# LimeSDR, GSM with omso

**URL:** <https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589>\
**Category:** RAN Forum\
**Created:** [8 April 2018 14:34 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589 "2018-04-08T14:34:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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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:** [14 April 2018 05:21 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/21 "2018-04-14T05:21:03Z")

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Added a repo here and included a suggested template for accompanying notes:

> **[myriadrf/cellular-network-configs](https://github.com/myriadrf/cellular-network-configs)**
>
> Configurations for using LimeSDR hardware with Osmocom and OpenAirInterface etc. - myriadrf/cellular-network-configs

You should have access and feel free to tweak the template.

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**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [22 April 2018 18:30 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/22 "2018-04-22T18:30:25Z")

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Hello cswiger,

I do apologize for taking too much of your time.  
I followed your method and edited the file before building.

however I get this error

# Add here commands to compile the arch part of the package.

#/usr/bin/make  
touch build-arch-stamp  
dh\_testdir  
dh\_testroot  
dh\_clean -k -s  
dh\_clean: Pretending DH\_COMPAT was set to 5  
dh\_clean: - this is a temporary measure to avoid FTBFS in packages  
dh\_clean: relying on cdbs to set debian/compat to 5 during the build  
dh\_clean: dh\_clean -k is deprecated; use dh\_prep instead  
dh\_clean: No compatibility level specified in debian/compat  
dh\_clean: This package will soon FTBFS; time to fix it!  
dh\_installdirs -s  
dh\_installdirs: No compatibility level specified in debian/compat  
dh\_installdirs: This package will soon FTBFS; time to fix it!  
dh\_installdirs: Compatibility levels before 4 are no longer supported (level 1 requested)  
END failed–call queue aborted.  
debian/rules:69: recipe for target ‘install-arch’ failed  
make: \*\*\* [install-arch] Error 2  
dpkg-buildpackage: error: fakeroot debian/rules binary gave error exit status 2

# ERROR: command failed!

FYI, I made the switch command to 5 just as the book said, and edited the file as you mentioned.

I tried looking in the internet, but didn’t get a clear result.  
[https://sourceforge.net/p/openbts/mailman/openbts-discuss/thread/1C882642-402A-4569-978B-45E0F042490E%40rangenetworks.com/#msg35124692](https://sourceforge.net/p/openbts/mailman/openbts-discuss/thread/1C882642-402A-4569-978B-45E0F042490E%40rangenetworks.com/#msg35124692)  
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

EDIT: following this post, I managed to get it to work  
[https://sourceforge.net/p/openbts/mailman/openbts-discuss/thread/CACcka%2B0y2i-iSO\_NsN1c6WVEZXMXRxoQOEZ9a%3Dg8mTuSU%2Be3HQ%40mail.gmail.com/#msg35161917](https://sourceforge.net/p/openbts/mailman/openbts-discuss/thread/CACcka%2B0y2i-iSO_NsN1c6WVEZXMXRxoQOEZ9a%3Dg8mTuSU%2Be3HQ%40mail.gmail.com/#msg35161917)

as stated in one of the replies:  
!!!  
This tricks works for me:  
delete the existing dev directory --\> rm -rf dev, re-download dev by using  
git clone, and ./clone.sh (don’t run ./switchto.sh) by default it’s already  
in master branch.

Then follow michael suggestion:  
cd openbts  
git pull  
git submodule init  
git submodule update  
!!!  
So it worked, then I got a problem of some dependency which was solved with apt-get -f install.

then lastly, it turns out that Ubuntu 17.04 doesn’t support upstart, which means I can’t start these services ! I tried to install upstart which ended up screwing the whole VM.

So I’m off to start again with Ubuntu 12.04

Lets hope this time it works !

Regards

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cswiger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/cswiger/32/197_2.png) [@cswiger](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/cswiger)\
**Post date:** [22 April 2018 18:53 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/23 "2018-04-22T18:53:04Z")

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One workaround for the upstart issues - just run each process in a seperate terminal or ‘screen’ session, or a gnome-terminal tab is what I’ve been using lately.  
From notes:

Commands - to run in a screen, one each since OpenBTS upstart scripts have not caught up with systemd:

- osmo-trx -e -f -a ‘driver=lime,device=0’
- /usr/sbin/asterisk -c
- /usr/local/sbin/sipauthserve
- /usr/local/sbin/smqueue
- cd /OpenBTS; ./OpenBTS

Then in main window:

# /OpenBTS/OpenBTSCLI

OpenBTS Command Line Interface (CLI) utility  
OpenBTS\> config GSM.Radio  
GSM.Radio.ARFCNs 1 [default]  
GSM.Radio.Band 900 [default]  
GSM.Radio.C0 51 [default]

OpenBTS\> tmsis  
IMSI TMSI IMEI AUTH CREATED ACCESSED TMSI\_ASSIGNED  
901700000005100 - 352273080178590 1 12m 12m 0 Blu Phone SIM  
901700000005090 - 355675061139670 0 187s 187s 0 LinkIt One SIM

Also someone has systemd scripts at:

> **[nadiia-kotelnikova/openbts\_systemd\_scripts](https://github.com/nadiia-kotelnikova/openbts_systemd_scripts)**
>
> Contribute to nadiia-kotelnikova/openbts\_systemd\_scripts development by creating an account on GitHub.

