i want to build as part of my school project an IMSI catcher for GSM - be able to make it and if my device is in the room/lab (not outside) it will be able to intercept calls/SMS/data and will connect with my base station instead of carrier base station.i want to verify what is the needed hardware/software as i have NO prior experience playing with it (that's the challenge and gap i want to take).

Im not sure what you mean by school project but if ur up for it, i can share some of the things that i discover as i go about on my research related / similar subject - software defined radio. i am playing around with the OsmocomBB project (Open Source Mobile Communication Base Band) on my rpi B+ running RTL-SDR Raspberry Pi Image by Gareth Hayes but there are many other choices including gsm map by srslabs which is more gsm focus in my opinion. Instead of USRP, i use the DVB-T dongle and still tweaking and playing with the Motorola C118 (aka C123) for side by side with my good ol' Nokia 3310 while trying to find the best way to intergrate or consolidate the potential / use of all devices. There are still many things that i need to try, test and go through in this radio spectrum adventure but just to recap (attempting to try make some sense), raspberry pi can be use for the TCP server that runs osmocombb using input taced from Nokia 3310 (GSM Tap) and the RTL2832U dongle for the IMSI catcher as the attack vector guided by the credentials sniffed by osmo-sdr running on the motorola C118. Check out this video which might clear up some of the confusion that i might have caused by my blabbering here. Wish you all the best on your school project and should you decide to persist and pursue this, feel free to hit me up iif you ever need a research buddy to go along with it.

another cool thing that rpi can do is to create an SSTV station or a beacon and a a radio station but if you are a licensed ham operator (just got mine few weeks ago), you can probably find some info on how build a transceiver and communicate with the ISS crew while they float above us 16 times everyday!

I've been reviewing your thread and I'm very impressed with your aproach towards this project. I'm very familiar with SDR and specific Dongle technology (SDR RTL) etc.I am in the market of purchasing an IMSI / IMEI / GSM / INTERCEPTOR. If you happened to have had success with your project, then I commend you and would be very interested in speaking with you in regards to building another unit, or selling the existing one.