From alexander.chemeris at gmail.com Fri Jan 13 12:53:35 2012 From: alexander.chemeris at gmail.com (Alexander Chemeris) Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:53:35 +0300 Subject: UmTRX issues and commits mailing lists Message-ID: Hi all, I have created mailing lists with notifications from UmTRX issue tracker and from UmTRX-UHD github repository. Feel free to subscribe to them if you want to track one or another closely: http://lists.fairwaves.ru/listinfo/umtrx-issues http://lists.fairwaves.ru/listinfo/umtrx-uhd-commits -- Regards, Alexander Chemeris. From jsn at bjtpartners.com Mon Jan 16 15:22:41 2012 From: jsn at bjtpartners.com (Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS SARL) Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:22:41 +0100 Subject: Selectivity improvement solutions proposal for UmTRX Message-ID: Hi Alexander, These last days, I tried to find a solution for the selectivity improvement. I have 5 solutions to propose. 1st and 2nd are inboard solutions. 3rd, 4th and 5th uses an external board. Some seems to be much better than others. 1/ We could use an IF frequency above 375 MHz to be able to connect the IF signal dirtectly to the LMS, without any upconvertion back to RF frequency. This would save some components. We could use the ADRF6601 (PLL/VCO + mixer) and the TB0448A IF SAW filter. The ADRF6601 is single chip PLL/VCO and mixer. This would be quite convenient. The TB0448A is cheap (< 3 USD), narrow band (good selectivity) and 400 MHz center frequency (> 375 MHz LMS lower limit). Cost of this solution would be about 60 USD and selectivity would be really good. The main disadvantage of this solution is the filter would restrict the signal to a single GSM carrier. This would avoid us to get both GSM carriers on each LMS. We would not be able to get true diversity. We would only be able to get switched diversity. After the LNA, RF SAW filter and the RF switches, we can split the signal between the current RX path to LMS RX LNA 3 and a new alternate RX path (ADRF6601 => TB0448A => LMS RX LNA 1). Depending of our need for selectivity, we would be able to select 1 of these 2 RX path (direct RX path to LMS RX LNA 3 or IF filter RX path to LMS RX LNA1). This would allow to use the board either as a normal wideband SDR board or with a very selective filter. 2/ A very nice option would be to use a variant of the 1st solution with a wider bandwidth SAW IF filter. For example, if we use a 400 to 600 KHz bandwidth IF filter, we would also get a very good selectivity and we would also be able to sample both GSM carriers on each LMS. This would allow a good selectivity and full diversity. The problem is we would need a 400 to 600 KHz SAW IF filter, with good selectivity, reasonable price and an IF center frequency above 375 MHz. I was not able to find such a filter. 3/ As suggested a few days ago, we may use the external selectivity improvement board design I sent you. Instead of the Triquint 856378 IF SAW filter, we could use the TAISAW TB0448A narrow band filter. This TAISAW filter is really much cheaper than the Triquint. This would save a lot of budget. However, we would still need 4 mixer and 2 PLL/VCO for each LMS RX path. This external board would cost approximately 100 USD (excluding PCB and assembly). We would need 2 of these boards for each UmTRX board. This would make 200 USD per UmTRX. Including PCB and assembly, toatl cost would be around 300 USD. This is not compeltely unrealistic but it seems still quite expensive. 4/ Another solution would be to build a single carrier version of the 3rd solution design. We would need only 1 RF path (PLL/VCO + mixer) with only 1 narrow band filter per LMS RX path. This would not need any splitter or combiner. Design would be quite simple and cost would be about 2 times lower. However, as we will have only 1 carrier on each antenna, we would not be able to get diversity at all. This solution would finally not have many advantages compared to 1st solution. It would cost more and would not allow any kind of diversity. 