We are sold out of basic kits (enclosure).  Fan kits are still available, please see order link on the right side.  For bill of materials and design information, please contact RASDR-LLC@att.net.

Software

The team is about to release software that provides the foundation for general radio astronomy tasks support; it currently focuses on collecting total power via dual channel RSSI measurement.   Versions for Linux, macOS and Windows will be available and require no installation with the exception of Windows user selecting a USB driver.   We will post the software in the next few days, including a users' guide.

Radio Astronomy Highlights

Two recent radio astronomy applications using RASDR4 / LimeSDR are David Lonard's use of LimeSDR for interferometry @ 1420.4 MHz using a Python and GPU processing; and the second is  a simple experiment conducted by members of the RASDR4 team and others during the eclipse.   Part of the experiment was unsuccessful, and we are still analyzing 432MHz total power (RSSI) data collected from a YAGI antenna.  A separate posting will describe new software we are about to release for MIMO RSSI collection.

We are selling a new larger fan kit to allow for operation in ambient air conditions up to 112F / 44C.

The larger 30x30x15mm fan now attaches to the top shell and provides more than 4 times the airflow as the small internal fan kit.  The fan may be powered internally or externally (if mounted externally).  For further details, please see:

  + version 1.8 assembly instructions

  + optional external power configuration

  + thermal dissipation testing

The new fan kit is available to order by clicking on the order link on the top right.

Fan art

David F. took this picture after assembling the next set of fan kits.    Splicing 28 gauge wire to join the connector with the fan wires is not easy.

SARA Western Regional Conference discounted kits

Are you going to the SARA Western Regional Conference in March?  Members of the RASDR4 team will bring several enclosure kits and will be selling them at a discounted price (the normally included price of shipping).  To order one for delivery at the conference, click on the Order kits link on the right side of this page and click the link under BUY IT NOW AND PICK IT UP AT A SARA MEETING.

Kit photos

Photos of the enclosure kit and fan posted -- see Pictures in Links.

Orders now live

Please see the ordering information on the right side of this page or click this order form.  Design features are in the previous posting.

The RASDR4 Enclosure Kit is based on our early delivery LimeSDR v1.2 board.  Lime is shipping v1.4 and this will be the focus of our RASDR4 user documentation.  Progress has been documented in the last few issues of the SARA Journal.

Users should monitor board temperature during operation. The team chose the above features to support our plans for radio astronomy measurements in a variety of environments.

A basic Enclosure Kit is available at a cost of $75 (postage included).   Users need to supply their own LimeSDR with a USB Type A extension cable and an optional DC power cable/source.   SMA connector cables from selected ports (typically 4 RF, 1 clock and 1 user option) to the board connection points are included, but external antenna and LNA are not included.  The D-sub connector is for planned expansion.

The team is working on a GPIO subkit that will include ESD and over-voltage protection.  A challenge to testing is that the Altera FPGA firmware must be modified to test operation.  We could use help with FPGA programming, general software development, documentation and testing. If you’d like to be a member of the team or help with our observing projects/documentation, contact David Fields (fieldsde@aol.com). For questions about orders, software options, or LimeSDR questions, contact Paul Oxley (oxleys@att.net).  To discuss our software and website, contact Tony Bigbee (tony.bigbee@gmail.com).  For project management information, contact Wayne McCain (Wayne.McCain@athens.edu).  To discuss interactions with the professional community and advanced projects, contact Stan Kurtz (skurtz@mailaps.org).

RASDR4 and all of its supporting hardware/software are considered an experimental, development-level kit product. No warranty is expressed or implied by RASDR, LLC, beyond shipping shortages or component defects. The LimeSDR board and components are not warrantied by RASDR, LLC.