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Software Defined Radio Direction Finding

This document discusses software defined radio direction finding (SDRDF). It provides a brief history of DF and describes how Doppler shift from a rotating antenna can be used to determine the direction of a radio transmission. Pseudo-Doppler techniques that electronically switch between fixed antennas are also presented. The document outlines how SDR techniques can be used to perform software defined RDF, including modifying a USRP to control an antenna array and signal processing techniques to extract the Doppler tone. Practical considerations for using SDRDF such as multipath interference are also discussed.

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Ion Vasilescu
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96 views57 pages

Software Defined Radio Direction Finding

This document discusses software defined radio direction finding (SDRDF). It provides a brief history of DF and describes how Doppler shift from a rotating antenna can be used to determine the direction of a radio transmission. Pseudo-Doppler techniques that electronically switch between fixed antennas are also presented. The document outlines how SDR techniques can be used to perform software defined RDF, including modifying a USRP to control an antenna array and signal processing techniques to extract the Doppler tone. Practical considerations for using SDRDF such as multipath interference are also discussed.

Uploaded by

Ion Vasilescu
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Introduction to Software Defined Radio Direction Finding
  • DF Usage
  • Historical Background
  • Direction Finding for HF
  • Amateur Radio Direction Finding
  • (Pseudo-) Doppler DF
  • Doppler Effect Recap
  • Siren Misconception
  • Visual Example of Doppler Effect
  • Cosmological Redshift
  • Frequency Modulation 101
  • Physically Rotated Antenna
  • Doppler Shift Principles
  • Sine Wave and Signal Direction
  • Mechanical Rotation Rate
  • Simulating Pseudo-Doppler
  • Electronically Rotated Antenna
  • Homemade RDF Kits
  • Block Diagram Explanation
  • Circuit Diagram Overview
  • Mobile Antenna Systems
  • Advanced RDF Installations
  • Software Defined RDF Introduction
  • GUI Interface and Operations
  • Antenna Array Configurations
  • Antenna Switch Mechanism
  • FPGA Modifications
  • Benefits of FPGA Usage
  • Hardware Challenges and Solutions
  • USRP Board Customization

DUFF DUFF

SoftwareDefined
RadioDirectionFinding

BalintSeeber,ApplicationsEngineer
balint@[Link]
@spenchdotnet

NotesandlinksinPDFcommentsoneachslide

DFUsage
Radionavigation
PredecessortoRADAR

SIGINT
Emergencyaid
Avalancherescue

Wildlifetracking
Reconnaissance
Trajectorytracking

Sport?!

Rotatable
loopantenna

History
WWI&II
Ystationsalongthe
Britishcoastline
Findbearingto
UboatsinAtlantic
UAdcocksystem
Four10mhighvertical
aerialsaroundhut
DFgoniometer
(anglemeasurement)&
radio

DFforHF
HF:330MHz
longwavelengths largedistances

HF/DF=HUFFDUFF!
UsedforSIGINT
Largeinstallations:
AN/FLR9arraynear
Augsburg,Germany

AmateurRDF
Foxhunts
Competitoron
2meterband
ARDFcourse
HighlydirectionalYagiantenna

CrazyseriousGermanHAM

(Pseudo)DopplerDF
ExploitDopplershiftingofradiowavescaused
bymotionofanantenna
Measuretheshiftindetectedsignal
Determinedirectionoftransmission

Recap:DopplerEffect

Aside:SirenMisconception
theobserved frequencyincreases asthe
objectapproachesanobserverandthen
decreases onlyastheobjectpassesthe
observer.
Highersoundpressurelevelsmakefora
smalldecreaseinperceivedpitchinlow
frequencysounds,andforasmallincreasein
perceivedpitchforhighfrequencysounds.

ASwan

Doppler
Effect

CosmologicalRedshift

Expansionofspace,notmotionofradiatingobject!

FrequencyModulation101
Main
transmission
frequency
(e.g.105.7MHz)

Analogordigital
Informationto
betransmitted

Frequencymodulationchangesthecarriersfrequency
Movesthecarrierslightlyleft/rightofits
originalpositiononfrequencyplot

PhysicallyRotatedAntenna

JosephMoell,
TransmitterHunting:
RadioDirection
FindingSimplified,
1987(McGrawHill)

DopplerShift
Dopplershiftofreceivedsignalusedto
calculateangleoftransmitter
EasywithanFMradio!
FrequencyModulation:
Shiftsthecentre(carrier)frequencyaboutbased
ontheoriginalmodulatingsignal
Dopplershiftjustmovesitaroundsomemore

FMreceiverdetectsDopplerasanextratone!

