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RF Capture Hardware

Harry Munday edited this page Feb 11, 2024 · 26 revisions

RF Capture Hardware

This is a sub-doc about ADC's & SDRs that can be used for the decode projects this list includes standardised and currently being worked on methods.

What are we looking for?

1khz to 40mhz range SDRS so 20msps+ effective sampling units, lesser units are also handy for testing and HiFi however.

Standardised

CX Card

CX Cards Doc

28.6msps 8-bit / 40msps 8-bit / 54msps 8-bit

This has been further improved with external amplifyers.

Duel Syncronised ADC CX Card

  • Software Defined Crystal Rate
  • Hardware Syncroniced Muli-Card Capture
  • Hardware Synchronised Linear/Baseband Audio Capture

The most advanced mod avalible today, using an external cystal timing source we can have drift free capture with 2-4 CX Cards and audio feeds.

This allows duel channel video formats such as Betacam to be captured, or Video FM + HiFi FM + Linear for many outher formats like VHS or Betamax.

Possible thanks to cxadc-clock-generator-audio-adc By Rene Wolf

External crystal timing via 2 additional PCB boards, a Jig with an SMA and Mainboard has allowed for under 50USD multi card sync, using 2 or more CX Cards alongside a extra input for synbcroised Linear/Refrance audio capture also has a extra input for headswiching timing signals.

Audio Inputs and Headswitch Input is on a dedicated bracket you can 3D print.

Clock Speed & Audio is controlled by a CLI application.

DomesDay Duplicator (DdD)

DomesDay Duplicator Docs

40msps 10-bit

DE0-Nano FPGA / FX3 USB 3.0 Board

  • TI ADS825 ADC
  • OPA690 OP-AMP
  • Selectable 4 Positon DIP gain control

RTLSDR

Used for HiFi-Decode & RTL-SDR Decode.

Pictured Order: TNC Male to SMA Male / TNC Female to SMA Male / BNC Male to SMA Male / BNC Female to SMA Male / Nooelec RTL-SDR v5

RTLSDR Page

Currently Being Standardised

MISRC - Multi Input Simultaneous Raw RF Capture

Formerly called adc_usb3 / SMIRF - Simultaneous Multi Input RF Capture. - DD86 Discord

GitHub GitHub Wiki

KiCad Archive

PCB: 20-30USD / Parts 100-120USD

Mainboard + FX3 USB 3.0 board

PCBway Order Link

Features

  • Offshelf FX3 USB 3.0 board (same as DdD)
  • External Clock Source Output
  • 6 Extra Aux inputs for audio ADC modules etc
  • Duel ADC / Duel Imput
  • Physically adjustable input filters
  • 12-Bit, 20/40/65msps sampling
  • AD8138 Driver, Op-Amp / SN74ls541 Buffer / AD9235 ADC

Non-Standardised

RX888 MKII / RX-888 MKII

LTC2208 ADC - 16-Bit, 130Msps

CYUSB3014

USB 3.0

Limited capture software support

Taredown & Profromace

Info / AliExpress (Global/MSRP) / Amazon UK / Amazon US

Limited Linux Support, developing slowly, working windows support more testing and testers required.

HackRF One

Original / AliExpress Clone

The original has been used by several members for testing but the clones that are under half the price.

RSP1 / MSI-SDR / Msi2500 / Msi001

8-bit 20msps ADC

There is two main physical versions, the physical multi input and the compact DIP switch configurable ones.

AliExpress Compact DIP Bare

AliExpress Compact DIP With Shell

AliExpress Physical Breakout

Extensive Docs

https://revspace.nl/Msi2500SDR

https://www.jotrin.com/product/parts/MSI001

Follow The Original Discussion On Discord

07.08.2023 Continued Discussion On Discord

Notes

The msi2500 is a variable bit (8 to 14 bit) ADC and DSP with USB interface. (See: msi2500-BlockDiagram.jpg)

The result is: a range from 10 kHz to 1 GHz (with a hole at 250-400 MHz) a bandwidth of up to 10 MHz,

MSPS from 2 to 6 MHz (14-bit) MSPS from 6 to 8 MHz (12-bit) MSPS from 8 to 9 MHz (10 bits) MSPS from 9 to 10 MHz (8 bits)

With a SNR of 60 dB.

ThunderScope

One of the most early open-sorce ADCs eyed by the members of the decode projects during the early hifi days.

GitHub / CrowdSupply / Discord Server

Hantek Ossiliscopes

HanTek SDR

First Discord Notation

PSO2020 Wiki / AliExpress

8-bit 30MSPS

Cypress FX2 / AD9288

Software;

sigrok-firmware-fx2lafw with librtlsdr modifyed for continous write mode.

This can also apply to the 6022BE a duel input BNC ossilicope.

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