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**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [22 April 2018 19:11 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/24 "2018-04-22T19:11:17Z")

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I wished I asked before I broke the last VM !

anyhow, will test on Ubuntu 12.04, if that didn’t work will go back to ubuntu 17.04 and try your method

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [24 April 2018 14:32 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/25 "2018-04-24T14:32:11Z")

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Thanks for your reply

I did manage to install all the services and I think they all run. except for openBTS which has missing transever configuration I think

/////////////////////////////////////////  
1524580142.816831 139632986343232:  
Starting the system…  
ALERT 4171:4183 2018-04-24T07:29:07.9 OpenBTS.cpp:174:startTransceiver: starting transceiver ./transceiver with 1 ARFCNs  
EMERG 4171:4186 2018-04-24T07:29:07.9 OpenBTS.cpp:180:startTransceiver: cannot find ./transceiver  
EMERG 4171:4183 2018-04-24T07:29:07.9 OpenBTS.cpp:185:startTransceiver: Transceiver quit with status 256. Exiting.  
//////////////////////////////////////////////

so when I checked, I don’t have osmo-trx installed !  
I know I can install it with apt-get, but is this the proper way? or is there a certain version that I should compile from source ?

if you can help on the next steps, so that I can follow along with the book.

Thanks again

Regards

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cswiger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/cswiger/32/197_2.png) [@cswiger](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/cswiger)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2018 01:13 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/26 "2018-04-25T01:13:17Z")

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Crap - Anyone have OpenBTS / osmo-trx working with up to date versions?

Ok - I just got mine working again but had to roll back to older versions of LimeSuite and osmo-trx.

I’m using LimeSuite  
Version information:  
Library version: v17.01.0-g2080ece4  
Build timestamp: 2018-04-24  
Interface version: v2017.1.0  
Binary interface: 17.01-1

which you can get by typing:  
$ git checkout 2080ece41b92944ad599b6b30b4e647ae8f25761  
in the LimeSuite source and rebuild, and update the firmware with LimeUtil --update.  
Also rebuild SoapySDR and SoapyUHD.

And went back to osmo-trx version 0.2.0 with  
$ git checkout 78e1cd20e2690f59c4ddee8faeeff98edbe5685c

Here’s the osmo build from source instructions for LimeSDR  
[https://osmocom.org/projects/osmotrx/wiki/LimeSDR\_Family](https://osmocom.org/projects/osmotrx/wiki/LimeSDR_Family)

I had to play around with different versions - have not fired up OpenBTS in a while but got those to work and my Blu phone is now camped on it. osmo-trx needs the options: -f -s4 -b4 for enable C0 filler table and samples per symbol. I can turn filler on in the vty interface for the new one but still had issues.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2018 11:02 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/27 "2018-04-25T11:02:47Z")

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I’ll try to do what you said, but since the aim is using the OpenBTS not installing it. if you are using a virtual machine, can you send it to me ??

regards

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**Author:** ![cswiger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/cswiger/32/197_2.png) [@cswiger](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/cswiger)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2018 11:59 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/28 "2018-04-25T11:59:47Z")

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I’m not using a vm - would be great if someone knew how to package an image, docker or there was talk of a Ubuntu ‘snap’ [https://github.com/myriadrf/snapcraft-sandbox](https://github.com/myriadrf/snapcraft-sandbox)

Sounds like you have the upper layers built - asterisk, sipauthserve, smqueue and OpenBTS, OpenBTSCLI. The last puzzle piece is building the osmo-trx radio layer.

Does not take too much practice to be able to switch a git repo to an older known working version.

It’s a pain when all these different pieces change and evolve and break and nobody has the time to debug what broke it.

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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:** [25 April 2018 13:31 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/29 "2018-04-25T13:31:47Z")

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So just to note that work is under way to directly integrate OsmoTRX with Lime Suite via the LMS API, such that UHD and SoapySDR are not required any more. Once this is done it should be a _lot_ more stable and with support for using latest versions of Lime Suite and OsmoTRX. Hopefully this is not that far away…

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**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2018 13:38 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/30 "2018-04-25T13:38:27Z")

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I hope so too,

I though the hardest part was working with GSM. but now I couldn’t even reach that stage yet !

