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—en:sdr-widget [2024/10/10 19:41] (current) – created kaklik
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 +====== SDR-Widget Digitization Unit ======
  
 +The [[https://code.google.com/p/sdr-widget/|SDR-Widget]] is a device that enables the digitization of low-frequency signals from SDR receivers and the control of their components (local oscillator, filter bank, and antenna switches) via the [[cs:i2c|I2C]] bus. From the operating system's perspective, the device can behave like a standard sound card or send data through the SDR-specific GHPSDR protocol. This is an open-source project, but the hardware is now difficult to obtain despite its usefulness.
 +
 +{{:cs:designs:sdr:sdr-widget.png?600|}}
 +
 +The entire device can also be built from MLAB kit modules. Specifically, it uses the [[cs:at32tq144|AT32TQ14401A]] module equipped with the MCU [[http://www.atmel.com/devices/AT32UC3A3256.aspx|AT32UC3A3256]]. This is connected to the [[cs:adcaudio]] module, which digitizes the signal. Other modules, like the [[cs:lcd2l4p|display]], buttons, or [[cs:i2c|I²C]] devices, can be connected as needed.
 +
 +{{:cs:designs:tools:sdr_widget1.jpg?300|}} {{:cs:designs:tools:sdr_widget2.jpg?300|}} {{:cs:designs:tools:sdr_widget_connection.jpg?300|}}
 +
 +===== Firmware Compilation =====
 +  
 +==== AVR32 Toolchain ====
 +
 +Download the tool package and header files from the [[http://www.atmel.com/tools/ATMELAVRTOOLCHAINFORLINUX.aspx?tab=overview|Atmel website]], for example:
 +
 +  * Atmel AVR 32-bit Toolchain 3.4.2 - Linux 64-bit
 +  * Atmel AVR 8-bit and 32-bit Toolchain (3.4.2) 6.1.3.1475 - Header Files
 +
 +Unpack the toolchain into the directory //~/avr32-tools//. Then, place the AVR32 header files from the second package into this directory at $HOME/avr32-tools/avr32/include.
 +
 +Alternatively, you can skip this step and download a preserved version of the AVR32 toolchain from [[http://home.mlab.cz/Downloads/Software/AVR32/|MLAB Downloads]].
 +
 +  wget http://home.mlab.cz/Downloads/Software/AVR32/avr32-tools_3.4.2.tar.bz2  ~/Download/
 +  
 +Then continue with the following steps:
 +
 +  cd ~/Download
 +  tar -xvzf avr32-tools_3.4.2.tar.bz2
 +  mv avr32-tools_3.4.2 $HOME/avr32-tools
 +  export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/avr32-tools/bin
 +
 +Test the functionality and version of the toolchain with:
 +
 +  kaklik@popelnice:~/programy/sdr-widget$ avr32-gcc --version
 +  avr32-gcc (AVR_32_bit_GNU_Toolchain_3.4.2_435) 4.4.7
 +  Copyright (C) 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 +  This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
 +  warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
 +
 +If the output is similar to the above, you can proceed with compiling the SDR-Widget.
 +
 +==== SDR-Widget Sources ====
 +
 +  git clone  https://github.com/borgestrand/sdr-widget
 +  cd sdr-widget/
 +  git checkout audio-widget-experimental
 +  
 +Then compile the source code using the following command:   
 +  make sdr-widget
 +
 +The result of the compilation will be utility programs and firmware, which will be uploaded to the MCU using the [[https://github.com/borgestrand/sdr-widget/blob/master/etc/program-widget|program-widget]] script via the [[https://github.com/alexlee188/dfu-programmer-sdr-widget|dfu-programmer]] utility. See below.
