[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}silent 30C3 preroll titles{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.12,0:00:11.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.95,0:00:15.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis Goodspeed: First I need\Nto apologize for typesetting this
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.00,0:00:20.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in OpenOffice. I know that the\Ntext looks like a ransom note.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.08,0:00:24.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But that’s what happens\Nwhen you don’t use LaTex.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.51,0:00:27.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’d also like to give a shoutout to\NCollin Mulliner if he is here,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.63,0:00:29.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and our Dinosaur rock band.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.68,0:00:33.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs, applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.23,0:00:36.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’re a Christian rock band, we’re\Ncalled ‘Jesus lives in the ISS’ and
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.87,0:00:46.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we know that he is always watching us,\Nbut we think that it’s easier for him
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.07,0:00:50.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to hear our prayers when\Nhe’s, you know, in an orbit
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.20,0:00:55.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that passes over us. So we need to use\Norbital tracking to know when to pray!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.69,0:00:57.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.75,0:01:00.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I’m sure you can guess I’m not\Nrecognized as a legal minority religion
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.90,0:01:06.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Germany. I’d also like to thank skytee
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.14,0:01:11.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Fabienne Serrière and Adam Laurie
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.01,0:01:16.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Jim Geovedi for some\Nprior satellite tracking work,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.81,0:01:20.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the Scooby Crew at Dartmouth\NCollege for all sorts of fun
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.35,0:01:24.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whenever I bounce out there.\NThis is the mission patch
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.69,0:01:28.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the Southern Appalachian\NSpace Agency (SASA).
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.33,0:01:33.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause and cheers{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.79,0:01:36.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was drawn by Scott Beibin and there\Nare a few pieces of my people’s native
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.92,0:01:42.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,culture that I need to point out here. On\Nthe right the little Dinosaur type thing
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.61,0:01:48.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with his finger going out, you might\Ncall him E.T. but we call these things
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.15,0:01:51.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,‘buggers’. They are like this tall, and\Nthey are green and that’s why the man
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.53,0:01:55.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the left has a shotgun.\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.99,0:02:00.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because he doesn’t want to be abducted.\NYou got a satellite dish in the middle
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.91,0:02:04.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it’s sitting on sinter blocks because\Nthat’s also a piece of my people’s
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.35,0:02:10.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,native culture. There’s a moonshine\Nstill in the background.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.26,0:02:15.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That’s kind of like Vodka but you\Nmake it at home and from corn.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:15.12,0:02:19.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then there’s the mountain… a piece…\Nit looks like there are snow peaks
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.82,0:02:24.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on those mountain tops. But our mountains\Naren’t tall enough to have snow.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.53,0:02:28.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are actually that we’ve blown off\Nthe lids of the mountains for coal mining.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.68,0:02:32.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which is another piece of\Nmy people’s native culture.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.49,0:02:37.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at the top, in space you can see\Nthe ISS, and you can see a banana,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.00,0:02:41.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you can see what I think is a bulb.\NThis is to signify space trash.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.58,0:02:45.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean there’s a lot of stuff up there.\NAnd, you know it’s symbolism that matters
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.91,0:02:51.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in these things, you know?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.26,0:02:54.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At BerlinSides, in May of 2012
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.73,0:03:00.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I did a lecture on reverse-\Nengineering the SPOT Connect.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.52,0:03:05.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The SPOT Connect is a little\Nhockey puck type thing
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.29,0:03:08.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,– this is what it looks like.\NAnd these things are great.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.95,0:03:13.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It weighs a bit more than your cell phone\Nbut it runs off of a couple of batteries,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.79,0:03:17.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it connects to your phone by Bluetooth.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.68,0:03:21.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Originally these were emergency locator\Nbeacons. So if you’re going hiking…
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.84,0:03:24.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have any of you seen the movie where\Nthe guy has to cut off his arm
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.57,0:03:30.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a dull knife? If you’re hiking and\Nyou don’t want that same experience
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.76,0:03:34.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you buy one of these things. And\Nthen there’s an emergency button
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.35,0:03:38.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can push that transmits your\NGPS coordinates by satellite
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.76,0:03:44.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to rescue workers. But that was boring,\Nso they had to add social media.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.18,0:03:46.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs, laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.54,0:03:49.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in addition to keeping you\Nfrom chewing off your own arm
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.68,0:03:54.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this device will also allow you to\Ntweet and make Facebook posts.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.92,0:04:00.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs, laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.37,0:04:05.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The idea is that as you’re running…\Nhere I’m crossing the Schuylkill River
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.35,0:04:10.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Philadelphia and the Android\Nphone on the left is making a post.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.01,0:04:15.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I did an article on reverse-\Nengineering the Bluetooth side
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.66,0:04:22.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of these things. Because… I use a weird\Nbrand of phone that Microsoft killed off,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.43,0:04:27.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I’m terribly bitter about it. But\NI also figured out the physical layer.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.52,0:04:34.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that’s what this diagram shows.\NThis transmits at 1.6125 GHz.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.93,0:04:40.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it sends a pseudo-random stream, so\Neach one of these zeros is a long chunk
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.83,0:04:44.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where it’s bouncing back and forth\Nbetween two different frequencies.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.14,0:04:48.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the same for the ones.\NBut the way that the pattern works
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.75,0:04:54.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that it switches the signal whenever\Nit is going from the 0 signal
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.55,0:04:59.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the 1 signal. And internally, there are\Nthese little pops that you can actually
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.08,0:05:03.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,identify on a software defined radio\Nrecording. And this is how you can
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.91,0:05:08.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,reverse-engineer the signal that\Nthe SPOT Connect is sending up
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.04,0:05:14.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to its satellite network.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.51,0:05:18.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everything is clear text on this.\NAnd it’s completely unencrypted.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.33,0:05:25.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It just has your serial number, your GPS\Ncoordinates, and a bit of ASCII text.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.04,0:05:29.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So if you listen on this frequency and\Nyou have the correct recording software
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.76,0:05:33.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can actually watch all of the SPOT\NConnect messages that are transmitting
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.63,0:05:39.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up from your location. And this would be\Ngreat except that this is designed for
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.53,0:05:44.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hiking in areas where there’s no cell\Nphone service. So having an antenna
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.49,0:05:47.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the uplink frequency is kind of\Nuseless. You know you would actually
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.99,0:05:52.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have to go out to a national park, find\Nsome guy who is about to chew his arm off,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.29,0:05:55.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then you could listen to his uplink\Nwhere he is like tweeting: “Hey, I’m gonna
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.64,0:06:00.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,chew my arm off”, you know?\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.70,0:06:09.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that’s great as a proof of concept\Nbut it’s not really anything practical.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.81,0:06:13.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The current state of that was that I knew\Nthe protocol and I could sniff the uplinks.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.46,0:06:17.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I wanted to sniff the downlinks. So\Nit’s easy for me to get the thing that
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.30,0:06:21.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,goes up to the satellite. But what I wanted\Nwas what comes down from the satellite.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.51,0:06:27.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that requires a satellite dish. But\Na geo-stationary dish isn’t good enough
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.40,0:06:32.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because the satellites that run this\Nnetwork – there are a lot of them,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.25,0:06:37.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it’s called the Globalstar network,\Nthey fly really low across the earth,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.71,0:06:43.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they fly across the earth in very\Ntight, very fast orbits. So they’ll move
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.29,0:06:48.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from horizon to horizon in 15 to 20\Nminutes. Which means that you either need
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.89,0:06:53.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like a sweat shop army of kids\Ntrying to aim the satellite dish
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.79,0:07:01.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as it’s going across or you need\Nto make it computer-controlled.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.26,0:07:04.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Stepping back from the SPOT\NConnect for a little bit, and
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.49,0:07:08.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,discussing some prior research.\NAdam Laurie did some work
