Tagged: plutosdr

Building a Homemade Weather Radar with a HackRF or PlutoSDR and Salvaged Automatic RV Dish

After nearly being hit by a tornado that NEXRAD didn't see coming, Koakno decided to build his own DIY self-contained mobile weather radar built from a $5 salvaged RV satellite dome, a HackRF or PlutoSDR, and open-source software. 

Koakno notes that NEXRAD (the US weather radar system) data is typically 4-6 minutes old, and from a radar station that is often 100+ miles away, resulting in warnings coming in too late or not being detected at all. Only professional local mobile Doppler radar trucks have the capability of detecting local tornadoes rapidly enough to take action. Koakno set out to recreate this capability on a budget.

His antenna consists of a salvaged Winegard Carryout Anser GM-5000 automatic satellite dome built for RV motor homes. The dish carries an LNB that radiates an 850 MHz signal at 10.4 GHz, which is a perfect wavelength for weather radar. The SDR hardware can either be a HackRF or PlutoSDR. As the HackRF is only half-duplex, it uses pulsed timing, whereas the full-duplex PlutoSDR uses a continuous FMCW chirp. Open-source Python software processes the results, producing a live radar display showing color-scaled reflectivity.

Importantly, Koakno addresses the licensing concerns around this project. He notes there are clauses in the amateur radio FCC legislation that support the use of automatically controlled beacons for the observation of propagation, and experimental activities in the 3cm 10.0 - 10.5 GHz amateur radio band, but he is not an attorney, so this activity may still exist in a grey area.

The screenshot below was generated via the simulation the software provides for testing the UI.

A Demo of the Weather Radar Display
A Demo of the Weather Radar Display

Testing a $100 “Fishball” Pluto+ PlutoSDR Clone

Over on YouTube, TheGmr140 has uploaded a video reviewing a Pluto+ clone SDR that he picked up for around US$100. He refers to it by its community nickname, the "Fishball", a name that appears to be used for Pluto+ clones sold specifically by HamGeek and OpenSourceSDR Lab, as distinct from other generic Pluto+ boards available on AliExpress.

Setup was straightforward: plug the OTG port into a PC, wait for it to appear as a USB drive, edit the config file to set the Ethernet IP address - no drivers required. Works immediately as a PlutoSDR in GNU Radio or GQRX. He's been running it at up to 13 MSPS and notes TX and RX coverage from 70 MHz to 6 GHz.

What is the "Fishball" and how does it differ? The tezuka firmware project (the main community alternative firmware) lists the Fishball as a distinct target from the generic Pluto+, identifying it as the HamGeek and OpenSourceSDR Lab boards specifically. It comes in Zynq7010 and Zynq7020 variants; the developer F5OEO notes a preference for the Fishball over the LibreSDR on build quality grounds.

Open-Source 0.1–3 GHz Network Analyzer using ADALM Pluto SDR

Thank you to RTL-SDR.COM reader MAKA for writing in and sharing his project with us, an open-source 0.1 - 3 GHz network analyzer using an ADALM PlutoSDR and a $15 RF bridge. The system allows you to measure S21 (insertion loss/gain) and S11 (return loss) with real-time visual feedback. MAKA writes:

Key features include:

  • FFT-based FIR filter for precise measurements
  • Simple S21 and S11 calibration workflows (LOAD & OPEN)
  • Real-time plots with smoothing and raw-data toggles
  • Interactive markers for easy dB/frequency annotations
  • Automatic export of calibration data to .xlsx for offline analysis
  • Fully open-source

The complete open-source code for the project is available on GitHub at  https://github.com/fromconcepttocircuit/pluto-network-analyzer

Over on his YouTube channel, MAKA has also uploaded a video demo and walkthrough.

RF Bridge Turns Your Pluto SDR into 0.1-3GHz Network Analyzer(Pt.1: S11/S21 Fund. & Filter Test)

Pluto Network Analyzer Pt. 2: S11 Calibration, Python Code & RF Bridge Performance

SDR Television: DATV TX and RX Software for the PlutoSDR

Recently, Simon Brown (G4ELI), best known for being the author of the popular SDR-Console software, has released a new program called "SDR Television (Beta 2)". SDR Television is a program designed for transmitting and receiving Digital Amateur TV (DATV) signals.

At the moment, the software supports DATV on the QO-100 satellite, but in the future, further terrestrial DATV support has been promised. The software is designed to be used with a PlutoSDR (or PlutoSDR clone or spinoff), but also supports Airspy or SDRplay for receive only.

Over on YouTube, Tech Minds has also posted a great video demonstrating the software's setup and use.

SDR TELEVISION V1.0 - Game Changing DATV Software From G4ELI!

