lsusb -t | grep -c rtl2832u
OrcNode is the other thing I'm building on the ESP32-P4: a headless RF sensing node. No screen, no PC. It watches the spectrum through RTL-SDR dongles, learns what normal looks like, and flags what isn't. The goal is a cheap, easy-to-deploy RF anomaly detector, and Waveshare's ESP32-P4 boards are what it runs on.
In development: three RTL-SDR dongles streaming at 3.2 MS/s each, at the same time, on one ESP32-P4. Both Waveshare boards I use have done it. OrcNode isn't released yet, and there's no OrcNode page here yet. It uses the same esp-rtl-sdr USB driver that runs OrcSDR on the Tab5.
OrcNode's main board. Its USB hub gives the P4 four USB-A ports, so the dongles plug straight in, like the RTL-SDR Blog V3c and V4L in the photo. The ESP32-C6 on board gives it Wi-Fi 6 for the local web dashboard and waterfalls, and there's Ethernet and a microSD slot for logging what it sees.
In development: three RTL-SDR dongles streaming at 3.2 MS/s each, at the same time, on this board. Not a release.
A much smaller P4 board with the same Wi-Fi 6 companion chip, castellated edges and a microSD slot. It's the kind of board that could make an OrcNode small and cheap enough to leave anywhere.
In development: three RTL-SDR dongles streaming at 3.2 MS/s each, at the same time, on this board too. Not a release.
Waveshare is sending more hardware. None of it is tested yet; here's what each piece is for.
A flexible receiver node: PoE and Ethernet where there's a cable, Wi-Fi where running one isn't practical. Its ESP32-C6 also lets me test talking between several Orc devices.
A simpler wired-only reference node, so I can compare stability and long-term running against the Wi-Fi model. The KIT-A camera, speaker and accessories would let me try multimedia and edge processing too.
This one uses the newer ESP32-C5, with 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, so I can compare the C5 and C6 wireless side by side.
A wall-mounted screen for a home RF monitoring station: receiver status, alerts and controls, while the other OrcNode units watch the signals around the property.
Three RTL-SDR receivers already run at once on the ESP32-P4 in development. A powered hub lets me try a fourth receiver and heavier USB power loads.
OrcNode is in development and not released. Nothing here is a finished product.
Thanks to Waveshare for supporting the project with hardware, and for affordable ESP32-P4 boards with real USB host ports and good documentation. That combination is what makes a cheap RF sensing node look possible.
Questions or ideas: erik@theorc.dev.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The Amazon links on this page are affiliate links (affiliate disclosure). Oregon Radio Company isn't affiliated with Waveshare.
Erik Elfstrom · Oregon Radio Company LLC · Springfield, Oregon. Waveshare is Waveshare's name. Photos of the boards in use are my own. On-the-way product images: Waveshare.
