AntSDR E200 is a powerful and versatile software-defined radio (SDR) platform. It is a low-cost, easy-to-use system for developing, testing, and deploying wireless communication solutions such as LTE, GSM, and Wi-Fi. With its wide range of supported frequencies and modulation schemes, it’s possible to easily experiment with various wireless technologies.
AntSDR E200 is well suited for hobby and educational purposes, allowing students and enthusiasts to learn about digital signal processing, wireless communication, and software-defined radio.
AntSDR E200 can be used for a wide range of applications such as radio frequency experimentation, wireless communication, radio astronomy, and spectrum monitoring. It is well suited for prototyping and testing new wireless communication systems and protocols. Additionally, AntSDR E200 can be used as a software-defined LTE station and for developing cognitive radio applications.
AntSDR E200 Demo
Features & Specifications
- RF Chipset: Analog Devices AD9363 / AD9361
- FPGA Chipset: AMD/Xilinx ZYNQ7020
- Channels: 2 × 2 MIMO
- Sample Rate: 200 KHz - 61.44 MHz
- Tuning Range: AD9363: 325 MHz - 3.8 GHz, AD9361: 70 MHz - 6 GHz
- RF bandwidth: AD9363: 200 KHz - 20 MHz, AD9361: 200 KHz - 56 MHz
- RF Transmit Power: Up to 10 dBm
- Flash Memory: 1x QSPI 256 Mb flash memory for firmware
- RAM: 512 MB DDR3
- Clock System: 40M VCXO and PPS/10M Reference clock input
- Connectivity:
- 2 SMA and 2 U.FL connectors
- 1x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1x Micro SD card slot
- FPGA JTAG connector for external JTAG programmer/debugger
- 8x PL GPIO interfaces
Block Diagram
Comparisons
| AntSDR E200 AD9363 | AntSDR E200 AD9361 | RTL-SDR | PlutoSDR | Ettus B205mini | LimeSDR mini 2.0 | HackRF One | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | AD9363 | AD9361 | RTL2832U | AD9363 | AD9364 | LMS7002M | MAX5864, MAX2837, RFFC5072 |
| Frequency Range | 325 MHz - 3.8 GHz | 70 MHz - 6 GHz | 500 KHz - 1766 MHz | 325 MHz - 3.8 GHz | 70 MHz - 6 GHz | 10 MHz - 3.5 GHz | 1 MHz - 6 GHz |
| Interface | Gigabit Ethernet | Gigabit Ethernet | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 2.0 |
| Embedded | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| RF Bandwidth | 20 MHz | 56 MHz | 3.2 MHz | 20 MHz | 61.44 MHz | 40 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Sample Depth | 12 bits | 12 bits | 8 bits | 12 bits | 12 bits | 12 bits | 8 bits |
| Sample Rate | 61.44 MSPS | 61.44 MSPS | 3.2 MSPS | 61.44 MSPS | 61.44 MSPS | 30.72 MSPS | 20 MSPS |
| Transmitter Channels | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Receivers | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Duplex | Full | Full | No | Full | Full | Full | Half |
| Programmable Logic Gates | 85k | 85k | N/A | 28k | 150k | 44k | 64 macrocell CPLD |
| Open Source | Schematic & firmware | Schematic & firmware | No | Full | Schematic & firmware | Full | Full |
| Oscillator Precision | +/-2 ppm | +/-2 ppm | +/-1 ppm | +/-20 ppm | +/-2 ppm | +/-1 ppm initial, +/-4 ppm stable | +/-20 ppm |
| Transmit Power | Up to 10 dBm (depending on frequency) | Up to 10 dBm (depending on frequency) | N/A | Up to 6 dBm (depending on frequency) | 10 dBm+ | Up to 10 dBm (depending on frequency) | -10 dBm+ (15 dBm @ 2.4 GHz) |
Applications
The AntSDR E200 is designed to be flexible and reconfigurable, allowing users to develop and test their own signal processing algorithms. Here are some common applications.
- Ham Radio: Amateur radio operators (also known as "hams") use AntSDR to communicate over various radio frequencies, FM and SSB. AntSDR allow for flexible and efficient tuning, as well as the ability to decode various digital modes.
- Aviation: AntSDR can be used in the aviation industry to monitor and decode air traffic control communications, as well as to track and locate aircraft through ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) signals.
- Public Safety: AntSDR can also be used for public safety applications, such as monitoring police and emergency services communications, as well as analyzing and identifying signals in emergency situations.
- Remote Sensing: AntSDR can be used in remote sensing applications, such as environmental monitoring and disaster management. For example, AntSDR can be used to detect and analyze signals from weather radar systems or to monitor oceanographic data.
