0
$\begingroup$

Just getting up to speed on the ettus B210 - basically the same as the B200 but with two Rf boards.

I am testing using gnuradio-companion. I have setup a very simple transmitter consisting of:

Random Src --> PSK Mod --> UHD USRP Sink (port A:A)

This worked fine (I had some frequency / gain sliders). Then I wanted to try to transmit out of both Tx ports, so I tried the following:

Random Src --> PSK Mod --> UHD USRP Sink (port A:A, freq - 1MHz)
                   |
                   +-----> UHD USRP Sink (port A:B, freq + 1MHz)

It runs, but only port A:A is transmitting and I see loads of "SSSSSSSS"'s in the debug. If I disable either UHD USRP Sink then the other port transmits fine (i.e. I can transmit out of each one individually perfectly.

So how can I send two signals (or the same signal) over both tx port?

Secondly - I want to run two different applications one controlling each port (lets say I run two different gnuradio-companion generated python files each set to different ports)... is this possible? All I got was an error saying that no device was available when I tried to run the second instance, so I guess this may not be possible...

EDIT New simpler setup:

sig-src1(samp: 1M) --> USRP Sink (port A:A, freq 1.85G)
sig-src2(samp: 1M) --> USRP Sink (port A:A, freq 1.9G)

This is connected directly to a spectrum analyser.

Here is the output I see:

Generating: '/home/user/src/gnu-radio/SimpleDualTx.py'

Executing: /usr/bin/python -u /home/user/src/gnu-radio/SimpleDualTx.py

linux; GNU C++ version 5.3.1 20151219; Boost_105800; UHD_003.009.002-0-unknown

-- Detected Device: B210
-- Operating over USB 3.
-- Initialize CODEC control...
-- Initialize Radio control...
-- Performing register loopback test... pass
-- Performing register loopback test... pass
-- Performing CODEC loopback test... pass
-- Performing CODEC loopback test... pass
-- Asking for clock rate 16.000000 MHz... 
-- Actually got clock rate 16.000000 MHz.
-- Performing timer loopback test... pass
-- Performing timer loopback test... pass
-- Setting master clock rate selection to 'automatic'.
-- Asking for clock rate 32.000000 MHz... 
-- Actually got clock rate 32.000000 MHz.
-- Performing timer loopback test... pass
-- Performing timer loopback test... pass
Press Enter to quit: SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
>>> Done (return code -9)

This runs, but only port A:B goes into transmit. If I disable either pair of sig-src and USRP Sink the it works fine.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
6
  • $\begingroup$ Never use a Throttle block in conjunction with hardware. GRC explicitly has a warning against that. $\endgroup$
    – Marcus Müller
    Commented Nov 29, 2017 at 16:10
  • $\begingroup$ You can't tune the TX to two frequencies that are this far apart - there's only one TX mixer for both channels $\endgroup$
    – Marcus Müller
    Commented Nov 30, 2017 at 8:50
  • $\begingroup$ Also, try with a different USB port. This looks like your USB 3 controller is dropping packets; for 2x 1MS/s you don't need usb3, a USB 2 would do. Also, just simply set the USRP sink to 2 channels and don't explicitly set the subdevice specification (what you call "port") $\endgroup$
    – Marcus Müller
    Commented Nov 30, 2017 at 8:53
  • $\begingroup$ @MarcusMüller ah, ok I can setup a 2-channel USRP sink which takes the two signals. Both transmitter lights now come on. I still struggle to get two distinct signals with any useful seperation - but I am starting to think that (since you mentioned there is only one mixer) the two RF paths are not meant to be separate and distinct. I think what I am trying to do really probably needs 2 x B210 (or B200) boards... would you agree with that? (Note: the USB2 port gave same result - but I think this setup was probably invalid) $\endgroup$
    – code_fodder
    Commented Nov 30, 2017 at 9:19
  • $\begingroup$ Since you're not telling us what you're trying to do in the bigger picture, I have no clue. $\endgroup$
    – Marcus Müller
    Commented Nov 30, 2017 at 9:20

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4
$\begingroup$

UHD requires a USRP to be owned by one process only, so no, you can't share the same USRP across two flow graphs, but you could use for example the ZeroMQ PUB/SUB sink/source pair to stream data in from a second application to your first flow graph. But then again, there's nothing wrong with putting a whole flow graph into a hier block¹ and using that in another flow graph.

Also: Throttle is never right in a flow graph with hardware. You've got a device with a physical sampling rate to limit how much your computer produces. If you now add a software throttle, either that throttle is useless, or it does harm. That's why we (as in: I personally) added a very prominent warning to GRC that you shouldn't be having a hardware sink and a Throttle block in the same flow graph. Read the console output in the lower half of your GRC window!

¹ hier block: hierarchical block. See the tutorials (in order!) on http://tutorials.gnuradio.org

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ The throttle was not having an effect - but I have removed it. I do read the output window, but because I was getting other issues I had missed that, so thanks for picking up on that. So I am still struggling to get two signals out of the USRP (one from each port). So I understand that I can't run two apps - but how do I get two signal out (one from each port)? - example 2 (modified to remove throttle) still does not work - I see loads of "SSSS"'s.... can't figure out how to move on, thanks $\endgroup$
    – code_fodder
    Commented Nov 30, 2017 at 8:37
  • $\begingroup$ I added an edit with a perhaps more correct / simple example... still no joy though : ( $\endgroup$
    – code_fodder
    Commented Nov 30, 2017 at 8:45
  • $\begingroup$ Marked up as answer, because I think what I am trying to do requires two B200's, but this has provided the information I needed to move on. Thanks : ) $\endgroup$
    – code_fodder
    Commented Nov 30, 2017 at 11:20
0
$\begingroup$

B210 over USB with stock UHD image can't act like that. Port A is for standard use which is controlled over USB, port B could be used with written custom program inside FPGA. BTW search some info about FULL DUPLEX mode in Open BTS project as for example.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .