Module 6 — Waveform Applications & RF Reverse Engineering#

ECE 448 · Module 06

Waveform Applications & RF Reverse Engineering

Real signals, real decoders: CW to AIS, and the unknown signal in between.

Lessons 12–19 · Software Defined Radios · Dr. Neil Rogers

Where This Module Goes

CW, DTMF, HD Radio, mPSK, frequency hopping, ADS-B, and AIS, each built or decoded in GNU Radio, plus the workflow for taking an unknown signal from spectrum to bits.

Learning Objectives (6.1-6.4)

  1. I can transmit and receive CW (Morse) using GNU Radio and decode a received CW stream.
  2. I can decode DTMF tones from a captured audio signal.
  3. I can describe how HD Radio works and demodulate an HD Radio signal.
  4. I can implement an mPSK modulator and demodulator (BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK) and recover carrier and symbol timing.

Learning Objectives (6.5-6.8)

  1. I can implement FHSS transmission and reception, including hop-sequence synchronization.
  2. I can perform RF reverse engineering on an unknown signal: identify its modulation, symbol rate, and payload structure.
  3. I can receive and decode ADS-B messages from aircraft transponders.
  4. I can receive and decode AIS messages from marine vessels.