Files
intercept/utils/sdr/rtlsdr.py
T
James Smith 96172ca593 style: apply ruff-format to entire codebase
First-time run of ruff-format via pre-commit hook normalises quote
style, trailing commas, and whitespace across 188 Python files.
No logic changes.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-07-05 14:48:11 +01:00

375 lines
13 KiB
Python

"""
RTL-SDR command builder implementation.
Uses native rtl_* tools (rtl_fm, rtl_433) and dump1090 for maximum compatibility
with existing RTL-SDR installations. No SoapySDR dependency required.
"""
from __future__ import annotations
import logging
import re
import subprocess
from utils.dependencies import get_tool_path
from .base import CommandBuilder, SDRCapabilities, SDRDevice, SDRType
logger = logging.getLogger("intercept.sdr.rtlsdr")
def _rtl_fm_demod_mode(modulation: str) -> str:
"""Map app/UI modulation names to rtl_fm demod tokens."""
mod = str(modulation or "").lower().strip()
return "wbfm" if mod == "wfm" else mod
def _rtl_tool_supports_bias_t(tool_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if an rtl_* tool (rtl_fm, rtl_sdr) supports the -T bias-tee flag.
The -T flag is only available in RTL-SDR Blog builds, not in stock
rtl-sdr packages shipped by most distros.
"""
try:
result = subprocess.run([tool_path, "--help"], capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5)
help_text = result.stdout + result.stderr
# Match "-T" as a CLI flag (e.g. "[-T]" or "-T enable bias"),
# not as part of "DVB-T" or similar text.
return bool(re.search(r"(?<!\w)-T\b", help_text))
except Exception as e:
logger.warning(f"Could not detect bias-t support for {tool_path}: {e}")
return False
def enable_bias_t_via_rtl_biast(device_index: int = 0) -> bool:
"""Enable bias-t power using rtl_biast (RTL-SDR Blog drivers).
Runs rtl_biast to set the bias-t register on the device, then exits.
The setting persists across device opens until the device is reset.
Returns True if bias-t was enabled successfully.
"""
rtl_biast_path = get_tool_path("rtl_biast") or "rtl_biast"
try:
result = subprocess.run(
[rtl_biast_path, "-b", "1", "-d", str(device_index)], capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5
)
if result.returncode == 0:
logger.info(f"Bias-t enabled via rtl_biast on device {device_index}")
return True
logger.warning(f"rtl_biast failed (exit {result.returncode}): {result.stderr.strip()}")
return False
except FileNotFoundError:
logger.warning("rtl_biast not found — install RTL-SDR Blog drivers for bias-t support")
return False
except Exception as e:
logger.warning(f"Failed to enable bias-t via rtl_biast: {e}")
return False
def disable_bias_t_via_rtl_biast(device_index: int = 0) -> bool:
"""Disable bias-t power using rtl_biast (RTL-SDR Blog drivers).
Should be called when stopping an SDR mode that had bias-t enabled,
since the hardware register persists after the device is closed.
Returns True if bias-t was disabled successfully.
"""
rtl_biast_path = get_tool_path("rtl_biast") or "rtl_biast"
try:
result = subprocess.run(
[rtl_biast_path, "-b", "0", "-d", str(device_index)], capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5
)
if result.returncode == 0:
logger.info(f"Bias-t disabled via rtl_biast on device {device_index}")
return True
logger.warning(f"rtl_biast failed (exit {result.returncode}): {result.stderr.strip()}")
return False
except FileNotFoundError:
logger.warning("rtl_biast not found — bias-t may remain on after stop")
return False
except Exception as e:
logger.warning(f"Failed to disable bias-t via rtl_biast: {e}")
return False
def _get_dump1090_bias_t_flag(dump1090_path: str) -> str | None:
"""Detect the correct bias-t flag for the installed dump1090 variant.
Different dump1090 forks use different flags:
- dump1090-fa, readsb: --enable-biast (no hyphen before 't')
- dump1090-mutability, original dump1090: no bias-t support
Returns the correct flag string or None if bias-t is not supported.
