# Very weak reception and transmission does not work. Is my limesdr mini defective?

**URL:** <https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784>\
**Category:** LimeSDR\
**Created:** [2 December 2018 17:42 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784 "2018-12-02T17:42:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [2 December 2018 17:42 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/1 "2018-12-02T17:42:26Z")

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Hello, I just got my limesdr mini and trying to test it. I installed the software to ubuntu 16.04 (already tried debian 9. It has the same problems) by this guides

> **[Lime Suite - Myriad-RF Wiki](https://wiki.myriadrf.org/Lime_Suite)**

[https://www.hagensieker.com/blog/page/?post\_id=104&title=limesdr---mini-on-ubuntu-with-gqrx](https://www.hagensieker.com/blog/page/?post_id=104&title=limesdr---mini-on-ubuntu-with-gqrx)

Everything looks OK, I can make the self test, I can update the firmware of the LimeSDR (but sometimes it see usb 2.0 instead of 3.0)  
But when I trying to receive some signals with gqrx the reception is very weak, just a noise!

 ![Screenshot_2018-12-02_20-16-30](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/d/dfd1126e43267d70e6ab92a1f50bd30c305cbd64.jpeg)

 ![Screenshot_2018-12-02_20-16-40](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/a/a78c9bdb3e553bab20ac49984c9253fd5fefc5b8.png)

 ![Screenshot_2018-12-02_19-53-25](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/8/8df96c05fed00843216a42c6614ba86edb281cc8.png)

Ok, it’s bad, but this is not the end. Signal transmission also works very bad. I tried to use this example to tranmit data at 90 Mhz

> <https://github.com/myriadrf/gr-limesdr/blob/master/examples/signal_generator.grc>

> <https://github.com/myriadrf/gr-limesdr/blob/master/examples/FM_transmitter.grc>

but it looks like it only works for the first couple of seconds (program is work, but i hear a noise in FM radio from my mobile phone for about 1 second)

Please help me, i’m new to limesdr. I have no clue if I am doing something wrong, or if my limesdr mini is defective.

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**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 04:48 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/2 "2018-12-04T04:48:53Z")

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in your screenshots LNA gain is set to 0!

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**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 14:01 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/3 "2018-12-04T14:01:22Z")

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Hello, thanks for reply. LNA gain makes this situation a little better

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/b/b364b2c4855308b3d1c3e64caa6b21899a5d6042.jpeg)  
 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/c/c9cf649f7aff30f4857e97fb89ce95aa94b6ada5.jpeg)

But the oddity is that I only see data at frequencies close to 100 Mhz and still almost nothing on others

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/4/4125519c3701fd4f7579cd0ee3d598eaba4f46ba.png)  
 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/f/f1d3305ca2890a4740cc3367110939278718b683.jpeg)

I’m newby to sdr and do not understand. Is the some calibration required to receive the signal?

Calibration with LimeSuite is now working properly. Sometimes it gives me error 3 and error 5

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/4/4e6d052edcc004d009dff0c74406a00c55d40f5c.png)

TX calibration is not working too

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**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 16:31 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/4 "2018-12-04T16:31:08Z")

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Now i am not familiar with gqrx so much nor Limesuite, But  
in Lime suite do the automatic update(skip if version is= i FW:5 HW:1 Protocol:1 GW:1.27 )  
(Modules --\>programming–\>(new window) Program mode should be automatic)  
unplug replug  
then connect  
for each tab press default after that’s done  
press gui—\> chip!

as for Gqrx it should do the calibrations IQ and DC spike removals it self(i think or have options like other sdr software supporting Lime mini) Sdrangel is also a good option a bit of a learning curve but has a heap load of features, also on windows only sdr-console works great thou newest version does not work with my limesdr mini so i use 3.0.2  
P.S  
i usually have TIA and LNA gain at max and adjust PGA

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**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 16:46 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/5 "2018-12-04T16:46:41Z")

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Thx for fast reply. I repeated your actions in the program. But received signal is also very weak. When I use TIA, LNA and PGA gain in gqrx it just makes more noise, no signal.

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/b/beaa13eb3b5b8b0fa0e905431abe2a6ef1105506.png)  
 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/9/98bc1444a617a234233467a1d1b1b3993b22d4f2.png)

In LimeSuite test signal is weak too

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/6/600c3bccbbab96ba0d77c0023e76f566cc350401.png)

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**Author:** ![mzs](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/mzs/32/2678_2.png) [@mzs](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/mzs)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 16:56 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/6 "2018-12-04T16:56:31Z")

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Probably a very silly question, but what is your antenna ? (It does have a SMA connector and not a RP-SMA connector)

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**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 17:18 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/7 "2018-12-04T17:18:06Z")

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im pondering on antenna now as well thou if we get a screen shot of 100Mhz we know if chip is working LoL  
P.S  
TICK  
DC remove and IQ balance

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**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 17:19 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/8 "2018-12-04T17:19:36Z")

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I have an two antennas with SMA connectors. Bought them along with lime mini from store.  
The problem is that in all review articles and videos the signal was quite good. But I seen just a noise or very low signal (I can’t even catch the fm radio that my mobile phone catches.)

