Implementing the Search Algorithm of the Correlation Interferometer Direction Finder through the GNU Radio Software Platform
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/sisiot2023.2.02006Keywords:
GNU RADIO, SDR, correlation interferometer algorithmAbstract
In the realm of modern radio equipment development, the integration of Software Defined Radio (SDR) systems, encompassing both software and hardware components, has become widespread. SDR systems, particularly, find applications in the creation of direction finders for radio signal sources. The effectiveness of direction finding and the identification of radio radiation sources largely hinge on the technical specifications of the equipment. For contemporary systems aimed at detecting the location of radio radiation sources, direction finders based on a correlation interferometer prove to be highly suitable. These direction finders excel in performing direction finding for a wide array of radio signals, capable of recognizing broadband modulated signals. They can simultaneously process and identify several signals within a single frequency channel, originating either from a singular source of radio signals (coherent) or from multiple sources (incoherent). SDR technology enables programmable reconfiguration of a radio receiver through software. Such receivers boast a broadband radio frequency component with a significant dynamic range, a high-speed Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) path, a robust signal processor, and a specialized digital filtering path. SDR receivers are adaptable to signals of various standards and frequencies, depending on the specific tasks at hand. The GNU RADIO software platform stands out as the most flexible open-source software platform for SDR systems. This article delves into the utilization of the GNU RADIO software platform to implement the search algorithm for the direction finder of the correlation interferometer. The Ettus USRP N210 SDR platform was selected for implementing the direction finder using the correlation interferometer algorithm. This study introduces a two-channel software-controlled model of the direction finder, operating according to the correlation interferometer algorithm. The measurement results for the placement angle of radio signal sources yielded an individual absolute error ranging from 2 to 4 degrees, with an average absolute error of about 3 degrees. These results are quite commendable for such mobile two-channel systems. While systems with four or more channels boast higher accuracy, they tend to have lower economic feasibility.
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