Page 1 of 1
bladerf 2.0 micro initialization and calibration sequence
Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2025 9:30 am
by dave1390
Specific question: When in the initialization/configuration process does baseband DC offset calibration happen for the bladeRF 2.0 micro and where is that in the code? I'm looking at the AD9361 function ad9361_bb_dc_offset_calib and that doesn't seem to be called directly anywhere by the bladeRF so I'm probably missing something.
More generally: When do all the calibrations happen? Are there any that aren't done automatically and need to be done manually? Some need to be done without an RF input, so I want to understand when they happen in the process. Specifically, here's a list of them from the reference manual:
BBPLL VCO calibration
RF synthesizer charge pump calibration
RF synthesizer VCO calibration
Baseband Rx and Tx analog filter tune
Baseband Tx secondary filter tune
Rx TIA calibration
Rx ADC setup
Baseband DC offset
RF DC offset
Rx and Tx quadrature calibration
Re: bladerf 2.0 micro initialization and calibration sequence
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2025 10:12 am
by Lawrence1
Great question, @dave1390 — calibration timing on the bladeRF 2.0 micro can definitely get confusing! From what I’ve seen, most of those calibration routines are triggered automatically through the AD9361 initialization sequence (via ad9361_init())
, rather than being called manually. The baseband DC offset calibration, in particular, is usually part of the RX path bring-up and handled indirectly through ad9361_rx_bb_dc_offset_calib() during setup.
Still, it’s always good to verify which are auto-triggered versus manual — especially since some steps depend on RF input conditions. Thanks for raising this; it’s one of those details that helps everyone better understand the hardware flow.
Re: bladerf 2.0 micro initialization and calibration sequence
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2025 1:33 am
by BenjaminPalmer
I’ve been digging through the same calibration flow and wondering about the exact sequence myself. The AD9361 has a lot of automatic vs. manual calibrations, and it isn’t immediately clear how bladeRF 2.0 triggers them or where each step happens in the code. I’m also curious to know exactly when baseband DC offset calibration is performed and whether any of the listed calibrations need to be manually invoked depending on the application or initialization timing. Looking forward to any insights from someone who has mapped out the AD9361–bladeRF calibration path in detail.
Re: bladerf 2.0 micro initialization and calibration sequence
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2025 1:51 am
by aurasame
The exact sequence is something I've been curious about as I've been searching through the same calibration flow. It isn't immediately apparent how bladeRF 2.0 initiates the many automatic vs. manual calibrations on the AD9361, nor is the exact location in the code where each step occurs. Additionally, I would like to know whether any of the specified calibrations require manual invocation at application or initialization timing, and if so, when is baseband DC offset calibration executed. I am eager to hear from someone who has a thorough understanding of the AD9361-bladeRF calibration route.