European GNU Radio Days '24

27 Aug 2024, 08:00 → 31 Aug 2024, 18:00 Europe/Berlin

Main Lecturing Hall (FAIR - Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe GmbH)

Hervé BOEGLEN (Université de Poitiers Laboratoire XLIM)

Welcome to the European GNU Radio Days '24

The event is proudly hosted at the international accelerator facility FAIR in Darmstadt, Germany's 'City of Science'. It is a seminal event for the Software-Defined-Radio community in Europe. This workshop blends scientific, academic, and industrial applications, fostering collaborations across diverse domains within the GNU Radio community.

This year, we're introducing GNU Radio 4.0, marking a major leap in software-defined radio technology, signal processing, and feedback applications. The workshop aims to bridge the gap between academic research, prototyping, and industrial applications, creating an environment for collaborative development, notably through our GR Block coding party. It's not just a workshop, but a celebration of innovation and community.

What to Expect

The European GNU Radio Days '24 workshop caters to a diverse audience, including seasoned developers, newcomers, and users looking to apply GNU Radio 4.0 to their specific signal-processing or feedback control challenges.

• Hands-on Tutorials & Guided Block Developments  tailored for both users/non-developers and developers, covering:
  • Common Concepts, General Use, and Applications
  • Real-Time Signal-Processing and Feedback Control through Flow-Graphs
  • An array of of Signal-Processing Challenges, from basic to advanced (including fox-hunts & capture-the-flag events)
• Developer-Centric Learning: Advanced training on integrating and extending GNU Radio 4.0, applying learned concepts in a practical setting.
  • Introduction to GNU Radio 4.0, how to integrate, and write your own blocks
  • Timing and Synchronisation Integration
  • Contemporary C++ & hardware acceleration (via SIMD & SYCL)
• 2 Days of Block Coding Party: an immersive coding experience guided by seasoned C++/GR 4.0 trainers, with a ratio of one trainer per 4-8 developers.
• Networking & Connect with professionals from industry, academia, and government organisations, fostering collaborations and community building.

Call for Contributions

We invite contributions from academic researchers, RF and signal-processing engineers, enthusiasts, and industry professionals engaged with the GNU Radio open-source infrastructure. [Dates/deadlines for contributions??]

• Contributed Talks: Share your research, case studies, and innovative applications of GNU Radio in your fields (20" per talk + 10" for discussions).
• Lightning Talks: Present quick insights, new ideas, or early-stage projects in a fast-paced format (5" per talk).
• Hands-On Demonstrations: Showcase practical applications and demonstrations of GNU Radio technology.

We encourage submissions highlighting collaborative efforts, cross-disciplinary approaches, and innovative uses of GNU Radio. Please submit your abstracts through the Indico portal here or below.

Poster & Schedule Overview  (detailed schedule)

 

Poster (pdf, png, svg)

Key Dates

• Conference Dates: Tuesday, August 27 - August 31, 2024
• Call for Contributions: We invite submissions for contributed talks, lightning talks, and hands-on tutorials. This is an excellent opportunity to present your projects and research to a like-minded audience.
• Call for Contributions Deadline: 15th June 2024
• Registration: opens 01.01.2024
• Registration Deadline: 15th July 2024 (number of participants will need to be limited).

Registration and Fees

Cost: 100 EUR per attendee, covering the conference reception and supporting GNU Radio's Educational Fund. Student discounts and fee waivers are available for individuals who otherwise would not be able to attend. Please contact us at info@gnuradio.org to request a discount on your attendance.

Organising Committees

Local Organizing Committee (GSI/FAIR): Maria Aguilera, Alexander Krimm, Semen Lebedev, Jens Stadlmann, Shahab Sanjari, Ralph J. Steinhagen,
Scientific Programme Committee: Jean-Michel Friedt (femto-st), Hervé Boeglen (xlim), Cyrille Morin (INRIA), Derek Kozel (GR), Josh Morman (GR President), Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI/FAIR)

Additional Information

For more details, please visit our website and stay updated on the latest news and announcements. We look forward to welcoming you to an enriching and engaging experience at the European GNU Radio Days '24!