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.01,0:07:12.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with geostationary satellites.\NThese are the satellites that stay
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.10,0:07:16.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in one position in the sky.\NHe gave two sets of talks
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.45,0:07:23.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,– one in 2008 and the second in\N2010. And he used a DVB-S card
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.74,0:07:28.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,connected to a satellite dish with\Na DiSEqC motor, so that it could move
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.17,0:07:34.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the satellite dish left and right in order\Nto scan a region of the horizon.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.33,0:07:37.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,His tool is publicly available,\Nit’s called satmap.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.26,0:07:41.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can grab it at this URL.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.29,0:07:46.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then after he finds a signal he has\Na feed scanner. Normally when you use
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.13,0:07:51.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Satellite TV your provider gives you\Na listing of the frequencies, and
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.27,0:07:58.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your provider gives you an exact orbital\Nposition to aim your satellite dish at.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.20,0:08:02.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But Adam’s tool allows you to scan to\Nsee which frequencies are in use and
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.33,0:08:06.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which protocols are in use, once\Nyou’ve correctly aimed your dish.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:06.95,0:08:09.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he also describes a technique\Nfor moving your dish left and right
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.70,0:08:15.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while doing this in order to\Nidentify where the satellites are.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:15.78,0:08:19.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This recording here is from\Na re-implementation that I made
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.64,0:08:24.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of Adam’s work, in order to\Ncatch up with it. In this diagram
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.43,0:08:30.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the x-axis – because you move left\Nand right – that shows the azimuth,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:30.20,0:08:35.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that shows how far left or right my\Nsatellite dish has moved. And then
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.05,0:08:40.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the y-axis shows the frequency. And\Nall of these dots are strong signals.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:40.86,0:08:48.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So every vertical bar in which you see\Nchunks of frequencies, that’s a satellite.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.29,0:08:52.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But these stay in the same position. So\Nit’s easy for me to repeat this experiment.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:52.23,0:08:56.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s easy for me to re-run it, and to find\Nthe same satellites in the same position.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:56.78,0:09:04.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s easy to debug this.\NBut it can’t move in elevation.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:04.70,0:09:08.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This diagram is actually\Na very small slice of the sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.17,0:09:14.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’re looking at a single line,\Nmaybe 10 degrees across.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:14.45,0:09:17.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe only 5 degrees across.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.75,0:09:22.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So hacking Ku-band – the television\Nsatellites – has the advantage
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.69,0:09:27.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you can use cheap standardized\Nhardware. I bought one of these DVB-S cards
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.42,0:09:33.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in Mauerpark, in Berlin for 3 Euro. You\Ncan use standardized DiSEqC motors,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:33.52,0:09:37.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can buy them at a satellite TV shop.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:37.27,0:09:42.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,TV signals come with video feeds\Nso you can actually see pictures.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.02,0:09:45.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There was a scandal about 4..5 years\Nago where they were finding
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.58,0:09:50.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,drone [control] feeds that were being\Nbounced across these satellites.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:50.35,0:09:56.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the nineties it was very popular to\Nlisten to the sort of unedited sections
Dialogue: 0,0:09:56.89,0:09:59.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of interviews, when people would\Nbe interviewed over a satellite,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.91,0:10:04.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before Skype and such\Nthings became options. And
Dialogue: 0,0:10:04.91,0:10:08.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there are also networking signals here\Nusing TCP/IP packets. So you can actually
Dialogue: 0,0:10:08.75,0:10:13.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,turn your DVB-S card into\Na promiscuous ethernet adapter,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:13.90,0:10:18.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and start sniffing all of the traffic that\Ncomes across. This is also a great way
Dialogue: 0,0:10:18.01,0:10:23.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to get free downlink bandwidth. Because\Nyou can just flood packets at an address
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.75,0:10:27.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that, you know, will be routed to\Nyou, or several addresses, and
Dialogue: 0,0:10:27.66,0:10:32.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you sniff it out as the\Nlegitimate receiver ignores them.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.67,0:10:37.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it also has some disadvantages. It\Nonly works for geostationary satellites.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:37.10,0:10:40.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the satellite is not staying in the\Nsame position relative to the ground
Dialogue: 0,0:10:40.57,0:10:46.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then you can’t track it. Your\Ndish also moves very slowly.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.75,0:10:50.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it only moves left and right.\NIt won’t move up and down.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.41,0:10:53.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you’re limited to standardized\Nsignals. So while it’s great that you get
Dialogue: 0,0:10:53.03,0:10:59.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,video and TCP/IP you’re never\Ngoing to get anything weird.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:59.23,0:11:05.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You’re not gonna get any mobile\Ndata, you’re not going to get any
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.23,0:11:10.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Brazilian truck-drivers – we’ll\Nget to those in a bit. {\i1}laughs{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.67,0:11:15.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I misspoke, you actually will get\NBrazilian truck-drivers in this.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:15.71,0:11:19.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I bought a satellite dish. One of the\Nbest things about living in America is
Dialogue: 0,0:11:19.36,0:11:25.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you can buy industrial\Nhardware cheap as dirt on ebay.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:25.53,0:11:29.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I know things aren’t likely used to being\Na cat bite to (?)(?) human children anymore.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.19,0:11:33.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this satellite dish here on\Nthe left – the one in the radome –
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.40,0:11:40.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that’s my dish. And to the right,\Nthat’s the boat that it came from.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:40.98,0:11:49.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause{\i0}\N{\i1}laughs{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:11:49.89,0:11:53.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This came from a military ship.\NBut the dish itself is also available
Dialogue: 0,0:11:53.77,0:11:57.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for civilian use on very large yachts.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:57.62,0:12:01.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The dish itself is a Felcom 81 and it\Nwas intended for use with a network
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.75,0:12:08.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called Inmarsat. Inmarsat allows\Nfor telephone connections,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:08.21,0:12:12.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and also data connections when you’re on\Na boat. So if the crew wants to call home
Dialogue: 0,0:12:12.89,0:12:18.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or wants to go to AOL Keywords
Dialogue: 0,0:12:18.01,0:12:23.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or whatever was popular back when\Nthis was common they could do that.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.53,0:12:28.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the dish was designed to sit\Nat the very top of a ship’s mast.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:28.42,0:12:31.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The reason why is that at the top of\Nthe mast there aren’t any obstructions
Dialogue: 0,0:12:31.66,0:12:35.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,– it has a clear view of the sky in all\Ndirections. But there’s a complication
Dialogue: 0,0:12:35.36,0:12:39.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with being on the top of the mast. Which\Nis that the ship is rocking beneath you
Dialogue: 0,0:12:39.23,0:12:43.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and you’re moving more\Nthan the rest of the ship.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:43.86,0:12:47.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So they have stepper motors\Nfor azimuth, elevation and tilt.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:47.88,0:12:52.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then they have spinning gyroscopes.\NBack before the iPhone there was
Dialogue: 0,0:12:52.80,0:12:57.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this dark, dark time when\Ngyroscopes actually spun.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:57.95,0:13:01.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is the sort of gyroscope that\Nit has. It actually has 4 of them so
Dialogue: 0,0:13:01.90,0:13:05.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that it can measure its movement.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:05.67,0:13:10.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then it has a control computer. So the\Nidea is that the dish itself can be moved
Dialogue: 0,0:13:10.94,0:13:15.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while remaining absolutely stable\Nwith regard to the gyroscopes.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:15.62,0:13:20.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it compensates for the rocking of\Nthe ship beneath it as it’s targeting
Dialogue: 0,0:13:20.00,0:13:27.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a stationary satellite.\NIn America this costs 250 dollars
Dialogue: 0,0:13:27.53,0:13:32.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it’s electronics equipment, so while\Nyou think that would only be a 180 Euro
Dialogue: 0,0:13:32.08,0:13:40.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it’s more like 2500. And that’s before\Nimport duties and it being impounded.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:40.08,0:13:44.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We also have this lovely culture in which\Npeople love excuses to use their trucks.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:44.68,0:13:50.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the guy that I bought this from offered\Nto deliver it to my home for only $200.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:50.60,0:13:57.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was an 11-hour drive.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:57.34,0:14:00.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But if you wanted this you’d have to\Nbring it back in your carry-on luggage
Dialogue: 0,0:14:00.33,0:14:05.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that could be awkward.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:05.50,0:14:09.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I got this dish and I decided I had\Nto do something with it. So I created
Dialogue: 0,0:14:09.49,0:14:15.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Southern Appalachian Space Agency.\NI’m from the state of Tennessee,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:15.04,0:14:19.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,formerly known as the State of Franklin\Nuntil North Carolina invaded us.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:19.52,0:14:22.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s ok, I know Europeans suck at history.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:22.27,0:14:30.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs{\i0}\N{\i1}laughter and applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:14:30.31,0:14:33.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now I’m trying to think of how to show\Nyou on a map where Tennessee is
Dialogue: 0,0:14:33.18,0:14:36.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without having a map. But, you know,\Nit’s okay, I know you suck at geography
Dialogue: 0,0:14:36.93,0:14:39.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and will forget it soon. (?)
