USB RF / Spectrum analyser that runs on ARM/Linux/Raspberry...?

[dav888]

been on a hunt for "headless" spectrum analysers for the 2.4GHz domain.
needs to be somewhat good quality (i.e. not RF Explorers which are completely out of spec / uncalibrated and unreliable)

Tested both BB60C from http://signalhound.com or Spectran-v6-eco-100xa-6 from http://aaronia.com good but with a big drawback.

API/SDK either requires a binary DLL (no source code) for the signalhounds, aaroina reqiuire a large GUI software to run to act as the bridge. And most important, they can't run on Arm-based linux, i.e. Raspberry PI 5 etc.

I just want a pure python API and a $1000-2000 reliable product that is calibrated in gain and frequency and that can give me a frequency sweep via a simple (preferably open source) API.


Is there something like it out there?

[Bicurico]

Look for portable spectrum analyser with SCPI.

ANRITSU has some portable models that allow SCPI over telnet. This would allow you to remote control the SA from any platform without installing any API.

Siglent has SCPI over telnet, too.

Both options are more expensive than your budget, unless you find a cheap second hand deal

[tautech]

Look for portable spectrum analyser with SCPI.

ANRITSU has some portable models that allow SCPI over telnet. This would allow you to remote control the SA from any platform without installing any API.

Siglent has SCPI over telnet, too.

Both options are more expensive than your budget, unless you find a cheap second hand deal

Perform other tricks.

[Bicurico]

?

[tautech]

?

Oh FFS.
Innocence does not equal you. 
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hack-of-sigllent-spectrum-analyzer-ssa3021x/msg5528860/#msg5528860

[Bicurico]

It took a while for me to get what you meant.

Anyway:

Yes, Siglent spectrum analyser can be hacked, too.

[dav888]

thx, yes anritsu and litepoint makes good rf test systems. unreasonably expensive though

i had a look and the desktop style ones are funny enough affordable and has more primitive / open interfacing options than the sheet-metal/usb ones. problem is I can't have the size and the knobs exposed.

usrp b210 is interesting but not calibrated

[shabaz]

I'm guessing a lot of the USB-interfaced instruments are RTSA's that may be using the attached PC for some of the computation, so that may require x86 since that's the low-hanging fruit for the manufacturer : (

Some of the recent normal swept SAs are single-board internally, operating from a single DC supply; some are also fanless, maybe it's an option to re-package them minus the display and keypad and AC-DC converter? Then normal SCPI can be used. Example screenshots from a signalpath video.

[Bicurico]

Within your price range and requirements I believe the Silent SSA/SVA series are the only option.

Take a look at my blog (link in the signature) for other options. The NWT4000 is a much worse option, but cheap and fully programmable. Perhaps you can live with it's limitations.

[pdenisowski]

Have you looked at the TinySA?

https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.PCSW

Supports Linux and even has a Python library.