Vanteon vProtean User manual

Vanteon Corp. | 888.506.5677 | 585.419.9555 | 99 Garnsey Road, Suite 200 | Pittsford, NY 14534 | www.vanteon.com
TM
Revision 3.2
Eval Kit Features
The vProtean™Evaluation Kit offers the following
key features:
• Convenient Carrier card that mounts directly to
the vProtean SDR
• Easy to use menu-based interface running on
your host PC
• Ability to independently control both TX and RX
channels
• Set the center frequency of each channel
• Toggle both TX and RX channels on/off
• Monitor the RSSI of both RX channels
• Select from a number of pre-defined waveforms
to transmit
• Transmit a custom waveform that you load on
the SD card
• Trigger and capture a specified number of RX
samples to the SD card
• Monitor the FPGA and transceiver temperature
About Vanteon
Vanteon is a design services company offering complete electronic
systems design and engineering solutions with a focus in Wireless
and RF design. We offer Analog, Digital, and RF Hardware design,
as well as Software and FPGA design services. To learn how
Vanteon’s expertise can be enlisted to help solve your most
pressing challenges, visit the Vanteon website at
https://vanteon.com .
Vanteon has been voted one of the “Best Companies to Work for
in NY” for more than a decade.

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Contents
1Introduction...................................................................................................................... 1
2Proper Care and Handling .................................................................................................. 1
3Evaluation Kit Contents ..................................................................................................... 2
4Technical Overview ........................................................................................................... 2
4.1 Block Diagram ............................................................................................................ 2
4.2 vProtean Evaluation Kit Specifications ......................................................................... 2
5vProtean Interfaces ........................................................................................................... 3
5.1 vProtean Connectors................................................................................................... 4
5.1.1 J14 Connector ...................................................................................................... 4
5.2 Switches..................................................................................................................... 4
5.3 LEDs ........................................................................................................................... 4
5.4 Mounts ...................................................................................................................... 4
6vCarrier Interfaces............................................................................................................. 5
6.1 vCarrier Connectors (Revision D) ................................................................................. 5
6.2 Test Points.................................................................................................................. 6
6.3 Switches..................................................................................................................... 6
6.4 LEDs ........................................................................................................................... 6
6.5 Mounts ...................................................................................................................... 6
7Evaluation Kit Assembly..................................................................................................... 7
8User Console ..................................................................................................................... 7
8.1 Main Menu................................................................................................................. 9
8.1.1 TX1/RX1 and TX2/RX2 Settings Menu.................................................................. 10
8.1.2 TX1 and TX2 File Select Menu ............................................................................. 11
8.1.3 RX Waveform Capture Settings Menu ................................................................. 11
9Customer Support ........................................................................................................... 12
10 Terms and Conditions of Sale........................................................................................... 13
10.1 General Product Terms ............................................................................................. 13
10.2 One Year Warranty ................................................................................................... 13
11 Copyright Notice ............................................................................................................. 13
12 Trademark Acknowledgement ......................................................................................... 13

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Vanteon Corp. | 888.506.5677 | 585.419.9555 | 99 Garnsey Road, Suite 200 | Pittsford, NY 14534 | www.vanteon.com
1Introduction
The Vanteon vProtean™is a 2x2 software defined radio (SDR) that targets communications, signal intelligence, and other
multi-band processing applications. It is based on the Analog Devices ADRV9004 highly integrated wideband RF transceiver
and the Xilinx Zynq-7020 all programmable System-on-Chip (SoC). The vProtean SDR has a custom RF front end that is
highly flexible, allowing its frequency range to be configured from 30 to 6000 MHz.
Each vProtean SDR is pre-loaded with the vProtean SDR Evaluation Kit (VPROKIT-21) firmware. The VPROKIT-21
firmware includes Vanteon proprietary, programmable logic cores and executable code to perform transmit and receive
functions via a menu-based UI over USB enabled com port from a host computer (host not included). An encrypted Vivado
Project of the VPROKIT-21’s FPGA firmware, along with source code of the User Interface (UI) firmware is available under
a free license agreement. The vProtean schematic and layout design files, and Vanteon-proprietary DSP cores are available
with a paid license. Contact Vanteon Sales for more information.
The vProtean SDR evaluation kit is sold for evaluation purposes. If you choose to use your
vProtean SDR evaluation kit to transmit using an antenna, it is the user’s responsibility to make
sure that they are in compliance with all local laws and regulations.
2Proper Care and Handling
All Vanteon products are thoroughly tested before shipment. The vProtean SDR is guaranteed to be functional at the time
it is received by the customer. Improper use or handling of the vProtean SDR can easily cause the device to become non-
functional. Listed below are some examples of actions which can prevent damage to the unit:
•Never allow metal objects to touch the circuit board while powered.
•Always properly terminate the transmit port with an antenna or 50Ωload.
•Always handle the board with proper anti-static methods.
•Never allow the board to directly or indirectly come into contact with any voltage spikes.
•Never allow any water, or condensing moisture, to come into contact with the boards.
•Never apply more than 0 dBm of power into any RF input.
•Always use at least 30dB attenuation if operating in a loopback configuration.
The vProtean SDR evaluation kit is supplied with heatsinks of the FPGA and transceiver IC.
Under heavy processing and/or high output power levels additional airflow may be required to
ensure the components remain in the specified operating temperature range to prevent damage.

