How To Set Up Microphase E316 SDR for GNU Radio, SDRangel & UHD

What You Need

• Microphase E316 SDR with power adapter and Ethernet cable
• Windows 10+ or Ubuntu 20.04+ (Linux recommended for development)
• Gigabit Ethernet adapter (E316 requires 1000M connection speed)
• Basic antennas for 70 MHz–6 GHz (wideband recommended for initial testing)
• Internet connection for software downloads

E316 Hardware Overview

• RF Coverage: 70 MHz–6 GHz with up to 56 MHz real-time bandwidth
• MIMO: 2×2 full-duplex channels with AD9361/AD9363 transceivers
• Processing: Xilinx Zynq-7020 (dual ARM Cortex-A9 + FPGA)
• Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet (static IP: 192.168.1.10 by default)
• Firmware: Dual-mode support for UHD and PlutoSDR IIO APIs

Step 1: Physical Connection & Network Setup

1. Connect the E316 to your PC using the provided Ethernet cable.
2. Ensure your network adapter is set to 1000 Mbps Full Duplex (E316 won't work at lower speeds).
3. Configure your PC's Ethernet adapter to the same subnet:
   • Set static IP: 192.168.1.50 (or any 192.168.1.x except .10)
   • Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
4. Power on the E316 and wait for the LED to stabilize (about 30 seconds).
5. Test connectivity: ping 192.168.1.10

Step 2: Choose Your Firmware Mode

The E316 supports two API modes—select based on your software preference:

• UHD Mode: Best for GNU Radio, MATLAB, srsRAN, and OpenWiFi projects
• PlutoSDR IIO Mode: Compatible with SDRangel, GQRX, and IIO-based applications

UHD Setup (GNU Radio & Advanced Applications)

Install UHD on Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install libuhd-dev uhd-host
sudo uhd_images_downloader

Build E316 UHD Driver

git clone https://github.com/MicroPhase/antsdr_uhd.git
cd antsdr_uhd/host
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ../
make -j4
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig

Test UHD Connection

uhd_find_devices
# Should detect: E316 at 192.168.1.10

GNU Radio Setup

Install GNU Radio (Linux)

sudo apt install gnuradio
# Or build from source for latest features:
git clone --recursive https://github.com/gnuradio/gnuradio.git
cd gnuradio && git checkout v3.10.x
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ../
make -j4 && sudo make install

Test GNU Radio with E316

1. Launch GNU Radio Companion: gnuradio-companion
2. Add a UHD: USRP Source block
3. Set Device Arguments: addr=192.168.1.10
4. Set Sample Rate: 2e6 (2 Msps)
5. Set Center Frequency: 100e6 (100 MHz FM band)
6. Connect to Audio Sink and run the flowgraph

SDRangel Setup (PlutoSDR IIO Mode)

Install SDRangel on Windows

1. Download the latest Windows release from SDRangel GitHub
2. Extract and run sdrangel.exe
3. In SDRangel, go to Acquisition → Add sample source
4. Select PlutoSDR from the device list
5. Set Device String: ip:192.168.1.10
6. Click Apply and start reception

Install SDRangel on Linux

sudo apt install sdrangel
# Or build from source:
git clone https://github.com/f4exb/sdrangel.git
cd sdrangel
mkdir build && cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../
make -j4 && sudo make install

Windows Setup (UHD Mode)

1. Download UHD Windows installer from Ettus Research
2. Install GNU Radio for Windows from GNU Radio Wiki
3. Build the E316 UHD driver using Visual Studio or MSBuild
4. Test with uhd_find_devices.exe from Command Prompt

Verify Your Setup

• Network Test: ping 192.168.1.10 should respond consistently
• UHD Test: uhd_find_devices detects the E316
• SDRangel Test: Device connects and shows live spectrum
• GNU Radio Test: USRP Source block receives signals without errors

Sample Applications & Demos

• FM Radio: Tune to 88–108 MHz and demodulate broadcast FM in GNU Radio
• GSM Analysis: Use gr-gsm with the E316 for cellular signal inspection
• WiFi Research: Integrate with OpenWiFi for 802.11 experimentation
• 4G/5G: Deploy srsRAN for cellular base station simulation

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• No device found: Verify Ethernet speed is 1000 Mbps and IP configuration is correct
• Connection timeouts: Check firewall settings and ensure no VPN interference
• Poor RX performance: Verify antenna connections and try different frequency ranges
• GNU Radio crashes: Reduce sample rate and buffer sizes for stability

Advanced Configuration

• MIMO Operation: Enable dual-channel RX/TX in GNU Radio using multiple USRP Source/Sink blocks
• Custom IP: Modify E316 network settings via SSH (login: root, default password varies by firmware)
• FPGA Development: Use Vivado 2023.2 with the E316 FPGA source for custom DSP

Performance Tips

• Use a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet adapter for best performance
• Start with lower sample rates (≤10 Msps) and increase gradually
• For MIMO applications, ensure both channels are configured identically
• Monitor CPU usage—high sample rates require significant processing power

Get Your E316 Today!

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