Welcome to the µWave SDR Project
The aim of this project is to create a family of software defined radios (SDRs) for the microwave bands, and maybe lower frequencies also. By using modern components and PCs we hope to encourage activity on the microwave bands with only a small financial outlay, but without sacrificing performance.
The basis of an SDR is to move many of the functions of the IF and audio systems into software, this leaves the hardware to down-convert the operating frequency to a very low IF and then to digitise it to allow for the processing to be done on a PC.
Modular Design
The hardware is designed to be modular. The RF front end incorporates the local oscillator, receive front-end and mixer, transmit mixer and amplifier. The aim is to generate 200mW or more on transmit and have a better than 3dB noise figure on receive.
The RF front end connects to a standardised back-end which contains the analog to digital, the digital to analogue converters, the controlling CPU and the Ethernet interface to the PC. For each new band, only a new front end and a little reprogramming of the CPU is needed.
Open Design
All of the specifications for the hardware and software will be open. The PC software is under the GNU Public Licence (GPL) and the hardware design will be under something equivalent, for example the TAPR Open Hardware Licence (OHL), or the Balloon Board licence. We hope that this openness will encourage others to join in and produce their own RF front-ends and expand the project to other bands.