LimeQuickTest fails with LimeSDR Mini 2.0

Projects LimeSDR
1

Hello,

I received the LimeSDR Mini 2.0 today, but I have an issue with the LimeQuickTest : RF Loopback Test LNA_H fails.

[ TESTING STARTED ]
->Start time: Thu Feb  9 22:30:53 2023
->LimeSuite version: 22.09.1-g70e3859a

->Device: LimeSDR Mini, media=USB 3.0, module=FT601, addr=24607:1027, serial=XXX, HW=5, GW=2.1
  Serial Number: XXX
 Chip temperature: 50 C

[ Clock Network Test ]
->REF clock test
  Test results: 30010; 32792; 35527 - PASSED
->VCTCXO test
  Results : 6711043 (min); 6711077 (max) - PASSED
->Clock Network Test PASSED

[ FPGA EEPROM Test ]
->Read EEPROM
FPGA EEPROM not supported in v2
->FPGA EEPROM Test PASSED

[ LMS7002M Test ]
->Perform Registers Test
->External Reset line test
  Reg 0x20: Write value 0xFFFD, Read value 0xFFFD
  Reg 0x20: value after reset 0x0FFFF
->LMS7002M Test PASSED

[ RF Loopback Test ]
->Configure LMS
->Run Tests (TX_2 -> LNA_W):
  CH0 (SXR=1000.0MHz, SXT=1005.0MHz): Result:(-27.8 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->Run Tests (TX_1 -> LNA_H):
  CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-23.1 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->RF Loopback Test FAILED

=> Board tests FAILED <=

Elapsed time: 1.67 seconds

I built LimeSuite from source today (master branch) on Ubuntu 22.04.
I’ve tried with and without antennas, USB 2 and USB 3 ports, with cold board (<30 degrees C). But no luck.

Does anyone know where the problem comes from ? Could it be an hardware issue ?

Thank you

2

I could be wrong, but I suspect that this may be that the test criteria need to be tweaked. The loopback path on a Mini v2 is different and so the pass/fail values had to be changed, but I’m not sure if they are optimal. May be one of the things that needed checking before we tag a new Lime Suite release.

1 Like
3

Hello,
this is only for informational purposes:

On my board, I have the same test-failure:
->Run Tests (TX_1 → LNA_H):
CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-23.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->RF Loopback Test FAILED
See Notes on RF-Loopback in the Board-Description.
There is approx. 10dB more attenuation at 2GHz on board LimeSDR Mini 2.0.
https://limesdr-mini.myriadrf.org/documentation/board-description.html#rf-path-and-control-signals

Here is the Test-statement:
passed &= testPath(2100e6, 1) ;

Karlheinz Kemna

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4

System: Ubuntu 22_04 (jammy)
Python: python3/jammy-updates,now 3.10.6-1~22.04 amd64 [installed,automatic]
Driver: gr-limesdr/jammy,now 3.0.1-3build1 amd64 [installed]
LimeSuite: limesuite/jammy 22.09.1-myriadrf1~ubuntu22.04 amd64
GnuRadio: gnuradio-dev/jammy,now 3.10.1.1-2 amd64 [installed,automatic]
gnuradio/jammy,now 3.10.1.1-2 amd64 [installed]
Radio: LimeSdrMini 2.0
Other: Some other packages

Hello Andrew,
thank’s for your quick response to fix the LimeQuickTest failure.
Now it work’s

[ RF Loopback Test ]
->Configure LMS
->Run Tests (TX_2 → LNA_W):
CH0 (SXR=1000.0MHz, SXT=1005.0MHz): Result:(-27.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->Run Tests (TX_1 → LNA_H):
CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-22.9 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->RF Loopback Test PASSED
=> Board tests PASSED <=
Elapsed time: 1.98 seconds

Karlheinz

1 Like
5

Hi Karlheinz,

Glad to hear. Looks like the tolerance was out and a colleague fixed this.

Andrew

6

I just complied and installed the latest version. It fixed all but one of the failures. Now LNA_W fails.

Here is the Limeutil --info

Version information:
Library version: v22.09.1-g9c983d87
Build timestamp: 2023-03-03
Interface version: v2022.9.1
Binary interface: 22.09-1

Here is the Quick test info. I assume from what AndrewBack was saying the problem is just the test limits for TX_2 → LNA_W. The SDR seemed to work fine with GQRX at 30M samples per second with the 22.09.0 version.

