Setting gains for bladeRF not working

[oscarmezyk]

Hi,

please have a look on the output:

Initializing GNSS-SDR v0.0.10 ... Please wait. Logging will be written at ./logs OsmoSdr arguments: bladerf=0 gr-osmosdr v0.1.4-127-g4d83c606 (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.13.4 built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl rtl_tcp uhd hackrf bladerf rfspace airspy soapy redpitaya [bladeRF common] init: DEBUG: entering initialization [bladeRF source] init: Opening Nuand bladeRF with device identifier string '*:instance=0' [bladeRF source] Device: Nuand bladeRF Serial # 5c77...5e15 FW v1.8.0 FPGA v0.9.0 [bladeRF source] init: Buffers: 512, samples per buffer: 4096, active transfers: 32 [bladeRF source] bladerf_source_c: DEBUG: initialization complete Actual RX Rate: 4000000.000000 [SPS]... Actual RX Freq: 1575420000.000000 [Hz]... PLL Frequency tune error 0.000000 [Hz]... [WARNING @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf1/bladerf1.c:1803] bladerf1_get_gain_stage: gain stage 'LNA' invalid Actual LNA Gain: 0.000000 dB... [WARNING @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf1/bladerf1.c:1803] bladerf1_get_gain_stage: gain stage 'VGA1' invalid Actual VGA1 Gain: 0.000000 dB... [WARNING @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf1/bladerf1.c:1803] bladerf1_get_gain_stage: gain stage 'VGA2' invalid Actual VGA2 Gain: 0.000000 dB... Actual Bandwidth: 28000000.000000 [Hz]...

Clearly gains stages are not recognized. I could not tell which library is really responsible for this - it is most probably somewhere in osmo-sdr implementation that these values are not transfered properly to libbladeRF. I have noticed that others don't see this issue when using older setups: [/issues/233]

Any hints where to look for? thanks

[BushraAnsarii]

Hey, I m facing the same problem. your problem is resolved or still facing it?

[oscarmezyk]

Hi, I haven't been playing with it too much recently, but quick check shows issue is still there.

I'm using: v0.0.10.git-next-8934473 gr-osmosdr v0.1.4-127-g4d83c606 (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.13.4 bladeRF: FW v2.3.2 FPGA v0.10.2

In the end using bladeRF-cli was fine for me. best regards

[BushraAnsarii]

linux; GNU C++ version 7.3.0; Boost_106501; UHD_003.010.003.000-0-unknown

Initializing GNSS-SDR v0.0.10.git-next-8525782c ... Please wait. Logging will be written at "/tmp" Use gnss-sdr --log_dir=/path/to/log to change that. OsmoSdr arguments: bladerf=0 gr-osmosdr v0.1.4-127-g4d83c606 (0.1.5git) gnuradio 3.7.11 built-in source types: file osmosdr fcd rtl_tcp uhd bladerf rfspace redpitaya [bladeRF common] init: DEBUG: entering initialization [bladeRF source] init: Opening Nuand bladeRF with device identifier string '*:instance=0' [bladeRF source] Device: Nuand bladeRF Serial # 8ea3...8318 FW v2.3.1 FPGA v0.10.2 [bladeRF source] init: Buffers: 512, samples per buffer: 4096, active transfers: 32 [bladeRF source] bladerf_source_c: DEBUG: initialization complete Actual RX Rate: 4000000.000000 [SPS]... Actual RX Freq: 1575420000.000000 [Hz]... PLL Frequency tune error 0.000000 [Hz]... [WARNING @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf1/bladerf1.c:1870] bladerf1_get_gain_stage: gain stage 'LNA' invalid Actual LNA Gain: 0.000000 dB... [WARNING @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf1/bladerf1.c:1870] bladerf1_get_gain_stage: gain stage 'VGA1' invalid Actual VGA1 Gain: 0.000000 dB... [WARNING @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf1/bladerf1.c:1870] bladerf1_get_gain_stage: gain stage 'VGA2' invalid Actual VGA2 Gain: 0.000000 dB... Actual Bandwidth: 3000000.000000 [Hz]... Starting a TCP/IP server of RTCM messages on port 2101 The TCP/IP server of RTCM messages is up and running. Accepting connections ... [bladeRF source] start: DEBUG: starting source Current receiver time: 1 s Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 0 for satellite GPS PRN 01 (Block IIF) Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 1 for satellite GPS PRN 09 (Block IIF) Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 2 for satellite GPS PRN 10 (Block IIF) Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 3 for satellite GPS PRN 11 (Block IIR) Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 4 for satellite GPS PRN 12 (Block IIR-M) Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 5 for satellite GPS PRN 13 (Block IIR) Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 6 for satellite GPS PRN 14 (Block IIR) Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 7 for satellite GPS PRN 15 (Block IIR-M) Current receiver time: 2 s Loss of lock in channel 1! Loss of lock in channel 2! Tracking of GPS L1 C/A signal started on channel 1 for satellite GPS PRN 09 (Block IIF) Loss of lock in channel 3!