Previous editions of the European GNU Radio Days:

• https://gnuradio-eu-23.sciencesconf.org/
• https://2022.sdra.io/pages/programme.html joint with Software Defined Radio Academy (SDRA)
• https://gnuradio-eu-21.sciencesconf.org/
• https://gnuradio-eu-20.sciencesconf.org/
• https://gnuradio-fr-19.sciencesconf.org/
• https://gnuradio-fr-18.sciencesconf.org/

Data Protection:

This website is subject to art. 13 DSGVO. Please read our data protection information here.

The Event is co-organised by:

poster

• EuGRDays24_poster.pdf
• EuGRDays24_poster.png
• GRDays24_poster.svg

Tuesday, 27 August

All: Welcome

Keynotes

Convener: Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

1 GNU Radio: Lessons from the past, recommendations for taking it to the Future

Eric will speak about the inception of GNU Radio, the initial vision, constraints, and opportunities, as well as the hardware and software targets and how they have evolved over time.

In addition he'll speak to insights in growing and nurturing an active community of developers and users, as well as the importance of the connection between GNU Radio and industry, government, and government-funded organizations.

Speaker: Eric Blossom (GNU Radio)

10:30 Coffee Break

Talks

Convener: Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

2 ...and one to accelerate them all

The European GNU Radio Days '24 are hosted at GSI/FAIR, a research-centre using particle accelerators to investigate the “Universe in the lab”. I will motivate why we use particle accelerators and how they work. The focus being on the reasons behind the layout of the many ring accelerators in our present and future research facility.

Speaker: Dr Jens Stadlmann (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung)

Lightning Talks

Convener: Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

3 Low Cost Direction Finding in Gnu Radio using a Butler Matrix and Adcock Antenna Array

Proposal for a Lightning Talk at the European GNU Radio Days.

Low Cost Direction Finding in Gnu Radio using a Butler Matrix and Adcock Antenna Array

This Talk is supposed to demo a low budget Direction Finding Setup using GNU Radio. Unlike other well explored methods in GNU Radio featuring AoA or TDoA this talk will show the concept of Adcock Antennas using a Butler Matrix that enable even relatively cheap hardware like a PlutoSDR to resolve full 360 degree directions in a Band of Interest.

Structure / Time

• Explaining basic Principals (2min)
  • Adcock Antenna
  • Butler Matrix
• Explaination of the Gnuradio Flowgraph (1min)
• DF Performance measurement in an Anachoic chamber (1min)
• Live Demo / We are Hiring! (1min)

If desired the Presentation can also be extended to 30 Minutes.

The Author

David Hasenauer is a Student of the University of Kassel. He is writing his Master Thesis with Dedrone GmbH exploring Adcock Antennas for use in Dronedetection.

Speaker: David Hasenauer

12:30 Lunch

Users & Developers: Tutorial I - Introduction to GNU Radio 4.0 & Flow-Graph Processing

Conveners: Matthias Kretz (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH), Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

4 Session 1: Introduction to Graph-Based Signal Processing

• What is GNU Radio?
• Why graph-based signal processing?
• History & similarities: from BLODI (1961: Bell Laboratories), SPICE (1973: Berkley), Simulink (1984: Mathworks), LabView (1986: NI), Siemens S7 GRAPH, GNU Radio (2022), Unreal/Unity game engines, ...
• Bridging software engineering and RF/domain expertise
  • C/C++: high-performance, portable, embedded system, heterogeneous computing, industrial deployment
  • Python: domain-specific algorithmic scripting logic (prototyping, PoCs)
  • Graphical: domain-specific signal flow logic (prototyping, industrial deployment/operation)
• Transferring R&D prototype designs into operational/industrial deployments
• Equivalency of Flow Graphs, Hardware and Code Designs
• Example: physical RF blocks <-> equivalent code designs
• Project Goals, Strategy and GR4 Architecture
• Preserve and Grow the Existing Diverse GR Ecosystem
• Clean and Lean Code-Base Redesign
• Simplify Block Development & Performance Optimisations
• Out-of-the Box: Timing System Integration, ...
• Flexible User-Pluggable Work Scheduler (facilitate trade-off: throughput vs. latency)