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**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 17:20 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/9 "2018-12-04T17:20:55Z")

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you receive anything at all? for ex local gsm/tetra or BFM?

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**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 17:24 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/10 "2018-12-04T17:24:37Z")

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Thou i do believe there is a change your Lime mini suffers same fuckup as mine goes Deaf and not even TETRA tower thats 500M away makes much of a signal lol and thats with a stacked dipole on freq with dual LNA’s lol but it randomly works just fine and beats my other sdr’s by a mile

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**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 17:29 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/11 "2018-12-04T17:29:08Z")

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This is gsm (just a noise)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/b/b01dbb811e47a24449329b8eb5df226518948291.png)

wifi

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/a/aeacc39b44163b0ee0a76960fa552e03ca45c7e0.png)

This is something in the fm, but signal very weak

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/e/e037b685069705432fba113356305b6a2c1bd366.png)

Some signal in 400 - 500 Mhz (noise leveling at center because large bandwidth)

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/myriadrf/original/2X/5/56cb9f64d3bdfa97a8d39823331793503e1f6a07.jpeg)

All tests with antenna

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 17:47 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/12 "2018-12-04T17:47:50Z")

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at 100Mhz you should have a HUUUGE noise signal tis is dead

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**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 17:50 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/13 "2018-12-04T17:50:38Z")

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![](https://puu.sh/Cclfn/cf73126703.png) 100Mhz NO antenna connected

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 18:00 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/14 "2018-12-04T18:00:04Z")

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Can I contact with developers to solve problem, or there is money on the river water?😟

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**Author:** ![oh2eko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/oh2eko/32/1614_2.png) [@oh2eko](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/oh2eko)\
**Post date:** [4 December 2018 18:03 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/15 "2018-12-04T18:03:49Z")

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@Zack @andrewback ^^

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**Author:** ![Zack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/zack/32/89_2.png) [@Zack](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Zack)\
**Post date:** [5 December 2018 07:44 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/16 "2018-12-05T07:44:21Z")

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Hi @oh2eko,

Check the board using Quick test and paste log file here, please. You will find SW here:  
[https://wiki.myriadrf.org/LimeQuickTest](https://wiki.myriadrf.org/LimeQuickTest)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [5 December 2018 16:37 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/17 "2018-12-05T16:37:55Z")

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Hello, Lime quick test works fine

[TESTING STARTED]  
-\>Start time: Wed Dec 5 19:37:33 2018

-\>Device: LimeSDR Mini, media=USB 3.0, module=FT601, addr=24607:1027, serial=1D424B5154E8D6  
Serial Number: 1D424B5154E8D6

[Clock Network Test]  
-\>REF clock test  
Test results: 3670; 16867; 30064 - PASSED  
-\>VCTCXO test  
Results : 6710987 (min); 6711141 (max) - PASSED  
-\>Clock Network Test PASSED

[FPGA EEPROM Test]  
-\>Read EEPROM  
-\>Read data: 12 07 1A 12 07 1A 02  
-\>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:(-12.4 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED  
-\>Run Tests (TX\_1 -\> LNA\_H):  
CH0 (SXR=2100.0MHz, SXT=2105.0MHz): Result:(-12.1 dBFS, 5.00 MHz) - PASSED  
-\>RF Loopback Test PASSED

=\> Board tests PASSED \<=

Elapsed time: 2.76 seconds

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![g0dfuzz3r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@g0dfuzz3r](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/g0dfuzz3r)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2018 20:43 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/18 "2018-12-10T20:43:35Z")

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[Zack](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Zack) So, can I solve this problem?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/discourse.myriadrf.org/zack/32/89_2.png) [@Zack](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/Zack)\
**Post date:** [11 December 2018 07:39 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/19 "2018-12-11T07:39:26Z")

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Hi @g0dfuzz3r,

As I can see, your board is OK. Hence it looks like configuration issues.  
Do you have a possibility to connect RF output of LimeSDR–USB to RF input via cable? Then we can prepare register setup to test the board.

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**Author:** ![farsdr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a698b9/32.png) [@farsdr](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/farsdr)\
**Post date:** [1 January 2019 03:05 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784/20 "2019-01-01T03:05:26Z")

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Hi @Zack,

I have a similar problem with my LimeSDR Mini, in my case **I can not obtain any signal from the TX port**.  
Could you please help me? Maybe a test (as you have mentioned) could help me to figure out if there’s a solution to my problem. I have a cable (SMA-SMA) to connect the output and input ports.

I’ve posted the info related to my problem, unfortunately I haven’t received any comments.

Here’s the info of my problem:

> [@LimeSDR mini - Problems with transmission](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/limesdr-mini-problems-with-transmission/3821):
>
> Hi, I’ve been testing my LimeSDR mini these last days and I have detected some problems. Probably the biggest one is that I can not obtain any signal from the TX port. I’ve used other SDR devices (other brands) without problems and I can measure those signal using an oscilloscope (other brand devices). But for the LimeSDR mini I can’t detect any signal. Even when I use the same examples that I use with the other devices (of course changing the device option). I have tried to change all the ava…

Best regards,

[Next page](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/very-weak-reception-and-transmission-does-not-work-is-my-limesdr-mini-defective/3784.md?page=2)