GSM Decoding Part Two: Monitoring GSM Control Channels In Real Time With 'grgsm_livemon'

Ever since I associated an email address with my YouTube channel back in February of this year, I have been inundated with emails requesting help with decoding GSM data and questions about the usage of gr-gsm.

So in response to this, I thought I would put together a four or five part video tutorial series on how exactly GSM cellular data is decoded in Linux with the gr-gsm software suite.

In the second installment of this video series, I show how the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) of a GSM base transceiver station (cell tower) is decoded in real time with an application called 'grgsm_livemon'.

For details on the hardware and software needed for this, please refer to part one. The only additional application you will need is Wireshark for viewing and analyzing the decoded GSM data packets. You can launch Wireshark from the terminal with the following command:

sudo wireshark -k -Y '!icmp && gsmtap' -i lo

Stay tuned for part 3 in the coming days, which will cover the usage of 'grgsm_capture' and it's role in recording GSM down-link signals and storing them as a file on a PC.

Thanks for watching!