Problems with LimeSDR mini

[F4EXB]

It seems the instability on the “big” Lime Rx was due to a problem with an USB cable. Plugging in directly reverts to stable operation.

For the NCO it seems the control has been inverted so calculating the new center frequency goes in the opposite direction from the actual new center frequency, I think the change is in the LMS_SetNCOIndex function with the last parameter (downconvert or upconvert). The direction has been changed. No big deal but big consequence if the client code is not updated accordingly.

[Zack]

Hi @aligrt,

->Device: LimeSDR Mini, media=USB 2,

Could you repeat test using USB3 instead of USB2, please.

[aligrt]

Already plugged in USB3, however issue resolved, I just upgrade firmware v1.24 using LimeSuite on Windows 10

[F4EXB]

While the “big” lime now works fine with the latest Lime Suite the Mini still has issues. In fact it seems all samples are null. No signal but samples flow normally. Then if I engage the NCO I get a few carriers.

Edit: at open time I get these messages:
Reference clock 40.00 MHz
SetPllFrequency: timeout, busy bit is still 1

[andrewback]

@IgnasJ, could you assist @F4EXB in resolving this, please.

[F4EXB]

@andrewback I still cannot upgrade to 1.24 from 1.18 either on Linux or Windows. I have the pre-production board. Maybe this explains.

[andrewback]

Yes, it would need JTAG. Will see about getting a production board out to you, which will be upgradeable from Lime Suite.

[F4EXB]

That would be great. My address has not changed. Thanks.

[luigi]

I’m getting the same PLL Frequency error as @F4EXB with my pre-production unit (GW v1.18) with the latest LimeSuite. I got the board working before with an old version of LimeSuite, but no luck with the latest drivers. Probably something became unsupported along the development.

[andrewback]

As the Lime Suite drivers get updated every now and again it becomes necessary to update the gateware. Unfortunately, the gateware loaded on pre-production boards does not support update via LimeSuiteGUI, so you would need to solder on a JTAG header and need a suitable cable. The cheap Altera Blaster clones don’t seem to work, so you’d need an authentic one else perhaps the much lower cost Terasic Blaster.

[F4EXB]

I still have a problem with the LO control when A and B channels are active. I have opened issue https://github.com/myriadrf/LimeSuite/issues/173 for this problem.

[surligas]

I am also facing some problems with the LimeSDR-mini. Trying to execute a flowgraph from GNU Radio I get

[INFO] Make connection: 'LimeSDR Mini [USB 3.0] 1D398F0DB37904'
[INFO] Device name: LimeSDR-mini
[INFO] Reference: 40 MHz
[INFO] Init LMS7002M(0)
[INFO] Ver=7, Rev=1, Mask=1
[INFO] LMS7002M calibration values caching Disable
[ERROR] MCU working too long 4
[ERROR] setBandwidth(Rx, 0, 30 MHz) Failed - 

I thought that a FPGA firmware upgrade may solve the problem but using the LimeUtil gives me the error below:

LimeUtil --fpga="/home/surligas/Downloads/LimeSDR-Mini_lms7_trx_HW_1.1_auto.rpd"
Connected to [LimeSDR Mini [USB 3.0] 1D398F0DB37904]
[  0%]     0/577536 Bytes Programming failed! Read operation failed
Programming failed! : Programming failed! Read operation failed

I have the v1.1 version of the dongle and the v17.12.0-release LimeSDR library.

[andrewback]

I thought that a FPGA firmware upgrade may solve the problem but using the LimeUtil gives me the error below:

Right, so is this is a pre-production board without RF screening can, or a production board?

And do you have access to an Altera Blaster (authentic) or Terasic Blaster JTAG cable?

[surligas]

Hi Andrew,

I think that I have the production version. https://imgur.com/a/Pmlj1

[jslatten]

Can anyone actually upgrade their firmware on a production device? Even though I’m already on the 1.24 release of gateware it shouldn’t be giving me this read error or am I mistaken?

[andrewback]

Thanks, it is indeed a production board. So I think quite a few changes have been made since 17.12, but that is the last stable release. Checking with @IgnasJ and @Zack how best to proceed.

[Zack]

I have the v1.1 version of the dongle and the v17.12.0-release LimeSDR library.

You should update to the latest one (v18.02).

[andrewback]

Just to be clear, this will mean building from the master branch:

myriadrf/LimeSuite

A new release needs to be tagged and packages built.

[jslatten]

Any updates? I had my LimeSDR Mini working for a while on GQRX, but I think I updated some packages and now everything is broken again. I recompiled from source and tried to install everything to no avail. Programming is still broken from LimeSuite and LimeUtil. I get read operation errors. I’m already running 1.24 of the gateware so perhaps this is normal behavior? It certainly doesn’t seem normal.

[andrewback]

It’s still in the works and hoping for an update on ETA soon.