====== Grid's TinySA Ultra notes ====== ===== Overall opinion ===== It's a very nice toy, especially given that some hardware isn't available as easily. Seeing devices like, for instance, [[https://accusrc.com/product-Rohde-Schwarz-FSH3-7915|Rohde & Schwarz FSH3]] that cost $2295.00, I appreciate the cheaper device with a wider spectrum. It may be the first widely available device with such capabilities, and I got very interested after watching this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMu5AhSg-TI|optimistic video]]. ===== Capabilities ===== * Swept spectrum analyzer * Waterfall mode (**can't be saved on MicroSD**) * Spectrum screenshots on MicroSD * The minimum resolution bandwidth of 200 Hz * MicroSD configuration storage * Basic RF signal generator * USB-C interface, charging * AM radio you can listen through a 3.5 stereo jack * Self-calibration (100 kHz to 5.34 GHz is stable, separate calibration above 5.34 GHz may require an output source) * Self-testing ===== What's in the box? ===== * TinySA Ultra itself * 32 Gb MicroSD card * 2 SMA male-to-male cables * double SMA female connector * small SMA male telescopic antenna * a nylon loop with a plastic opener for carrying and opening TinySA Ultra * a piece of cardboard with an ad telling you to visit tinysa.org * a piece of plastic to put TinySA Ultra in ===== Buying ===== [[https://zeenko.aliexpress.com/store/5800447|ZeenKo factory store]] is ok and is recommended on the [[https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.Buying|TinySA Wiki]]. The delivery from [[https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2390266376|Hong Kong, Kwun Tong]] to [[https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1387888|Haifa]] took 34 days between Dec 15, 2023 (order), Dec 18, 2023 (shipment) and Jan 18, 2024 (delivery). Currently, TinySA ultra can be bought [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004934403303.html|there]] for ₪456.78 + ₪37.83 for shipment, although I'd expect AliExpress to change costs depending on your location. ===== Linux software ===== [[https://github.com/g4ixt/QtTinySA|QtTinySA]] runs, shows spectrum, and isn't broken in modern Linux. It can't stop on the scan step, which is noticeable on a wide spectrum, but this seems to be the TinySA Ultra issue, not the client software issue. The positioning in 3D mode can be better and having a 2D waterfall mode that's easy to start would have been nice. ===== Communication ===== The ''%%lsusb%%'' command shows TinySA as ''%%0483:5740 STMicroelectronics Virtual COM Port%%''. It's not fast, but it's fast enough to graph the useful representations of the spectrum in many cases. ===== Additional gear ===== I'll list stuff I've bought in addition to the default items here. ==== Attenuators ==== You need to protect the input of your TinySA from excessive load as a strong enough signal may break it. * [[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MZLVY9T|BECEN 10W SMA Attenuator, 40db, DC to 3GHz, 50 Ohm]] was recommended in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mimAMN4Fhi4|this video]] * [[https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=celwave%20DL200-50&siteid=0&customid=&toolid=20012|Celwave DL200-50]] is even more powerful and was recommended in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mimAMN4Fhi4|this video]] ==== Antennas ==== ^ Link ^ Connector ^ Tested ^ Frequency range ^ | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001413001839.html|Wideband directional]] | SMA male | ✔️ | 800 MHz - 6 GHz | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005595884948.html|Several antenna types]] | SMA male, SMA female | ✔️ | 2.4 G, 5 G, 5.8 GHz | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003449393991.html|5 dB]] | SMA male | ✔️ | 2.4G WiFi | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003547862887.html|unidirectional antenna]] | SMA male | ✔️ | 3G, 4G, 5G, GSM | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001386682033.html|unidirectional, 2 PCS/LOT]] | SMA male | ✔️ | 433 MHz | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001039234090.html|UWB]] | ? | ❌ | 2.8 G - 10.5 GHz | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006547042246.html|UWB Sunflower Antenna 48X32MM]] | ? | ❌ | | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003354069168.html|R101C]] | ? | ❌ | 730 MHz - 6.5 GHz | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006262310233.html|HT8 Handheld Log Periodic Antennas]] | ? | ❌ | 0.1-12 GHz | | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005992815924.html|12DBI Antenna]] | ? | ❌ | WiFi | ==== Cables ==== ^ SKU ^ Type ^ Brand ^ Cost ^ | [[https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005202042259.html|RG402?]] | SMA male — SMA male | ATXD | ₪13.23 - ₪24.05 | ===== Use-cases ===== To be honest, I see it as a tool for tinkering, and I'm still learning myself. This is what I can think of right now: * Probing your devices for the parasitic oscillations (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C6p9X8ke7g https://elektrotanya.com/files/forum/2009/10/e04a036.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20200928092922/https://transverters-store.com/active_probe.html) * Radiofrequency spectrum lookup * RF device debug * AM radio listening [[https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.Examples|Usage examples]] on TinySA Wiki. ===== Specifications ===== https://tinysa.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=TinySA4.TechnicalDescription * [[https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/stm32f302vc.pdf|STM32F302]] ARM Cortex M4 MCU * 3000 mAh, 3.7V, 605080-type battery (Li-Ion or Li-Po) according to the [[http://www.kerrywong.com/2023/06/16/tinysa-ultra-teardown-pictures/|teardown]] by [[http://www.kerrywong.com/|Kerry Wong]] * Resistive touchscreen (works OK, but given the capacitive screens everywhere, getting used to it takes time) * ADF4350 PLL ===== Questions ===== I wonder if an adjustment is needed, as scans of spectrum parts are taken in different times and sometimes it's noticeable.