 +
 +===== Firmware Upload =====
 +
 +To upload the firmware, we need a modified dfu-programmer, which we download as follows:
 +
 +  sudo apt-get install autotools-dev aclocal  
 +  git clone https://github.com/MLAB-project/dfu-programmer-sdr-widget.git
 +  cd dfu-programmer-sdr-widget/
 +  ./bootstrap.sh
 +  ./configure
 +  make
 +  sudo make install
 +
 +You can download an older compiled version of the firmware from [[https://sdr-widget.googlecode.com/files/sdr-widget-2012-10-22.elf|Google Code]]. However, for MLAB applications, an updated version with some bug fixes is used:
 +
 +  wget https://github.com/MLAB-project/sdr-widget/releases/download/bolidozor-v01/widget.elf
 +
 +Before running the upload script, press the BOOT button (unlabeled button, hold it down until the RESET button is pressed and released) and the RESET button on the AVR32TQ board.
 +
 +   sudo ./program-widget widget.elf
 +  
 +For any modifications, first run:
 +  make clean
 +
 +Then you can start the compilation again. 
 +
 +===== Connecting MLAB SDR-Widget Modules =====
 +
 +For the basic SDR-Widget construction, two modules are needed:
 +
 +  * [[cs:adcaudio|]]
 +  * [[cs:at32tq144|]]
 +
 +They are interconnected as follows:
 +
 +=== Power Supply 5V ===
 +
 +Red, Blue
 +
 +''AT32TQ14401A/POWER +5V → ADCaudio01B/POWER +5V''
 +
 +=== I2S ===
 +
 +Yellow 10cm
 +
 +''ADCaudio01B/MCLK → AT32TQ14401A/PC04''
 +
 +''ADCaudio01B/BCLK → AT32TQ14401A/PX28 → AT32TQ14401A/PX34''
 +
 +''ADCaudio01B/DOUT → AT32TQ14401A/PX25''
 +
 +''ADCaudio01B/LRCLK → AT32TQ14401A/PX26 → AT32TQ14401A/PX36''
 +
 +
 +=== Sample Rate Select ===
 +
 +''ADCaudio01B/OSR0 (near label) → AT32TQ14401A/PB00''
 +
 +''ADCaudio01B/OSR1 (near label) → AT32TQ14401A/PB01''
 +
 +''Jumper on AUDIOF0''
 +
 +''AT32TQ14401A/JTAG2 → AT32TQ14401A/PB06''
 +
 +
 +==== When Connecting an External Oscillator ====
 +
 +This section describes the connection when using the [[cs:adcaudio|ADCaudio01A]] module clocked by the [[cs:clkgen|CLKGEN01B]] module. If using the newer ADCaudio01B module, which has an integrated oscillator, the connection simplifies for most applications. Connecting an external oscillator is useful if you need a very stable sampling frequency, for example, for scientific experiments.
 +
 +=== Power Supply 5V ===
 +
 +Red, Blue
 +
 +''CLKGEN01B/Vcore 3.3V → ADCaudio01A/POWER +5V → AT32TQ14401A/POWER +5V''
 +
 +=== Power Supply 3.3V ===
 +
 +Orange, Black
 +
 +''CLKGEN01B/POWER → TTLPECL01A/POWER → PIC16F87x/POWER''
 +
 +=== Clock Distribution ===
 +
 +SATA cable
 +
 +''CLKGEN01B/CLKOUT → TTLPECL01A/PECL0''
 +
 +
 +Yellow
 +
 +''TTLPECL01A/TTL0 → ADCaudio01A/MCLK → AT32TQ14401A/PC04''
 +
 +
 +=== I2C ===
 +
 +Brown
 +
 +''USBI2C01A/SCL → CLKGEN01B/SCL''
 +
 +White
 +
 +''USBI2C01A/SDA → CLKGEN01B/SDA''
 +
 +Blue
 +
 +''USBI2C01A/I2C GND → CLKGEN01B/POWER GND''
 +
 +
 +=== I2S ===
 +
 +''ADCaudio01A/BCLK → AT32TQ14401A/PX28 → AT32TQ14401A/PX34''
 +
 +''ADCaudio01A/DOUT → AT32TQ14401A/PX25''
 +
 +''ADCaudio01A/LRCLK → AT32TQ14401A/PX26 → AT32TQ14401A/PX36''
 +
 +
 +=== Sample Rate Select ===
 +
 +''ADCaudio01A/OSR0 (near label) → AT32TQ14401A/PB00''
 +
 +''ADCaudio01A/OSR1 (near label) → AT32TQ14401A/PB01''
 +
 +''Jumper on AUDIOF0''
 +
 +''AT32TQ14401A/JTAG2 → AT32TQ14401A/PB06''
 +
 +===== SDR-Widget Configuration =====
 +
 +The SDR-widget can be configured into several operating modes. The configuration is done using the WidgetControl.py utility. Before running it, install the necessary dependencies.
