LimeSDR Mini TX on Windows

Projects LimeSDR
1

Is TX possible on Mini with Windows? There are demos with full featured LimeSDR doing TX on Win10, but not mini.

2

Yes, all LimeSDR versions can transmit and the O/S makes no difference — it’s the application.

3

Well, obviously.
However on Linux there’s usually better support for both RX and TX.
For example, in SDRAngel, TX on Windows isn’t yet supported:
“LimeSDR-Mini seems to have problems with Zadig driver therefore it is supported in Linux only.”

So my question was basically, are there any software on Win with TX support for LimeSDR Mini?

4

On Windows you could probably create a simple (or complex) flowgraph to TX using Pothos Flow or GNURadio Companion, but they do assume that you know Digital Signal Processing (DSP) techniques.
http://downloads.myriadrf.org/builds/PothosSDR/?C=M;O=D

1 Like
5

As a sidenote, I can’t get my Mini to work in any SDR software - it always outputs this garbage:

blank
blank.png1366×768 217 KB

Installed latest 64bit FTDI driver. Also my board passed all 4 tests. Anyone knows what’s the issue?

6

@wqcr,

Please make sure you’re using the latest build of SDRConsole V3.0 from Simon’s website because older versions were not compatible with the changes in the FPGA loads for the LimeSDR and the LimeSDR-Mini and created this ‘what the heck’ spectrum.

73 de Marty, KN0CK

7

This is the latest Beta 2 from March 02. The same problem can be replicated by the latest version of HDSDR

8

@wqcr,

And you are using the latest LimeSDR loads, right? I’m not sure of the latest SW load versions, but those need to be updated as well and pardon me if that’s already been done. If not, typing:

LimeUtil – update

…will do the trick.

73 de Marty, KN0CK

9

What do you mean by LimeSDR loads?

Also where to type the “LimeUtil – update”? On Win there’s no terminal emulator.

Thanks

11

I did the update, now on LimeSDR-Mini_HW_1.1_r1.24.rpd, but still the issue persists:

blank2
blank2.png1366×768 247 KB

12

@wqcr,

I responded originally for the LimeSDR (not the Mini). As it turns out there is no easy way to reprogram the Lime Mini unless you have a I2C bus programmer - so you won’t be able to affect the FPGA programming of the Lime-Mini unless you have that toolset. The original LimeSDR was able to be programmed from the Command Line using the Windows 10 Command Prompt (which you can get by typing: command prompt in the ‘Search Windows’ area at the lower left and pushing the Enter key).

Have you used the Windows distribution of SDRAngel? It has the capability of receive and transmit for the Lime-Mini and works quite well for both. SDRConsole does not yet support transmit for the Lime-Mini or LimeSDR, but SDRAngel does.

You can find the Windows distribution of SDRAngel here:

Look for the 7-zip version at the last entry of the latest release for the Windows 10 version.

Hope this helps - 73 de Marty, KN0CK

13

As per 3rd post in this thread, I already tried SDRAngel - it doesn’t work for TX:

For example, in SDRAngel, TX on Windows isn’t yet supported:
“LimeSDR-Mini seems to have problems with Zadig driver therefore it is supported in Linux only.”

At this point though, it’d be most helpful to get any functionality out of the Mini.

1 Like
14

This was only true with the gateware present on early boards and once this had been updated via JTAG cable to a more recent version, it could then be updated using LimeSuiteGUI or LimeUtil. None of the backer boards will have this early version of gateware loaded.

15

You need the 5/28 build of SDR Console. Sample rates of 20MHz and below work for me.

Edit: attached a screenshot of local FM radio with 20MHz sample rate. Note the LNA/TIA/PGA settings as well - you don’t want too much gain.

Screenshot-2018-06-13-172801
Screenshot-2018-06-13-172801.png1920×1048 715 KB

16

Ok, where can I download this version? In “http://www.sdr-radio.com/Software/Downloads” Beta 2 from March 2nd, 2018 is listed as * Current *

17

It was posted on the SDR-Radio group at groups.io… the post in question should be visible at:

https://sdr-radio.groups.io/g/main/message/41111

(At least it says the archives are globally visible.)

2 Likes
18

That version did not work for me with Limesdrmini displayed same stuff on all freqs so i had to revert to the march v3 beta

19

Okay, this May 28th version is finally working for me, but I can’t tune anything below 30MHz. Is that normal?

20

What do you mean by can’t tune? Does it fail in some manner or other, or do you just see noise?

I just see noise on the W RX Antenna, about 25dB above the noise level if I select no antenna. I’ll get the sig gen out later and try to feed it something in that range.

21

At 31MHz there are all sorts of harmonics caused by local QRM. When I tune to 28MHz, there’s nothing but noise in all 3 antenna configurations.

Edit: That’s odd, now it’s working…
Edit2: It seems to be intermittent. Sometimes it appears to be working, but other times just static.