5/ Last solution would be to build an external diversity improvement board, as 4th solution, but with a wider band IF SAW filter. We could use the following RF path: LNA => RF SAW filter => mixer => IF SAW filter => mixer => RF SAW filter. Dual mixer could be the ADL5802 connected to the ADF4350 PLL/VCO. We could use the TB0218A IF SAW filter. This filter is quite affordable (< 10 USD). Selectivity is good and bandwidth is wide enough to select 2 GSM carriers (separated by 400 KHz). Cost of such external diversity improvement board would be quite reasonable. This would be a very nice solution to select 2 GSM carriers. Connected to the UmTRX, this selectivity improvement board would allow to get both switched or true diversity. As TB0218A center frequency is 140 MHz, we would not be able to connect directly the IF signal to the LMS. We would need to up convert the signal back to the RF frequency. As IF down converted signal is upconverted back to the original RF frequency, it would be possible to use this selectivity improvement board with any kind of existing OpenBTS (UmTRX, USRP, SSRP...) or OpenBSC (Sysmocom BTS, IP.access nanoBTS...) hardware to improve the Rx selectivity. This would offer a wider potential market than an inboard solution. Considering all these solution, I believe 1st and 5th solutions seems to be the best choices. 2nd solution would also be really nice but I was not able to find the appropriate IF SAW filter. Please let me know your opinion regarding each of these two solutions. By the way, the TB0448A and TB0218A SAW filters looks really good but I am not 100% sure the GSM carrier spectrum distortion due to the pass band ripple of the SAW filter is acceptable. Center part of the GSM carrier (f +/- 100 KHz) is fine but side parts of the GSM carrier (bellow f - 100 KHz and above f + 100 KHz) may be cut a bit by the SAW filter. Could you also please check the TB0448A and TB0218A datasheets to double check if the usable bandwidth is wide enough ? Especially, do you think cutting a bit the side parts of the GSM carrier may cause problem ? Anyway, please let me know your point of view regarding these selectivity improvement solutions. Best regards. Jean-Samuel. :-) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jsn at bjtpartners.com Wed Jan 18 16:21:02 2012 From: jsn at bjtpartners.com (Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS SARL) Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:21:02 +0100 Subject: UmTRX production Message-ID: Hi Alexander, I will meet the French fab next monday. I am quite optimistic. This company looks really serious and prices seems to be reasonable. They would need some information about the TI160808U601 and the TI201209U121. Could you please let me know a supplier for these beads ? Do you have an approximate idea of the price of these components ? By the way, if it is not already included in the GPS chip, it might be useful to add a 1575 MHz GPS SAW filter on the GPS Rx path. As we will transmit a strong GSM Tx signal, it might saturate the GPS Rx if we place the GPS antenna near the GSM antenna. What do you think ? Please let me know. Best regards. Jean-Samuel. :-) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From andreysviyaz at gmail.com Thu Jan 19 09:15:30 2012 From: andreysviyaz at gmail.com (Andrey Sviyazov) Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:15:30 +0400 Subject: UmTRX production In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: 18 ?????? 2012 ?. 20:21 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS SARL ???????: > Hi Alexander, > > I will meet the French fab next monday. I am quite optimistic. This > company looks really serious and prices seems to be reasonable. > > They would need some information about the TI160808U601 and the > TI201209U121. Could you please let me know a supplier for these beads ? Do > you have an approximate idea of the price of these components ? > Datasheets of two suppliers (manuf) attached here. Actualy in Russia TECSTAR company more popular, but I can't find their datasheet. Aprox price - $0.05 @ reel qty > > By the way, if it is not already included in the GPS chip, it might be > useful to add a 1575 MHz GPS SAW filter on the GPS Rx path. As we will > transmit a strong GSM Tx signal, it might saturate the GPS Rx if we place > the GPS antenna near the GSM antenna. What do you think ? > Usualy active GPS antennas already contain LNA and filtering. More over, DC bypass will be required if we put SAW filter at input. > > Please let me know. > > Best regards. > > Jean-Samuel. > :-) > > > Best regards, Andrey Sviyazov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From andreysviyaz at gmail.com Thu Jan 19 09:53:09 2012 From: andreysviyaz at gmail.com (Andrey Sviyazov) Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:53:09 +0400 Subject: UmTRX production In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Sorry, I forgot to attach files. Pls find here. Best regards, Andrey Sviyazov. 19 ?????? 2012 ?. 13:15 ???????????? Andrey Sviyazov ???????: > 18 ?????? 2012 ?. 