# 101+ things to do with a LimeSDR

**URL:** <https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382>\
**Category:** LimeSDR\
**Created:** [21 June 2016 18:39 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382 "2016-06-21T18:39:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![martywittrock](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/martywittrock/32/66_2.png) [@martywittrock](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/martywittrock)\
**Post date:** [27 July 2016 18:16 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/21 "2016-07-27T18:16:05Z")

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…And likewise, you can also apply this to HFDL when tuned in the HF band and using the appropriate demod/decode for that medium, too - love that…!

de Marty, KN0CK

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**Author:** ![ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@ben](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/ben)\
**Post date:** [2 August 2016 23:15 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/22 "2016-08-02T23:15:49Z")

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By VNA is this what you mean : [http://www.pa4tim.nl/?p=1594](http://www.pa4tim.nl/?p=1594)

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**Author:** ![yo2llq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6a8cbe/32.png) [@yo2llq](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/yo2llq)\
**Post date:** [3 August 2016 06:54 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/23 "2016-08-03T06:54:48Z")

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Yes, pretty much - I got the idea from [http://swigerco.com/gnuradio/](http://swigerco.com/gnuradio/) and was thinking of using gnuradio as the basis for it all and make it a little more “realtime”.

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**Author:** ![mzs](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/mzs/32/2678_2.png) [@mzs](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/mzs)\
**Post date:** [31 August 2016 18:44 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/24 "2016-08-31T18:44:43Z")

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20 Radiosondes (Weather Balloons)  
[![](https://gml.noaa.gov/obop/mlo/programs/esrl/ozonesondes/img/img_launching_sonde_hilo_1.JPG) ](https://gml.noaa.gov/obop/mlo/programs/esrl/ozonesondes/img/img_launching_sonde_hilo_1.JPG)  
Frequency: 400 to 406 MHz  
Frequency 1668.6 to 1689.8 MHz

Robert Bureau, who gave the name Radiosonde to his device, launched the very first one on the 7th of January 1929 in France. It returned precise encoded telemetry from its weather sensors.

Modern devices generally have a GPS receiver, temperature sensor, two pressure sensors, a humidity sensor and are launched several time a day all around the world to collect raw data during their accent for the global prediction of weather.

Some examples of their spectrograms can be seen here:

> **[Vaisala RS41-SG Weather Balloon (Radiosonde) - Signal Identification Wiki](https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Vaisala_RS41-SG_Weather_Balloon_(Radiosonde))**
>
> Weather balloon (radiosonde) telemetry data.

> **[Vaisala RS92-SGP Weather Balloon (Radiosonde) - Signal Identification Wiki](https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Vaisala_RS92-SGP_Weather_Balloon_(Radiosonde))**
>
> Weather balloon (radiosonde) telemetry data.

> **[Vaisala RS92-KL Weather Balloon (Radiosonde) - Signal Identification Wiki](https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Vaisala_RS92-KL_Weather_Balloon_(Radiosonde))**
>
> RS92-KL and RS92-K are analog radiosondes built by Vaisala in Finland. These radiosondes are used for weather balloons.

> **[Graw DFM-06 Weather Balloon (Radiosonde) - Signal Identification Wiki](https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Graw_DFM-06_Weather_Balloon_(Radiosonde))**
>
> The DFM-06 is a standard radiosonde for most applications. It is perfectly suited for synoptic observations or military applications.

Individually they do not use much bandwidth (minimum of 200Hz, typically 20kHz and up to 1MHz), but the LimeSDR could monitor all frequencies at once in either band, but probably not both bands at the same time. And there is an open source project to demodulate a lot of Radiosondes (depending on the manufacturer, each uses their own protocol):

> **[GitHub - rs1729/RS: radiosonde decoding](https://github.com/rs1729/RS)**
>
> radiosonde decoding. Contribute to rs1729/RS development by creating an account on GitHub.

Here is a hardware teardown of a Vaisala RS92-SGP Radiosonde:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xSxtwuTS5hw/maxresdefault.jpg "Vaisala RS92-SGP Radiosonde teardown") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSxtwuTS5hw)

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**Author:** ![Kc7noa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/kc7noa/32/144_2.png) [@Kc7noa](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Kc7noa)\
**Post date:** [12 March 2017 03:32 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/25 "2017-03-12T03:32:07Z")

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Geosynchronous phase 4 satellite coms and terrestrial microwave on SSB

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**Author:** ![andrewback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@andrewback](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/andrewback)\
**Post date:** [12 March 2017 12:22 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/26 "2017-03-12T12:22:58Z")

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> [@yo2llq](#):
>
> 15 - VNA - I always wanted a reasonably priced VNA substitute

See:

> **[pyLMS7002M/examples/VNA at master · myriadrf/pyLMS7002M](https://github.com/myriadrf/pyLMS7002M/tree/master/examples/VNA)**
>
> pyLMS7002M Python package. Contribute to myriadrf/pyLMS7002M development by creating an account on GitHub.