Speaker: Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

5 Session 2: Thinking in Flow-Graphs

• HowTo getting started with GR3 and GR4
• Anatomy of a GNU Radio Flow Graph: Block, Port, Edge, and Scheduler
• Designing a flow-graph:
• Translating concepts and designs into implementations
• Scaling Prototype designs to real-world applications
• Present Status, Upcoming Features, and Limitations
• Hands-on: Building a simple flow-graph
• Interactive Q&A

Speakers: Alexander Krimm (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research), Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

15:00 Coffee Break

Developers: Tutorial II

Convener: Alexander Krimm (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research)

6 DevTutorial 1: Core API and Block Development

• Setting up a GR4 dev environment
• GNU Radio 4 Core API overview
  - instantiating Blocks
  - adding them to graphs, connecting them and
  - assigning a graph to be executed by a scheduler
  - Merged nodes will be introduced later -> see DevTutorial 3
• Basic to advanced block examples
  • different process_...() forms and their benefits/application
    - one vs bulk
    - std::span vs ConsumableSpan/ProducableSpan API for process bulk
  • tag handling
  • settings
• writing custom schedulers to control latency, throughput, prieorities, etc

Speaker: Alexander Krimm (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research)

7 DevTutorial 2: Modern C++ and Advanced Techniques

In this tutorial, we will explore modern C++ features that can be utilized to develop your own blocks and contribute to the GNU Radio 4 project. Specifically, we will focus on std::ranges and std::algorithm, demonstrating their practical applications in everyday tasks. We will highlight the benefits of these modern techniques compared to traditional C++ styles.

A key aspect of the tutorial will be benchmarking. We will also emphasize the importance of avoiding premature optimization.

We will develop several blocks using modern C++ techniques, showcasing the advantages such as cleaner code and improved performance. Additionally, we will compare processOne and processBulk, discussing when to use each approach.

At the end of the tutorial, we will guide you through the process of contributing to the project, covering our workflow, code review procedures, and Continuous Integration (CI) pipeline.

Speaker: Alexander Krimm (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research)

Users: Tutorial II

Convener: Jean-Michel Friedt (FEMTO-ST/Time & Frequency, Besancon, France)

8 NonDevTutorial 1: getting familiar with GNU Radio Companion (3.10)

• signal types, variables (static/dynamic through UI), basics of discrete time signal processing (real v.s complex, aliasing), time and frequency domain representations, filter characteristics (taps v.s transition bandwidth)
• decoding analog FM sub-bands (audio, stereo, RDS), BPSK signal display at the 57 kHz sub-band (using a pre-recorded file, including SigMF format description, see IQengine.org)

Speaker: Jean-Michel Friedt (FEMTO-ST/Time & Frequency, Besancon, France)

9 NonDevTutorial 2: practical example with correlations (GNU Radio 3.10) on synthetic data

• spectrum spreading for time transfer, from a pure sine wave to a pseudo-random phase sequence for time of flight measurement, correlation in the Fourier domain, interpolation by 0-padding
• CDMA and orthogonal codes

Speaker: Jean-Michel Friedt (FEMTO-ST/Time & Frequency, Besancon, France)

All: Social/Reception On-Site

Wednesday, 28 August

Keynotes

10 Pushing Boundaries: Femtoscale Research with Large-Scale Tech

The next generation of subatomic physics research faces monumental technological challenges. These complexities span multiple domains, from experimental design and the stable operation of accelerators and cutting-edge detectors to the acquisition of high-rate data streams and real-time data analysis, and ultimately to the interpretation of the results. Particularly, the distinction between hardware and software, as well as online and offline computations, will diminish in the next generation of accelerator-driven research. In this talk, I will give an overview of the challenges that occur and being addressed in the design and operation of a near-future experiment in the field of subatomic physics, using the research to be conducted at FAIR in Darmstadt as an example.

