BATC Forum

Hi,
my first success is, that Portsdown4 makes working LimeSDR mini, everything is fine. But plugging in the Pluto selecting it in the M3 menue, I don´t get any signal at it´s TX. Where to find some info or help, how to "prepare" the Pluto ?.
I am higly motivated with Portsdown, also Mini Tioune RX V2 is working fine.
Who can give me some advice ?
Helmut, DL9SDL

Hi Helmut

You need to extend the frequency range AND load the firmware as discussed on this Wiki Page. https://wiki.batc.org.uk/Portsdown_4_Pl ... o_Firmware

Dave

Another things that stops the Pluto working can be:
a) Not plugged directly into Portsdown
b) Trying to transmit something that the Pluto cannot do. Select 333SR H264 and try. 2000SR Mpeg-2 is not possible but 2000SR H264 looks possible but does not work...

Similar problems with other modes of Portsdown do not always work so check you are trying to get it to transmit something other people already use.

Try the Langstone on your Pluto as well when you get it working (you will need a audio dongle and mouse)

Martin G8LCE

Hi Dave,
hi Martin,
I did try out with 333kB-symbols an a frequency in 23cm-band and DVB-S2 and H264.
I need first to "prepare" the Pluto with the firmware upload, recommended by dave, this I will do next and will report some feedback.
Thanks for the good info.
Helmut, DL9SDL

Further notes about Pluto on Portsdown 4

The latest firmware for Portsdown has some presets that might help. On my Portsdown Preset 4 says 437-Pluto. This worked although the Source was not always Pi screen but CompVid!

Mine will transmit on a locally connected Pluto or a network connected Pluto depending on the Pluto IP address setup in Menu 3 and Pluto Config.
This adds some complication. You have to look at the Pluto conig file in the Pluto. I do this by connecting the Pluto directly to a Windows 10 computer and looking at it with Notepad.
Here is mine:
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

# Analog Devices PlutoSDR Rev.B (Z7010-AD9363)
# Device Configuration File
# 1. Open with an Editor
# 2. Edit this file
# 3. Save this file on the device USB drive
# 4. Eject the device USB Drive
# Doc: https://wiki.analog.com/university/tool ... ustomizing

[NETWORK]
hostname = pluto
ipaddr = 192.168.2.1
ipaddr_host = 192.168.2.10
netmask = 255.255.255.0

[WLAN]
ssid_wlan =
pwd_wlan =
ipaddr_wlan =

[USB_ETHERNET]
ipaddr_eth = 192.168.123.101
netmask_eth = 255.255.255.0
gateway_eth = 192.168.123.254

[SYSTEM]
xo_correction = 39999590
udc_handle_suspend = 0

[ACTIONS]
diagnostic_report = 0
dfu = 0
reset = 0
calibrate = 0

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Things to Note:

Unnder Network this needs to stay the same as it refers to the USB connection. This is the address to use when directly connected to the Portsdown. Don't change the hostname just yet as some software still uses it.

[NETWORK]
hostname = pluto
ipaddr = 192.168.2.1
ipaddr_host = 192.168.2.10
netmask = 255.255.255.0

The network connection is under USB ETHERNET
and this is where you put in your network addresses to match your configuration. This is the Pluto address to use if your Pluto is on your network somewhere remote.
[USB_ETHERNET]
ipaddr_eth = 192.168.123.101
netmask_eth = 255.255.255.0
gateway_eth = 192.168.123.254

My LAN (local gigabit wired network) is based on the addresses 192.168.123.(0-254)
and the router is 192.168.123.254

And one last thing is that rebooting the Portsdown after altering IP addresses etc. may be needed.


Martin G8LCE

Hi friends,
today I carried out the update procedure described in attached doku. Very nice to get shown the Pluto webpage by clicking the info file.
After this update I can access the pluto site again showing I´ve got the french firmware.
Back to the portsdown 4 and plugging in the Pluto at the blue USB port and booting, under Output there is still greyed out the Pluto soft-button. Is there still anything missing to prepare Pluto for proper integration ?

73 Helmut, DL9SDL

Hi OM´s and experts,
may be the reaso for no feedback might be that some more info will be required:
In Menu 42 the button Pluto is in grey. If I press the softbutton anyhow, menu goes back to the main menu and showing Pluto at the output source as active device. By pressing TX, which goes then in red color there is no change and the Logitech C920 doesn´t show blue send LED. By help of Putty I could get access to the Pluto applying a youtube tutorial to expand frequency range to 6GHz. Is there something more to do. Please help.
As said before: with Lime SDRmini Portsdown 4 is sending a DATV signal pretty god, received by the MiniTioune V2.

Kind regards and 73
DL9SDL

I have made lots of Pluto mistakes too. If it's playing up with the Portsdown, I take the Pluto out of the Portsdown enclosure and see how it runs in SATSAGEN on the PC. Spectrum analyser with tracking generator is chosen and a calibration of two attenuators and a cable done. I think the guide says that instructions are sent to turn on the second processor and expand the frequency range are done before each run. Sometimes this is enough to reset Pluto for a return to Portsdown. It's good for morale too on the "I haven't bricked it" front!

The reboot commands at the end of a session in PUTTY are really important to get the frequency expansion and second processor instructions to become permanent.

Viel Glück
David M0YDH

Hi David,
thanks for good hints, may be I am too short time on this matter, but with LimeSDR mini, everything runs find on a Portsdown 2020 system an also on a Portsdown 4 system. Yet no success, after your message, but I describe now what I did.
First connect entering into via info.html and I got connection, also I found my USB por#.
Then I loaded Evariste, F5OEO firmware successfully into Pluto, showing me at info.html the new firmware. Second step was to open Pluto up to 6 GHz by help of this tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V6CxTBDHVY

on Putty I carried out these commands:
# fw_printenv attr_name
attr_name=compatible
# fw_printenv attr_val
attr_val=ad9364
# fw_printenv attr_name
attr_name=compatible
# reboot
Was this the right way to proceed ? did I do something not in the right way or sequence ? I get the feeling, there is missing only a small step. Please help me to make me more mutual user of the DATV community.
Big thanks in advance
Helmut, DL9SDL

Helmut

Some questions:

How is your Pluto connected to your Portsdown?

What software version does your Pluto report when you log in to it? You should get somenthing like this:
The version you need is: v0.31-4-g9ceb-dirty

Dave