The open-source LakeShark project turns the ESP32-P4 microcontroller into a pocket-sized, autonomous software-defined radio (SDR) spectrum scanner and signal visualiser. It eliminates the need for power-hungry laptops or single-board computers typically required for real-time RF analysis with USB SDR dongles.
LakeShark - portable open-source SDR scanner based on ESP32-P4
Key Characteristics
Core processor: ESP32-P4 with dual high-frequency RISC-V application cores
Real-time processing: on-board FFT calculation for spectrum analysis
Display: native MIPI-DSI support for capacitive touchscreens
Frequency coverage: sub-GHz industrial bands, amateur radio allocations, aviation frequencies
Touch-optimised controls for centre frequency, gain, bandwidth and visualisation parameters
Power: internal Li-Po battery, fast boot, high energy efficiency
Fully autonomous - no external host computer required
Open-source project
By moving real-time signal processing and graphics rendering onto a modern RISC-V microcontroller, LakeShark delivers a compact, battery-powered RF diagnostic tool suitable for field use.
Target Applications
Field RF spectrum scanning and interference hunting
Debugging sub-GHz wireless modules and IoT telemetry
Amateur radio and local signal analysis
Portable test equipment for engineers and researchers
