CubicSDR, gqrx can't work with LimeSDR Mini

Projects LimeSDR
1

Hi all,

It’s been about a month since I got my long-awaited LimeSDR Mini board, but I haven’t been able to get it working with any of the popular SDR apps so far. None seem to be able to tweak the board into a working configuration, and it seems there are bandwidth issues somewhere along the data pipeline.

I’ve upgraded the firmware and the board seems to respond ok in LimeSuiteGUI. LimeQuickTest reports success. I use the limesuite-git and soapysdr-git AUR packages on an up-to-date Arch Linux box, and just rebuilt them all from their respective master branches. An Airspy Mini and a bunch of other dongles work fine with CubicSDR and qspectrumanalyzer over soapysdr. However, with the LimeMini CubicSDR just freezes for a few seconds before starting to dump a constant stream of

SDRThread::readStream(): 2. SoapySDR read failed with code: -1
SDRThread::readStream(): 3.1 iqDataOutQueue output queue is full, discard processing of the batch...

gqrx just bails with

gr-osmosdr v0.1.4-98-gc653754d (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.11
built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd miri hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy soapy redpitaya 
[INFO] Make connection: 'LimeSDR Mini [USB 3.0] 1D3AC6EEA46E50'
[INFO] Reference clock 40.00 MHz
[INFO] Device name: LimeSDR-Mini
[INFO] Reference: 4e+07 MHz
[INFO] LMS7002M calibration values caching Disable

FATAL: SoapyLMS7::setupStream() failed: 

Trying to fill up 1 missing channel(s) with null source(s).
This is being done to prevent the application from crashing
due to gnuradio bug #528.

By fiddling with the settings in LimeSuiteGUI I was able to get 50Mbit/s over my USB 3.0 port in “FFTviewer”, so it can be made to work. I am left to think that some of the controls don’t get set correctly by some component in the Application -> Soapy -> Lime -> HW chain.

This has not been fun so far, and it’s a pity the Mini doesn’t have its own dedicated forum, tutorials and examples. Are there sample configurations somewhere one can easily try?

Examples of soapy device strings to configure a working mini board?

2

see this post
gqrx howto

3

@lz1hpy - Kiril,

I’m not seeing what OS you’re running but I’m going to make the assumption that it’s Ubuntu Linux (16.04, 17.04, 17.10 or 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)) - If that’s not the case, then please let me know. From a Windows perspective, the only app that is known to work with the Mini is SDRConsole V3.0 - SDRAngel and Cubic appear to have issues starting with the Lime Mini.

You’ve inspired me to put together a ‘How to’ for Lime-Mini users for both Windows and Linux (and it’s only going to be Ubuntu - no other flavors). I’ll start working that this evening and will post it here. The Lime-Mini has been working properly in Linux using SDRAngel and GQRX, but I will also look at CubicSDR as well. The ‘how to’ could take a few days, but I’ll do my best to spool it out there so everyone using the Mini can get a jump on it.

Stay tuned…

73 de Marty, KN0CK

4

already did it. its posted in the forum

1 Like
5

@lz1hpy, I am on Arch as well and have the mini working with gqrx, are you using gqrx-git from AUR? Just make sure you are using the latest git packages from AUR and not the releases. Setup gqrx with device string “driver=lime, soapy=0” (not what is filled in for you) and under input controls Antenna to LNAW (that is what was getting me at first).

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Okay! I think I did try driver=lime, soapy=0 as recommended in other threads, but this time it worked for gqrx.

I rebuilt all AUR packages to get the latest master versions of the entire stack too.

1 Like