[hpsdr] openHPSDR at the forefront of SDR development

[Joe Martin K5SO]

There are many such sources for information.  To learn the basics of the Verilog language, which is what we use to write the FPGA code designs, Kirk Weedman KD7IRS some years ago kindly put together a beginners course tailored to the HPSDR project.  The course is available for download on the HPSDR webpage below:

http://verilog.openhpsdr.org

However, in my experience the absolute best way to learn how to do this is by downloading Quartus II, installing it on your computer, and using it to examine an existing HPSDR firmware design.  By examing an actual firmware design that we are using today you can see how the various tasks are accomplished in the code.  We try to comment the code as much as is practical in order to help us remember what each section does but also to help newcomers understand what the code section is doing.  

You can spend lots of unnecessary time attending/viewing classes which will be giving you much info regarding Verilog syntax, etc, but you can also get the idea very quickly by examining an actual firmware design by using the Quartus II editor.  In addition, you’ll immediately be learning how to use the Quartus II tool.  In short, my view that the absolute best way to learn is to get your feet wet immediately with the tool that you will be using; i.e., Quartus II, to examine an existing firmware design.  

The primary issue to understand about FPGA code, in my view, is to realize from the start that each little section of code within the firmware design runs in parallel with every other section.  That is, the code execution is not “event driven” as it is in Windows programming nor is it strictly running lines of code sequentially as in some languages (except within each section of code in the firmare design).  Because of this it is actually easy to take one little section of code and examine it carefully to see what it is doing, how it is doing it, and what syntax is used to accomplish it.   

After you feel you understand a portion of it then you can make small changes to it, compile it, and see what effect your change(s) have on the performance of the firmware design by actually loading it into your HPSDR rigs’ FPGA.  Plus you immediately gain experience in how to do all that.  Sure, you’ll make mistakes!  But be assured that anything you do is recoverable; you can’t hurt the FPGA by misprogramming it.  

73, Joe K5SO

On Aug 23, 2014, at 12:46 PM, Neal Campbell wrote:

> Are there any good beginner courses on the internet?
> 
> 73
> 
> Neal Campbell
> Abroham Neal LLC
> 
> 
> 
> 

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