Open Source GSM Base Station

OpenBTS (Open Base Transceiver Station) is a software-based GSM access point, allowing standard GSM-compatible mobile phones to be used as SIP endpoints in Voice over IP (VOIP) networks. OpenBTS is an open source software that was developed and is maintained by Range Networks. The public release of OpenBTS is notable for being the first free software implementation of the lower three layers of the industry-standard GSM protocol stack. It is written in C++ and released as free software under the terms of version 3 of the GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL). Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenBTS

OpenBTS.org - http://openbts.org/

Gnuradio Wiki Subspace
http://gnuradio.org/redmine/projects/gnuradio/wiki/OpenBTS 

OpenBTS on Raspberry PI
http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=36400&p=396624

OpenBTS on Sourceforge, developers official hompage: http://openbts.sourceforge.net/ 


Phones at Burning Man: Can you hear me now?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10348913-245.html

OpenBSC

OpenBSC is a project aiming to create a Free Software, (A)GPL-licensed software implementations for the GSM/3GPP protocol stacks and elements.

This is a project aiming to create a Free Software, (A)GPL-licensed software implementations for the GSM/3GPP protocol stacks and elements.

We have started with an A-bis (plus BSC/MSC/HLR) implementation for experimentation and research purpose, but have since moved way beyond that.

What this means: OpenBSC is not just a standard BSC, but a GSM network in a box software, implementing the minimal necessary parts to build a small, self-contained GSM network.

OpenBSC includes functionality normally performed by the following components of a GSM network: BSC (Base Station Controller), MSC (Mobile Switching Center), HLR (Home Location Register), AuC (Authentication Center), VLR (Visitor Location Register), EIR (Equipment Identity Register).

In addition, the Osmocom project also develops and maintains the osmo-sgsn and OpenGGSN programs for adding GPRS/EDGE capabilities.

Read more: http://openbsc.osmocom.org/trac/

25c3: Running your own GSM network

This presentation will mark the first public release of a new GPL licensed Free Software project implementing the GSM fixed network, including the various minimal necessary functionality of BSC, MSC, HLR. It will introduce the respective standards and protocols, as well as a short demonstration of an actual phone call between two mobile phones registered to the base station. Read more: http://youtu.be/e_9hPRF5fzA

 

RTLSDR - Software Defined Radio

(thepowerbase.com) The last few months have seen an explosion of activity in the field of Software Defined Radio (SDR), after it was discovered that cheap USB TV tuners based on the Realtek RTL2832U chip could be dialed into frequencies well outside their advertised ranges. What was designed and sold as a simple device for watching TV on your computer could be turned into a radio capable of receiving anything between 64 MHz to 1700 MHz with open source software.

Now, anyone with about $20 USD to spare can tune into everything from police and fire transmissions to the International Space Station.

Tuner Hardware

Before you can start exploring the airwaves, you’ll need a USB tuner supported by RTL-SDR, the software used to unlock the full potential of the Realtek RTL2832U chip. For best results, you’ll also want to get one that uses the Elonics E4000 tuner, as that will give you the broadest frequency response. The RTL-SDR project maintains a short compatibility list which can help narrow things down a bit:

VID	PID	tuner	device name
0x0bda	0×2832	all of them	Generic RTL2832U (e.g. hama nano)
0x0bda	0×2838	E4000	ezcap USB 2.0 DVB-T/DAB/FM dongle
0x0ccd	0x00a9	FC0012	Terratec Cinergy T Stick Black (rev 1)
0x0ccd	0x00b3	FC0013	Terratec NOXON DAB/DAB+ USB dongle (rev 1)
0x0ccd	0x00d3	E4000	Terratec Cinergy T Stick RC (Rev.3)
0x0ccd	0x00e0	E4000	Terratec NOXON DAB/DAB+ USB dongle (rev 2)
0x185b	0×0620	E4000	Compro Videomate U620F
0x185b	0×0650	E4000	Compro Videomate U650F
0x1f4d	0xb803	FC0012	GTek T803
0x1f4d	0xc803	FC0012	Lifeview LV5TDeluxe
0x1b80	0xd3a4	FC0013	Twintech UT-40
0x1d19	0×1101	FC2580	Dexatek DK DVB-T Dongle (Logilink VG0002A)
0x1d19	0×1102	?	Dexatek DK DVB-T Dongle (MSI DigiVox? mini II V3.0)
0x1d19	0×1103	FC2580	Dexatek Technology Ltd. DK 5217 DVB-T Dongle
0×0458	0x707f	?	Genius TVGo DVB-T03 USB dongle (Ver. B)
0x1b80	0xd393	FC0012	GIGABYTE GT-U7300
0x1b80	0xd394	?	DIKOM USB-DVBT HD
0x1b80	0xd395	FC0012	Peak 102569AGPK
0x1b80	0xd39d	FC0012	SVEON STV20 DVB-T USB & FM

