[hpsdr] Educational SDR Advice Sought

[Chris Albertson]

For educational purposes the HPSDR project hardware is FAR to
complex.  You need hardware a student can see and understand
and then move on to what really maters: The software.

Same with the software.  It should be simple enough that
you can walk through the source code in one class session.

The simplest SDR hardware I've seen to date is Tony Parks'
"Softrock 40"  He sells these for $10 each post paid  These are
cheap enough that each student can own one of them but more
importantly they are simple and you can cover the schematic
is 1/2 of a leture session.  The whoe radio is only a 2
inch square PCB.  It is single band receive only.  He has an
"RXTX" version which is still simple but IMO there is little to
be gained by transmiting if the goal is teaching

Software.  You are right "matlib-like" is what you want.
Look at this.  Looks to be good for teaching and making
a fast prototype software.  
http://gnuradio.org/trac/wiki/GNURadioCompanion
You should be able to figure out how to use this simply by
looking at the screen shot on the web page.

In a more advanced class you could cover SDR applied to
multiple carriers (ODFM, QAM, spread spectrum) or to wideband
modes such as HDTV or Radar and want to do both transmit
and receive exercises but be carefull on Transmit a software
bug could get you in trouble with the FCC.


For more advanced work you would need to more SDR hardware.  
I think most of the serious research in SDR is being
done now with USRP hardware. 
http://www.comsec.com/wiki?UniversalSoftwareRadioPeripheral
and you'd have to give up on GNURadioCompanion and jump into the 
Python software. Here is an example of the ppython software 
See "Example 2. Broadcast FM Receiver" at this URL
http://www.gnu.org/software/gnuradio/doc/exploring-gnuradio.html



 
--- Jonathan Wagner <jonathan at jonathanwagner.net> wrote:

> ***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****
> 
> This may be slightly off-topic, but I have been contacted by the 
> Electrical Engineering department head at our local in regards to 
> teaching SDR technology in the telecommunications curriculum.  I am 
> seeking recommendations on a hardware/software platform readily 
> available for use in teaching SDR.  I think something with a MATLAB
> or 
> MATLAB-like interface (such as http://www.joshknows.com/?key=grc) is 
> probably what the department head is looking for. 
> 
> It seems that this hpsdr project may still be in too early of 
> development stages to meet the goals of the department head. 
> However, I 
> do not know when the department is planning to add SDR to the
> curriculum 
> and by then, the HPSDR project may be far enough along to use.  My
> first 
> thought for hardware/software combo is the USRP by Ettus in
> conjunction 
> with GnuRadio.  What are the thoughts of this list?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -- 
> Jonathan Wagner, KE5FSG
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> HPSDR Discussion List
> To post msg: hpsdr at hpsdr.org
> Subscription help:
> http://lists.hpsdr.org/listinfo.cgi/hpsdr-hpsdr.org
> HPSDR web page: http://hpsdr.org
> Archives: http://lists.hpsdr.org/pipermail/hpsdr-hpsdr.org/
> 


Chris Albertson
  Home:   310-376-1029  chrisalbertson90278 at yahoo.com
  Office: 310-336-5189  Christopher.J.Albertson at aero.org


 
____________________________________________________________________________________
It's here! Your new message!  
Get new email alerts with the free Yahoo! Toolbar.
http://tools.search.yahoo.com/toolbar/features/mail/

 1178665158.0