UK dev partner sought for 5.8 GHz direction finding project

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Hello, we are seeking dev partner located in the UK to assist with using Kraken SDR and new custom front end to capture 5.8 GHz radio transmission and direction find the signal source to within circa 5 or 10 degrees if possible. Please reply if you have directly relevant experience in this type of direction finding using Kraken. We are aware Kraken natively only supports max of 1.7 GHz but gather it is possible to front end the unit with different hardware so as to capture 5.8 GHz and maintain the signal timing required for the direction finding maths. Please supply some contact details. Thank you, Ed based Surrey UK

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Hi Ed. This is our 6 GHz version of KrakenSDR. It’s coming closer to production. It does currently meet your requirements. Feel free to send me a direct message.

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Syed, Thank you for making contact. This looks interesting – what is the physical size of the PCB please ? Where are you based please – country/county ? If this is under dev when do you anticipate this may be working please.

We are based in Surrey, UK.

Thank you

Best Regards

Ed

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@SurreyEd This is 30cm x 30cm. I’m in the US, just outside of Chicago (Lake County).

This currently works.

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Syed, that is good news that it works and size is good – this is definitely of commercial interest.

Cam I ask please - Is the antenna board intended to sit vertically facing direction of likely approach of 5.8ghz signals - or is the antenna board intended to sit horizontally and be omni directional etc. Or can it sit in any orientation and the antenna orientation then be specified in the software settings to get accurate calcs.

We are seeking to read signals from one broad direction of approx. 120 degrees to 150 degrees. i.e. we don’t need to detect signals from behind.

Can I ask please in outline how did you handle the issue that the Kraken only natively supports up to 1.7 GHz so you would have had to source some additional components / devices to step the 5.8 Ghz received signal down to under 1.7Ghz to process in the Kraken – how is that handled please just in outline ?

Thank you

Best Regards

Ed

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If you need to send any further info directly to me please use ed 12 at Ed Cowley dot comma

I am not sure if this site is one that discourages direct comms like ebay or is OK with it.

Thank you

Best Regards

Ed Cowley

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I was wondering about HF and microwave projects with Kraken/Kerberos.

I thought that I could use four unexpensive Chinese mixers, one PLL LO oscillator and a splitter to send LO signal to all mixers.

If LO signal is not enough for four mixers, perhaps I could add a LNA to boost LO signal.

Optionally, you can use preselectors/SAW filters as well, they just should be all the same to keep phase relationship.

I would find interesting to test HF DF with Kerberos/Kraken, please, what do you think about these ideas?

The 5.8 GHz Kraken version you mentioned, is just an antenna array, or includes a set of downconverters? Would it be commercially available? Could you please tell more about it?

Thank you,

Ger EA4GJA

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Ger, Thank you for response - I am trying to find a solution to direction finding mobile 5.8ghz emitting devices and I dont currently have any of this equipment or experience to achieve it. I am new to the Kraken world and trying to find someone familiar with the platform who can assemble such a direction finding solution - including selecting and coding all of the kit.

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Yes, the board is meant to sit horizontally so that the antennas are in a vertical orientation. Similar to the antennas used in a circular array for the standard KrakenSDR, the antennas are meant to be omnidirectional. If you are exclusively interested in less than 150-degress of coverage, then you’ll want to use a linear array. The overwhelming majority of our customers use circular arrays, which is the reason for this design.

We have a frequency converter integrated directly onto the board, as well as the 5 tuner/ADC channels. The metal base (not ready yet) will include a cut out for a Raspberry Pi 5 and a power supply.

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This wideband version integrated the 5 KrakenSDR channels with a downconverter and integrated circular arrays with SMA connectors. The arrays are spaced for 5.8 GHz, 2.4 GHz, and 1.6 GHz. We are planning to release this commercially, but with some caveats. It’s just not as robust as the original KrakenSDR. Getting good results is a little finicky.