Android Marauder Fragment Config

Once connected to your PandwaRF Marauder (same procedure as for a regular PandwaRF), you can configure the Marauder for correct scanning and recording.

The following information applies to all variants of PandwaRF Marauder (Basic, Standard & Ultimate), but some fields may change (number of available slots, number of frequency bands, etc...).

Marauder memory usage

The Marauder records data in sectors of 1 second. Each 1s capture consume one sector, whatever the sampling rate is. If Marauder detects a transmission of more than 1s, it will keep storing data in memory sector for as long as the transmission lasts. Eg. for a 3s transmission, 3 sectors will be consumed. The Marauder Basic has 256 sectors, and the Standard and Ultimate variants have 512 sectors. Most key fobs transmission do not last more than 1s, so generally 1 sector is enough for storing all the information. The sampling rate has an impact on the speed at which the sectors are consumed. The higher the data rate, the more data is generated, the faster the sectors gets filled. This means a 1s capture at 20000 bits/s will generate twice more data than a 1s capture at 10000 bits/s.

Parameters that need to be set up before use

• Frequency/band Configure the frequency of the target (keyfob, …) to capture. Always try to know the center frequency onto which the keyfob is transmitting (!). Setting the correct frequency has an impact on RX data quality (of course). The more you know the exact frequency, the more you get a chance to capture the keyfob signal. For example 433 MHz is not precise information, you need to know if it is 433.42 MHz, 433.92 MHz, etc...

  • You can either:
    • choose one the predefined frequencies (433.92, 868.8, etc...)
    • set a custom frequency value in Hz: the range is [300000000, 928000000] Hz

Note on frequency support per variant:

• The Marauder Basic only supports scanning/recording on a single frequency.
• The Marauder Standard supports scanning/recording on 2 frequencies.
• The Marauder Ultimate:
  • supports scanning/recording on 2 frequencies
  • can also be configured to scan a frequency band of 500 KHz bandwidth instead of a single frequency.

Note: when configured to scan 2 frequencies or a band, the Marauder Standard/Ultimate alternatively scans (very fast) the different frequencies. If it detects a signal then Marauder starts recording. So there is a small chance to miss the capture if the data is being transmitted while Marauder is busy scanning another frequency. It is better to use 2 Marauders, each of them being locked onto a single frequency, rather than a single Marauder scanning 2 frequencies.

Note: You can measure the exact frequency by using the Spectrum analyzer available in the PandwaRF, PandwaRF Rogue Pro, or PandwaRF Rogue Gov. Setting the frequency can be done using a predefined setting or entering custom value.

Setting the frequency can be done using a predefined setting or entering custom value:

• You can set a custom frequency value in Hz: the range is [300.000.000, 928.000.000] Hz
• You can choose one the predefined frequencies (433.92, 868.8, etc...) for frequency #1
• You can choose one the predefined frequencies (433.92, 868.8, etc...) or none (N/A) for frequency #2

• Modulation: Keyfobs are mostly OOK, but we have also seen PSK or 2-FSK for some keyfobs. 2-FSK, GFSK, MSK, ASK, and OOK modulation formats are supported.

• Deviation: When FSK/GFSK modulation is used the DEVIATN register specifies the expected frequency deviation of incoming signal in RX and should be the same as the TX deviation for demodulation to be performed reliably and robustly.

• Sampling Rate: When recording a signal, the Marauder samples the input data at the specified sampling rate. The higher the sampling rate, the more precise the captured data is, but the bigger the memory space used. We recommend using the default value of 30.000 bits/s.

• RX compression: if the sampling rate is much higher than data rate of incoming signal, the captured data will contain redundant information and more data bits than required. This additional bits will fill the 1s slot faster than when sampling rate and data rate are the same. Using RX compression can reduce the amount of data to be saved in the 1s slot. Enabling RX compression is only useful when sampling at high sampling rates (more than 10000 bits/s). If you enable RX compression while sampling at the same rate as transmission data rate, PandwaRF will generate more data than without RX frame compression. Recommendation is to enable RX frame compression when sampling more than 10x times faster than data rate of incoming transmission.

• RF Power amplifiers: PandwaRF Marauder contains internal RX and TX RF amplifiers. Depending on the distance to the target, amplifiers need to be enabled. Choose to enable RX RF power amplifiers as explained in Android Fragment RF Power Amplifiers. Only RX amplifier will be enabled, which correspond to Power Mode 2

• Stealth BLE advertising (Ultimate): To be even more discreet, Marauder Ultimate includes the possibility to de-activate the Bluetooth Low Energy advertising. This makes the Marauder Ultimate completely invisible to a Bluetooth scan from a smartphone. In this mode, the Marauder Ultimate operates with Bluetooth Low Energy advertising is de-activated. So you will not be able to reconnect with the app unless BLE Advertising Stealth mode is disabled. Once activated, disabling BLE Advertising Stealth mode can only be disabled with a physical access to the Marauder.

To disable BLE Advertising Stealth mode:

• open the Marauder enclosure
• press any button
• open the Android application and re-scan.

Start Marauder

Once configuration is complete, press Start capture button and Marauder will start RF capture.

You can now disconnect Marauder app from Marauder device:

• Pressing Disconnect button in the Search page, or
• Sending the app in background

Marauder will continue to record RF data. The blue LED will switch from continuously on to blinking approx. every 5s

The internal battery shall allow the Marauder to operate between 8h to 20h, based on configuration. You can supply additional power to the Marauder by plugin a USB power bank.

To see how to retrieve captured data, jump to Android Marauder Fragment Captured Data