Getting familiar with SDR

SDR is an extremely useful technique with which we can vary the purpose of a given radio device. As the name suggests, the radio in this case is software defined, which means that the functionality, or the action that the radio performs, can be changed and modified based on our requirements. This is unlike traditional radios, where a particular device served a single purpose based on the hardware design present in it.

This opens up a plethora of opportunities for us, as we can get started with SDR and keep repurposing it to suit our various needs. Repurposing here simply means that let's say we are analyzing the FM spectrum, we can have the device do it, and, if later on we want to analyze the data coming out from an IoT device at 433 MHz, we can use the same device to capture the data, process it, and extract the text being sent in it.

By now you should have a decent understanding of what SDRs are and what purpose they can serve. Before going into the actual hands...