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [12 March 2017 20:00 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/27 "2017-03-12T20:00:48Z")

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> [@mzs](#):
>
> 17 Passive Radar  
> …
> 
> One interesting side note is that the returned RF will be re-modulated by the vibrations on the surfaces of the aircraft, so at least in theory it should be possible to hear and distinguish, after proper processing, the downconverted audio returned by a helicopter, a propeller aircraft and a jet engine aircraft.

Interesting because then you could also create fingerprints for specific aircraft based on the audio.

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [12 March 2017 20:55 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/28 "2017-03-12T20:55:45Z")

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> [@mzs](#):
>
> 20 Radiosondes (Weather Balloons)  
> …  
> Modern devices generally have a GPS receiver, temperature sensor, two pressure sensors, a humidity sensor and are launched several time a day all around the world to collect raw data during their accent for the global prediction of weather.

Do I read this right? Basically you are saying free hardware if you can find it? Or do they get tracked and retrieved?

This brings up another question. Once the balloon is released does it become ownerless? Like a ship abandoned at sea, it can then be claimed by anyone?

FWIW ascent

I have been inspired, here is my offering:

**Lofted up into thin air**  
**Sending data from everywhere**  
**With the duty fulfilled and true**  
**It went on flying but not right to you**  
**You followed it with rf gear**  
**It laid upon the field so clear**  
**With the prize bragged about over beer**

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [12 March 2017 21:39 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/29 "2017-03-12T21:39:05Z")

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#22 (unless I lost track of the ordinality)

ADS-B, ADS-R and FIS-B and UAT

ADS-B (I have working in gnuradio) by 2020 all aircraft need to be equipped with ADS-B Out. This broadcasts lots of info depending on the configuration and other things. But at least you get ICAO Mode-S transponder number which is unique to each aircraft. Can also get speed/heading/lat/long/call sign and more. 1090MHz

ADS-R Are rebroadcasts from air-to-air and is somewhat new, this is interesting because it is essentially creating a mesh-network in the sky. This might also help eliminate bogies. i.e. bad actors tx ADS-B frames to make ghost planes appear.  
Also at 1090MHz (I think)

FIS-B Is the free data that the FAA gives to planes equipped with ADS-B Out/In and that are also compliant hardware installation. Like a reward I guess. They give you wx radar info and other wx info as well as air traffic info. But I think this requires line-of-sight to the airfield.

UAT at 978MHz is allowed for aircraft flying under 18,000 ft. It is an alternative to ADS-B and sends data in a format that differs from ADS-B but most commerical aircraft can rx this and then tx it onto ADS-B via ADS-R. UAT is a lower cost way to  
comply with the FARs for 2020 deadline (which may get extended). Apparently the FAA thinks that all aircraft owners have deep pockets 😀 but it’s not cheap to install  
these devices.

There’s tons of stuff on github and there is even a VHDL decoder for ADS-B for bladerf.  
dump1090 and dump978 are good search terms.

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**Author:** ![mzs](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/mzs/32/2678_2.png) [@mzs](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/mzs)\
**Post date:** [13 March 2017 03:58 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/30 "2017-03-13T03:58:21Z")

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> [@hTo137](#):
>
> Do I read this right? Basically you are saying free hardware if you can find it? Or do they get tracked and retrieved?
> 
> This brings up another question. Once the balloon is released does it become ownerless? Like a ship abandoned at sea, it can then be claimed by anyone?

Most land in the sea, but the only thing that usually needs to be replaced to reuse them is the water activated battery (some countries have freepost addresses where people who find units can send them for reuse). But if you really want one, it would be easier to pick up an older models on ebay for ~$20. Some people buy them just to chop off the GPS Quadrifilar Helix Antenna (L1 @ 1575.42 MHz and L2 @ 1227.60) which are wide band enough to work for [Iridium (1618.85 to 1626.5 MHz) reception](https://github.com/muccc/iridium-toolkit).

I may as well add another one:  
**23 Iridium reception** (EDIT: You will need some filters and amplifiers as well e.g. a lorch 5df6-1675 [will work, even though the signal is just outside the passband] and a lna4all or similar devices).

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**Author:** ![TegwynTwmfatt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/tegwyntwmfatt/32/193_2.png) [@TegwynTwmfatt](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/TegwynTwmfatt)\
**Post date:** [13 March 2017 08:57 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/31 "2017-03-13T08:57:36Z")

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## **24** Cell phone signal booster

The LimeSDR, if I understand correctly, can digitally clean up the signal before re-transmitting it again. It also has RSSI on the Rx’s which can be used to automatically adjust the gain so as not to annoy the network. I just need to work out how to program this thing!

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [13 March 2017 20:57 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/32 "2017-03-13T20:57:37Z")

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You mean a femtocell? Just to provide access indoors where signal is weak? Or you mean like the LimeSDR example on Hackaday (which was at the Lime guy’s house I think)?

