ADALM-PLUTO extra setup

ADALM-PLUTO extra setup#

Checking firmware update#

The software stored on the device which does not get often updated is called firmware. We should typically update the firmware if there is a firmware update, because new drivers may depend on them.

The USB storage interface can be used to update the firmware:

  1. Connect ADALM-PLUTO. A file manager should show up with some files including info.html. Open this file. A browser window should pop up.

  2. This is a guide for ADALM-PLUTO. On the top, you should see many light blue greenish buttons including Firmware. Hover your mouse on Firmware, then click on Upgrade Firmware. The browser will scroll down to Firmware section.

  3. Status of the PlutoSDR may show whether you need a firmware update or not.

    If:

    • it does not require firmware update, skip this section about firmware update.

    • it shows that you need one, then proceed with next step

    • it shows Can't check right now, try manually, then look at the Build information in Version Information table below. Remember the Build version number, e.g., v0.39 and compare it with the latest release by clicking on Check the latest version on info.html. If there is a newer version, continue with the next step, otherwise leave this section.

The following steps are based on the instructions here. If you prefer to see screenshots of the following process, refer to their wiki instead of the following instructions.

  1. Download the zipped firmware from the releases page that you opened in the previous step. It must be a zip file.

  2. Remember that ADALM-PLUTO behaves like a USB storage. Go back to its files and copy the zip file you downloaded to the folder. The file should be visible in the same folder as info.html.

  3. Eject the USB storage.

  4. ADAM-PLUTO’s LED1 will start blinking rapidly. This means that it is updating its firmware. It should take about 30 seconds. After the end of the firmware update, the LED1 blink slowly again like this pattern: *-*--------*-*--------.... The file manager should show up again and the zip file you copied should be gone.

  5. Make sure that the device is updated by check the firmware version like we did in a previous step.

That was not easy. Congratulations 🎉

Extending the frequency range of ADALM-PLUTO#

ADALM-PLUTO is based on the AD9363 transceiver, which covers frequency ranges from 325 MHz to 3.8 GHz. In the next sections we will try to receive FM signals, which are around 100 MHz. In this section we will extend this range.

According to the ADALM-PLUTO wiki page, early PlutoSDR devices were based on AD9364, which supports 70 MHz to 6 GHz. Moreover, apparently, AD9364 and AD9363 chips are nearly identical.

Maybe AD9363 chips are not reliable as AD9364 chips, so they are operated on a specific range.

We will first check, if the extended range is activated, and update the setting accordingly.

  1. Open a terminal, also called Command Prompt or shell.

  2. Check whether ADALM-PLUTO is accessible through its IP address:

    ping 192.168.2.1

    You should see something similar to

    Reply from 192.168.2.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64

    If not, check your USB connection.

  3. Now we will connect remotely to the operating system on the ADALM-PLUTO:

    ssh  -o "StrictHostKeyChecking no" root@192.168.2.1

    If you get a password prompt as follows:

    root@192.168.2.1's password:

    ssh stands for secure shell. Then provide the default analog as password and Enter. You should get on your command prompt something similar to:

    Welcome to:
______ _       _        _________________
| ___ \ |     | |      /  ___|  _  \ ___ \
| |_/ / |_   _| |_ ___ \ `--.| | | | |_/ /
|  __/| | | | | __/ _ \ `--. \ | | |    /
| |   | | |_| | || (_) /\__/ / |/ /| |\ \
\_|   |_|\__,_|\__\___/\____/|___/ \_| \_|
...
#

    If

    • you got this prompt you can proceed with the next step ➡️.

    • else if you instead got something similar to:

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@    WARNING: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED!     @
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    , then you may have connected to a different ADALM-PLUTO before. ssh is trying to protect you, but we changed the hardware ourselves, so we want to remove the identification of the old hardware:

    ssh-keygen -R 192.168.2.1

    You should get the message that your known hosts are updated.

    Now try the ssh connection command again.

  4. We have a remote shell to the OS on the ADALM-PLUTO now. Use the following command to check whether the range extension is enabled:

    fw_printenv attr_name attr_val

    If:

    • you get something similar to the following:

      # Error: "attr_name" not defined
# Error: "attr_val" not defined

      then proceed with the next step ➡️.

    • else you probably got the following output:

      attr_name=compatible
attr_val=ad9364

      This means that the extended range is activated and you can skip this section ⏭️.

  5. Provide the following commands one after other, i.e., use Enter after each command:

    fw_setenv attr_name compatible
fw_setenv attr_val ad9364
reboot

    Due to the reboot, you will be automatically disconnected.

  6. Now, the firmware should be working in the extended frequency range mode.

    Optional: Reconnect using ssh similar to the previous step and check whether you get the expected output after issuing fw_printenv attr_name attr_val.

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