ADALM PlutoSDR Spectrum Analyzer: Sweep from 100 MHz to 6 GHz

Thank you to RTL-SDR.COM reader Maka for sharing his latest software for the ADALM PlutoSDR, "ADALM PlutoSDR Spectrum Analyzer." The software is a sweeping spectrum analyzer that uses the 'lock-in amplifier techniques' and it allows you to view the entire 100 MHz to 6 GHz tuning range of the PlutoSDR.

The program is an open-source MIT-licensed Python script that can be run on Linux systems. Instructions to install and connect to the PlutoSDR are available on the program's GitHub page. Maka has also provided a YouTube video (embedded below) demonstrating the software and explaining the lock-in amplifier technique used in his software, as well as two other videos, one explaining the code, and another showing how to measure a filter with it.

Maka writes:

I built an open-source real-time spectrum analyzer using the ADALM Pluto SDR and Python. It allows you to sweep across wide frequency ranges (100 MHz to 6 GHz) and visualize RF signals like Wi-Fi, LTE, GSM, and Bluetooth in real-time.

It includes a custom PyQt GUI with:

  • Adjustable sweep parameters
  • Peak hold
  • Threshold alerts
  • Draggable markers
  • Highlighted known bands
  • Data export to CSV
See Invisible Electromagnetic Waves Around You with ADALM Pluto SDR Spectrum Analyzer + Code

Tech Minds: Reviewing the LibreSDR / ZynqSDR 70 MHz to 6 GHz PlutoSDR Clone

The LibreSDR is a relatively new software defined radio on the market. It is based on the AD9363 radio transceiver chip and an AMD XC7Z020 FPGA, and appears to be an upgraded/modified Chinese clone of the PlutoSDR. It can be found on marketplace sites like Banggood for US$319.99. (The Tech Minds YouTube description box also notes coupon code BG91c241, Exp:8/31, which brings it down to US$$259.99)

In his video, Matt from the Tech Minds YouTube channel introduces the LibreSDR / ZynqSDR, and explains how to set up the LibreSDR firmware, which is an unofficial port of the PlutoSDR firmware.

He then tested the SDR with SDR++ on Windows for receiving the air-band and found that it worked well, except that it only worked over USB, and did not work with the ethernet connection. Next, he tries SDR-Console V3, and finds that he is able to connect to the LibreSDR via ethernet with this software. Matt goes on to test his QO-100 setup, replacing his PlutoSDR with the LibreSDR, noting that the VCTXO in the LibreSDR works great to prevent any signal drift.

Finally, Matt tests transmission of DATV with the LibreSDR, but finds an issue with a center spike causing issues with decoding. He notes that the center spike does not occur with his PlutoSDR.

LibreSDR / ZynqSDR Software Defined Radio - 70 MHz to 6 GHz

Building a Drone Tracking Radar with the ADALM-PHASER and PlutoSDR

The ADALM-PHASER is a kit designed to provide experience with phased array beamforming and radar concepts. The kit consists of a PlutoSDR, mixers, LO synthesizer, ADAR1000 beamformer chip, LNAs and array of patch antennas. It operates between 10-11 GHz, has 500 MHz BW FMCW chirps, and has 8 receive channels and 2 transmit channels. It is an open source kit that costs US$2800, and it is produced and available from Analog Devices. Currently the kit appears to not be in stock, but they note that they are working on getting more stock in soon.

The ADALM-PHASER a phased array kit for implementing radar and other phased array experiments.
The ADALM-PHASER a phased array kit for implementing radar and other phased array experiments.

Over on YouTube, Jon Kraft who appears to be affiliated with Analog Devices, is working on a series of videos that will ultimately result in a drone tracking radar being built with the ADALM-PHASER. Currently two videos have been released.

The first is an overview of radar concepts, giving an explanation of pulsed vs CW radar, and the various hardware options we have to implement low cost versions of these methods.

The second video covers more radar concepts like range resolution and shows us how to build a CW radar with the ADALM-PHASER system.

The three remaining videos are yet to be released, so keep an eye on his channel for updates.

Build Your Own Drone Tracking Radar: Part 1

Build Your Own Drone Tracking Radar: Part 2 CW Radar

DATV-Red: An Interface for Controlling PlutoSDR in Node-RED

Thank you to Ohan Smit (ZS1SCI) for submitting news that he has published his software called DATV-Red over on GitHub. The software is open source and is design to be an interface for controlling a PlutoSDR in Node-RED.

The PlutoSDR is a low cost RX/TX capable SDR with up to 56 MHz of bandwidth and 70 MHz to 6 GHz frequency range (with mods). Node-RED is a visual programming tool for creating JavaScript functions.

Ohan writes:

I've built an interface for controlling the plutosdr in Node-red.

It works on the latest PlutoDVB firmware.

It is cross platform since it is web based.

Currently the scope is focussed on QO-100 use, yet with the latest addition of the RX spectrum from the Pluto's onboard web socket, the focus would shift to a general spectrum analysis and RF operation with special operational DATV features

[It is] a work in progress.

DATV-Red: An interface for controlling the PlutoSDR in Node-RED