20:21 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS > SARL ???????: > > Hi Alexander, >> >> I will meet the French fab next monday. I am quite optimistic. This >> company looks really serious and prices seems to be reasonable. >> >> They would need some information about the TI160808U601 and the >> TI201209U121. Could you please let me know a supplier for these beads ? Do >> you have an approximate idea of the price of these components ? >> > Datasheets of two suppliers (manuf) attached here. > Actualy in Russia TECSTAR company more popular, but I can't find their > datasheet. > Aprox price - $0.05 @ reel qty > >> >> By the way, if it is not already included in the GPS chip, it might be >> useful to add a 1575 MHz GPS SAW filter on the GPS Rx path. As we will >> transmit a strong GSM Tx signal, it might saturate the GPS Rx if we place >> the GPS antenna near the GSM antenna. What do you think ? >> > Usualy active GPS antennas already contain LNA and filtering. > More over, DC bypass will be required if we put SAW filter at input. > >> >> Please let me know. >> >> Best regards. >> >> Jean-Samuel. >> :-) >> >> >> > Best regards, > Andrey Sviyazov. > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: TI series chokes.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 44650 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: EMITI0603.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 331614 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: EMITI0805.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 332294 bytes Desc: not available URL: From jsn at bjtpartners.com Thu Jan 19 09:53:53 2012 From: jsn at bjtpartners.com (Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS SARL) Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:53:53 +0100 Subject: UmTRX production In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Andrey, Thank you very much for your reply. 2012/1/19 Andrey Sviyazov > 18 ?????? 2012 ?. 20:21 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS > SARL ???????: > > Hi Alexander, >> >> I will meet the French fab next monday. I am quite optimistic. This >> company looks really serious and prices seems to be reasonable. >> >> They would need some information about the TI160808U601 and the >> TI201209U121. Could you please let me know a supplier for these beads ? Do >> you have an approximate idea of the price of these components ? >> > Datasheets of two suppliers (manuf) attached here. > Actualy in Russia TECSTAR company more popular, but I can't find their > datasheet. > Aprox price - $0.05 @ reel qty > This looks good. Thank you very much. Could you please send me the datasheets ? It seems you forgot to attanch the files. > >> By the way, if it is not already included in the GPS chip, it might be >> useful to add a 1575 MHz GPS SAW filter on the GPS Rx path. As we will >> transmit a strong GSM Tx signal, it might saturate the GPS Rx if we place >> the GPS antenna near the GSM antenna. What do you think ? >> > Usualy active GPS antennas already contain LNA and filtering. > More over, DC bypass will be required if we put SAW filter at input. > Ok. I understand. This looks good. Would you know a good supplier for a GPS antenna with LNA and filtering ? Approximately, how much would this product would cost ? Best regards. Jean-Samuel. :-) > >> Please let me know. >> >> Best regards. >> >> Jean-Samuel. >> :-) >> >> >> > Best regards, > Andrey Sviyazov. > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jsn at bjtpartners.com Thu Jan 19 09:54:20 2012 From: jsn at bjtpartners.com (Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS SARL) Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:54:20 +0100 Subject: UmTRX production In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thank you very much. Jean-Samuel. :-) 2012/1/19 Andrey Sviyazov > Sorry, I forgot to attach files. > Pls find here. > Best regards, > Andrey Sviyazov. > > > > 19 ?????? 2012 ?. 13:15 ???????????? Andrey Sviyazov < > andreysviyaz at gmail.com> ???????: > > 18 ?????? 2012 ?. 20:21 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS >> SARL ???????: >> >> Hi Alexander, >>> >>> I will meet the French fab next monday. I am quite optimistic. This >>> company looks really serious and prices seems to be reasonable. >>> >>> They would need some information about the TI160808U601 and the >>> TI201209U121. Could you please let me know a supplier for these beads ? Do >>> you have an approximate idea of the price of these components ? >>> >> Datasheets of two suppliers (manuf) attached here. >> Actualy in Russia TECSTAR company more popular, but I can't find their >> datasheet. >> Aprox price - $0.05 @ reel qty >> >>> >>> By the way, if it is not already included in the GPS chip, it might be >>> useful to add a 1575 MHz GPS SAW filter on the GPS Rx path. As