Help with software for ADF4351 signal source. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: rwgast_lowlevellogicdesin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2017, 07:28:36 pm
content: Hi I recently bought this off e-bayhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/OLED-display-ADF4351-35MHZ-4-4GHZ-Signal-generator-frequency-RF-signal-source-/331951454897?hash=item4d49d93ab1:g:E2wAAOSwawpXwBl~I cant find any software to control the sweeping etc. I am able to set the freq and attenuation via the front control panel, but that is it. The USB port shows up as a virtual serial port when plugged in to a PC. I noticed all the sources without a screen show up with a cd and mine did not, the Analog Devices demo board software will not recognize my device. I cracked it open and inside there is a Chinese USB/Serial chip the ADF4351 chip in its own RF screen, next to a TCXO and another rf screen which has two 20 pin qfn chips connected to the serial port but they f*cking sanded them... I used a serial terminal to try to connect to the box and nothing. Im hoping someone has a copy of the software that comes with the non oled version of these or owns one of these exact units and knows how to sweep it or the serial protocol. The seller has been very unhelpful about getting software asking me for pictures of the signal source etc...I bought this box becuase I knew the screen would let me use it as a standalone oscillator for microwave freq mixers, but I also want to do antenna work and other things that require sweeping, the 50 dollar ADF4351 sources can sweep so I would think the 100 dollar one should. I dont mind writing some software or even firmware myself but I have no idea what micro this thing uses!

author: cncjerry
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 05, 2017, 08:09:18 pm
content: Look on the AD site for an eval board for that chip. Most of the time the Chinese sellers copy the eval board specs and consequently the eval software works with their boards as well. Otherwise, look for other vendors selling the same chipset and see if they post the software.

author: rwgast_lowlevellogicdesin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2017, 08:40:21 pm
content: Thats the issue the AD software doesnt detect the signal gen, the AD board uses a cypress FX not a USB/Serial chip. As far as other vendors I cant find there software posted it seems to usually come on a CD. Im hoping someone can send me that software and maybe even tell me what micros are being used.

author: rwgast_lowlevellogicdesin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2017, 02:22:24 am
content: Sorry to bump this but I know there are people on this board with some of these chinese signal sources (non AD reference) that im hoping can either send me there software or at least tell me what chips are used. Or maybe even someone who own the exact same ADF4351 source with a display that knows how to sweep it.The seller is just giving me the run around telling me the usb port is for control but they have no software "hope I can understand, thanks". So I just opened up and e-bay return because $100 is a huge waste for a product with half the functionality as the $60 equivalent. The thing is I really dont want to deal with all this I just want what I ordered to work properly or at the very least come with protocol documentation that I can use to make it work.I have been trying to set up 12 radio telescopes, and some dickie switch power meters for them too, along with SDRs. Between this Signal Source and a batch of noise sources that took 80 days to get to my house im really getting angry! I just want to sweep a wave guide!

author: technogeeky
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2017, 03:44:42 am
content: I don't know what the F is, but there isverygood software available for AD4350 / AD4351 / MAX2870 / MAX2871-based devices. I don't know if it will work for your device (it certainly looks different). But perhaps someone could be enticed to work on it.Check outall of these pages.

author: rwgast_lowlevellogicdesin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2017, 01:31:00 am
content: The chip is an ADF4351, most AD devices in the RF category tack an F on to the part number, When I first decided I wanted a board or product around this chip doing searches for AD4351 drove me up the wall because there was almost no relevant information out there associated with AD4351.Anyways thank you so much for that link I have never even heard of that project, I will be trying the software out and hoping it fits the bill. I definitely would have went for a full NWT400 analyzer/source and not just a signal source if I had known they were out there and only 30 dollars more! If my battle for a return works out I will go down that route.So I guess I was wondering if anyone has the software that came with any of these different ADF4351 boxesCalibrated RF Signal GeneratorTPI Synthesizer/RF Signal Generatoror if you know what other chips are in them besides the ADF4351.You can see the signal source I bought in the ebay link on the first post, Here is what my ADF4351 board inside the case looks like,https://www.dropbox.com/sc/3uyfo8d1ojkdfqe/AABjmPTaRtGKLNuhpcrMJ10ea?n=27653605&oref=eOriginally I had thought the sanded chips were the micro controllers but it turned out the STC 15L2K6052 chip was hot glued under the TCXO. Just curious if anyone has ideas on the sanded chips and if there are other boards that look similar, I cant find any bare adf4351 or nwt400 boards that look even similar

author: MikeLogix
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2017, 03:47:08 am
content: I have the TPI signal source. Purchased awhile ago. It uses a FTDI chip for the USB interface FT245R I think, so I don't know if that software would work for ya since I did not check the USB part your board has.

author: rwgast_lowlevellogicdesin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2017, 07:07:01 pm
content: It uses a Chinese FTDI clone, the one on the one dollar arduinos. Ive tried the NWT4000 software on the appropriate com port I dont think it works right, but the software is in German so im not 100%.Im thinking about mailing the RF-Consultant guy/co that makes the TPI and Caibrated signal sources and seeing if hell send me the software, I really wish I had just bought one of the TPI sources. The only features I need are to be able to set a frequency to use as a LO, which I can do (using front panel), an to be able to sweep within a range which I can not do.

