The barrier to entry in software-defined radio is now almost non-existent. Wide band, receive-only hardware can be obtained for as little as $10, and tools like gqrx and SDR# make it extremely easy to get started listening to signals. However, there is a steep learning curve graduating from an SDR script kiddie to developing your own SDR tools. In this talk, I’ll cover the basic theory behind software-defined radios digital signal processing, and digital communication, including I/Q samples, FIR filters, timing and carrier recovery, and more.
Karl Koscher is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California San Diego where he specializes in embedded systems security. In 2011, he and his collaborators were the first to demonstrate a complete remote compromise of a car over cellular, Bluetooth, and other channels. In addition to breaking systems, he also works on creating tools and technologies to enable developers to automatically find (and fix) potential security vulnerabilities in their embedded systems. Since earning his ham license at DEFCON 22 (and later upgrading to Amateur Extra), he has become interested in many aspects of wireless communications.