we will >>> transmit a strong GSM Tx signal, it might saturate the GPS Rx if we place >>> the GPS antenna near the GSM antenna. What do you think ? >>> >> Usualy active GPS antennas already contain LNA and filtering. >> More over, DC bypass will be required if we put SAW filter at input. >> >>> >>> Please let me know. >>> >>> Best regards. >>> >>> Jean-Samuel. >>> :-) >>> >>> >>> >> Best regards, >> Andrey Sviyazov. >> >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From andreysviyaz at gmail.com Thu Jan 19 10:18:18 2012 From: andreysviyaz at gmail.com (Andrey Sviyazov) Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:18:18 +0400 Subject: UmTRX production In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: You can find here any active GPS antenna ws simple internal filter (also ws 3m cable and SMA-male) http://www.rfsupplier.com/mini-active-antenna-plug-connector-p-533.html Best regards, Andrey Sviyazov. 19 ?????? 2012 ?. 13:53 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS SARL ???????: > Dear Andrey, > > Thank you very much for your reply. > > 2012/1/19 Andrey Sviyazov > >> 18 ?????? 2012 ?. 20:21 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS >> SARL ???????: >> >> Hi Alexander, >>> >>> I will meet the French fab next monday. I am quite optimistic. This >>> company looks really serious and prices seems to be reasonable. >>> >>> They would need some information about the TI160808U601 and the >>> TI201209U121. Could you please let me know a supplier for these beads ? Do >>> you have an approximate idea of the price of these components ? >>> >> Datasheets of two suppliers (manuf) attached here. >> Actualy in Russia TECSTAR company more popular, but I can't find their >> datasheet. >> Aprox price - $0.05 @ reel qty >> > > This looks good. Thank you very much. > Could you please send me the datasheets ? It seems you forgot to attanch > the files. > > > >> >>> By the way, if it is not already included in the GPS chip, it might be >>> useful to add a 1575 MHz GPS SAW filter on the GPS Rx path. As we will >>> transmit a strong GSM Tx signal, it might saturate the GPS Rx if we place >>> the GPS antenna near the GSM antenna. What do you think ? >>> >> Usualy active GPS antennas already contain LNA and filtering. >> More over, DC bypass will be required if we put SAW filter at input. >> > > Ok. I understand. This looks good. Would you know a good supplier for a > GPS antenna with LNA and filtering ? Approximately, how much would this > product would cost ? > > Best regards. > > Jean-Samuel. > :-) > > >> >>> Please let me know. >>> >>> Best regards. >>> >>> Jean-Samuel. >>> :-) >>> >>> >>> >> Best regards, >> Andrey Sviyazov. >> >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jsn at bjtpartners.com Thu Jan 19 10:23:33 2012 From: jsn at bjtpartners.com (Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS SARL) Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:23:33 +0100 Subject: UmTRX production In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Andrey, Thank you very much for your reply. This looks good. Thank you for the information. Best regards. Jean-Samuel. :-) 2012/1/19 Andrey Sviyazov > You can find here any active GPS antenna ws simple internal filter (also > ws 3m cable and SMA-male) > http://www.rfsupplier.com/mini-active-antenna-plug-connector-p-533.html > Best regards, > Andrey Sviyazov. > > > > 19 ?????? 2012 ?. 13:53 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS > SARL ???????: > > Dear Andrey, >> >> Thank you very much for your reply. >> >> 2012/1/19 Andrey Sviyazov >> >>> 18 ?????? 2012 ?. 20:21 ???????????? Jean-Samuel Najnudel - BJT PARTNERS >>> SARL ???????: >>> >>> Hi Alexander, >>>> >>>> I will meet the French fab next monday. I am quite optimistic. This >>>> company looks really serious and prices seems to be reasonable. >>>> >>>> They would need some information about the TI160808U601 and the >>>> TI201209U121. Could you please let me know a supplier for these beads ? Do >>>> you have an approximate idea of the price of these components ? >>>> >>> Datasheets of two suppliers (manuf) attached here. >>> Actualy in Russia TECSTAR company more popular, but I can't find their >>> datasheet. >>> Aprox price - $0.05 @ reel qty >>> >> >> This looks good. Thank you very much. >> Could you please send me the datasheets ? It seems you forgot to attanch >> the files. >> >> >> >>> >>>> By the way, if it is not already included in the GPS chip, it might be >>>> useful to add a 1575 MHz GPS SAW filter on the GPS Rx path. As we will >>>> transmit a strong GSM Tx signal, it might saturate the GPS Rx if we place >>>> the GPS antenna near