In response to the global electronics and chip shortage, we are marking LimeNET Micro as end-of-life (EOL). Your action is required if you have an open order for LimeNET Micro.

Unfortunately, production of LimeNET Micro has come to a grinding halt over the last year due to the global electronics and chip shortage. Specifically, the Intel MAX 10 FPGA used in LimeNET Micro has become unobtainium. The few pieces of this part we’ve been able to find were being sold at prices even greater than the full retail price of LimeNET Micro itself. We’d hoped, like many, that the supply chain would improve, but it hasn’t and we don’t have reason to believe it will. Rather than hang our hopes on such dismal prospects, we decided to officially cease production of LimeNET Micro.

We currently don’t have plans to create a replacement for LimeNET Micro, but we’ll announce it here if that changes. Were we to create a new version, it would follow in the footsteps of LimeSDR Mini 2.0, which overcame the same FPGA shortage problem faced by LimeSDR Mini by upgrading to a different FPGA. Any future revision of LimeNET Micro would likely also call for an upgrade to the Raspberry Pi Compute Module, from version 3 to version 4, which is in itself a very big change to make, not to mention that both CM3 and CM4 are in very short supply at the moment.

Open Orders Will Be Canceled & Refunded

All open orders for LimeNET Micro will be canceled and refunded. We apologize for the inconvenience. We don’t take lightly the decision to cease production of LimeNET Micro, and we’re making this announcement immediately after the EOL decision was made.

If you have an open order for LimeNET Micro or LimeNET Micro with Aluminum Kit, you may need to contact Crowd Supply. All open orders containing either of those products will be canceled and refunded. Orders placed within the last 90 days will be refunded this week (by March 11). Orders placed more than 90 days ago will be refunded next week (by March 18). If the credit card account you used to place your order has been closed, you must contact Crowd Supply this week to arrange an alternative method of refunding your order. If the credit card used to place the order is expired, but your credit card account is still active (e.g., you received a new card), then your refund will go through as expected and there is no need to contact Crowd Supply. It may take up to ten days from the date the refund is issued to appear on your credit card statement. You can check the status of your order by logging into your Crowd Supply account.

Status of Other Lime Products

At the same time we are ending LimeNET Micro, we are also ending LimeSDR Mini, for the same reasons - it relies on the same part that is no longer available.

All other Lime products remain in active production, albeit delayed. LimeSDR and LimeNET are based on a different FPGA than LimeSDR Mini, one we expect to be available again soon. A small quantity of LimeRFE is currently available and we hope to produce more soon.