HackRF Edge is an experimental precision-receive project for HackRF One and PortaPack. Its goal is simple: record not only IQ samples, but also enough continuity and receiver-state evidence to decide whether those samples can be trusted.
Ordinary IQ data can still look plausible after a dropped buffer, a rate transition, or a receiver-state change. Edge adds sequence, device-relative input time, configuration epochs, explicit loss accounting, and CRC-protected capture metadata so downstream software can reject or quarantine compromised acquisition data.
Current publication status
v0.1.0-alpha.1is the first authorized experimental release. It publishes the exact P16 firmware bytes as a separately reviewed package with public source pins, corresponding source, checksums, and a narrow installation boundary. The original qualified seal remains private and non-distributable.
- An opt-in, evidence-bearing framed C8 receive transport for HackRF USB.
- Legacy headerless C8 as the reset and default behavior.
- A PortaPack Precision RX application with bounded capture and live receiver health telemetry.
- A PRX2 sidecar format that records capture accounting, terminal reason, continuity state, and retained telemetry.
- Compatibility binding between the Mayhem aggregate and removable applications.
- Fail-closed host parsing and release-validation contracts.
Edge does not add ADC resolution, RF sensitivity, calibrated time, automatic signal intelligence, passive radar from one receiver, or a new transmit feature. Upstream transmit capabilities still exist outside the qualified receive-only workflow.
The private P16 candidate completed a narrow, single-device qualification:
| Area | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall result | PASS_WITH_PROCEDURAL_ERRATUM |
| Distribution status | v0.1.0-alpha.1 authorized as a separate public package |
| Hardware scope | One regular pre-r6/MAX2837 HackRF One with PortaPack H2+ |
| Rate transitions | 246/246 |
| Round trips | 20/20 |
| 20 MS/s soak | 600.861338 seconds |
| Final loss/error counters | Zero |
| Persistent aggregate check | Exact 1 MiB readback match |
| Final antenna-bias state | Off |
| Standalone SD result | Clean 9,187,328-sample prefix ending CARD SLOW |
| Standalone full-success claim | No |
These results do not establish support for other HackRF revisions, HackRF Pro, other PortaPack models, broad SD-card compatibility, calibrated RF performance, or a second-receiver comparison. See the sanitized P16 record and hardware scope.
This is the public project hub. It is intended to contain:
- normative Edge and PRX wire specifications;
- portable reference layouts and tests;
- public architecture, safety, installation, recovery, and release documentation;
- sanitized qualification summaries; and
- exact links and commit pins for public component repositories.
It intentionally excludes private qualification runbooks, device identities, raw captures, recovery images, machine-specific paths, superseded engineering candidates, and non-distributable seals.
The component publication map is maintained in docs/component-repositories.md. A component is not considered part of a public release until a release manifest names its public repository and exact commit.
- Architecture
- Hardware scope
- Install v0.1.0-alpha.1
- Recovery
- RF and hardware safety
- Qualification method
- P16 qualification record
- v0.1.0-alpha.1 release record
- Contributing
- Security policy
Firmware installation can make a device temporarily unbootable and an incorrect image can target the wrong memory region. Do not flash anything based only on a filename. Verify the device, board family, image role, byte length, and published checksum, and retain a tested stock-recovery path.
Keep antenna bias off unless the connected hardware is designed to accept it. Comply with local radio law. Edge qualification is receive-only and does not authorize transmission.
The project is experimental and upstream-oriented. Issues should contain reproducible, sanitized observations rather than device serials or captures. Hardware reports from additional revisions and media are welcome, but one report expands the evidence set rather than creating a universal support claim.
Use GitHub Discussions for general questions, Issues for reproducible public work, and GitHub private vulnerability reporting for security-sensitive material. See SUPPORT.md and SECURITY.md.
Unless a file says otherwise, original material in this public umbrella
repository is available under either the MIT License or Apache License 2.0,
at your option (MIT OR Apache-2.0).
HackRF, Mayhem, libhackrf, SoapyHackRF, and other components retain their own upstream licenses and notices. Every firmware binary release must provide the corresponding source and notices required by each shipped component. See THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.
HackRF and HackRF One are trademarks of Great Scott Gadgets. HackRF Edge is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Great Scott Gadgets. The marks are used with attribution only to describe compatible derived work.