Kalibrate RTL (kal)

SDR & RF HardwareReady to RunLocation: Conda env (telcosec-sdr)

Command Line Execution

Run this command in the TelcoChisel terminal to launch or execute the tool:

Kalibrate RTL (kal) Command
kal -s GSM900

Detailed Technical Overview

Kalibrate-RTL (kal) scans for GSM base stations and uses their stable broadcast channel frequency references to calculate and calibrate the local oscillator frequency offset (PPM) of RTL-SDR transceivers.

Configuration & Usage Guide

To initialize and configure Kalibrate RTL (kal) for telecom security audits, follow these steps:

  1. 1Scan for active GSM base stations to identify calibration carriers: kal -s GSM900 -g 35
  2. 2Calculate the exact frequency offset of a specific channel: kal -c 12 -g 35
  3. 3Note the calculated PPM value and pass it to tools like gr-gsm (-p parameter).

Troubleshooting & Security Audits

Kalibrate RTL (kal) Audit Warning
If no channels are found, ensure an appropriate cellular antenna is connected and increase the gain (-g parameter).
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is calibrating the RTL-SDR oscillator necessary?

Cheap RTL-SDR dongles experience frequency drift due to temperature, causing tools to scan slightly off-frequency.

Can I use Kalibrate RTL with HackRF or USRP?

No, Kalibrate RTL is specific to RTL-SDR. Use Kalibrate GSM (kal-gsm) for HackRF or BladeRF transceivers.

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