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3Evaluation Kit Contents
The vProtean SDR Evaluation Kit (VPROKIT-21-C) contains the following items:
•vProtean Software-Defined Radio
•vProtean Carrier (vCarrier) with mounting hardware
•120VAC power supply
•USB cable (Type A to Type C)
•16GB microSD card with SD card adapter
4Technical Overview
4.1 Block Diagram
4.2 vProtean Evaluation Kit Specifications
Frequency Band 1
30 to 6000 MHz
Instantaneous
Bandwidth
12 kHz to 40 MHz
Number of
transmitters
2
Number of
receivers
2
Maximum
Transmit Power
+19 dBm
Maximum Input
Receive Power
0 dBm
Antenna
connections
50ΩMMCX RF connectors
Power control
Wide range of output power from –20 dBm to +19 dBm
Flash
512 Mb
DDR SDRAM
4 Gb
vCarrier Input
Voltage
6-30 VDC

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5vProtean Interfaces
Figure 1: vProtean RevC, Top View
Figure 2: vProtean RevC, Bottom View

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5.1 vProtean Connectors
The vProtean SDR has a number of connectors that allow it to be interfaced to the vCarrier board, as well as connectors
for external antennas. The table below lists all of the connectors and their associated functions. Refer to Figure 1 and
Figure 2 for connector locations.
Connector
Type
Function
J2
2x50 100 pin header
JTAG, UART, Boot Mode, Power, Reset, USB, Ethernet, SD
Card, I2C, GPIO
Contact Vanteon for additional information
J3
MMCX
Transmit 1
J5
MMCX
Receive 1
J7
MMCX
Transmit 2
J9
MMCX
Receive 2
J10
MICTOR
Debug
J11
MMCX
External Clock
J14
2-pin PicoBlade header
Fan Connector
5.1.1 J14 Connector
The J14 connector is a fan connector that can be used to provide cooling for the evaluation kit. It can deliver 5V up to
200mA. Connect a suitable fan using a Molex PicoBlade connector (for example, Molex part number 15134-0200).
Pin
Description
1
FAN -
2
FAN +
5.2 Switches
The vProtean SDR has two switches, whose function is described in the table below.
SW1
Switch
Boot Mode. Move to position J (towards Vanteon logo) for JTAG boot mode,
position Q for QSPI or SD card booting. Can be overridden by carrier jumpers.
SW2
Pushbutton
Reset. Can also be driven from carrier board.
5.3 LEDs
The vProtean SDR has two LEDs, whose function is described in the table below.
LED1
Blue
On when Zynq 7020 programmable logic has been programmed
LED2
Green
Software control
5.4 Mounts
The vProtean SDR has one mounting point. In the standard configuration, it is designed for a standoff height from a carrier
PCB of 9.5mm (3/8”).
MNT
Standoff
Use threaded spacer, screws and locking washer (supplied in kit). The smaller
head screw is intended for the top side, to avoid collision with RF connectors

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6vCarrier Interfaces
6.1 vCarrier Connectors (Revision D)
Connector
Type
Function
JM2
100 pin header
JTAG, UART, Boot Mode, Power, Reset, USB, Ethernet, SD
Card, I2C, GPIO
Contact Vanteon for additional information
J1
Header
User Defined Differential IO (optional, if fitted)
J2
RJ45
Ethernet 1 interface (Not supported)
J3
RJ45
Ethernet 0 interface
J4
USB-C
USB –UART serial interface
J5
Header
I2C 3.3V interface
J6-13
Header
2.5V GPIO. Jumpers may be used to set input levels, or
removed to use center pins as outputs.
Contact Vanteon for additional information
J14
DC Jack
2.5mm DC barrel jack for system power input.
6-30VDC, 20W
J15-16
Header
Boot mode jumper select. May be used to override vProtean
boot mode switch, otherwise leave off.
Contact Vanteon for additional information
J17
Header
USB power enable. Unused with DC supply.
J18
USB-Micro
USB-OTG host/device interface (Not supported)
SKT1
microSD
microSD card connector for storage of system firmware and
TX/RX data.