Dialogue: 0,0:14:39.75,0:14:41.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,From audience: It’s very\Nnear Texas, to the north.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:41.55,0:14:48.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis: Texas is our first colony. But\Nit’s actually a decent drive to the east.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:48.47,0:14:53.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Due east (?). You don’t\Nactually have to go it anyways.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:53.47,0:14:57.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what I did was I took these motors\Nwhich were designed to be able to move
Dialogue: 0,0:14:57.99,0:15:03.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the satellite dish to compensate\Nfor the rocking the ship and
Dialogue: 0,0:15:03.25,0:15:09.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I re-purposed them to track through\Nthe sky while the ground is stable.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:09.55,0:15:12.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We don’t have very many earthquakes in\NTennessee. The last one that we had
Dialogue: 0,0:15:12.58,0:15:18.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,made rivers run the wrong direction.\NBut it’s okay – it’s a geography thing.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:18.31,0:15:22.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs{\i0}\NSo this allows me to track things
Dialogue: 0,0:15:22.06,0:15:26.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that are moving through the sky.\NBut it doesn’t actually matter
Dialogue: 0,0:15:26.50,0:15:30.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where they’re moving in the sky because\Nthat’s just a software problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:30.33,0:15:35.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in addition to tracking objects that\Nare in low-earth orbit by a software patch
Dialogue: 0,0:15:35.54,0:15:41.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can also track things that are in deep\Nspace. It’s not much harder to track
Dialogue: 0,0:15:41.77,0:15:47.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,deep space probes or stars than it\Nis to track items in low-earth orbit.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:47.83,0:15:52.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then I added a software defined radio\Nwhich allows me to record a signal now
Dialogue: 0,0:15:52.64,0:15:57.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then demodulate it later.\NWhich is necessary if you intend
Dialogue: 0,0:15:57.92,0:16:02.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to reverse-engineer a signal. Because\Na lot of the downlinks from these satellites
Dialogue: 0,0:16:02.81,0:16:07.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are completely non… completely\Nundocumented. And being able
Dialogue: 0,0:16:07.63,0:16:11.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to tune in to the right frequency is only\Nhalf of it. You also need a recording
Dialogue: 0,0:16:11.22,0:16:15.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of sufficient quality that you can\Nreverse-engineer it after the fact.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:15.51,0:16:19.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’re sort of spoiled by software\Ndefined radios in that when doing
Dialogue: 0,0:16:19.68,0:16:27.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,software defined radio work we usually\Nhave a very good signal to work from.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:27.22,0:16:33.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So having high quality signals for later\Nreverse-engineering is necessary.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:33.61,0:16:39.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I really wanted to be able to identify\Nundocumented downlinks for low-earth orbit
Dialogue: 0,0:16:39.31,0:16:44.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the same way that we already\Ndo this for geo-stationary orbit
Dialogue: 0,0:16:44.31,0:16:49.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,using tools like the ones that Adam\NLaurie and Jim Geovedi made.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:49.99,0:16:54.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I built a software framework as\Na collection of Python daemons.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:54.50,0:16:58.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And these run across a home\Narea network in my house.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:58.72,0:17:03.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s a Beaglebone inside of the Radome.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:03.78,0:17:09.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And an x86 server in the house. Or AMD64,\Nwhatever the kids call it these days.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:09.54,0:17:13.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then I used Postgres for coordination.\NSo that all of these daemons can talk
Dialogue: 0,0:17:13.23,0:17:19.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to each other without… without me really\Ncaring which machine they’re on.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:19.29,0:17:25.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for maintenance I can have my\Nlaptop pretending to be the dish,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:25.97,0:17:30.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I can have stepper motors on my desk,\Nand I can watch them spin, and I can even
Dialogue: 0,0:17:30.79,0:17:35.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,make a model of the dish and swap these\Ncomponents in and out without the rest of
Dialogue: 0,0:17:35.01,0:17:42.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the network being confused. This also\Nallows for SQL injection attacks to
Dialogue: 0,0:17:42.70,0:17:48.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,physically move my dish. Which is why the\Nsensor network is not on one of those
Dialogue: 0,0:17:48.26,0:17:52.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fancy WEB 2.0 things. Because of you could\Ninject, say, “UPDATE target SET name=
Dialogue: 0,0:17:52.62,0:17:55.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,‘VOYAGER 1’”. Then my dish would physically\Nmove and start tracking Voyager 1
Dialogue: 0,0:17:55.91,0:18:01.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through the sky. Voyager 2
Dialogue: 0,0:18:01.44,0:18:07.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn’t actually come into the sky because\Nof my position in the Northern hemisphere.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:07.19,0:18:11.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, it’s okay, I know you suck at\Ngeography. But Voyager 1 is going up,
Dialogue: 0,0:18:11.17,0:18:15.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Voyager 2 is going down.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:15.44,0:18:19.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s a Realtek software defined radio\Nfor the radio reception. Although
Dialogue: 0,0:18:19.26,0:18:24.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these things are garbage. So I’m in the\Nprocess of replacing this for the HackRF.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:24.37,0:18:29.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s also an EiBot board for motor\Ncontrol. We’ll get back to that in a minute.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:29.76,0:18:34.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there’s an Inertial Measurement Unit\Nfrom VectorNav which actually measures
Dialogue: 0,0:18:34.56,0:18:39.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,using the fancy MEMS gyroscopes and\Na MEMS compass how I’m moving.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:39.51,0:18:44.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This isn’t accurate enough to target\Nthe dish, so I’m still counting steps
Dialogue: 0,0:18:44.70,0:18:49.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to move the dish. But it is accurate\Nenough to tell me when my belts
Dialogue: 0,0:18:49.83,0:18:56.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have broken. Or when I’m up\Nagainst a physical obstruction.