- Satellite Communications: AntSDR can be used in satellite communications to decode and process signals from various satellite systems, such as GPS or Iridium. AntSDR also allow for the development and testing of new satellite communication protocols and systems.
- Radio Astronomy: AntSDR can be used in radio astronomy to observe and analyze signals from celestial objects, such as pulsars and galaxies. AntSDR allow for high-resolution and wide-bandwidth observations, as well as the ability to process and analyze large amounts of data.
Libiio
The Libiio API is a key feature of AntSDR E200. It provides a flexible and low-level interface for accessing the device’s functionality, including both the RF transceiver and the processor. This allows developers to create custom software applications that can run directly on the AntSDR device, without the need for a separate host computer.
The Libiio API supports a range of programming languages, including C, Python, and Matlab, and provides a range of functionality such as accessing the device’s ADC/DAC channels, controlling RF parameters, and streaming data over USB or Ethernet. AntSDR with its Libiio interface is a powerful and versatile tool for both amateur and professional SDR applications.
UHD
The USRP Hardware Driver (UHD) is an open-source, cross-platform driver developed for use with USRP devices. UHD provides a consistent API across all USRP models and simplifies the process of developing and deploying SDR applications on the USRP platform.
AntSDR can be considered as a "USRP" device because it supports the UHD (USRP Hardware Driver) API, which is the same API used by USRP devices. This means that AntSDR is compatible with software designed for USRP, and users can easily switch between AntSDR and USRP devices when developing and testing their SDR applications.
AntSDR’s compatibility is a major highlight of the product. It can be seamlessly integrated with other SDR devices such as PlutoSDR or USRP. AntSDR also supports both the Libiio API and the UHD API, providing users with flexible and versatile options for integration with their existing systems. With AntSDR’s compatibility, users can easily incorporate it into their existing workflows and take advantage of its capabilities without the need for significant system changes or investments.
Open Source Projects
AntSDR E200 can be used for a number of open-source projects that provide software tools and frameworks for developing and testing SDR applications. Here are some specific examples:
Research and verification of WiFi protocol:
- Openwifi: Openwifi is a Linux mac80211 compatible full-stack IEEE802.11/WiFi design based on SDR (Software Defined Radio).
Research mobile wireless communication protocols:
- srsRAN_4G: This is an open source 4G software radio suite developed by SRS.
- OsmoBTS: OsmoBTS is a software implementation of a GSM BTS.
Support & Documentation
We’re publishing all AntSDR-related code under the MicroPhase’s Github. Here are the most important repositories to note:
Project Files:
Documentation:
Firmware:
- IIO: This is the firmware compatible with PlutoSDR.
- UHD: This firmware contains the most basic UHD components, enabling AntSDR to communicate with the host
Host Driver:
- Libiio: Libiio is a library that has been developed by Analog Devices to ease the development of software interfacing Linux Industrial I/O (IIO) devices.
- UHD: UHD is available under the open-source GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3), MicroPhase added drivers for AntSDR and kept the open source license.
AntSDR Accessories
The following accessories are available to order for use with your AntSDR. Please note that not all accessories are necessary. You can choose the accessories that you need. The following are optional accessories:
Custom AntSDR E200 Enclosure
Multi-band 4G/3G/2G Monopole Antenna (two recommended for AntSDR E200)
USB Type A to Type-C cable (1 m)
Ethernet cable (1 m)
SD card reader
U.FL-to-SMA Cable
MMCX-to-SMA Cable
Manufacturing Plan
We have completed the hardware verification of E200, including thermal testing (lasting 24 hours) with CNC enclosures, the improvement and optimization of the hardware and mechanical are finished. We are currently preparing the pilot production, including the design of the test fixture and development of testing software for manufacturing, all of these will be finished in April. PCBs will be assembled and tested by our long-time manufacturing partner based in shanghai, China. The bare PCBs will be fabricated by our manufacturing partner based in Shenzhen, China. CNC enclosures will be machined by our partner based in Ningbo, China. We cooperated closely with many distributors and vendors for a long time, they can gave us big supports, so AntSDR E200 can be manufactured as quickly as possible, We’ll keep you up to date on manufacturing developments! Updates will be sent via email to campaign subscribers.
Fulfillment & Logistics
After our production run is complete, we will box everything up and send it along to Crowd Supply’s fulfillment partner, Mouser Electronics, who will handle distribution to backers worldwide. You can learn more about Crowd Supply’s fulfillment services under Ordering, Paying, and Shipping in their guide.
Risks & Challenges
The most significant hazard lies in the supply chain, primarily due to potential delays caused by shortages of components. Despite the fact that such problems are sometimes unavoidable, our extensive experience in producing SDRs has enabled us to decrease the probability of encountering such issues and minimize their impact. Nonetheless, we pledge to maintain transparency and candor regarding our manufacturing progress.