the GSM antenna. What do you think ? >>>> >>> Usualy active GPS antennas already contain LNA and filtering. >>> More over, DC bypass will be required if we put SAW filter at input. >>> >> >> Ok. I understand. This looks good. Would you know a good supplier for a >> GPS antenna with LNA and filtering ? Approximately, how much would this >> product would cost ? >> > >> Best regards. >> >> Jean-Samuel. >> :-) >> >> >>> >>>> Please let me know. >>>> >>>> Best regards. >>>> >>>> Jean-Samuel. >>>> :-) >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> Best regards, >>> Andrey Sviyazov. >>> >>> >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From andreysviyaz at gmail.com Fri Jan 20 18:54:01 2012 From: andreysviyaz at gmail.com (Andrey Sviyazov) Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:54:01 +0400 Subject: Access to peripheral parts of UmTRX. Message-ID: Today I used a cheap external active GPS antenna with a thin 5 m cable (see attached DS), but I had to solder SMA connector instead of unknown to me. The current consumption of the antenna 11?? @ 3V. About 2 minutes after a cold start, the status LED starts blinking 0.5 Hz and 1PPS signal appears at the Clock output connector. So, now we can to start work with the self-tuning of the TCXO. Anyway, how realistic in the near time to implement an simple command translator through the FTDI - FPGA for the SPI to each LMS to get at least the signals of their synthesizers (also to UART for GPS, to SPI for DAC of TCXO and etc. :). It can be a simple protocol with virtual control registers addressing and read/write or a few separate firmwares for each goal. With such a tool at any time we will be able to check UmTRX operation with some simple signals and an spectrum analyzer. Also it will be very helpful for the understanding of how to work with LMS control registers, which is poorly described in the documentation. Have any thoughts or suggestions on this? Best regards, Andrey Sviyazov. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: GPS-MS147-3.3-05-S-GAL.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 576317 bytes Desc: not available URL: From alexander.chemeris at gmail.com Sun Jan 22 10:09:51 2012 From: alexander.chemeris at gmail.com (Alexander Chemeris) Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:09:51 +0300 Subject: Access to peripheral parts of UmTRX. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: 2012/1/20 Andrey Sviyazov : > Today I used a cheap external active GPS antenna with a thin?5 m?cable (see > attached DS), but I had to solder?SMA?connector instead of unknown to me. > The current consumption of the antenna 11?? @ 3V. > About 2 minutes after a cold start, the status LED starts blinking 0.5 Hz > and 1PPS signal appears at the?Clock?output connector. > So, now we can to start work with the self-tuning of the TCXO. Yes, this is definitely a thing to do. Andrey, could you take on calibrating PID regulator if someone adds it to the code? > Anyway, how realistic in the near time to implement an simple command > translator through the FTDI - FPGA for the SPI to each LMS to get at least > the signals of their synthesizers (also to UART for GPS, to SPI for DAC of > TCXO and etc. :). > It can be a simple protocol with virtual?control?registers addressing and > read/write or a few separate firmwares for each goal. > With such a tool at any time we will be able to check UmTRX operation with > some simple signals and an spectrum analyzer. > Also it will be very helpful for the understanding of how to work with LMS > control registers, which is poorly described in the documentation. > Have any thoughts or suggestions on this? We must get this working asap to be in time for MWC with testing. Andrew Karpenkov should be looking into connecting with LMS right now. Andrew, could you please report your progress? Regarding I2C/SPI - there is already some way to communicate with those buses from a host. I don't recall exact API, though. For UART they have created a nice way, so called UDP/UART. As I understand it they just stream UART data over UDP in both directions. The code was added after we branched off fairwaves/umtrx. We should rebase our code to some point after Sept 28 to get this functionality. Andrew Karpenkov - could you please do this asap? Here are some pointers. Commit with UART/UDP feature: https://github.com/EttusResearch/UHD-Mirror/commit/25494489bf8b7c60875ea355d29323bcfffd604b How to use it: http://lists.ettus.com/pipermail/usrp-users_lists.ettus.com/2011-December/003207.html http://lists.ettus.com/pipermail/usrp-users_lists.ettus.com/2011-December/003256.html -- Regards, Alexander Chemeris.