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Is there any budget SDR setup for experimenting with mm-wave?

Hamid Boostanimehr
Prodigy 20 points

We would like to do some experiments with millimeter waves (mm-waves). We have experience with software defined radios (SDRs) with center frequencies between 60Mhz to 6GHz, such as USRP B and X series, AD9361, AD9371, hackRF, etc. Our question is whether there is any development board, or general purpose SDR, with features and capabilities similar to SDRs mentioned above, with which we could set up a system and start transmitting and receiving signals with center frequencies preferably around 60GHz.

Basically, what we are looking for is a setup where we can feed our custom baseband signals (IQ data that we construct, in complex-float, complex-int, or complex-short format) over 60GHz band, and receive the baseband IQ data on the other side.

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 36005 points

    HI, there:

    Our mmwave radar device generate FMCW chirps, and the bandwidth can be as wide as 4GHz.  And the receive side, the received signal is mixed with transmit signal and converted down to IF frequency.  The IF bandwidth is in the scale of 10MHz.    I am not sure in your SDR architecture, what is desired bandwidth of your transmit and receive base-band signal.

    Best,

    Zigang

  • 0 in reply to zigang Yang
    Prodigy 20 points

    Hi Zigang,

    Thank you for your response. My understanding is that your radar device is capable of only generating one type if signal, which is an FMCW chirp signal. It cannot transmit custom signals eg an OFDM modulated signal. At the receiver, the transmit and receive signals are mixed so that so that the object range can be resolved through the IF frequency difference. In other words, the type of available transmitted signal, and the structure of the receiver are designed for radar application.

    Please correct me if my understanding from your radar devices is not correct.

    What we are looking for is a setup with which we can transmit custom signals on the transmitter side, and receive and demodulate and decode the information on the receiver side. We would not need 4GHz of bandwidth, up to several 10's of MHz of bandwidth would be enough. Our purpose is to experiment with mm-wave communication to gain a better understanding of the effect of the channel, different types of antennas, and different types of signals on such high frequency. The final objective is making a prototype of some ideas we have for mm-wave communications.

    For sub-6GHz frequencies, such objectives are satisfied by using of-the-shelve SDRs such as USRP products, which are used widely in research and development. We are looking for SDR alternatives for mm wavelength range.

    Best regards,

    Hamid

     

  • 0 in reply to Hamid Boostanimehr
    TI__Mastermind 36005 points

    Hi, Hamid:

    What you understand about TI mmwave radar device is correct.  I do not think it can be used as a SDR platform for 60GHz or 77GHz. What you need sounds like a high performance ADC and DAC device plus RF chain.   You may want to check TI high speed data converter group.

    Best,

    Zigang