Speaker: Johan Messchendorp (GSI/FAIR GmbH)

10:30 Coffee Break

Talks

11 Coherent optical transceivers - current capabilities and future possibilities

With the speed of 400G coherent technology was introduced to pluggable optical transceivers (OIF 400ZR and OpenZR+). This technology is complex and powerful for your network, it even has influence on your network device operating system.
This talk will provide first insight in Nokia's implementation as well as known or potential interoperability issues addressed by the OIForum. If your transport system, router or even switch already provides coherent pluggable transceivers check the available interface parameters. You can send me these CLI outputs / management software screenshots to thomas.weible@flexoptix.net. I will try to include it into the presentation.
And finally new formfactors for 800G and 1,6T will be part of the game as well. Stay tuned....

Speakers: Gerhard Stein (Head of Product Development), Mr Thomas Weible (Chief Technology Officer)

Lightning Talks

12 The cheapest GPSDO yet

This Talk will briefly explain the different working principles of common affordable GPSDOs and demonstrate how to build one using an so far uncommonly used mechanic - disciplining the GPS receivers clock itself.

The full setup:

all we need is ..

• raspberry pi pico 4$ - a 5$ used OCXO from ebay
• an RS41 weathersonde (free, some hunting required)
• some resistors

The components have been selected to be easily available, cheap and easy to solder.

The pico is being used to generate a phase locked 26MHz clock from the 10MHz OCXO. This clock is soldered to the RS41 weathersonde to discipline the gps receiver itself. This enables the GPS receiver to report a clock bias which directly translates to the drift between gps time and our OCXO down to nanoseconds. A simple PWM-DAC on the pico is hereby able to steer the the clock bias with sub nanosecond accuracy - indefinitely.

Unlike most < 1000$ GPSDOs this provides SDRs with a reference this approach has no untracked residual frequency offset. A single initial time synchronization is enough to create hourlong observations in

If a 10min Lightning slot is available, i could go into more detail about the clock generation using only a pico and future plans to miniaturize the concept on a custom PCB. I will bring the working GPSDO to the event and likely even a first PCB iteration.

Speaker: Andreas Gibhardt (Dedrone GmbH)

12:30 Lunch Break

Lab-Tours: UNILAC->SIS18->ESR & FAIR Site

UNILAC->SIS18->GreenIT Cube & FAIR Site
(N.B. registration required)

Conveners: Jens Stadlmann (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung), Shahab Sanjari (GSI Darmstadt)

13 Outreach: Wissenschaft für Alle

All: Social/Reception Off-Site

Thursday, 29 August

Keynotes

14 GNU Radio Project Overview and Update

In this talk, we will explore the latest developments within the GNU Radio organization and highlight significant advancements in the broader community. We will delve into the current state of the project, showcasing key initiatives and collaborations. Additionally, we will present our vision for the future of GNU Radio, emphasizing the pivotal role of GR 4.0 in shaping the project's trajectory and how these advancements will drive the evolution of GNU Radio, fostering greater accessibility and performance for users and developers alike.

Speaker: Josh Morman

15 GNU Radio Q&A

Speaker: Josh Morman

10:30 Coffee Break

Talks

16 Distributed coherent SDR systems: GNU Radio rides the White Rabbit

Software Defined Radio, streaming digitized IQ samples over a network, provides the framework for creating a distributed coherent network of receivers or emitters with the ability to locate (trilateration) or steer (electronic beam steering) the recorded and emitted signals over long baseline, assuming the transceivers are synchronized. Long range time and frequency distribution over Gb Ethernet networks is provided by the White Rabbit framework. We discuss how GNU Radio and White Rabbit, both intensively developed at FAIR following closely related objectives, might merge currently independent frameworks leading to distributed coherent signal processing. Example of carrier synthesis and distributed acquisition using off the shelf hardware will be used to demonstrate the proposed concepts.