Extratone:sinewave

[Link]

MechanicalRotationRate
Dopplerequationrelates:
Dopplershift
Radiusofantenna
Angularvelocity(rotationrate)
Frequencyofsignal

Forasmallantennasetuptunedto2m
wavelength(~150MHz),requires:

38600

RPM

~643rot/sec

PseudoDoppler
Arrayoffixed antennas
Switchelectronically betweenthem
Simulatephysicalrotation

ElectronicallyRotatedAntenna

HomemadeRDF
RoanokeDoppler
Fourantennas
Controlbox
Pluginanystandard
FMradio
LEDsindicatedirection

JosephMoell,
TransmitterHunting:
RadioDirectionFindingSimplified,
1987(McGrawHill)

BlockDiagram

CircuitDiagram

MobileRoanoke

Timetogocolour

SoftwareDefinedRDF
Doitinsoftware!

SoftwareDefinedRDF

Antenna
Array

AntennaSwitch

FPGAModification
UseUSRPclock
controlantenna
array

Mapsamplecounters
bitstounusedGPIO

ModificationBonuses
UsingFPGAclockensuresantennaswitchingis
inlockstepwithsamplesarrivingathost
Sameclockdomain hostsidejustworks
Usehostgeneratedsinewaveasreference

FPGAssamplecounterbeginsatzeroforeach
streamstart
Calibratearrayorientationjustonce

Powersupply

B00M!

USRPSurgery

Power
supply

Receiver

Processing&Display

Switchingaffectingspectrum

SignalProcessing

Tricks
Onlyneedtoknow:
1. Samplerate(FPGAclock/decimation)
2. WhichbitofsamplecounterisMSBofswitch

(64MHz/256)=250ksps
31st and32nd bitsused
250k/32=7.8125kHztone
ForXlatedecim5 &1024FFTbins,tonesitsin:
((250ksps/5)/1024)*7812.5=160exactly

MagicofSDR
FM(quadrature)demodulation:
Multiplycurrentsignalsamplebycomplexconjugateof
previousoneandfindtheargument(angle)
for (int i = 0; i < noutput_items; i++) {
gr_complex product = in[i] * conj(in[i-1]);
out[i] = d_gain * arg (product);
}

Dopplersinewave

Frequencyplot(FFT)ofFMdemodulatedsignal

Dopplersinewave

PureDopplersinewaveafterfiltering
Reference
Measured

Findatarget

TelstraToweronCouncilSt

KnownTransmitter

Start

Drive

DirectionMeasurement

Complications
LineOfSight
Bewareofreflections
Descendingintovalley

Reflectionsinurbanareas
MultiplewavefrontswillconfuseFMdetector
Doppler

Complications:Coogee

Lineofsight

Listen:Multipath
Multiplereflections
confusingFMdetector
DC

Phase(range)

Strength

Inchforwarduntilaudioclearsup

Done

Closerto(mynew)home

HonDF

PoliceChecklist

Carsregopaper
AmateurRadiolicence
Antennastructuralredundancy
Dresscode
Cleanshaven
HideMotorolaXTSradios
Avoidturningaroundandtryingtodesperately
disconnectantennas

Videos:
SDRDFtalkgiven atRuxmonSydney
DFphasecalculationinGNURadioflowgraph

balint@[Link]
[Link]

@spenchdotnet

“DUFF DUFF” Software Defined Radio Direction Finding Balint Seeber, Applications Engineer balint@ettus.com @spenchdotnet Note
DF Usage • Radio navigation – Predecessor to RADAR • SIGINT • Emergency aid – Avalanche rescue • Wildlife tracking • Reconnai
History • WW I & II – Y‐stations along the  British coastline – Find bearing to  U‐boats in Atlantic – ‘U‐Adcock’ system • Fo
DF for HF • HF: 3‐30 MHz – long wavelengths Æ large distances • HF/DF = “HUFF DUFF!” • Used for SIGINT • Large installations:
Amateur RDF • ‘Fox hunts’ • Competitor on  ‘2‐meter band’  ARDF course Highly‐directional Yagi antenna Crazy‐serious German H
(Pseudo‐) Doppler DF • Exploit Doppler shifting of radio waves caused  by motion of an antenna • Measure the shift in detecte
Recap: Doppler Effect
Aside: Siren Misconception “…the observed frequency increases as the  object approaches an observer and then  decreases only 
A Swan Doppler Effect
Cosmological Redshift Expansion of space, not motion of radiating object!

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