SDRangel
 | |
| Developer(s) | SDRangel Developers |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2015 |
| Written in | C++ |
| Engine | |
| Operating system | Linux, macOS, Windows, Android |
| Platform | x86-64, aarch64, PowerPC |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Radio |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later.[1] |
| Website | www |
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SDRangel is a free software Software Defined Radio (SDR) application.[2] It is used with external radio frequency (RF) hardware to transmit, receive and analyse radio signals, particularly those conforming to wireless communications protocols. The signals can be displayed using a 2D or 3D spectrogram and oscilloscope as well as be decoded to audio, video, text and images[3].
History
SDRangel was forked from Sdrangelove by Edouard ‘F4EXB’ Griffiths in 2015.[4] It is developed using the open source model on github.
Overview
SDRs consist of three main components[5]:
- Antenna - Used to convert analog electronic signals to electromagnetic waves and vice versa.
- Hardware - Consists of amplifiers (LNA/PA), up/down converter and DAC/ADC. Converts digital baseband IQ waveforms to an analog electronic signal and vice-versa.
- Software (such as SDRangel) - Uses MODEMs to convert digital or analog data, such as voice, video, text and telemetry, to digital baseband IQ waveforms and vice-versa. Can also analyse and display the waveforms visually.
SDRangel is the software within an SDR. It runs on a PC, tablet or smartphone[6] and typically connects to the hardware via USB or Ethernet. A variety of different SDR hardware is supported, such as RTL-SDR, SDRplay, USRP and others [7], with different hardware being better suited to different frequency ranges, data-rates or budgets.
SDRangel is able to connect to multiple radios, which allows simultaneous transmission and reception. Multiple MODEMs can be used with a single radio, allowing for multi-channel or multi-protocol decoding.
MODEMs
Template:Modulation techniques
SDRangel includes a variety of MODEMs (Modulators/Demodulators)[8][9] that are used to convert between binary data (such as audio, video or telemetry) and digital IQ baseband waveforms and vice-versa. The waveforms are sent to/received from the SDR hardware, which converts them to/from RF. Different MODEMs are used for different applications, as data rate, reliability and spectral requirements vary. Some examples include:
Analog:
- APT - Automatic Picture Transmission used for satellite weather imagery.
- AM - Amplitude Modulation for LW/MW broadcasting and Air Traffic Control.
- FM - Frequency Modulation for broadcast radio.
- ILS - Instrument Landing System used by aircraft for autolands.
- Analog TV - Analog television.
- SSB - Single-side band modulation used for analog voice amateur radio QSOs.
- VOR - VHF omnidirectional range aircraft navigation aids.
Digital:
- 802.15.4 - Low-rate wireless personal area networking.
- AIS - Automatic Identification System for tracking marine vessels.
- ADS-B - Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast for tracking aircraft.
- APRS - Automatic Packet Reporting System for amateur radio communications and tracking.
- DAB - Digital Audio Broadcasting for digital broadcast radio.
- DSC - Digital Selective Calling used by marine radios.
- DVB-S2 - Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite for satellite television.
- FreeDV - Free Digital Voice for amateur radio voice communication.
- FT8 - Franke & Taylor 8 weak signal amateur radio fixed format QSOs.
- M17 - Digital voice and text amateur radio QSOs.
- NAVTEX - Marine navigational and meteorological warnings and forecasts.
- Packet - Amateur radio digital package communications.
- POCSAG - Pager messaging.
- Radiosonde - Weather balloon telemetry.
- RTTY - Radio teletype.
- Radio clock - Radio clocks such as MSF, TDF, WWVB and DCF77.
Analysis
SDRangel displays the baseband IQ time-domain signal waveforms in the frequency domain as a spectrum and spectrogram (waterfall). Time to frequency domain conversion is performed using the Discrete Fourier transform. The spectrogram can be displayed in 2D or 3D[10]. The baseband signal can also be displayed in the time domain using the oscilloscope within the Channel Analyzer.
Statistical measurements can be made on a spectrum, including SNR, THD, THD+N, SINAD, SFDR, channel power, adjacent channel power and occupied bandwidth.
SDRangel also has a Radio Astronomy plugin, which time averages DFTs, which can be useful in Hydrogen line observations of the Milky Way's hydrogen gas clouds[11]. The Noise Figure plugin can be used to measure SDR hardware's noise figure, which can be used to calculate their sensitivity[12].
Features
SDRangel includes what it calls Feature Plugins, which perform ancillary functions. These include a Satellite Tracker and Rotator Controller. The former can calculate the position of a satellite, which is then used by the Rotator Controller to point a directional antenna (such as a Yagi or satellite dish) at the satellite.
Likewise, the Star Tracker can be used to track the position of the Moon, Sun or radio stars such as pulsars. Knowledge of the Moon's position is essential in Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communication, where radio waves are transmitted from Earth, reflected from the Moon, and then received at another location on Earth[13].
A 2D and 3D mapping feature is included that can combine data received from a variety of MODEMs and plot their location. For example, AIS can be used to track marine vessels, while ADS-B is used for tracking aircraft[14]. The map can also display ionosonde station data, showing the maximum usable frequency (MUF), which is useful for estimating propagation[15].
See also
- Software defined radio
- Spectrogram
- Modem
- Digital signal processing
- List of software-defined radios
- List of amateur radio software
References
- ↑ "GPL version 3 or later". GitHub.
- ↑ "SDRangel – Open-source TX & RX Software Defined Radio". www.sdrangel.org. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "A DATV Transceiver" (PDF). British Amateur Television Club. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ↑ "SDRangel". Lime Microsystems. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "Software defined radios – overview and hardware" (PDF). Rohde-Schwarz. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "SDRangel Now Available on Android". RTL SDR. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "Sample Source Plugins". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "Channel Rx Plugins". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "Channel Tx Plugins". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "Spectrum Component". Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ↑ "SDR Based Receiver for the 21cm Neutral-Hydrogen Line". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Noise Figure Measurements" (PDF). Keysight. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ↑ "How to Use Amateur Radio Moonbounce, EME Propagation". Electronics notes. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ↑ "SDRangel 3D Map". YouTube. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ↑ "ITU-R Methods of Basic MUF, Operational MUF and Ray-Path Prediction" (PDF). ITU. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
External Links
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