"""
try:
result = subprocess.run([dump1090_path, "--help"], capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5)
help_text = result.stdout + result.stderr
# Check for dump1090-fa/readsb style flag (no hyphen)
if "--enable-biast" in help_text:
return "--enable-biast"
# No bias-t support found
return None
except Exception as e:
logger.warning(f"Could not detect dump1090 bias-t support: {e}")
return None
class RTLSDRCommandBuilder(CommandBuilder):
"""RTL-SDR command builder using native rtl_* tools."""
CAPABILITIES = SDRCapabilities(
sdr_type=SDRType.RTL_SDR,
freq_min_mhz=24.0,
freq_max_mhz=1766.0,
gain_min=0.0,
gain_max=49.6,
sample_rates=[250000, 1024000, 1800000, 2048000, 2400000],
supports_bias_t=True,
supports_ppm=True,
tx_capable=False,
supports_iq_capture=True,
)
def _get_device_arg(self, device: SDRDevice) -> str:
"""Get device argument for rtl_* tools.
Returns rtl_tcp connection string for network devices,
or device index for local devices.
"""
if device.is_network:
return f"rtl_tcp:{device.rtl_tcp_host}:{device.rtl_tcp_port}"
return str(device.index)
def build_fm_demod_command(
self,
device: SDRDevice,
frequency_mhz: float,
sample_rate: int = 22050,
gain: float | None = None,
ppm: int | None = None,
modulation: str = "fm",
squelch: int | None = None,
bias_t: bool = False,
direct_sampling: int | None = None,
) -> list[str]:
"""
Build rtl_fm command for FM demodulation.
Used for pager decoding. Supports local devices and rtl_tcp connections.
Args:
direct_sampling: Enable direct sampling mode (0=off, 1=I-branch,
2=Q-branch). Use 2 for HF reception below 24 MHz.
"""
rtl_fm_path = get_tool_path("rtl_fm") or "rtl_fm"
demod_mode = _rtl_fm_demod_mode(modulation)
cmd = [
rtl_fm_path,
"-d",
self._get_device_arg(device),
"-f",
f"{frequency_mhz}M",
"-M",
demod_mode,
"-s",
str(sample_rate),
]
if gain is not None and gain > 0:
cmd.extend(["-g", str(gain)])
if ppm is not None and ppm != 0:
cmd.extend(["-p", str(ppm)])
if squelch is not None and squelch > 0:
cmd.extend(["-l", str(squelch)])
if direct_sampling is not None:
# Older rtl_fm builds (common in Docker/distro packages) don't
# support -D; they use -E direct / -E direct2 instead.
if direct_sampling == 1:
cmd.extend(["-E", "direct"])
elif direct_sampling == 2:
cmd.extend(["-E", "direct2"])
if bias_t:
if _rtl_tool_supports_bias_t(rtl_fm_path):
cmd.append("-T")
else:
logger.warning("Bias-t requested but rtl_fm does not support -T (RTL-SDR Blog drivers required).")
# Output to stdout for piping
cmd.append("-")
return cmd
def build_adsb_command(self, device: SDRDevice, gain: float | None = None, bias_t: bool = False) -> list[str]:
"""
Build dump1090 command for ADS-B decoding.
Uses dump1090 with network output for SBS data streaming.
Note: dump1090 does not support rtl_tcp. For remote SDR, connect to
a remote dump1090's SBS output (port 30003) instead.
"""
if device.is_network:
raise ValueError(
"dump1090 does not support rtl_tcp. "
"For remote ADS-B, run dump1090 on the remote machine and "
"connect to its SBS output (port 30003)."
)
dump1090_path = get_tool_path("dump1090") or "dump1090"
cmd = [dump1090_path, "--net", "--device-index", str(device.index), "--quiet"]
if gain is not None:
cmd.extend(["--gain", str(int(gain))])
if bias_t:
bias_t_flag = _get_dump1090_bias_t_flag(dump1090_path)
if bias_t_flag:
cmd.append(bias_t_flag)
else:
# Fallback: use rtl_biast to set bias-t before starting dump1090
if not enable_bias_t_via_rtl_biast(device.index):
logger.warning(
f"Bias-t requested but {dump1090_path} does not support it "
"and rtl_biast is not available. Install RTL-SDR Blog drivers "
"or use dump1090-fa/readsb for bias-t support."