Dialogue: 0,0:18:56.52,0:19:01.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is skytee helping\Nme out with the dish.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:01.51,0:19:04.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He’s zip-tying it. Because, you know\Nwe know everything about duct tape
Dialogue: 0,0:19:04.95,0:19:07.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where I come from, but we don’t know\Nanything about zip-ties. So I had
Dialogue: 0,0:19:07.26,0:19:10.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to bring in a German engineer.\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:19:10.92,0:19:14.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We call him a gerry wigger(?)\Nbut, you know…
Dialogue: 0,0:19:14.27,0:19:20.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the satellite dish itself. And you\Ncan sort of see in this photograph
Dialogue: 0,0:19:20.02,0:19:25.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where we’ve strapped on the equipment.\NThere’s like an umbilical cord.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:25.42,0:19:29.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or more like a spinal column that actually\Nruns up the back of the dish. So we just
Dialogue: 0,0:19:29.70,0:19:36.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,added new cables onto that line.\NAnd then zip-tied them in place.
Dialogue: 0,0:19:36.82,0:19:42.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And skytee came up with all these\Ncrazy ideas like that we should use
Dialogue: 0,0:19:42.39,0:19:46.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,chains and zip-ties to make sure that the\Ncables don’t tear themselves out. And
Dialogue: 0,0:19:46.57,0:19:51.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that worked tremendously well in practice.\NSo, as this thing spins around,
Dialogue: 0,0:19:51.89,0:19:57.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by the original design there’s a ring\Nconnector that all of the signals
Dialogue: 0,0:19:57.68,0:20:01.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,go through. That all of the networking\Ngoes through. That all of the rest
Dialogue: 0,0:20:01.22,0:20:05.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,goes through. And that worked in the\Nnineties because it had no reason
Dialogue: 0,0:20:05.68,0:20:11.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to send anything faster than 9600 baud.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:11.31,0:20:18.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But with the modern signals going across\Nit I need 100 MBit/s or even GB ethernet,
Dialogue: 0,0:20:18.05,0:20:22.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that’s not enough, I need more than\Ntwo wires. So there’s a cable that comes
Dialogue: 0,0:20:22.29,0:20:25.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,across it, and then I rely on the\Nsoftware to keep it from wrapping
Dialogue: 0,0:20:25.29,0:20:31.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that cable around itself. So it can only\Nmove, say, 400 degrees around.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:31.18,0:20:34.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But that’s still more than a full circle.\NSo by stopping halfway and moving back
Dialogue: 0,0:20:34.73,0:20:39.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can prevent it from getting snagged.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:39.71,0:20:43.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’ve got the Beaglebone on the left,\Nin the middle there’s a USB hub
Dialogue: 0,0:20:43.40,0:20:47.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and on the right is the motor controller.
Dialogue: 0,0:20:47.55,0:20:52.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Beaglebone runs Debian Linux and\Ntakes care of sending the software defined
Dialogue: 0,0:20:52.64,0:21:00.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,radio recordings over the network. It also\Ntakes care of updating the motor positions
Dialogue: 0,0:21:00.22,0:21:06.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be the ones that the database\Ndeclares should be current.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:06.21,0:21:13.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The stepper motors themselves are the\Noriginals that the dish was designed with.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:13.06,0:21:17.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they’re running to an EiBot Board.\NThe EiBot board was intended
Dialogue: 0,0:21:17.81,0:21:24.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for plotting on Easter eggs\N{\i1}laughs, laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:21:24.56,0:21:27.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I feel, you know… is that neat?
Dialogue: 0,0:21:27.74,0:21:32.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs{\i0}\N{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:21:32.83,0:21:37.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you can actually aim a satellite dish\Nthat’s as tall as you are, with of these
Dialogue: 0,0:21:37.75,0:21:42.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fancy motors using less sophisticated\Nequipment than what’s used
Dialogue: 0,0:21:42.47,0:21:47.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a 3D printer. Don’t panic, though.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:47.33,0:21:51.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s a hell of a lot more\Nreliable than a 3D printer.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:51.36,0:21:55.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we needed some sort of backup in\Naddition to the inertial measurement unit
Dialogue: 0,0:21:55.42,0:21:59.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,telling us when the device\Nhad snagged itself.
Dialogue: 0,0:21:59.36,0:22:05.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It would also help to have\Na visual queue. Because
Dialogue: 0,0:22:05.18,0:22:09.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the satellite dish sits in Tennessee, and\Nwhile I love my home town, and, you know
Dialogue: 0,0:22:09.81,0:22:15.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m very proud of being Tennessean, it’s\Nalso a long way to travel when you need
Dialogue: 0,0:22:15.17,0:22:20.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to re-orient the dish. Using an\Naccelerometer it’s easy enough
Dialogue: 0,0:22:20.83,0:22:26.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to correct the elevation. Because you can\Nuse the accelerometer as a level, and
Dialogue: 0,0:22:26.12,0:22:31.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can use that to tell how high up the\Ndish is pointing, at an absolute scale.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:31.22,0:22:38.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the compass isn’t very accurate. So\Ninstead, as a backup we have a webcam
Dialogue: 0,0:22:38.37,0:22:44.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that’s taped to the top. Taping\Nis my people’s native culture.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:44.30,0:22:47.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have it taped to the top, and then\Nit’s pointing backwards. So this gives us
Dialogue: 0,0:22:47.71,0:22:52.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like a rear view camera,\Nfrom the dish’s position.
Dialogue: 0,0:22:52.28,0:22:57.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as the dish sits\Ninside of its radome…
Dialogue: 0,0:22:57.18,0:23:00.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,– junk cars in the yard are also\Nmy people’s native tradition!
Dialogue: 0,0:23:00.92,0:23:04.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs, laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:23:04.34,0:23:09.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the dish sits there next to\Nmy brother’s Toyota Supra.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:09.67,0:23:13.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that thing, you know,\Nthat thing flies as soon as it gets
Dialogue: 0,0:23:13.77,0:23:17.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an engine put back in it.\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:23:17.80,0:23:21.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it sits there and it’s moving but\Nexternally you can’t see where it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:21.86,0:23:26.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which means that I can’t call my family\Nin Tennessee and blackmail them into
Dialogue: 0,0:23:26.02,0:23:29.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,– yet again – looking at my dish to tell\Nwhere it’s pointed. There are bolts
Dialogue: 0,0:23:29.62,0:23:32.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that hold this down, it takes half an hour\Nto remove the lid, another half an hour
Dialogue: 0,0:23:32.88,0:23:37.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to put it back on.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:37.39,0:23:43.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So instead we took the radome…\Nthat’s Frank, he’s my cat.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:43.23,0:23:45.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Give a “Cheers!” for Frank!
Dialogue: 0,0:23:45.50,0:23:51.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause and cheers{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:23:51.50,0:23:56.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yeah, we had such a great time with Frank.\NAnd we never knew that she was pregnant.
Dialogue: 0,0:23:56.46,0:24:02.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you happen to need kittens and wanna\Npay the customs fees I’ll hook you up!
Dialogue: 0,0:24:02.95,0:24:10.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So then we took tape and ran tape\Ndown the edges of the radome,
Dialogue: 0,0:24:10.58,0:24:15.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then marked it. So from the markings\Nyou can tell which clock position
Dialogue: 0,0:24:15.09,0:24:20.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the back of the satellite dish is pointing\Nat. So if you point the dish towards 12:00
Dialogue: 0,0:24:20.23,0:24:25.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you know that you’re roughly at 6:00,\Nso you know that it’s pointing South.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:25.87,0:24:29.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then you can sort of scan the sky\Nfor a stationary target, and navigate
Dialogue: 0,0:24:29.11,0:24:32.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,off of that, to recover your position.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:32.95,0:24:39.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Software-wise… remember, the\Nwhole thing runs through Postgres,
Dialogue: 0,0:24:39.62,0:24:45.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I just tunnel the Postgres over SSH,\Nand then I wrote a Python client
Dialogue: 0,0:24:45.75,0:24:52.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that displays the satellite positions\Nand the satellite state in PyGame.