[BushraAnsarii]

Hey, do you have any idea how to solve it?

[oscarmezyk]

If you mean how to repair it - no, I don't. But to set gains you can just use bladeRF-cli -i before starting gnss-sdr. BladeRF will remember all settings until you reset / reboot. b.r.

[erhankarakoca]

Hi,

Also, I'm facing the same problem. I'm using bladeRF-xA9 with following properties Firmware version : 2.3.2 FPGA version : 0.10.2 gr-osmosdr : 0.1.5 gnuradio : 3.7.11

After a quick web search I found that :

"On the bladeRF x40/x115, RX gain is implemented using three gain stages: LNA, rxvga1, and rxvga2. On the bladeRF xA4/xA9, there is one gain stage, full."

However the example bladeRF config file designed for the LNA, rxvga1 and rxvga2 gains. That's the why these errors are occurring (maybe it is deeper than that idk). When I comment SignalSource.gain and SignalSource.if_gain in the config file, errors are disappeared but I am sure that still GNSS-SDR not working correctly ( a lot of loss of locks happening) with bladeRF-xA9. So I'm wondering ;

1. Is there anyone can run GNSS-SDR with bladeRF-xA9/xA4 (not bladeRF x40/x115) ?
2. Is it possible to say that GNSS-SDR not working on bladeRF xA4 / xA9 because there is no defined parameter "full" in the config file for those devices ? Is there any way to edit the .conf file to enable bladeRF-xA9?
3. And may be more importantly I am very suspicious about it ; I hope it is not happening because of the lack of bladeRF-xA9 support on GNSS-SDR.****

I'm waiting for answers and solutions, Thanks.

Here is the copy of the terminal:

[bladeRF source] init: Opening Nuand bladeRF with device identifier string '*:instance=0' [bladeRF source] Device: Nuand bladeRF 2.0 Serial # 6b8b...5a65 FW v2.3.2 FPGA v0.10.2 [bladeRF source] init: Buffers: 512, samples per buffer: 4096, active transfers: 32 [bladeRF source] bladerf_source_c: DEBUG: initialization complete Actual RX Rate: 2000000.000000 [SPS]... Actual RX Freq: 1575419998.000000 [Hz]... PLL Frequency tune error -2.000000 [Hz]... [ERROR @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf2/rfic_fpga.c:553] _rfic_fpga_get_gain_stage: unknown gain stage 'LNA' [bladeRF source] get_gain: Could not get gain for stage 'LNA': Invalid operation or parameter Actual LNA Gain: 0.000000 dB... [ERROR @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf2/rfic_fpga.c:553] _rfic_fpga_get_gain_stage: unknown gain stage 'VGA1' [bladeRF source] get_gain: Could not get gain for stage 'VGA1': Invalid operation or parameter Actual VGA1 Gain: 0.000000 dB... [ERROR @ host/libraries/libbladeRF/src/board/bladerf2/rfic_fpga.c:553] _rfic_fpga_get_gain_stage: unknown gain stage 'VGA2' [bladeRF source] get_gain: Could not get gain for stage 'VGA2': Invalid operation or parameter Actual VGA2 Gain: 0.000000 dB... Actual Bandwidth: 18000000.000000 [Hz]... [bladeRF source] start: DEBUG: starting source

[lenhart]

currently at a related problem and wanted to point out for future onlookers that the last comment by @erhankarakoca uses a different bladeRF than above (path says "..board/bladerf2/..").

This issue/report #431 mentions that setting the gains manually before starting gnss-sdr works. (maybe a solution until a proper fix is found)