Software Defined Radio Workshop & USRP Hands-On
Join the NI Wireless team and Cyth for a hands-on technical seminar covering:
SDR fundamentals and USRP architecture
IQ data and sampling
Application development for USRP using C++, Python, and GNU Radio
Introduction to USRP FPGA programming using the RFNoC framework
What to Expect:
Presentation content from wireless experts
Demos featuring USRP, GNU Radio, GQRX
Hands-on exercises
Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Happy hour at 4PM.
Full Session Overview:
This free workshop will provide attendees with a thorough, practical, and hands-on introduction to the USRP SDR hardware and the open-source software toolchain (Linux, C++, Python, UHD, and GNU Radio). Attendees will have access to laptop computers and USRP radios, and will perform various classroom activities.
Workshop topics will include:
Overview of the hardware and the architecture of the USRP software-defined radios
How to get started using a new USRP device; installing the UHD driver and GNU Radio framework
Using the UHD device driver; programming the USRP from C++ using the UHD API
Using GNU Radio with the USRP
Creating and running flowgraphs from both GRC and Python; managing USRP FPGA images
Viewing packetized I/Q data with Wireshark
Debugging common technical problems and network configuration problems
Flow-control errors and how to mitigate them; various practical RF issues
High-rate networking and I/Q data streaming; host system performance tuning
USRP device recovery; various operational best-practices
Several demos and examples will be shown, such as performing real-time spectrum monitoring, transmitting pre-recorded waveforms, implementing an FM transmitter and receiver. Several additional complementary open-source tools will also be discussed, such as GQRX, Fosphor, Inspectrum, and several GNU Radio Out-of-Tree (OOT) modules. We will explore several real-time demonstrations of wireless systems running on the USRP, such as a record-and-playback system, FM transmitter and receiver, several spectrum monitoring and analysis tools, and a spectrum-painting tool. Attendees should have a basic understanding of using a Linux system, the Linux command line, and wireless communications, as well as a basic familiarity with C++ and Python programming. Attendees should gain a solid foundation and practical understanding of how to configure, operate, and program the USRP to implement a wide range of wireless systems and wireless applications.
About Neel:
Neel Pandeya is a Principal SDR Architect at National Instruments in Austin, Texas, USA. His background and interests are in open-source software development, wireless communications, 4G/LTE, 5G/NR, O-RAN, DSP and signal processing, FPGA programming, and software-defined radio (SDR).
He has previous technical management experience, and served as part-time adjunct faculty at Northeastern University (NEU) for seven years. He formerly held a TS/SCI government security clearance. He is a co-founder and co-organizer of the New England Workshop for SDR (NEWSDR), and is a co-organizer of the GNU Radio Conference (GRCon), and is a co-founder and co-organizer of the 5G Workshop at IEEE MILCOM. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) from Northeastern University (NEU), and is a member of IEEE and Eta Kappa Nu (HKN). He has an Amateur Radio License, and is aspiring to obtain a private pilot license.
About Cyth:
Cyth Systems is both a Systems Integrator and Distributor for NI, now a part of Emerson, with deep expertise with NI's toolchain across USRP and wireless. Cyth helps companies rapidly prototype and deploy SDR systems from initial concepts through production. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Cyth has Sales & Support staff across the U.S.