Getting started with 122-16 SDR

[BrianLloyd]

First, let me apologize in advance if the information is readily available. I certainly tried but I have yet to find it.

That being said, I have my 122-16 SDR up and running. I have changed the "ecosystem" from the stock version that comes in STEMlab_122-16_OS_0.98-5_stable.img (uh, if you are going to make a load image for the SDR, why not put the SDR apps in it?), to that in stemlab-sdr-alpine-3.9-armv7-20191025. My board boots.

What is the default user ID and password? I can't find anything that references this. Or maybe I don't need to log into the board to start the app I want to run.

For that matter, where is there any documentation about what is running?

Thank you for your assistance. I would help myself if I could but ... I'm lost.

Brian Lloyd

[CJWestshore33]

Yes, I am also running into a few interesting issues myself with documentation and broken app pages when trying to get custom apps loaded onto RedPitaya app page. I am completely new to these boards as well. Today I tried to access more apps through the marketplace only to find the page non-existent. Comes up with a page could not be viewed..error.
This left me confused.



The default password and ID are both "root" if you are doing SSH into the board.

[pavel]

First, let me apologize in advance if the information is readily available. I certainly tried but I have yet to find it.

Could you please tell me what instructions you followed to install stemlab-sdr-alpine-3.9-armv7-20191025? Normally I tried to add a link to the additional information about the SD card image to all of the 'getting started' instructions in my notes. However, it's possible that there are instructions with a missing link. If you could point me to such instructions, I'll try to fix them.

What is the default user ID and password? I can't find anything that references this.

Here is a direct link to information about user ID, password, how to start applications, etc:

https://pavel-demin.github.io/stemlab-sdr-notes/alpine/

Or maybe I don't need to log into the board to start the app I want to run.

Applications can be started from the web interface:

• open a web browser and go to the IP address of your STEMlab 122.88-16 SDR
• click on the application that you want to start

[pavel]

Please don't forget to equip your STEMlab 122.88-16 SDR with an active cooling system. The heatsink supplied with the boards doesn't cool them effectively. Here is a link to an article with a graph showing the temperature of the ZYNQ chip:

https://rroeng.blogspot.com/2014/03/kee ... -cool.html

Running STEMlab 122.88-16 SDR boards for a long time with only the default heatsink shortens the life of the main electronic components installed on the board. I've heard of a few cases where the passively cooled Red Pitaya boards have stopped working after a few days of operation.

Since the STEMlab 122.88-16 SDR has a more powerful FPGA, it heats even more than the original Red Pitaya board.

A 5V 30x30mm fan can be easily attached to the heatsink with a couple of screws and it would keep the temperature of the ZYNQ chip around 40-50 degrees.

[BrianLloyd]

Could you please tell me what instructions you followed to install stemlab-sdr-alpine-3.9-armv7-20191025? Normally I tried to add a link to the additional information about the SD card image to all of the 'getting started' instructions in my notes. However, it's possible that there are instructions with a missing link. If you could point me to such instructions, I'll try to fix them.

First off, thank you. I apologize for taking your time because, if I had done things literally, I would have gotten running much sooner.

The confusion stemmed from reading the instructions on the RedPitaya web site. If you read that there are references to two partitions on the SD card, one formatted in FAT32 into which the "ecosystem" files are copied. IMHO this conflicts with your instructions. So the first thing your instructions need to say is, "If you plan to run the SDR applications shown here, ignore all the information on the RedPitaya web site regarding the 122-16 board. The software contained here will completely replace the software provided by RedPitaya."

Following that I would include the following instructions:

1. Format a 16GB µSD card with a master boot record partition map and a single FAT32 partition to hold the software.
2. Download the software from:
   https://github.com/pavel-demin/stemlab- ... 191025.zip
3. Unzip the file into a local folder/directory.
4. Copy the contents of the directory just created to the empty FAT32 partition on the µSD card.
5. Unmount the µSD card and install it in the 122-16 board.

The board will now boot the new software.

What is the default user ID and password? I can't find anything that references this.

Here is a direct link to information about user ID, password, how to start applications, etc:

https://pavel-demin.github.io/stemlab-sdr-notes/alpine/

Got it. Thank you.

Or maybe I don't need to log into the board to start the app I want to run.

Applications can be started from the web interface:

• open a web browser and go to the IP address of your STEMlab 122.88-16 SDR
• click on the application that you want to start

OK, I get it. I was confused by the first time it was not running the web functions. Now it appears to be working as you describe. Apparently I missed something the first time.