Speaker: Dr Jean-Michel Friedt (FEMTO-ST/Time & Frequency, Besancon, France)

slides_eugrd2024.pdf

17 gr4-packet-modem: a QPSK packet modem for GNU Radio 4.0

gr4-packet-modem is a packet-based modem application that is being implemented from scratch for GNU Radio 4.0. The goal of this project is twofold: it serves as a use case to test and benchmark the GNU Radio 4.0 runtime in a realistic digital communications application, and it provides an example of a full system that users will be able to study and customize to their needs. The modem uses QPSK with RRC pulse-shape, but there are provisions for supporting additional MODCODs. It can work either in burst mode, where a packet is only transmitted when there is data, or in stream mode, where packets are transmitted back-to-back and idle packets are inserted when necessary. The modem can be used for IP communications with a TUN device in Linux. The receiver uses some advanced techniques, such as symbol time and carrier frequency and phase estimation with FFT-based syncword correlation.

In this talk I will present the architecture and functionality of the modem, and give an update and demo of the state of the work in progress. This work is funded by a grant from ARDC.

Speaker: Daniel Estévez

Lightning Talks

18 GNU-Radio based SDRs for isotopic and isomeric mass and lifetime measurements in heavy ion storage rings

Non-destructive Schottky detectors can be used to accurately determine the masses and lifetimes of exotic nuclei and their isomeric states in heavy ion storage rings. Single-ion sensitivity has been regularly achieved in the past using resonant cavity detectors. Recent detector designs and analysis methods aim to push the limits of measurement accuracy. A key component is the data acquisition system. GNU Radio based SDRs are not only a better alternative to commercial DAQ solutions, but also offer a flexible and scalable solution that is much more suitable for our future experimental needs.

In this work we report on the use of RF DAQ systems in storage ring experiments, some preliminary measurements and future plans for the integration of GNU Radio based SDRs for storage ring experiments.

Speaker: Shahab Sanjari (GSI Darmstadt)

12:30 Lunch Break

Developers: Tutorial III

Convener: Alexander Krimm (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research)

19 DevTutorial 3: SIMD and Merge-API

• Why should one care? CPU architecture, performance, latency, green computing
• How to think SIMD when using or writing algorithms

Speakers: Matthias Kretz (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH), Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

20 DevTutorial 4: Compile- and Runtime Performance Debugging Tools

• Advanced techniques for optimising signal processing
  • Focus: High-level algorithms rather than micro-optimisations (to avoid premature optimisations)
• Unit-Testing: good API, functional- to system-integration tests
• Benchmarking, profiling, and debugging tools for developers
  • UT/micro Benchmark facilities
  • run-time: GR4 Profiler framework (uses Google's trace format)
  • compile-time: Clang's -ftime-trace facilities (also trace format)
• Implementing secure coding practices

Speakers: Matthias Kretz (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH), Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

Users: Tutorial III

Convener: Jean-Michel Friedt (FEMTO-ST/Time & Frequency, Besancon, France)

21 NonDevTutorial 3: analysis of GPS signals (3.10) on recorded GPS data

• codeless decoding (squared signal for despreading) and autocorrelation
• cross correlation of the recorded signal with Gold codes, searching for the frequency offset compensating for Doppler shift of each satellite API)

Speaker: Jean-Michel Friedt (FEMTO-ST/Time & Frequency, Besancon, France)

15:00 Coffee Break

Developers: Guided Tutorials

Conveners: Alexander Krimm (GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research), Dennis Klein (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH), Dr Ivan Čukić (KDAB), Matthias Kretz (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH), Dr Ralph J. Steinhagen (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH), Dr Semen Lebedev (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH)

