📡 BladeRF Micro A4

Complete Setup and Configuration Guide

Professional SDR device for RFS-Portable-BTS IoT security testing

🎯 BladeRF Micro A4 Overview

The BladeRF Micro A4 is a compact, high-performance software-defined radio (SDR) device designed for professional RF applications. It provides excellent performance for GSM BTS operations and IoT security testing with RFS-Portable-BTS.

✅ Key Features

Compact form factor, excellent RF performance, USB 3.0 connectivity, and professional-grade specifications for IoT security testing applications.

📊 Technical Specifications

📡 RF Specifications

  • Frequency Range: 47 MHz - 6 GHz
  • Bandwidth: Up to 56 MHz
  • Sample Rate: Up to 61.44 MSPS
  • Resolution: 12-bit ADC/DAC
  • Gain Control: 0-60 dB
  • Phase Noise: -100 dBc/Hz @ 10 kHz

🔌 Connectivity

  • USB 3.0 SuperSpeed
  • Power over USB
  • External power option
  • GPIO expansion
  • Clock input/output
  • Trigger I/O

📏 Physical

  • Dimensions: 85 x 60 x 15 mm
  • Weight: 45 grams
  • Operating Temperature: -10°C to +70°C
  • Storage Temperature: -40°C to +85°C
  • Humidity: 5% to 95% RH
  • Power Consumption: 2.5W typical

🔧 Installation and Setup

Hardware Installation

#!/bin/bash
# BladeRF Micro A4 Installation Script

echo "Installing BladeRF Micro A4 support..."

# Install dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y \
    build-essential \
    cmake \
    pkg-config \
    libusb-1.0-0-dev \
    libusb-1.0-0 \
    libfftw3-dev \
    libad9361-dev \
    libiio-dev \
    libiio-utils

# Install BladeRF host library
cd /tmp
git clone https://github.com/Nuand/bladeRF.git
cd bladeRF
git checkout 2023.07

# Build and install
mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local ..
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig

# Install firmware
sudo bladeRF-cli --flash-firmware /usr/local/share/Nuand/bladeRF/hostedx40.rbf

echo "BladeRF Micro A4 installation completed"

USB Configuration

# Create udev rules for BladeRF
sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/88-bladerf.rules > /dev/null << 'EOF'
# BladeRF Micro A4
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="2cf0", ATTRS{idProduct}=="5246", MODE="0666", GROUP="plugdev"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="2cf0", ATTRS{idProduct}=="5250", MODE="0666", GROUP="plugdev"

# BladeRF x40
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="2cf0", ATTRS{idProduct}=="5246", MODE="0666", GROUP="plugdev"

# BladeRF x115
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="2cf0", ATTRS{idProduct}=="5250", MODE="0666", GROUP="plugdev"
EOF

# Reload udev rules
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
sudo udevadm trigger

# Add user to plugdev group
sudo usermod -a -G plugdev $USER

echo "USB configuration completed. Please log out and log back in."

🔍 Device Verification

Hardware Detection

#!/bin/bash
# BladeRF Micro A4 Verification Script

echo "=== BladeRF Micro A4 Verification ==="

# Check USB connection
echo "Checking USB connection..."
lsusb | grep -i "2cf0:5246" && echo "✓ BladeRF Micro A4 detected" || echo "✗ BladeRF Micro A4 not found"

# Check device permissions
echo "Checking device permissions..."
ls -la /dev/bus/usb/*/2cf0:5246 2>/dev/null && echo "✓ Device accessible" || echo "✗ Device not accessible"

# Test BladeRF CLI
echo "Testing BladeRF CLI..."
bladeRF-cli --version && echo "✓ BladeRF CLI working" || echo "✗ BladeRF CLI not working"

# Check device info
echo "Getting device information..."
bladeRF-cli -i 2>/dev/null | head -20

# Test basic functionality
echo "Testing basic functionality..."
bladeRF-cli -e "set frequency rx 900M; set frequency tx 900M; print" 2>/dev/null && echo "✓ Basic functionality OK" || echo "✗ Basic functionality failed"

echo "=== Verification Complete ==="

Performance Testing

#!/bin/bash
# BladeRF Micro A4 Performance Test

echo "=== BladeRF Micro A4 Performance Test ==="

# Test different frequency bands
frequencies=("900M" "1800M" "1900M" "2100M" "2600M")

for freq in "${frequencies[@]}"; do
    echo "Testing frequency: $freq"
    
    # Set frequency and measure performance
    bladeRF-cli -e "set frequency rx $freq; set frequency tx $freq; print" 2>/dev/null
    
    # Test sample rate
    bladeRF-cli -e "set samplerate rx 10M; set samplerate tx 10M; print" 2>/dev/null
    
    echo "Frequency $freq test completed"
    echo "---"
done

# Test bandwidth capabilities
echo "Testing bandwidth capabilities..."
bandwidths=("1M" "5M" "10M" "20M" "40M")

for bw in "${bandwidths[@]}"; do
    echo "Testing bandwidth: $bw"
    bladeRF-cli -e "set bandwidth rx $bw; set bandwidth tx $bw; print" 2>/dev/null
done

echo "=== Performance Test Complete ==="

⚙️ YateBTS Configuration

BladeRF Configuration

# Add to yatebts.conf
[transceiver]
# BladeRF Micro A4 configuration
type=bladerf
device=bladerf:0
frequency=900000000
bandwidth=20000000
samplerate=20000000
gain=40
tx_gain=40
rx_gain=40