 +
 +  sudo apt-get install python-pythoncard python-usb
 +
 +Run the configuration utility.
 +
 +  ~/git/sdr-widget$ sudo ./WidgetControl.py
 +  
 +For standard use, such as inside a [[https://wiki.bolidozor.cz/doku.php?id=cs:rmds|Bolidozor station]], set the configuration as follows:
 +{{:cs:sdr:widgetcontrol.png?800|WidgetControl.py}}
 +
 +
 +To apply the settings, disconnect and reconnect the SDR-widget to USB. 
 +
 +=== References ===
 +
 +  *
 +
 + [[http://devzone.aery32.com/2012/07/06/how-to-install-avr-32-bit-toolchain-on-linux/|How to install AVR 32-bit Toolchain on Linux]]
 +  * [[https://github.com/borgestrand/sdr-widget/blob/audio-widget-experimental/AW_readme.txt|Audio Widget README]]
 +
 +
 +===== Testing =====
 +
 +The easiest way to test the device is by connecting a signal generator to the input in the standard sound card mode.
 +The generator's output should be connected to the balanced input of the ADC through a transformer. However, for this purpose, you can easily create one from a ferrite core taken from a switched PC power supply.
 +A signal amplitude of a few millivolts is sufficient even with a 1:1 transformer.
 +
 +{{:cs:designs:sdr:sdr-widget_generator.jpg?300|}}
 +
 +{{:cs:designs:sdr:mlab_sdr-widget.jpg?300|}}
 +
 +{{:cs:designs:sdr:sdr-widget_transformer.jpg?300|Construction of a measuring transformer with a ferrite core.}}
 +
 +The software used to display the signal from the generator can be, for example, [[http://wiki.bolidozor.cz/doku.php?id=cs:pysdr|PySDR]], or you can directly use [[http://wiki.bolidozor.cz/doku.php?id=cs:ghpsdr3|ghpsdr3]].
 +
 +The test can also be performed without a generator using noise observable at the ADC input. The easiest display can be achieved using GNU Radio, which can be installed as follows:
 +
 +   sudo apt install gnuradio
 +
 +Then download the test script.
 +
 +   svn co svn://svn.mlab.cz/MLAB/Modules/Audio/ADCaudio01B/SW/sdr-widget_test.grc 
 +
 +Open the test script in GNU Radio:
 +
 +   gnuradio-companion sdr-widget_test.grc
 +
 +After running the script by pressing "Play," the displayed spectrum should look approximately as follows.
 +
 +{{:cs:designs:sdr:gnuradio_sdr-widget.png?600| SDR-widget testing output}}
 +
 +===== Related Designs =====
 +
 +The SDR-widget digitization unit, thanks to its versatility, can be used in many [[cs:designs:dms|measurement projects and detection networks]].
 +
 +  * [[http://wiki.bolidozor.cz/doku.php|Bolidozor]] station [[cs:rmds|]]
 +  * [[cs:lightning|]]
 +  * [[https://wiki.ionozor.cz/doku.php?id=en:start| Ionozor]]
 +
 +
 +===== TODO =====
 +
 +  * Solve the issue of [[http://www.mlab.cz/redmine/issues/300|timestamping samples]].
en/sdr-widget.txt · Last modified: 2024/10/10 19:41 by kaklik