->Start time: Fri Mar 3 19:46:20 2023
->LimeSuite version: 22.09.1-g9c983d87

->Device: LimeSDR Mini, media=USB 3.0, module=FT601, addr=24607:1027, serial=1D90F82CC924B8, HW=5, GW=2.1
Serial Number: 1D90F82CC924B8
Chip temperature: 25 C

[ Clock Network Test ]
->REF clock test
Test results: 31242; 34024; 36759 - PASSED
->VCTCXO test
Results : 6710932 (min); 6710966 (max) - PASSED
->Clock Network Test PASSED

[ FPGA EEPROM Test ]
->Read EEPROM
FPGA EEPROM not supported in v2
->FPGA EEPROM Test PASSED

[ LMS7002M Test ]
->Perform Registers Test
->External Reset line test
Reg 0x20: Write value 0xFFFD, Read value 0xFFFD
Reg 0x20: value after reset 0x0FFFF
->LMS7002M Test PASSED

[ RF Loopback Test ]
->Configure LMS
->Run Tests (TX_2 → LNA_W):
CH0 (SXR=1000.0MHz, SXT=1005.0MHz): Result:(-35.0 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->Run Tests (TX_1 → LNA_H):
CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-20.9 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->RF Loopback Test FAILED

=> Board tests FAILED <=

BTW I am running on Ubuntu 18.04. I don’t think that matters.

Thanks for all the hard work guys. The Lime Mini is a big step up for me. I am impressed with what I have learned so far.

7

Tagging @Zack.

8

Hi @Crania,

Your board is OK. It is just on board loopback which is marked as “Failing” but in reality it doesn’t matter while it is not used in normal operating conditions. It is just to see if RF is alive during test.

9

Hello,

there must be something different on the board from MikeDuval.
You can’t decide, where is the additional attenuation, Tx-Part,
Rx-Part or loopback.
The test reports -35.0 dbFS. with is out of acceptance window.
On my board, I have on LNA_W -27.5 dbFS.
I think, for a meaningful HF-Test, it is better
to test with an external bridge.
For this it is nessesary to modify/extend the LimeQuickTest…
Here is my test result:
[ RF Loopback Test ]
->Configure LMS
->Run Tests (TX_2 → LNA_W):
CH0 (SXR=1000.0MHz, SXT=1005.0MHz): Result:(-27.5 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->Run Tests (TX_1 → LNA_H):
CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-23.2 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED
->RF Loopback Test PASSED
=> Board tests PASSED <=
Elapsed time: 1.90 seconds

Karlheinz

10

My brand new LimeSDR Mini 2.0 is failing the LimeQuickTest (Clock Network Test, EEPROM Test) out of the box. Any suggestions?

[ TESTING STARTED ]
->Start time: Fri Mar 17 14:17:00 2023
->LimeSuite version: 22.09.0-ge829d3ed

->Device: LimeSDR Mini, media=USB 3.0, module=FT601, addr=24607:1027, serial=1D91049E5C2AF6, HW=5, GW=2.2
Serial Number: 1D91049E5C2AF6
Chip temperature: 52 C

[ Clock Network Test ]
->REF clock test
Test results: 32352; 35282; 38104 - PASSED
->VCTCXO test
Results : 6710999 (min); 6711034 (max) - FAILED
FAILED
->Clock Network Test FAILED

[ FPGA EEPROM Test ]
->Read EEPROM
Operation failed: error code 5
->FPGA EEPROM Test FAILED

[ LMS7002M Test ]
->Perform Registers Test
->External Reset line test
Reg 0x20: Write value 0xFFFD, Read value 0xFFFD
Reg 0x20: value after reset 0x0FFFF
->LMS7002M Test PASSED

[ RF Loopback Test ]
->Configure LMS
->Run Tests (TX_2 → LNA_W):
CH0 (SXR=1000.0MHz, SXT=1005.0MHz): Result:(-31.2 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->Run Tests (TX_1 → LNA_H):
CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-22.7 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - FAILED
->RF Loopback Test FAILED

=> Board tests FAILED <=

Elapsed time: 1.69 seconds

11

You’re using an old version of Lime Suite and for the time being you will need to build this from source using git master. Don’t check out a tagged release!

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