# Advanced settings
dc_correction=yes
iq_correction=yes
loopback=no
calibration=auto

# Power management
power_save=no
standby_mode=no

# Clock settings
clock_source=internal
clock_ref=38.4M

# GPIO configuration
gpio_mode=disabled
gpio_direction=0x00
gpio_value=0x00

GSM Configuration

# GSM BTS configuration for BladeRF Micro A4
[gsm]
# Frequency settings
arfcn=1
frequency=900000000
band=GSM900

# Power settings
power=20
max_power=23
min_power=5

# Timing settings
ta_max=63
ta_step=1

# Channel configuration
channels=8
max_channels=8

# Handover settings
handover_threshold=-85
handover_margin=3

# Cell parameters
cell_id=1
lac=1
mcc=001
mnc=01
cell_name=RFS-Portable-BTS

📊 Performance Optimization

🎯 RF Optimization

  • Optimal gain settings
  • Frequency calibration
  • DC offset correction
  • IQ imbalance correction
  • Phase noise optimization
  • Spurious signal reduction

⚡ System Optimization

  • USB 3.0 optimization
  • Buffer size tuning
  • CPU affinity settings
  • Memory optimization
  • Power management
  • Thermal management

🔧 Software Tuning

  • Driver optimization
  • Kernel parameters
  • Real-time scheduling
  • Interrupt handling
  • DMA configuration
  • Buffer management

Optimization Script

#!/bin/bash
# BladeRF Micro A4 Optimization Script

echo "Optimizing BladeRF Micro A4 performance..."

# Set CPU governor to performance
echo performance | sudo tee /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_governor

# Increase USB buffer sizes
echo 1000 | sudo tee /sys/module/usbcore/parameters/usbfs_memory_mb

# Set real-time priority for BladeRF processes
echo "@yatebts soft rtprio 99" | sudo tee -a /etc/security/limits.conf
echo "@yatebts hard rtprio 99" | sudo tee -a /etc/security/limits.conf

# Optimize kernel parameters
cat << 'EOF' | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf
# BladeRF optimization
net.core.rmem_max = 134217728
net.core.wmem_max = 134217728
net.core.rmem_default = 65536
net.core.wmem_default = 65536
kernel.sched_rt_runtime_us = -1
kernel.sched_rt_period_us = 1000000
EOF

# Apply kernel parameters
sudo sysctl -p

# Create optimized BladeRF configuration
cat << 'EOF' > /opt/yatebts/bladerf-optimized.conf
[transceiver]
type=bladerf
device=bladerf:0
frequency=900000000
bandwidth=20000000
samplerate=20000000
gain=45
tx_gain=45
rx_gain=45
dc_correction=yes
iq_correction=yes
buffer_size=16384
num_buffers=32
stream_timeout=1000
EOF

echo "BladeRF Micro A4 optimization completed"

🔧 Troubleshooting

❌ Common Issues

  • Device not detected
  • Permission denied errors
  • Firmware issues
  • USB connection problems
  • Performance issues
  • Calibration failures

🔍 Diagnostic Commands

  • USB device listing
  • Permission verification
  • Firmware status check
  • Performance testing
  • Signal quality analysis
  • System resource monitoring

Diagnostic Script

#!/bin/bash
# BladeRF Micro A4 Diagnostic Script

echo "=== BladeRF Micro A4 Diagnostics ==="

# Check USB connection
echo "1. USB Connection Check:"
lsusb | grep -i "2cf0:5246" && echo "✓ Device found" || echo "✗ Device not found"

# Check permissions
echo "2. Permission Check:"
ls -la /dev/bus/usb/*/2cf0:5246 2>/dev/null && echo "✓ Permissions OK" || echo "✗ Permission issues"

# Check firmware
echo "3. Firmware Check:"
bladeRF-cli --flash-firmware --info 2>/dev/null | grep -i "firmware" && echo "✓ Firmware OK" || echo "✗ Firmware issues"

# Check driver
echo "4. Driver Check:"
lsmod | grep -i bladerf && echo "✓ Driver loaded" || echo "✗ Driver not loaded"

# Test basic functionality
echo "5. Basic Functionality Test:"
bladeRF-cli -e "print" 2>/dev/null && echo "✓ Basic functionality OK" || echo "✗ Basic functionality failed"

# Check system resources
echo "6. System Resources:"
echo "CPU Usage: $(top -bn1 | grep "Cpu(s)" | awk '{print $2}' | cut -d'%' -f1)%"
echo "Memory Usage: $(free | grep Mem | awk '{printf("%.1f%%", $3/$2 * 100.0)}')"
echo "USB Bandwidth: $(cat /sys/kernel/debug/usb/devices | grep -A 10 "2cf0:5246" | grep "MaxPower" | head -1)"

# Check thermal status
echo "7. Thermal Status:"
if [ -f /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone*/temp ]; then
    temp=$(cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone*/temp | head -1)
    temp_c=$((temp/1000))
    echo "CPU Temperature: ${temp_c}°C"
    [ $temp_c -lt 70 ] && echo "✓ Temperature OK" || echo "⚠ High temperature"
fi

echo "=== Diagnostics Complete ==="

🚀 Configure BladeRF Micro A4

Set up your BladeRF Micro A4 for optimal performance with RFS-Portable-BTS

📖 Installation Guide 🔧 Troubleshooting 💬 Community Support