Waveform Analysis
View raw signal data, detect modulation, and decode captured RF communications.
Overview
Section titled “Overview”The Waveform Viewer provides a visual interface for analyzing captured RF signals from your Proxmark3. Access it after sniffing or reading cards to examine the underlying signal.
Signal Display
Section titled “Signal Display”Interactive Waveform
Section titled “Interactive Waveform”- Pinch to zoom - Examine signal details
- Swipe to pan - Navigate through the capture
- Zoom slider - Fine-grained control
- Reset view - Return to full waveform
Info Bar
Section titled “Info Bar”Live display of:
- Samples - Total sample count
- Zoom - Current zoom level
- Clock - Detected clock rate (when analyzed)
- Mod - Detected modulation type
Signal Analysis
Section titled “Signal Analysis”Auto-Detect
Section titled “Auto-Detect”| Analysis | Description |
|---|---|
| Detect Clock | Automatically find the clock rate (RF/N) |
| Modulation | Identify ASK, FSK, PSK, or NRZ encoding |
Auto Demodulate
Section titled “Auto Demodulate”One-button analysis that:
- Detects modulation type
- Attempts ASK, FSK, PSK, and NRZ demodulation
- Runs protocol-specific searches (HID, EM, Indala, etc.)
- Reports any recognized card data
Optional preprocessing:
- High-pass filter (
data hpf) - Center threshold (
cthreshold) - Left trim (
ltrim)
Manual Demodulation
Section titled “Manual Demodulation”ASK Demodulation
Section titled “ASK Demodulation”Configure ASK/OOK decoding:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Clock | RF/N (auto-detect if empty) |
| Invert | Invert output bits |
| Amplify | Boost weak signals |
| Sequence Terminator | Check for ST |
| Max Errors | Tolerable bit errors (default: 100) |
| Max Samples | Limit sample count |
FSK Demodulation
Section titled “FSK Demodulation”Configure FSK decoding:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Clock | RF/N (auto-detect if empty) |
| Hi Field Clock | High frequency period (e.g., 8, 10) |
| Lo Field Clock | Low frequency period (e.g., 5, 8) |
| Invert | Invert output bits |
Common FSK configurations:
- FSK1 RF/64: Clock=64, Hi=8, Lo=5
- FSK2 RF/50: Clock=50, Hi=10, Lo=8
- FSK2a RF/50: Clock=50, Hi=10, Lo=8, Invert
Supported Modulations
Section titled “Supported Modulations”| Type | Cards |
|---|---|
| ASK | HID Prox, EM4100, Indala, most LF cards |
| FSK | HID iCLASS, AWID, Pyramid, IO ProxCard |
| PSK | Some legacy systems |
| NRZ | Direct encoding |
Accessing the Viewer
Section titled “Accessing the Viewer”From Sniff
Section titled “From Sniff”- Go to Discovery → Sniff
- Execute a sniff command
- Tap View Waveform after capture
From File Manager
Section titled “From File Manager”- Open File Manager
- Navigate to a
.pm3trace file - Tap to open in Waveform Viewer
- Good captures start with positioning - Get the Proxmark antenna as close as possible to the card/reader during sniff
- Try preprocessing - Enable additional preprocessing if auto-demod fails on noisy signals
- Check clock rate first - Knowing the clock helps narrow down the protocol
- Compare to known cards - If you have a working card, capture its waveform for reference