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [13 March 2017 21:00 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/33 "2017-03-13T21:00:32Z")

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> [@mzs](#):
>
> Most land in the sea, but the only thing that usually needs to be replaced to reuse them is the water activated battery (some countries have freepost addresses where people who find units can send them for reuse). But if you really want one, it would be easier to pick up an older models on ebay for ~$20.

Buying one would take all the fun out tracking one! I followed a link from one of those original links to a site (think it was deutsch) and the fellow there has tracked them down and has pictures.

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**Author:** ![TegwynTwmfatt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/tegwyntwmfatt/32/193_2.png) [@TegwynTwmfatt](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/TegwynTwmfatt)\
**Post date:** [14 March 2017 09:01 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/34 "2017-03-14T09:01:04Z")

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I did a search for limeSDR on Hackaday - could not find much. Have you got the link @hTo137 ?  
My project is a femtocell to [quote=“hTo137, post:32, topic:382, full:true”]  
provide access indoors where signal is weak  
[/quote] for which I’m building my own hardware. I’m going to use the LimeSDR as a spectrum analyser to see how well my gadget performs. Just got delivery of some really nice 4g band filers.  
Ultimately, I’d like to take the project completely over to the LimeSDR platform, maybe just using the main chip, I don’t know yet. It’s early days!

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2017 00:09 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/35 "2017-03-15T00:09:39Z")

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Oh it’s on here:

> **[4G (LTE) Home Repeater With LimeSDR](https://www.instructables.com/id/4G-LTE-Home-Repeater-With-LimeSDR/)**
>
> 4G (LTE) Home Repeater With LimeSDR: LimeSDR is a low cost, open source, apps-enabled software defined radio (SDR) platform that can be used to support just about any type of wireless communication standard.LimeSDR can send and receive UMTS, LTE,...

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2017 00:26 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/36 "2017-03-15T00:26:29Z")

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numero veinte cinco or 25

> [@GPS fake out project](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/gps-fake-out-project/709):
>
> Here’s where I’m having fun now - replicating this project : [http://sdrgps.blogspot.com/2016/12/gps-fake-out-with-limesdr.html](http://sdrgps.blogspot.com/2016/12/gps-fake-out-with-limesdr.html) I’m going to do a writeup myself of the gory details (where to find the current ephemeris data etc) etc - but I got the LimeSDR to transmit fake-gps to a bluetooth/gps device and got it to show my location as being at work while I’m at home. Took a little finessing but it’s working fine! To allay any fears of disruption to navigation - the gps receiver has to be about…

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**Author:** ![TegwynTwmfatt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/tegwyntwmfatt/32/193_2.png) [@TegwynTwmfatt](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/TegwynTwmfatt)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2017 07:53 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/37 "2017-03-15T07:53:35Z")

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Yes I found this one just after it was published. There’s a couple of things missing in this tutorial - the duplex filters and the 4G\_repeater.ini file. I found some filters, but the 4G\_repeater.ini seems to have been erased from the interweb.

I also tried to contact the author but it seems he is no longer available - I’m guessing he came back from the future, wrote the tutorial and subsequently got abducted by aliens, as nobody in the Lime team seems to have any idea about his existence.

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2017 19:21 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/38 "2017-03-15T19:21:19Z")

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I watched this some time ago but I thought I recalled mention of the repeater project. But it’s possible that the two are unrelated. I do not know who the presenter is there.

> **[Democratizing Wireless Networks with LimeSDR: Open Source, Field-Programmable...](https://livestream.com/internetsociety3/hopeconf/videos/131674232)**
>
> HOPE XI - FRIEDMAN by Internet Society (Channel 3) on Livestream - Livestream.com

But maybe that would provide a clue?? As for the Band 20 Duplexers, are they typically an expensive part? I saw a homemade duplexer for 6m here:

[https://ok2haz.ok2kld.cz/ok2haz/2015/10/ok0mf-6m-duplexer-development-and-construction/](https://ok2haz.ok2kld.cz/ok2haz/2015/10/ok0mf-6m-duplexer-development-and-construction/)

From that I conclude they are big $$$.

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**Author:** ![hTo137](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@hTo137](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/hTo137)\
**Post date:** [15 March 2017 19:32 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/39 "2017-03-15T19:32:31Z")

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#26

#Detect pulsars.  
(which is something that is considered more difficult than EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) activities)

The antenna does not seem too elaborate, i.e. wood and chicken wire.

[http://iw5bhy.altervista.org/info.php](http://iw5bhy.altervista.org/info.php)

[http://neutronstar.joataman.net/technical/amateur\_challenges.html](http://neutronstar.joataman.net/technical/amateur_challenges.html)

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**Author:** ![Jolly](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/jolly/32/1096_2.png) [@Jolly](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Jolly)\
**Post date:** [16 July 2017 19:19 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/101-things-to-do-with-a-limesdr/382/40 "2017-07-16T19:19:13Z")

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## 27 Emulate classical analogue mobile networks

I wrote a software that creates base stations for classical analogue network, like AMPS/TACS/NMT/C-Net.

[http://osmocom-analog.eversberg.eu/](http://osmocom-analog.eversberg.eu/)

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