

Oxide is a desktop environment for the reMarkable tablet.

Features:

  • Multitasking / application switching
  • Notifications
  • Wifi managment
  • Chroot for applications that you don’t fully trust
  • Optional lockscreen
  • Homescreen for launching applications
  • Process manager
  • Take, view, and manage screenshots

See https://oxide.eeems.codes/

Then I installed the following via opkg install (I linked the project pages so you can go to see by yourself):

KOReader : An ebook reader application supporting PDF, DjVu, EPUB, FB2

Plato: An ebook reader application supporting PDF/CBZ/FB2/XPS/ePUB/DJVU reader

Sill: Gesture-based text editor (and shell) for the reMarkable tablet

VNSee: VNC client for the reMarkable tablet allowing you to use the device as a second screen
calculator

rmFM: Bare-bones file manager for the reMarkable paper tablet, built using Node.js and sas

restream: Stream your reMarkable screen over SSH

webinterface-wifi: View the web interface over wifi. For the ReMarkable Tablet

webinterface-upload: Upload button for the web interface, alternative to drag and drop. For the ReMarkable Tablet

webinterface-onboot: Enable the web interface on boot. For the ReMarkable Tablet

I also installed genie and iago (UI for drawing shapes with the pen) and genie (config based gesture launcher) following that reddit comment.

I may have installed a few others, but I’m not using them daily.

For some more, you should explore the Awesome reMarkable page (A curated list of projects related to the reMarkable tablet) as well as toltec package list / toltec entware package list

Quick gestures/shortcut reminders:


Templates:

I tried reCalendar, a free online calendar generator that is also making links on dates

Ultimate HackRF Portapack Mayhem Upgrade Guide

GullCode

2023-2024 Edition

Introduction

When updating your devices, you may sometimes encounter problems that are directly related to the way you updated and to the changes that have occurred between your version jump.

That guide does not pretend to solve all the problems, some are real issues that have to be opened on the Mayhem GITHUB issues tracker.

On the other hand, if you have followed that guide and still have a problem, your issue have better chances to be solved as it will be possible to set aside common updates related problems.

List of important steps:

  • download all necessary files (it means at least SDCARD apps and firmware bin file !!)
  • have a reliable USB cable
  • ensure that your button battery is not dead, else use ‘PMem to Sdcard’ options in ‘Settings’
  • ensure that your CPLD is up to date (no need to update each time, but be sure at least once)
  • flash the firmware
  • update sdcard content (do not forget to update APPS if you’re manually refreshing !)
  • if you are having strange apps problems, try a factory default reset. It’s important to note that you will loose your settings and will have to set them back if you’re doing that step
  • always go and check the settings after the updates, we may have added things that changed the memory layout of settings thus messing them.

You may search each each steps details in the Mayhem GITHUB Wiki, particularly in the following sections:

#hackrf #portapack #mayhem #update #upgrade #guide

KAFKA: raw write your own encoded AVRO event

GullCode

Like they said, if you use a language for which serializers aren’t written yet, you can write the encoded event yourself. Here are both the recipe and the link:

0Magic ByteConfluent serialization format version number; currently always 0.
1-4Schema ID4-byte schema ID as returned by Schema Registry.
5-…Data

https://docs.confluent.io/platform/current/schema-registry/fundamentals/serdes-develop/index.html#wire-format

#kafka #avro #schema #id #raw #event #wire #format

GPT4 analysis by Two Minutes Papers

GullCode

#GPT4 is so amazing that it is a little bit frightening.

But hey, you can pour it a book and talk… to the book, isn’t it amazing ??

Seriously, the GPTs are incredible and the futur is going to change for sure.

Good or bad, well, wait and see.

PS: I can only encourage you to follow Two Minutes Papers. That channel is just so good, with simple and quick explanations, even when it’s a heavy subject like GPT4

Spotify Linux: fix crash or bad window at startup

GullCode

If ever at some points Spotify on Linux refuses to start or start with fucked up graphics, there is a high probability that it’s due to hardware acceleration and a pesky update.

Spotify isn’t that much of a GUI CPU hog, so you can start it with hardware acceleration OFF and make it work again, like this:

spotify –disable-gpu

Some users reported that they needed to use –no-zygote too, but it made it instable for me.

Some had to also use –disable-software-rasterizer. I saw no changes when using it.

#spotify #gpu #linux #crash