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**Author:** ![cswiger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/cswiger/32/197_2.png) [@cswiger](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/cswiger)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2018 15:07 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/31 "2018-04-25T15:07:16Z")

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I feel the issues too - this is the dream: [https://limenet.limemicro.com/](https://limenet.limemicro.com/) there are snaps for LimeSDR + gqrx, grc, pocket-epc (interesting) - and the one for LimeSuite was last updated 3/17/2017 - which is actually one of the last known versions to work with OpenBTS 🙂

I’m going to spend some time on packaging.  
Currently testing Ubuntu 16.04 in a libvirt vm but that’s not a really viable solution.

Will get some time with snap dev shortly.

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**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [26 April 2018 10:16 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/32 "2018-04-26T10:16:25Z")

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I did all the steps,

now the issue is that SoapySDR and uhd cannot find my LimeSDR although LimeUtil can find it

 ![image](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/5/538e29302e58112b20f59db35ab327e733e2f229.png)

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Will I ever get it to work !

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**Author:** ![cswiger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/cswiger/32/197_2.png) [@cswiger](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/cswiger)\
**Post date:** [26 April 2018 14:42 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/33 "2018-04-26T14:42:29Z")

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Does

> SoapySDRUtil --info

report the lime factory?

> Module found: /usr/local/lib/SoapySDR/modules0.7/ **libLMS7Support.so** (18.04.1-b1f3811)  
> Available factories… **lime**

I get confused on the order these layers need installed and think the SoapySDR needs built FIRST, then LimeSuite finds it and builds the module: ./LimeSuite/builddir/SoapyLMS7/ **libLMS7Support.so**

Yes, just verified in a container that if SoapySDR is **not** installed then LimeSuite will not build that module:

> – ######################################################  
> – ## LimeSuite **disabled** features  
> – ######################################################
> 
> - SoapySDRLMS7 , SoapySDR bindings for LMS7

Then installed SoapySDR and now LimeSuite builds the module:

> – ######################################################  
> – ## LimeSuite **enabled** features  
> – ######################################################
> 
> - SoapySDRLMS7 , SoapySDR bindings for LMS7

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [28 April 2018 20:33 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/34 "2018-04-28T20:33:47Z")

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So do I just rebuild LimeSuite ?

or do I have to start over and do the build in the right order ?

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
I tried rebuilding the limeSuite, but since I don’t have the device on me right now, will have to wait until tomorrow to test it

Thanks guys

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andrewback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@andrewback](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/andrewback)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2018 06:38 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/35 "2018-04-29T06:38:58Z")

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Building certain parts in the right order is very important. E.g. SoapySDR before Lime Suite.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2018 07:11 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/36 "2018-04-29T07:11:45Z")

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But this link from osmo says to build LimeSuite before the rest !

[https://osmocom.org/projects/osmotrx/wiki/LimeSDR\_Family](https://osmocom.org/projects/osmotrx/wiki/LimeSDR_Family)

anyhow, I tried rebuilding LimeSuite but that didn’t work. I still can’t see the device.

so before I start over in a new VM. I want to install LimeSuite, SoapySDR ,SoapyUHD , uhd and openBTS

what is the right order to build these things?

by the way, the last time I tried, I built everything from source with the version numbers that “cswiger” mentioned

thanks in advance for the help

Regards

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gavz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@gavz](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/gavz)\
**Post date:** [3 May 2018 01:22 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/37 "2018-05-03T01:22:50Z")

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Firstly sorry my english

1. i have installed windows 8.1 x64 on my notebook and install driver x64 for limesdr mini
2. i install Ubuntu x86 and x64 16.04.4  
on x86 i get the same error , maybe it’s because of the fact that Ubuntu x86 and driver on windows x64 , on x64 i get an error (Segmentation fault (core dumped)) when run osmo-trx-uhd -s4 -b4 or osmo-trx -s4 -b4

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bahaeddin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecb155/32.png) [@Bahaeddin](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Bahaeddin)\
**Post date:** [3 May 2018 12:09 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/38 "2018-05-03T12:09:32Z")

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Ok, so I’ll reply to myself here,

the build order is (UHD, SoapySDR, SoapyUHD, LimeSuite then OpenBTS )

at least this is what worked for me, however I can’t seem to find the Network with my phone.

is there a way to confirm that I am actually transmitting something, other than the headache that I get when radio is turned on?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cswiger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/cswiger/32/197_2.png) [@cswiger](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/cswiger)\
**Post date:** [3 May 2018 12:18 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/39 "2018-05-03T12:18:26Z")

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A cheap rtl-sdr can show a spectrum in the lower bands. It should look something like this:  
[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/1X/0b616b64190ca0c8ec983c95549404ecb8c3a0d5.jpg) ](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/1X/0b616b64190ca0c8ec983c95549404ecb8c3a0d5.jpg)  
for arfcn 51.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![shao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@shao](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/shao)\
**Post date:** [3 May 2018 12:26 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-gsm-with-omso/2589/40 "2018-05-03T12:26:08Z")

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try soapysdr version 0.6 instead of 0.7

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