Dialogue: 0,0:24:52.12,0:24:54.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is intended for making those games\Nwhere you see the rabbit and the rabbit
Dialogue: 0,0:24:54.82,0:25:00.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,jumps on the other rabbit. But it… works!\NAnd it works perfectly well enough
Dialogue: 0,0:25:00.55,0:25:04.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to target the dish. Because all that this\Nsoftware has to do is plot the positions
Dialogue: 0,0:25:04.94,0:25:10.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the satellites, and give orders back to\Nthe database when I click on a satellite
Dialogue: 0,0:25:10.57,0:25:15.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or click on a position.\NIt can also display stars.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:15.27,0:25:21.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the red items are satellites which are\Nnot selected. The green item is GOES-3
Dialogue: 0,0:25:21.35,0:25:25.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is the satellite that I’m targeting.\NAnd then the white items are
Dialogue: 0,0:25:25.47,0:25:32.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stars in the sky. Now this is\Na plot in which the azimuth
Dialogue: 0,0:25:32.14,0:25:37.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is on the X axis, and the elevation is on\Nthe Y axis. But I can also arrange it
Dialogue: 0,0:25:37.23,0:25:42.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,into a polar plot. Which sort of gives me\Nan upside-down view of the satellite dish
Dialogue: 0,0:25:42.16,0:25:47.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,looking at the sky.\NI doubt you can read it but
Dialogue: 0,0:25:47.52,0:25:55.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just above the green circle in the center,\Nthat’s Polaris which is the North star.
Dialogue: 0,0:25:55.33,0:25:58.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s also weird because, you know,\Nworking on this, you know, I thought
Dialogue: 0,0:25:58.77,0:26:02.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I got really good at astronomy\Nuntil I realized that I only knew
Dialogue: 0,0:26:02.17,0:26:07.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what the stars looked like during the day.\N{\i1}laughter, laughs{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:26:07.94,0:26:12.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And it being PyGame you can\Nactually run it on a mobile device.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:12.01,0:26:17.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the same client that runs on my\Nlaptop can also run on my Nokia N900.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:17.96,0:26:26.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs{\i0}\N{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:26:26.14,0:26:32.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A significant portion of the GUI client for\Nthis was written while stuck on the U-Bahn,
Dialogue: 0,0:26:32.94,0:26:38.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,connected over 3G, SSH through\Nand just using emacs on the phone.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:38.33,0:26:44.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughter, laughs{\i0}\N{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:26:44.59,0:26:49.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you’re one of those people who needs to\Ncomplain about the N900 being too old,
Dialogue: 0,0:26:49.27,0:26:54.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it also runs on the N9.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:54.26,0:26:59.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then you can take the data out of this\Nand run it through scientific software.
Dialogue: 0,0:26:59.02,0:27:03.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In addition of the software defined radio\Nrecordings themselves being dumped out
Dialogue: 0,0:27:03.10,0:27:09.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to a text file or a binary file on disk\Nyou can also dump out things like
Dialogue: 0,0:27:09.72,0:27:14.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the received signal strength indicators\N(RSSI). So this is a screenshot in which
Dialogue: 0,0:27:14.59,0:27:18.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m identifying different satellites that\NI’ve seen in the sky based upon
Dialogue: 0,0:27:18.34,0:27:23.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their downlink signal peaks. You can see\Nthe noise floor there, at the bottom,
Dialogue: 0,0:27:23.04,0:27:28.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then there’s a rather strong signal on\Nthe left. And a weaker, narrower signal
Dialogue: 0,0:27:28.32,0:27:34.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the right. Now, the\Ndaemons that build this up…
Dialogue: 0,0:27:34.78,0:27:38.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you need an orbit prediction daemon.\NBecause you need to know
Dialogue: 0,0:27:38.40,0:27:41.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where the satellites are and where\Nthey’re going, and where they will be
Dialogue: 0,0:27:41.49,0:27:45.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by the time you get to them.
Dialogue: 0,0:27:45.83,0:27:50.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You need to update the orbits themselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:27:50.76,0:27:55.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,LEO satellites are described in TLE files,
Dialogue: 0,0:27:55.15,0:27:58.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these are called ‘Two Line Entry’ and\Nthey’re called ‘Two Line Entry’ because
Dialogue: 0,0:27:58.19,0:28:01.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they’re three lines long.\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:28:01.97,0:28:07.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These were originally used by NORAD for\Ninter-continental ballistic missile tracking.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:07.61,0:28:11.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And because a ballistic missile\Nis basically in orbit, it’s just that
Dialogue: 0,0:28:11.25,0:28:14.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that orbit happens\Nto collide with the earth.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:14.98,0:28:20.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this format isn’t terribly accurate\Nfor satellites that adjust their own orbit.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:20.38,0:28:26.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So anything that has fuel, or has engines,\Nor changes mass will vary its position.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:26.93,0:28:34.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this also doesn’t account for drag.\NBecause, you know, the missile itself,
Dialogue: 0,0:28:34.16,0:28:38.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you know it goes up it goes down, it’s\Nnot orbiting enough for the light drag
Dialogue: 0,0:28:38.20,0:28:43.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the upper atmosphere to matter. But for\Na satellite it does. So these Two Line Entries
Dialogue: 0,0:28:43.03,0:28:47.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,will work for a matter of days or maybe\Na couple of weeks. But they don’t last
Dialogue: 0,0:28:47.76,0:28:55.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,longer than that. So you need a daemon\Nthat grabs the new files from Space Track.
Dialogue: 0,0:28:55.09,0:28:57.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is just a matter of like\Na recursive WGET, and then
Dialogue: 0,0:28:57.97,0:29:02.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,parsing the files. And that still needs\Nto be done. You also need motor control,
Dialogue: 0,0:29:02.88,0:29:06.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because you need to move the dish\Nphysically to track your target.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:06.78,0:29:10.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You need input for the Inertial\NMeasurement Unit. This comes over
Dialogue: 0,0:29:10.60,0:29:15.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a low voltage serial port. And then\Nyou need radio daemons to handle
Dialogue: 0,0:29:15.24,0:29:20.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spectrum analysis or downlink recording.\NAnd these you’ll have several of them,
Dialogue: 0,0:29:20.59,0:29:29.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you have to swap them out. So you’ll begin\Nby using the spectrum analyzer to identify
Dialogue: 0,0:29:29.04,0:29:33.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that your aim is accurate, that you’re\Naccurately tracking the targets
Dialogue: 0,0:29:33.73,0:29:37.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,well enough to get a recording from\Nthem. And then after that you begin
Dialogue: 0,0:29:37.63,0:29:42.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to take software defined recordings off\Nthem. And, eventually, you might have
Dialogue: 0,0:29:42.13,0:29:48.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a standalone application that parses\Nwhat you’re receiving. Such as
Dialogue: 0,0:29:48.13,0:29:55.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Osmocom guys did with OpenGMR.