)
return cmd
def build_ism_command(
self,
device: SDRDevice,
frequency_mhz: float = 433.92,
gain: float | None = None,
ppm: int | None = None,
bias_t: bool = False,
) -> list[str]:
"""
Build rtl_433 command for ISM band sensor decoding.
Outputs JSON for easy parsing. Supports local devices and rtl_tcp connections.
Note: rtl_433's -T flag is for timeout, NOT bias-t.
Bias-t is enabled via the device string suffix :biast=1
"""
rtl_433_path = get_tool_path("rtl_433") or "rtl_433"
# Build device argument with optional bias-t suffix
# rtl_433 uses :biast=1 suffix on device string, not -T flag
# (-T is timeout in rtl_433)
device_arg = self._get_device_arg(device)
if bias_t:
device_arg = f"{device_arg}:biast=1"
cmd = [rtl_433_path, "-d", device_arg, "-f", f"{frequency_mhz}M", "-F", "json"]
if gain is not None and gain > 0:
cmd.extend(["-g", str(int(gain))])
if ppm is not None and ppm != 0:
cmd.extend(["-p", str(ppm)])
return cmd
def build_ais_command(
self,
device: SDRDevice,
gain: float | None = None,
bias_t: bool = False,
tcp_port: int = 10110,
udp_host: str | None = None,
udp_port: int | None = None,
) -> list[str]:
"""
Build AIS-catcher command for AIS vessel tracking.
Uses AIS-catcher with TCP JSON output for real-time vessel data.
AIS operates on 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz (handled automatically).
"""
if device.is_network:
raise ValueError(
"AIS-catcher does not support rtl_tcp. For remote AIS, run AIS-catcher on the remote machine."
)
cmd = [
"AIS-catcher",
f"-d:{device.index}", # Device index (colon format required)
"-S",
str(tcp_port),
"JSON_FULL",
"on", # TCP server with full JSON output
"-q", # Quiet mode (less console output)
]
if gain is not None and gain > 0:
cmd.extend(["-gr", "TUNER", str(int(gain))])
if bias_t:
cmd.extend(["-gr", "BIASTEE", "on"])
if udp_host and udp_port:
cmd.extend(["-u", udp_host, str(udp_port)])
return cmd
def build_iq_capture_command(
self,
device: SDRDevice,
frequency_mhz: float,
sample_rate: int = 2048000,
gain: float | None = None,
ppm: int | None = None,
bias_t: bool = False,
output_format: str = "cu8",
) -> list[str]:
"""
Build rtl_sdr command for raw I/Q capture.
Outputs unsigned 8-bit I/Q pairs to stdout for waterfall display.
"""
rtl_sdr_path = get_tool_path("rtl_sdr") or "rtl_sdr"
freq_hz = int(frequency_mhz * 1e6)
cmd = [
rtl_sdr_path,
"-d",
self._get_device_arg(device),
"-f",
str(freq_hz),
"-s",
str(sample_rate),
]
if gain is not None and gain > 0:
cmd.extend(["-g", str(gain)])
if ppm is not None and ppm != 0:
cmd.extend(["-p", str(ppm)])
if bias_t:
if _rtl_tool_supports_bias_t(rtl_sdr_path):
cmd.append("-T")
else:
logger.warning("Bias-t requested but rtl_sdr does not support -T (RTL-SDR Blog drivers required).")
# Output to stdout
cmd.append("-")
return cmd
def get_capabilities(self) -> SDRCapabilities:
"""Return RTL-SDR capabilities."""
return self.CAPABILITIES
@classmethod
def get_sdr_type(cls) -> SDRType:
"""Return SDR type."""
return SDRType.RTL_SDR