LimeSDR Mini 2.0 comes with unusable firmware out of the box?

Projects LimeSDR
1

When I connect the LimeSDR Mini 2.0 to SoapySDR, mostly what I get is noise unless the transmitter is super nearby and powerful (monitoring airband channels 118-136mhz). However, when I “upgrade” the firmware/gateway (based on version numbers it’s a downgrade), everything starts working.

Broken:

LimeUtil --make
Make device
  Device name: LimeSDR-Mini_v2
  Expansion name: UNSUPPORTED
  Firmware version: 10
  Hardware version: 7
  Protocol version: 1
  Gateware version: 2
  Gateware revision: 6
  Gateware target: LimeSDR-Mini

Working:

  Device name: LimeSDR-Mini_v2
  Expansion name: UNSUPPORTED
  Firmware version: 6
  Hardware version: 7
  Protocol version: 1
  Gateware version: 2
  Gateware revision: 2
  Gateware target: LimeSDR-Mini_v2

I’m curious if this is expected / surprising.

2

Tagging @VytautasB

3

Hi @vlovich,

this looks more like a version/API-stack mismatch than a board being shipped with fundamentally unusable firmware.

Gateware revisions 2.2 and 2.6 are both quite old. It is likely that the unit was programmed with whatever image was current or used during manufacturing/testing at that time. That does not necessarily mean the board is defective or gateware is unusable; it just means the software and gateware stack may no longer be aligned with what current software expects.

I would recommend updating to the latest LimeSDR Mini v2 gateware image, which is currently 3.9, and using it together with a up to date LimeSuite/LimeSuiteNG versions.

Regards,

Vytautas

4

That’s what I figured in terms of the reason for the issue.

2.2 is what limesuite in Debian Trixie applies and this seems to work with the packaged SoapySDR as well. AFAICT Debian trixie/testing/unstable all have limesuite 23.11 with trixie on dfsg-3, testing on dfsg-4 and unstable on dfsg-5. Is there a different repository source I should be using on RaspberyPi to pick up the right limesuite / soapysdr integration? Since SoapySDR only supports LimeSuite, it sounds like LimesuiteNG is not suitable for this purpose?

5

You can use Lime Suite NG with LimeSDR Mini 2.0, and NG bundles SoapySDR and GNU Radio plugins which will be built if you have the development files for that software at build time.