Friday, 30 August

Talks

22 Design and Implementation of High-Speed Data Link Receiver Using GNU Radio

High speed data transmission has increasingly become important in satellite communications due to the exponential growth of generated data with the advancement of observation technology such as ultra-high definition 4K cameras. This poses quite a challenge for new space applications, which focus on short development span and cost-effectiveness, by pushing the limits of receiver designs and costs. Moreover, Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) recommends OQPSK/QPSK modulation for high-rate space-to-earth communication in 401.0-B-32 Blue Book. However, this modulation scheme has an inherent issue of phase ambiguity. Therefore, it is of high importance in new space to design OQPSK/QPSK receiver which can reach high data rates, resolves phase ambiguity in a computationally effective way as well as has low cost and neat design without increasing ground station complexity.
In this study, we present a low-cost software-defined radio (SDR) and GNU radio QPSK receiver solution which is capable of reaching 25M sample rate in real-time using only CPU of a computer. The solution includes Satlab GNU Radio OOT blocks to cope with phase ambiguity problem without disturbing data flow between sequential blocks. For that purpose, Satlab’s Phase Stepper and Node Synchronizer OOT blocks are used such that their PDU inputs are connected to the PDU output of frame synchronizer block which is looking for the sync word. Should there be a successful frame synchronization, these blocks preserve their states. If there is no frame lock within the specified samples, Phase Stepper changes the phase. In addition, our method does not involve any parallel branches in GNU Radio nor multiple flows working at the same time, thereby saving computational power and facilitating mission control. We have performed packet error rate measurements using this receiver and found 1% PER sensitivity to be-100dBm for 1M baud rate (2M bit rate). In addition, we make use of satellite two-line element (TLE) data to compensate for doppler shift so that the main receiver structure does not have to perform frequency tracking -which slows down receiver locking time and causes frame losses. The results of this study demonstrate that real-time high data rates can be achieved by GNU Radio and its versatile OOT block-coding feature without compromising communication link performance.

Speaker: Ceren Gulsum Karakose

23 Design and Implementation of an Adaptive Data Rate LoRa Modem for LEO Satellites Using SDR and GNU Radio

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks are pivotal for global communications, particularly in remote and underserved areas. The Long Range (LoRa) communication protocol, primarily utilized in IoT satellite networks due to its low power consumption and long-range capabilities, emerges as an ideal candidate for enhancing LEO communications. This study presents the development of an adaptive data rate LoRa modem specifically tailored for LEO satellite applications, leveraging Software Defined Radio (SDR) and GNU Radio. This approach not only fosters flexibility and scalability in communications technology but also significantly reduces development costs compared to traditional hardware implementations. We detail the design process of the LoRa modem, emphasizing the integration of an adaptive data rate mechanism that optimizes communication in the dynamically changing satellite environment. A crucial feature of our system is adaptively measuring the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) at the receiver sides and determining the LoRa parameters for the next transmission based on the link budget and LoRa receiver sensitivity values for different Spreading Factors (SF) and Bandwidth (BW) values. Key to our methodology is the simulation of the satellite channel, incorporating realistic effects such as Doppler shifts and path losses computed through the SGP4 orbit propagator. This simulation ensures that our modem design can withstand the unique challenges posed by LEO satellite operations. The results indicate promising improvements in bandwidth efficiency and reliability, making a strong case for the adoption of LoRa in future LEO satellite communication systems. This research paves the way for cost-effective, robust satellite communications, enhancing connectivity in an increasingly data-driven world.

Speaker: Meltem Koroglu

10:30 Coffee Break

Developers: Guided Tutorials

12:30 Lunch Break

Developers: Guided Tutorials

15:00 Coffee Break

Developers: Guided Tutorials

All: Feedback & Wrap-Up

Saturday, 31 August

Guided Tutorials cont´d: Committee Meetings, Follow-Ups, Discussions, etc.

commitee, meetings, follow-up, discussions, misc.

summary & orga. for next GF conference