https://github.com/rgerganov/rf-car
Controlling RC cars with HackRF
https://github.com/rgerganov/rf-car
hackrf toys
Last synced: 9 months ago
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Controlling RC cars with HackRF
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/rgerganov/rf-car
- Owner: rgerganov
- License: mit
- Created: 2016-08-12T12:20:20.000Z (almost 10 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2023-03-02T06:55:36.000Z (over 3 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-01-11T15:53:38.734Z (over 1 year ago)
- Topics: hackrf, toys
- Language: C++
- Homepage:
- Size: 3.95 MB
- Stars: 144
- Watchers: 12
- Forks: 21
- Open Issues: 3
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Overview
[](https://github.com/rgerganov/rf-car/actions)
Small programs for controlling RC cars with HackRF.
## `ook_car`
This car works on 40.684 MHz and moves in 8 directions (forward, backward, left, right, forward-right,
forward-left, backward-right, backward-left). You can see it in action here:
[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itS2pWkgNrM)
The remote control is using OOK modulation with long and short pulses. One long
pulse is equal to three short pulses. For example, to move the car forward, we
need to send 4 long pulses followed by 10 short pulses. We can easily find the
control sequence for each direction by recording the signal from the RC and
then analyse it with [inspectrum](https://github.com/miek/inspectrum):
To synthesize the signal with the HackRF, we need to transmit
`SAMPLE_RATE/SYMBOL_RATE` samples ('1' or '0') for each bit of the control
sequence. We can find the `SYMBOL_RATE` with inspectrum, it is about 2018.
We choose the `SAMPLE_RATE` to be 2M.
## `dickie`
This is the [Dickie Toys Flippy RC Car](https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Dickie-Flippy-Control-Rotation-Function/dp/B084PY44PN), it works on 2.4 GHz and moves in 6 directions. You can see it in action here:
[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqSv-Nycy_4)
First you need to turn on the car and then start `dickie`. This is because `dickie` sends a synchronization pattern upon start and the car needs to receive it.
You can find more details about the remote protocol in this [blog post](https://xakcop.com/post/re-2.4ghz/).
## `concept`
This car is very similar to the one from Dickie Toys. The support was added by [@alexbilevskiy](https://github.com/alexbilevskiy), you can find more details in [this PR](https://github.com/rgerganov/rf-car/pull/4).
## `rover`
This is Range Rover donated by [thegiftscholars.com](https://www.thegiftscholars.com/cmj-rc-cars) especially for this project!
It works on 2.4 GHz and moves in 8 directions. You can see it in action here:
[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaZhaHERiQc)
# Build & run
The programs depend only on SDL2, SDL2_image and libhackrf. To build on Linux:
$ sudo apt-get install libsdl2-dev libsdl2-image-dev libhackrf-dev
$ make
$ ./ook_car
$ ./dickie
$ ./rover
To build on OSX:
$ brew install sdl2 sdl2_image hackrf
$ make
$ ./ook_car
$ ./dickie
$ ./rover
# Support
If you want to support the project you can send me an RC toy and I will try to reverse engineer its protocol and add it here. Send me an [email](mailto:rgerganov@gmail.com) for more details.