Thank you for your help. It did turn out that your instructions were complete and I just didn't fully understand them.

[BrianLloyd]

Please don't forget to equip your STEMlab 122.88-16 SDR with an active cooling system. The heatsink supplied with the boards doesn't cool them effectively. Here is a link to an article with a graph showing the temperature of the ZYNQ chip:

https://rroeng.blogspot.com/2014/03/kee ... -cool.html

I am aware of the need to keep the FPGA cool. I opted for the RedPitaya metal case. The case is thermally coupled to the FPGA with a sil-pad.

After running the HPSDR receiver software for a bit, case temp went up to 47˚C. That seems too hot to me, especially since I don't know the thermal resistance of the case and sil-pad. I added a fan blowing on the case and case temp came down to 37˚C. That is better but still not sure I am cooling the FPGA enough.

Does the Zynq SoC have an internal temperature monitor?

Thank you.

[pavel]

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation of the source of the confusion. I think now I understand better what was missing in the instructions.

I thought the easiest way to install an operating system for a single board computer (Raspberry Pi, Red Pitaya, etc) was to start with a freshly unpacked factory-formatted SD card. I wrote my instructions with this idea in mind. I'd also hesitate to recommend overwriting the micro SD card that came with the board. I've just added the following line to all the 'getting started' instructions in my notes:

Code: Select all

 - Take a freshly unpacked micro SD card factory-formatted with the FAT32 file system.

I think this clearly expresses the micro SD card requirements.

After running the HPSDR receiver software for a bit, case temp went up to 47˚C.

It was once mentioned on the RBN-OPS mailing list that the aluminum case was not very effective as a heatsink:

https://groups.io/g/RBN-OPS/topic/for_s ... r/67985679

Does the Zynq SoC have an internal temperature monitor?

Yes. The temperature can be read with the following commands:

Code: Select all

XADC_PATH=/sys/bus/iio/devices/iio:device0

OFF=`cat $XADC_PATH/in_temp0_offset`
RAW=`cat $XADC_PATH/in_temp0_raw`
SCL=`cat $XADC_PATH/in_temp0_scale`

FORMULA="(($OFF+$RAW)*$SCL)/1000.0"
VAL=`echo "scale=2;${FORMULA}" | bc`
echo "in_temp0 = ${VAL} C"

A similar script can be downloaded and run with the following commands:

Code: Select all

wget https://www.kkn.net/~n6tv/xadc-new.sh -O xadc.sh
. xadc.sh

[BrianLloyd]

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation of the source of the confusion. I think now I understand better what was missing in the instructions.

I thought the easiest way to install an operating system for a single board computer (Raspberry Pi, Red Pitaya, etc) was to start with a freshly unpacked factory-formatted SD card. I wrote my instructions with this idea in mind. I'd also hesitate to recommend overwriting the micro SD card that came with the board. I've just added the following line to all the 'getting started' instructions in my notes:

Code: Select all

 - Take a freshly unpacked micro SD card factory-formatted with the FAT32 file system.

I think this clearly expresses the micro SD card requirements.

I have lots of old µSD cards kicking around. I have no idea what format they are in. So before I do anything with them, I make a point of formatting them to the known-correct format. You just never know if there is an error on the filesystem or if there is anything on there.

I have also seen new µSD cards come with software on them.

So, recommending formatting the µSD card ensures that the card is in the correct format without having to hope or assume.

(I used to be a tech-pubs guy and I used to run a tech-support group. I found my life was always easier if I never assumed anything and spelled everything out in detail.)

It was once mentioned on the RBN-OPS mailing list that the aluminum case was not very effective as a heatsink:

https://groups.io/g/RBN-OPS/topic/for_s ... r/67985679

Does the Zynq SoC have an internal temperature monitor?

Yes. The temperature can be read with the following commands:

Thank you. That works. Now I can compare the case with the heat sink in terms of thermal performance. No, the case by itself does not adequately cool the SoC under load but it does have a fair amount of surface area and a very quiet, low-speed fan seems to suffice to keep case temps in a reasonable range.

[pavel]

OK. I agree that the previous attempt was not good. Here is my next attempt:

Copy the contents of the SD card image zip file to a micro SD card with a MBR/MSDOS partition table and a single FAT32 partition.

and it's up to the reader to figure out how to get this type of micro SD card.