All,
I've put together a short step-by-step on how to build FPGA image for
UmTRX and how to flash it over Ethernet or a JTAG cable. Feel free to
amend/comment on it:
http://code.google.com/p/umtrx/wiki/BuildingUHD
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Hi all,
I've just pushed changes to the 'fairwaves/umtrx' branch which allow
UHD to actually control UmTRX tuning. This means that now we don't
need to calculate Rx/Tx frequencies by hands to run OpenBTS - it will
tune automatically. I've updated the wiki to reflect those changes as
well.
Changes are based on the Sergey Kostanbaev's work to move all our
LMS6002 control from umtrx_lms.py script to the UHD. The next most
important things to get working there are:
* gains control aka VGA1/VGA2 in LMS
* antenna control aka PA/LNA selection in LMS
* bandwidth filtering control aka LPF filters in LMS
* automatic calibration utilities
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Hi guys,
Could anyone tell me, the software guy, what may be the purpose of
VCOREG block in LMS6002D (Figure 3.4 at the Programming Guide)? In our
current code it's always powered down and not used, and I just wonder
whether it could be used for frequency hopping and what are other
potential uses. If I understand correctly, it's a kind of fine tuning
for the PLL output frequency.
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Hi,
Very nice to see the progress UmRTX.
I checked out the git found the GPS 1pps signal was terminated to
FPGA, and wonder how the discipline algorithm was implemented. Someone
would give me a hint or introductory?
thanks in advance.
Regards.
Jerry
Hi Thomas,
I recall you had some patch to add a second Tx channel to the host
UHD. Could you push it to git or send as a patch here? We're testing
dual-channel FPGA firmware now and it would be of good help.
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Hi all,
I've started putting together a ToDo list for UmTRX features which are
missing support on the host side or the FPGA side. I invite everyone
to add more tickets, fill details in existing tickets and discuss
implementation strategies in comments.
You could use this filter in our issues tracker to select at the tasks
open at the moment:
http://code.google.com/p/umtrx/issues/list?can=2&q=label%3AComponent-Host
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Andrey Sviyazov,
How much space do we have in the EEPROM right now?
I'm thinking which calibration data we could store there and which we
should store on a host.
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Hi all,
Today we've received first units of UmTRXv2 from a fab. The unit is lovely
to look at - find the picture attached. I hope it will show no less great
performance when we turn it on.
In addition to fixed bugs this version has following major changes. I may
have forgotten something, but these are the most important changes:
* better form factor (10x16cm Eurocard)
* doesn't have RF switches on board (the're moved to a frontend for higher
flexibility)
* newer GPS module (EB-570)
* U.FL connectors by default (to simplify automated mounting)
* optional connector for external front panel (for waterproof casing)
* tantalum capacitors instead everywhere (for longer life)
* wider input power voltage range (8-28VDC)
We consider this version as pre-production. I.e. it will go into production
if there are no serious bugs. Now our task is to bring up the board and
check for all possible bugs before we go forward.
PS White squares on the picture is not because we obscure the photo - it's
white thermal pads which the fab placed atop of chips instead of placing
them at the bottom of PCB.
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Hi Daud,
I've copied the mailing list, as I believe the question belongs there.
On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 1:20 AM, Daud Suleiman <msdaudi(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> I am very excited and glad and happy for the UmTRX project. I would like to
> know if you have plans for stacking capability for the RF frontend. I am
> assuming that there is only 2TXs. Int he event that a client needs more TXs,
> say 12TXs, have you any plans to stack as many RF frontends and or UmTRXs?
Yes, we have an option to stack UmTRX'es, but it is only to share
clock source and/or GPS source, i.e. you still have to connect each
UmTRX to the Ethernet. As long as connecting to an Ethernet switch
works fine, so we don't see this as an issue.
Later we may consider implementing true stacking when stacked units
share Ethernet port, like with USRPs. This might be a useful endeavor,
but we don't want to dive into this until we have everything else
settled.
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru
Hi all,
Some good news for today. We've had a small fairwaves hackathon here
in Moscow and we've done a good progress in UmTRX development. I'm
quite exhausted, thus in short:
1. A software issue has been fixed in PLL tuning code. It works
reliably now. Previously it didn't correctly handle edge cases when
the best VCOCAP value was at the end of a range.
2. A software issue has been fixed in automatic LMS calibration code.
Turns out a process described in the datasheet is not complete - you
have read FAQ, question 4.7 for an amendment.
3. Now we correctly select Rx input. You have to change _two_
registers to do that - 0x75 and 0x25. This wasn't obvious from the
brief reading of the manual.
4. A hardware bug was fixed - RF diversity switch required a bias to
work correctly. Luckily we decided to move the switch from the main
board to a frontend in the rev2 of UmTRX. So we don't have to re-make
the UmTRX schematics.
Huge thanks to Andrey Sviyazov ("RF guy"), Andrew Karpenkov ("FPGA
guy") and Srdjan Milenkovic ("remote LimeMicro guy") for going through
all the issues.
Fixes for the code will be pushed to github in the next few days after
I clean it up.
PS Another good news is that we should have first UmTRXv2 units on
hands in the next few days, when we get them from customs. Can't wait
to put my hands on them.
--
Regards,
Alexander Chemeris.
CEO, Fairwaves LLC / ООО УмРадио
http://fairwaves.ru