TAMI - wiki

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====== 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.
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