Dialogue: 0,0:29:55.55,0:29:59.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So for orbit prediction I began\Nwith a DOS program that had been
Dialogue: 0,0:29:59.81,0:30:04.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ported to Unix, called PREDICT.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:04.55,0:30:10.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this worked, but it’s garbage.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:10.36,0:30:16.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It only supports 20 satellites plus the\Nsun, the moon, Venus and Mars.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:16.07,0:30:24.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But no other planets because it’s\Ndesigned for astronomy photographers
Dialogue: 0,0:30:24.46,0:30:28.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who want to get a picture of something\Nas it comes over the horizon. You know,
Dialogue: 0,0:30:28.80,0:30:33.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I need to track hundreds of targets and\Nthen write a script to opportunistically
Dialogue: 0,0:30:33.89,0:30:37.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,pick the ones that I want to record.\NBecause otherwise you have to like
Dialogue: 0,0:30:37.64,0:30:44.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,set an alarm clock for the half-hour pass\Nin which you can play with something.
Dialogue: 0,0:30:44.88,0:30:48.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That software does allow you to query the\Nresults by UDP, though. So you can just
Dialogue: 0,0:30:48.90,0:30:55.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,send it a flood of request packets,\Nthen it will flood back with the data
Dialogue: 0,0:30:55.00,0:31:00.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you’re looking for. So I switched to\Na library called PyEphem which allows you
Dialogue: 0,0:31:00.86,0:31:05.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to track hundreds of birds. It has no\NUDP nonsense. It will also calculate
Dialogue: 0,0:31:05.96,0:31:12.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,satellites, planets and stars.\NAnd the really nifty thing about this
Dialogue: 0,0:31:12.94,0:31:18.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that you tell it… you know, it being\Na library you tell it when to update
Dialogue: 0,0:31:18.09,0:31:23.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the individual object that you’re\Ninterested in. So you can update
Dialogue: 0,0:31:23.03,0:31:26.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,objects that are out of view or\Nuninteresting more slowly
Dialogue: 0,0:31:26.71,0:31:33.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than the ones that you care about.\NSo I managed to track every single item
Dialogue: 0,0:31:33.30,0:31:39.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in geo-stationary orbit. This thick\Nring here is the Clarke Belt
Dialogue: 0,0:31:39.23,0:31:47.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of all satellites in geo-stationary orbit,\Nas viewed from my Southern horizon.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:47.00,0:31:53.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:31:53.88,0:31:58.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Two Line Entry files you can get\Nfreely from CELESTRAK.COM.
Dialogue: 0,0:31:58.46,0:32:02.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is just a simple script that\Ngrabs them and then inserts them.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:02.37,0:32:06.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the prediction daemon will actually\Nselect them as it is loading up.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:06.99,0:32:14.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because all inter process communication is\Nrunning through this Postgres database.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:14.01,0:32:16.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this daemon can be moved to\Na different machine if I needed
Dialogue: 0,0:32:16.54,0:32:21.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more computing power, or anything\Nlike that. The motor control demon…
Dialogue: 0,0:32:21.73,0:32:27.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,well, the EiBot board is designed to take\Nstepper motor commands. It shows up
Dialogue: 0,0:32:27.47,0:32:33.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as USB Serial device on Linux. So as\NI plug it in to the Beaglebone it appears
Dialogue: 0,0:32:33.43,0:32:41.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as /dev/ttyACM0. And the baud rate doesn’t\Nmatter. Because this is a USB device.
Dialogue: 0,0:32:41.66,0:32:48.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You could then send it simple commands.\NLike ‘SM,3000,500,-400’ means that I wanna
Dialogue: 0,0:32:48.81,0:32:55.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,move a stepper motor for 3000 ms. I want\Nthe first motor to move 500 forwards,
Dialogue: 0,0:32:55.56,0:33:03.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that’s UP, and the second one to move\N400 LEFT which is backwards 400 steps.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:03.33,0:33:07.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then it will count that out, and\Nthen it sends me back an OK.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:07.54,0:33:11.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If I want to disable the motors, I send\N‘EM,0,0’. This allows the motors to be
Dialogue: 0,0:33:11.98,0:33:16.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,freely spun. Because normally a stepper\Nmotor will physically hold its position,
Dialogue: 0,0:33:16.43,0:33:22.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you need to turn them off in\Norder to slide the dish around.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:22.50,0:33:28.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,‘EM,1,1’ will enable both motors\Nin 1/16-of-a-step mode.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:28.26,0:33:31.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Stepper motors can do fractional\Nsteps because they’re
Dialogue: 0,0:33:31.34,0:33:37.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,holding themselves in position.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:37.80,0:33:41.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can see the motors themselves\Nwith the belts and the gear train.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:41.39,0:33:46.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This thing on the right would probably\Nbe illegal for me to turn on.
Dialogue: 0,0:33:46.80,0:33:53.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The thing on the right is a 250 W\Namplifier. {\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:33:53.10,0:33:58.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The stepper motors themselves just have\Nsix wires. In a lot of 3D printer type stuff
Dialogue: 0,0:33:58.78,0:34:02.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they ignore the middle two. So you just\Ndrop off the middle two wires, you run
Dialogue: 0,0:34:02.69,0:34:07.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the other four to your stepper\Ncontroller, and you’re good to go.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:07.10,0:34:10.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The belts and stuff need to be measured\Nin order to figure out exactly
Dialogue: 0,0:34:10.08,0:34:16.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what the gear reduction is. Because you\Nneed to know how many steps form a degree.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:16.64,0:34:23.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The IMU unit, this Vectornav VN100,\Nit’s a MEMS gyroscope and accelerometer
Dialogue: 0,0:34:23.25,0:34:28.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a compass in a single box.\NIt costs $500 which was
Dialogue: 0,0:34:28.38,0:34:33.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more than all of the other\Nequipment put together.
Dialogue: 0,0:34:33.78,0:34:37.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The compass is confused by the stepper\Nmotors because the compass is measuring
Dialogue: 0,0:34:37.28,0:34:40.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,magnetic fields. So you need to\Nmount this physically as far away
Dialogue: 0,0:34:40.28,0:34:46.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the stepper motors as possible. And\Nthe gyroscope is confused by motor jerk
Dialogue: 0,0:34:46.16,0:34:50.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is a shame because stepper motors\Nwork as a series of jerks rather than
Dialogue: 0,0:34:50.31,0:34:56.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as a single consistent motion. And the\Naccelerometer is confused by gimbal lock,
Dialogue: 0,0:34:56.51,0:35:00.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you have to switch it to\Na quaternion mode in order to get
Dialogue: 0,0:35:00.88,0:35:05.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,consistent values out of it. And if I had\Nto do this over again I’d really try
Dialogue: 0,0:35:05.64,0:35:10.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to drop this piece of garbage. But it’s\Na lovely technology when it works.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:10.61,0:35:12.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}some laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:35:12.31,0:35:19.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now for position calculations: the\Nelevation itself comes from the IMU,
Dialogue: 0,0:35:19.01,0:35:24.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the azimuth comes from the motor daemon.\NThis is because the accelerometer
Dialogue: 0,0:35:24.16,0:35:29.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can very accurately tell which way\Nthe earth’s gravity is pulling it
Dialogue: 0,0:35:29.71,0:35:34.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whereas the accelerometer has to integrate\Njerks over time in order to figure out
Dialogue: 0,0:35:34.41,0:35:38.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,its position. So the\Naccelerometer will drift
Dialogue: 0,0:35:38.89,0:35:46.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the compass will be confused by the\Nmagnetic fields while the elevation is
Dialogue: 0,0:35:46.41,0:35:53.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,just a single accelerometer\Nthat doesn’t drift.