author: Aiy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2017, 08:59:19 pm
content: Hello everyone,I also purchased one of these chinese rf sources (the one with ADF5355) and started digging since there are no links to software support packages anywhere.Anybody interested in some reverse engineering? Probably this requires quite an effort ...Datasheet that mentions the MCU partnumber STC15L2K60S2 (I think you may have misread the 5/S at the end):http://www.stcmicro.com/datasheet/STC15F2K60S2-en.pdfIt would help alot if you take a better pictures, with closeups of the everything so that the orientations (dot) becomes visible.The TCXO cable and text in your image cover alot of the traces so its hard to see where the lines go..Datasheet page 19 LQFP-44 pinout matches the lines going left in under the RF parts, probably to your ADF4351 chip with SPI.Pin 33 MOSIPin 32 MISOPin 31 SCKPin 30 SS?Regarding programming, the datasheet regularly refers to "Keil C development environment", there are some files on the STC website (I have not tried these yet)http://www.stcmicro.com/rar/The datasheet shows how to setup Keil uVision with the STC MCUs on page 841-848Demo code also refers to a headerfile "reg51.h", which the datasheet says "STC ISP tool" can generate.UART1 demo code page 574 using Timer1 and Timer2, usefulUART2 demo code page 609 using Timer1 and Timer2, usefulADC demo code page 670, don't know how useful it is .. any analog stuff on the board?SPI demo code page 806, useful

author: azer
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2017, 12:53:23 pm
content: The source for the usb controller code and the control software from Analog is available herehttps://ez.analog.com/thread/13743#52311The microcontroller is just acting as a bridge by passing register values from the computer to the ADF.Some of the sellers on aliexpress/ebay say they will supply schematic and an example project for the STM32 with the device, so it might be worth to ask some of them.

author: Aiy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 06:31:39 pm
content: Hello everyone,I got a manual and control program for my unit with the ADF5355 from the ebay seller.I have only been able to verify the read id and set frequency commands as I write this. I will proceed to test it with the supplied control program and see if the others work.Here's the manual translated through your favorite online translation tool. Its not perfect, but certainly the gist of it is there,CheersRF signal source series communication protocolRF signal source series of the overall structure of the agreement using the command line, the communication baud rate of 115200bps, issued by the PC command, the implementation of the machine resolution, and then return the results to the PC, the command is limited to lowercase letters a ~ z, , The end of each command symbol for the newline (hexadecimal for the "0x0a"), PC command total length of up to 15 characters (including 0x0a).DDS series module communication command contains three types of commands: w command, r command, c command.Rid command: read the version numberPC returns "rid + 0x0a", the machine returns to the machine model, return the result: ADF4350 (ADF4351) (Note return to the machine model data format are ASCII character format, do not judge the model, as long as the show is OK).One, w commandwfc command: set the frequency valueFormat: wfcxxxxxxxxxxxx + 0x0a, a total of 16 bytes;Where "c" is the channel value, c = 0: write channel 1 frequency value; c = 1: write channel 2 frequency value;Where "xxxxxxxxxxxx" is the frequency value represented by 12 digits, such as:Wf0: write data to channel 1;000123456700 that set the frequency of 1234567.00KHz;wvc command: set the level valueFormat: wvcxxxx + 0x0a, a total of 7 bytes;Where "c" is the channel value, c = 0: write channel 1 amplitude value; RF source has only one channel;Where "xxxx" is the level represented by four digits, such as:wv00100 that set the channel amplitude of 1.0dBm;wv00500 that set a channel amplitude of 5.0dBm;wv00150 indicates that the 1-channel amplitude is set to 1.5 dBm.Note: Since the resolution is 0.5 dBm, the decimal point can only be 0.5 or 0.0, not 0.1,0.2,0.3, etc.wpc command: set the level of positive and negative valuesThe format is: bpcxxxx + 0x0a, a total of 7 bytes;Where "xxxx" is the phase value represented by three digits, such as:wp00000 indicates that the setting level is "-00.0 dBm";wp00001 indicates that the setting level is "+00.0 dBm";

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2018, 06:25:31 pm
content: Hi Aiy,An ADF5355 module has just arrived today to me too.Unfortunately it came to me with the LCD display broken.In the expectation that I resolve the issue with the seller, could you send me the control program so that I can use it?If the file is too big to be attached here I'll send you my email in PM, thanks.

author: toy_with_wires
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 08:00:40 pm
content: Hi,I know this is late, but hopefully it will help anyone else that ends up here, just as I did.I had the same problem of little documentation.This is the one I purchased:https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/35MHz-4-4GHz-PLL-RF-Signal-Frequency-Synthesizer-ADF4351-Development-Board-HighQ/253611628632I have found a very good explanation of the board here:It links to this github source code:https://github.com/jhol/pyadf435xI hope this helps someone in future.

author: 0culus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2020, 11:12:26 pm
content: Necroposting to shill your own ebay store eh?Looks like the mods dealt with it.

author: ian stothers
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 05, 2022, 04:40:01 pm
content: tryhttps://www.cjoint.com/c/IHDiVzzBwWB