Tuner	Frequency range
Elonics E4000	52 – 2200 MHz with a gap from 1100 MHz to 1250 MHz (varies)
Rafael Micro R820T	24 – 1766 MHz
Fitipower FC0013	22 – 1100 MHz (FC0013B/C, FC0013G has a separate L-band input, which is unconnected on most sticks)
Fitipower FC0012	22 – 948.6 MHz
FCI FC2580	146 – 308 MHz and 438 – 924 MHz (gap in between)

Read more : http://www.thepowerbase.com/2012/06/getting-started-with-rtl-sdr/

Links

http://sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr - good place to start
http://www.rtlsdr.com/
http://gnuradio.org/
http://kmkeen.com/rtl-demod-guide/index.html

http://sdrsharp.com/


http://sourceforge.net/projects/gqrx/

Those USB TV tuners used for SDR can also grab GPS data
http://hackaday.com/2012/04/13/those-usb-tv-tuners-used-for-sdr-can-also-grab-gps-data/

Real time GPS decoding with software defined radio
http://hackaday.com/2012/08/19/real-time-gps-decoding-with-software-defined-radio/

Meshnet

Meshnet activists rebuilding the internet from scratch

(newscientist.com) Worried about the NSA snooping on your email? Maybe you need to start creating your own personal internet

(...) Across the US, from Maryland to Seattle, work is underway to construct user-owned wireless networks that will permit secure communication without surveillance or any centralised organisation. They are known as meshnets and ultimately, if their designers get their way, they will span the country.

Read more.: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21929294.500-meshnet-activists-rebuilding-the-internet-from-scratch.html#.Ugdkc6zI_-s

FunkFeuer

FunkFeuer is a free, experimental network in Vienna, Graz, in parts of Weinviertel (NÖ) and Bad Ischl. It is build and maintained by computer enthusiasts. This project is non commercial.

http://www.funkfeuer.at/index.php?id=42&L=1

Athens Wireless Metropolitan Network

Athens Wireless Metropolitan Network (AWMN) is a grassroots wireless community, taking advantage of new, state of the art wireless technologies, to connect people and services. The network comprises 1120 backbone nodes (as of Aug, 2010) and more than 2900 client computers connect to it. More than 9,000 people have stated their intention to join AWMN in the near future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens_Wireless_Metropolitan_Network
http://awmn.net/content.php

Broadband-Hamnet

Broadband-Hamnet™ (formerly called HSMM-Mesh™) is a high speed, self discovering, self configuring, fault tolerant, wireless computer network that can run for days from a fully charged car battery, or indefinitely with the addition of a modest solar array or other supplemental power source. The focus is on emergency communications.

In its current form it is built using the Linksys WRT54G/GL/GS wireless routers and operates on channels 1-6 of the 2.4GHz ISM band, which overlaps with the upper portion of the 13cm amateur radio band. Other platforms and bands are in development at this time. Next will be Ubiquiti equipment with others supported as development resources permit.

OLSR is used for auto linking of the mesh node radios.

OpenWRT firmware tools are used for firmware development.

Broadband-Hamnet™ is currently being designed, developed and deployed as an amateur radio broadband communications system. It originated in Austin, Texas but has spread all across the USA and many other countries around the world.

http://www.hsmm-mesh.org/

Raspberry wifi HSMM-MESH node Emergency Cloud Server 
http://youtu.be/OMYrFmuclOQ 

 

Mobile Mesh Networks with the Raspberry Pi
http://www.ericerfanian.com/mobile-mesh-networks-with-the-raspberry-pi-part-1/

Mesh Networks @ P2P Foundation
http://p2pfoundation.net/Mesh_Networks