Dialogue: 0,0:35:53.30,0:35:59.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the IMU will become\Na backup for these things
Dialogue: 0,0:35:59.76,0:36:03.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in order to figure out how to make\Nit reliable. But at the moment
Dialogue: 0,0:36:03.48,0:36:09.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the position measurement is infinitely\Nmore reliable. The tilt motor
Dialogue: 0,0:36:09.10,0:36:13.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’m not using at present because on\Na ship that’s rocking it’s necessary
Dialogue: 0,0:36:13.97,0:36:20.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to tilt the dish. On a satellite dish\Nthat’s staying still the only useful
Dialogue: 0,0:36:20.29,0:36:26.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tilting the dish is so that you can follow\Nthe arc of a satellite through the sky
Dialogue: 0,0:36:26.28,0:36:30.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by only moving a single motor.\NPhotopgraphers do this when they’re
Dialogue: 0,0:36:30.02,0:36:35.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,trying to get long exposures of moving\Nsatellites. At the moment my software
Dialogue: 0,0:36:35.21,0:36:39.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn’t support this feature. But\Nif it turns out to be necessary
Dialogue: 0,0:36:39.18,0:36:43.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to get higher quality\Nrecordings I might add it.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:43.96,0:36:47.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are radio daemons. The\Nfirst is a spectrum analyzer.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:47.43,0:36:51.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This just measures the signal strength\Non each frequency. And it does it by the
Dialogue: 0,0:36:51.48,0:36:58.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,power spectral density function.
Dialogue: 0,0:36:58.23,0:37:02.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the strength itself will\Nvary with the position error.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:02.90,0:37:07.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this allows you to figure out how\Nfar off you are by sort of testing,
Dialogue: 0,0:37:07.05,0:37:09.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by overshooting just a little bit,\Nor undershooting just a little bit
Dialogue: 0,0:37:09.69,0:37:15.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to center on your target. The downlink\Nrecorder dumps the IQ values
Dialogue: 0,0:37:15.17,0:37:19.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the software defined radio\Ndirectly to an NFS share,
Dialogue: 0,0:37:19.95,0:37:24.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which can later be decoded and\Nread and reverse-engineered.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:24.75,0:37:30.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We’ve got a whole table of spectrum\Ndata. And then I plot that in a tool
Dialogue: 0,0:37:30.26,0:37:36.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,called Viewpoints which NASA releases\Nfor dealing with giant scatter plots
Dialogue: 0,0:37:36.84,0:37:44.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in multiple dimensions. Each view takes\Ntwo dimensions, and it’s tons of fun.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:44.48,0:37:47.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The client GUI is this PyGame. I have\NPostgres for communications, and
Dialogue: 0,0:37:47.57,0:37:51.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the server does all the heavy lifting,\Nso the Beaglebone itself never has
Dialogue: 0,0:37:51.59,0:37:58.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to do anything complicated with\Nregards to software defined radio.
Dialogue: 0,0:37:58.26,0:38:03.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is also about these faint blue lines\Nare positions at which I’ve seen
Dialogue: 0,0:38:03.61,0:38:09.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,particularly strong signals in order to\Nidentify which satellites are active
Dialogue: 0,0:38:09.62,0:38:14.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and which ones are inactive.\NBecause satellites die over time.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:14.19,0:38:17.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And particularly useful targets we’re\Nreverse-engineering are satellites that are
Dialogue: 0,0:38:17.92,0:38:22.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out-of-commission or outdated.\NI’m running out of time by these markers.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:22.91,0:38:24.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Does that mean that we’re skipping\Nquestions, or does that mean that
Dialogue: 0,0:38:24.93,0:38:28.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I need to be off the stage?\N{\i1}mumbling to stage{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:38:28.91,0:38:35.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not having Q&A, okay. So today I get\Naccurate tracking of satellites.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:35.88,0:38:41.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this thing can run unattended 24h\Na day for months without maintenance.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:41.02,0:38:46.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like I said: it’s nothing like a 3D printer.\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:38:46.03,0:38:49.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It takes software defined radio\Nrecordings, it can provide maps
Dialogue: 0,0:38:49.97,0:38:54.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of views of different\Nsatellites in the sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:54.92,0:38:59.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The next step is I want to publish\Na ‘port scan’ of the entire sky.
Dialogue: 0,0:38:59.92,0:39:04.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So which frequencies are in use on which\Nbirds, for every bird that ever comes
Dialogue: 0,0:39:04.46,0:39:08.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,above Tennessee, on every\Ndownlink that fits my antenna
Dialogue: 0,0:39:08.49,0:39:12.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as well as a database of software\Ndefined radio recordings. If anyone
Dialogue: 0,0:39:12.23,0:39:19.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would care to donate a truckload\Nof disks – that might be handy.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:19.00,0:39:23.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I’d also like to make other ground\Nstations. The software that I’ve written
Dialogue: 0,0:39:23.08,0:39:25.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ought to be portable to new hardware.\NSo there’s nothing that should keep you
Dialogue: 0,0:39:25.91,0:39:30.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from being able to port this to run on\Nyour own dish. And I have a large yard,
Dialogue: 0,0:39:30.95,0:39:36.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so I could conceivably have\Na dozen of these things.
Dialogue: 0,0:39:36.53,0:39:38.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another way that you can do it, and\Nthe way that it’s traditionally done
Dialogue: 0,0:39:38.91,0:39:45.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for, say, cube satellites is having\NYagis or other loosely directional antennas
Dialogue: 0,0:39:45.23,0:39:48.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in order to receive the signals.\NI went with a dish because I wanted
Dialogue: 0,0:39:48.91,0:39:54.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,more selectivity. I wanted to be able to\Nget reverse-engineerable recordings
Dialogue: 0,0:39:54.92,0:40:03.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rather than intentional ones for which\NI already knew the downlink protocol.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:03.02,0:40:07.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So this is my van, my van is amazing.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:07.99,0:40:15.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:40:15.62,0:40:19.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks to Nick Farr. I had a bit too\Nmuch to drink in Montreal and
Dialogue: 0,0:40:19.30,0:40:24.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I called Nick Farr and I said: “Nick,\NI want a DUKW”, like these amphibious
Dialogue: 0,0:40:24.44,0:40:28.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,troop transport vehicles. And Nick\Nsaid: “Sorry, I can’t get you one but
Dialogue: 0,0:40:28.50,0:40:32.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you want a news van!” And I said:\N“Hell yeah, I want a news van!”
Dialogue: 0,0:40:32.00,0:40:35.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So – this pole in the background, that’s\Nnot a lighting pole. That’s actually
Dialogue: 0,0:40:35.43,0:40:43.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,part of the van.\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:40:43.37,0:40:49.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the antenna retracted. This mast\Ngoes up 20 m by pneumatic power.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:49.59,0:40:55.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There’s an air compressor in the back.\NHere is the control panel,
Dialogue: 0,0:40:55.18,0:40:57.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there’s an air-conditioned\Noffice in the middle.
Dialogue: 0,0:40:57.88,0:41:02.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughter, laughs{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:41:02.48,0:41:08.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This has four 19" server racks as well\Nas some A/V equipment that was left over.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:08.91,0:41:14.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I was particularly excited about the\Nvideo monitor which supports PAL
Dialogue: 0,0:41:14.10,0:41:18.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which you folks are familiar with,\NNTSC or “Never The Same Color”
Dialogue: 0,0:41:18.46,0:41:21.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is my people’s native culture…\N{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:41:21.84,0:41:25.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But most importantly, it does SECAM,\Nthe system essentially contrary
Dialogue: 0,0:41:25.61,0:41:29.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the American method.\N{\i1}laughs{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:41:29.53,0:41:34.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughter and applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:41:34.23,0:41:41.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in addition to my radio equipment\NI’m adding my Soviet PDP-11 which was…
Dialogue: 0,0:41:41.13,0:41:45.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughs{\i0}\N…and that’s not a joke. I have a Soviet
Dialogue: 0,0:41:45.36,0:41:51.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,PDP-11 thanks to the kind folks at the\NPositive Hacking Days conference.
