library / tools / firmware mismatch ... can't load FPGA

[blrfuser]

Hello,

I have successfully updated my bladeRF device to the newest firmware and FPGA versions - bladeRF-cli reports:

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  Firmware version:           1.8.1
  FPGA version:               0.1.2

If I boot into the gnuradio liveCD, I can see the FPGA enabled and I can run 'bladerf-kalibrate' ('kal') successfully and see nearby GSM stations. Everything seems to work just fine. In the gnuradio liveCD, I have version 1.1.2-git-7bcef41 of bladerf software and libraries. I have version 1.0.17-1ubuntu2 of libusb and libusb-dev.

BUT, if I boot kali linux, things change - they stop working. Now bladeRF-cli tells me:

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  Firmware version:           1.8.1
  FPGA version:               Unknown (FPGA not loaded)

and I see these versions of software:

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  bladeRF-cli version:        1.2.1-git-8ec3f65
  libbladeRF version:         1.4.3-git-8ec3f65

When I try to run bladerf-kalibrate, I get this error:

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# kal -s GSM850
Actual filter bandwidth = 29909 kHz
rxvga1 = 0 dB
rxvga2 = 0 dB
[ERROR] Could not read from si5338 (-5): File or device I/O failure
Error setting RX sampling rate
error: bladeRF_source::open

I wonder if it is obvious what my error is ?

Thanks.

[blrfuser]

The big clue here is this line:

FPGA version: Unknown (FPGA not loaded)

If the FPGA is not loaded, then attempting to do things with the device won't work. (This also tells me that Kalibrate-bladeRF isn't checking if the FPGA is loaded after opening the device, which is rather user un-friendly and warrants a fix.)

My guess is that Kali doesn't appear to have the bladeRF FPGA stored in one of its "software autoload" locations. Therefore, unlike the other situations, when libbladeRF's bladerf_open() function is called, it is not automatically finding and loading an FPGA image for you. (Does Kali have the FPGA images at all on it?)

As an experiment with Kali -- wget an FPGA image from the Nuand site, and then load it with the CLI (via the -l option, or "load fpga <filename>" from the interactive mode). I believe you'll be up and running then.


Just one other quick question -- why are you running kalibrate-bladerf? Just as a sanity check? Note that the VCTCXO is factory calibrated, so you shouldn't really be needing to adjust it unless you observe significant frequency offset. Also, kalibrate-bladerf doesn't work well at all and needs some serious love; I'd recommend against using it. Among other things, it needs an appropriate filter added to the receive path, as I believe neighboring GSM channels will confuse it.

Thanks for your response. I am not sure if you saw, however, that the board (and the FPGA) function and work properly when I boot into the gnuradio liveCD.

So it is *only* when booting into kali linux that it fails to function. So I believe this shows that the firmware/FPGA are fine and working, since they work great in ubuntu-gnuradio-livecd.

So I am just trying to see what about the kali environment (the libraries, I think) is confused ... or what is confusing the FPGA.

In response to your other question, I am not trying to calibrate the board - I am using the 'kal' tool because I actually want to identify my nearby GSM towers. That's the actual purpose I am using the board for.

Thanks.

[blrfuser]

SOLVED.

Thank you for your help.

kali linux was NOT loading an FPGA image at all, so I just had to download the proper FPGA image for my device, load it with bladeRF-cli, and the device is working now.

Thank you.