Dialogue: 0,0:41:51.54,0:41:58.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the control panel,\Nand that’s my talk!
Dialogue: 0,0:41:58.20,0:42:13.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:42:13.34,0:42:17.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Herald: Thank you so much.\NThere actually is time for Q&A now.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:17.74,0:42:20.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis: Well, first I’d like to introduce\Nyou to my cat. If we could go back
Dialogue: 0,0:42:20.67,0:42:25.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the prior image. This is Frank!\NWe didn’t know it at that time, but
Dialogue: 0,0:42:25.69,0:42:31.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Frank was not dad (?) when this picture was\Ntaken. If you’d like kittens get in touch!
Dialogue: 0,0:42:31.57,0:42:34.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay. Are there any questions?
Dialogue: 0,0:42:34.80,0:42:39.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Question: Great talk. What’s the most\Ninteresting signal you decoded so far?
Dialogue: 0,0:42:39.03,0:42:44.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis: At the moment I’m sort of stuck\Nat the L band range. Because of filters
Dialogue: 0,0:42:44.65,0:42:48.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I have yet to remove. So everything\Ngets attenuated, and becomes annoyingly
Dialogue: 0,0:42:48.22,0:42:54.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,quiet outside of the 1.5 ..1.6 -ish range.
Dialogue: 0,0:42:54.72,0:43:00.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Globalstar network is what I’m\Nmost interested in targeting next.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:00.21,0:43:03.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can’t wait to see what\Npeople are tweeting
Dialogue: 0,0:43:03.05,0:43:07.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while they should be enjoying nature.
Dialogue: 0,0:43:07.03,0:43:08.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Herald: Is there a question\Nfrom the internet?
Dialogue: 0,0:43:08.85,0:43:12.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Signal Angel: Yeah, the internet has\Nmany questions. So first one was:
Dialogue: 0,0:43:12.89,0:43:18.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Is there really no authentication or\Nencryption on the Q band IP services?
Dialogue: 0,0:43:18.43,0:43:24.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So you can just spoof at will? And…
Dialogue: 0,0:43:24.86,0:43:28.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can the birds see the physical\Nlocation of the source
Dialogue: 0,0:43:28.54,0:43:34.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,accurately enough to\Nfind who is spoofing?
Dialogue: 0,0:43:34.65,0:43:41.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis: I’m not an expert in Ku band. The…\Nfor the downlink the bird has no clue
Dialogue: 0,0:43:41.20,0:43:45.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as to the location of the dish. Because\Nyou’re only listening. They can roughly
Dialogue: 0,0:43:45.75,0:43:49.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,figure out your geographic area because…\Nthey need to figure out where
Dialogue: 0,0:43:49.53,0:43:53.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the spot beam is going. So they might know\Nwhether you’re in, say, Germany or
Dialogue: 0,0:43:53.59,0:44:01.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in France. But they won’t know whether\Nyou’re in Heidelberg or Mannheim.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:01.72,0:44:07.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They do have forms of authentication for\Nmany satellite networks. Satellite TV
Dialogue: 0,0:44:07.42,0:44:11.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is one of the best-protected network\Nservices because of the satellite wars
Dialogue: 0,0:44:11.95,0:44:16.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the nineties in which TV pirates would\Nfight back and forth with smart card
Dialogue: 0,0:44:16.58,0:44:23.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,designers. But there are also many\Nunencrypted links. And there are…
Dialogue: 0,0:44:23.33,0:44:31.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of standard protocols those\Nare particularly easy to find in Ku band.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:31.26,0:44:37.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Question: You’ve been talking about\Nusing RTLSDR from osmocom.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:37.39,0:44:42.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you were talking about your spectrum\Nanalysis program. Is this one working
Dialogue: 0,0:44:42.47,0:44:45.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with RTLSDR?
Dialogue: 0,0:44:45.81,0:44:53.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis: So… RTLSDR… so I’m using\Nthe RTLSDR, not the OsmoSDR.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:53.97,0:44:58.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which are separate. The spectrum\Nanalyzer is working with the RTLSDR.
Dialogue: 0,0:44:58.90,0:45:03.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,My complaint about the RTLSDR is that\Nwhen you have a strong signal next to
Dialogue: 0,0:45:03.23,0:45:08.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a weak signal the weak signal is\Nutterly useless for interpretation.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:08.23,0:45:13.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Question: Okay. Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:13.33,0:45:15.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Herald: Another question\Nfrom the internet?
Dialogue: 0,0:45:15.49,0:45:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Signal Angel: Okay, next question from\Nthe internet is: How do you record
Dialogue: 0,0:45:19.18,0:45:24.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the radio signal from the dish,\Nat what sampling rate?
Dialogue: 0,0:45:24.49,0:45:29.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis: The RTLSDR samples at 2 million\Nsamples per second. As soon as I switch it
Dialogue: 0,0:45:29.89,0:45:37.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over to the HackRF I’ll be having\N20 million samples per second.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:37.25,0:45:41.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The sampling rate can be reduced once\Nthe bandwidth of the signal is known.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:41.90,0:45:46.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For reduced storage. And the\Nrecordings can also be compressed.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:46.39,0:45:53.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it’s still a hell of a lot of storage.
Dialogue: 0,0:45:53.30,0:45:54.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Herald: Any other questions?
Dialogue: 0,0:45:54.66,0:45:57.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Signal Angel: The internet\Nhas more questions…
Dialogue: 0,0:45:57.77,0:45:59.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Herald: Okay…
Dialogue: 0,0:45:59.86,0:46:04.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Signal Angel: Did you look into obtaining\Na capacitive high-bandwidth coupler as used
Dialogue: 0,0:46:04.38,0:46:09.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the rotary gantries in CT scanners?\NThose can apparently transmit contactless
Dialogue: 0,0:46:09.88,0:46:13.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,several GBytes per\Nsecond, bi-directionally.
Dialogue: 0,0:46:13.42,0:46:16.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Travis: I’ve not looked into those.\NIt seemed better to have an umbilical
Dialogue: 0,0:46:16.11,0:46:21.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,cable and to be careful not to snap it.
Dialogue: 0,0:46:21.82,0:46:25.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The whole thing was done for a budget\Nof less than 2000 Dollars, and can be
Dialogue: 0,0:46:25.63,0:46:31.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,recreated for less than a budget of 1000\N[Dollars]. And they… so we tried to avoid
Dialogue: 0,0:46:31.64,0:46:36.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fancy parts. The local radio shack loved\Nus because we’d swing in and buy all sorts
Dialogue: 0,0:46:36.14,0:46:39.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of crazy stuff. As soon as we told them\Nthat we wanted the satellite dish to
Dialogue: 0,0:46:39.88,0:46:41.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dance Gangnam style…\N{\i1}laughs{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:46:41.30,0:46:48.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}laughter{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:46:48.74,0:46:50.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}in German, strong accent:{\i0}\NDanke, gerne!
Dialogue: 0,0:46:50.82,0:46:53.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}applause{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:46:53.81,0:46:56.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}silent postroll titles{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:46:56.61,0:47:02.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}subtitles created by c3subtitles.de\Nin the year 2017. Join, and help us!{\i0}