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6.2 Test Points
The vCarrier has 9 test points for measuring system voltages, whose function is described in the table below.
GND0-3
Test Hook
System ground
TP_1V0
Test Hook
Carrier 1.0V
TP_1V8
Test Hook
Carrier 1.8V
TP_2V5
Test Hook
Carrier 2.5V
TP_5V
Test Hook
Carrier 5.0V
TP_BUS
Test Hook
System input supply voltage
6.3 Switches
The vCarrier has two switches, whose function is described in the table below.
SW1
Slider
System power switch. Slide right to enable power from DC jack.
SW2
Pushbutton
System Reset
6.4 LEDs
The vCarrier has eight LEDs, whose function is described in the table below.
D2-9
Green
Displays the status of GPIO0-7
6.5 Mounts
The vProtean SDR has mounting points for the system and for the vProtean SDR. In the standard configuration, it is designed
for a standoff height from a carrier PCB of 9.5mm (3/8”).
MNT1-4
Foot
vCarrier mounting points. Fitted with rubber feet as default
MNT5
Standoff
Use threaded spacer, screws and locking washer (supplied in kit). The
smaller head screw is intended for the top side, to avoid collision with RF
connectors

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Vanteon Corp. | 888.506.5677 | 585.419.9555 | 99 Garnsey Road, Suite 200 | Pittsford, NY 14534 | www.vanteon.com
7Evaluation Kit Assembly
Follow the step by step instructions below to assemble your vProtean SDR evaluation kit.
Please refer to Section 2 for proper care and handling
For more information view our setup video here, or visit our website at
https://vanteon.com/vprotean/
1. Install the provided microSD card into the microSD socket (SKT1) on the vCarrier.
2. Connect the vCarrier USB-C port (J4) to a customer provided PC using the provided cable.
3. Connect the supplied AC power supply to the DC Jack (J14) on the vCarrier.
4. Connect the AC power supply to an AC outlet.
5. Turn on the vProtean SDR evaluation kit by sliding the switch (SW1) on the vCarrier towards the DC Jack (J14).
8User Console
The vProtean SDR evaluation kit is preloaded with a menu-based application that allows a user to perform transmit and
receive functions through the USB interface. This section explains how to use the vProtean SDR evaluation application. The
examples in this section refer to software version 3.4. Older versions may not support some of the features listed.
To access the preloaded evaluation application connect the vProtean SDR evaluation kit USB port to a PC using the
appropriate USB cable. Use a terminal emulator program (for example, PuTTY or HyperTerminal) on the PC to open a
terminal session using the virtual COM port associated with the vProtean SDR evaluation kit.

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Vanteon Corp. | 888.506.5677 | 585.419.9555 | 99 Garnsey Road, Suite 200 | Pittsford, NY 14534 | www.vanteon.com
To determine the appropriate virtual COM port, open Device Manager and find the associated USB Serial Port. In the
example below COM4 should be used.
Configure the virtual serial port in the terminal emulator as 115200 baud-8-N-1. See example below.

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Vanteon Corp. | 888.506.5677 | 585.419.9555 | 99 Garnsey Road, Suite 200 | Pittsford, NY 14534 | www.vanteon.com
The evaluation kit application does not provide access to the full capabilities of the vProtean
SDR platform.
To explore additional options and functionality call us at 888.506.5677 or email us at
[e-mail].
8.1 Main Menu
The vProtean SDR evaluation application has a hierarchical menu structure that allows you to configure the radio and to
transmit and receive test waveforms. The main menu consists of the following status and commands:
Item
Name
Function
-
TX RX Sample Rate
Display of the pre-configured sample rate
(not user configurable)
-
FPGA Temperature
Display of the FPGA temperature
-
ADRV Temperature
Display of the ADRV IC temperature
-
RX1 RSSI
Display of RX1 receive signal strength
indicator (RSSI) in dB relative to full scale
-
RX2 RSSI
Display of RX2 receive signal strength
indicator (RSSI) in dB relative to full scale
-
TX1
State of the transmit (Primed/Enabled)
-
TX2
State of the transmit (Primed/Enabled)
1
TX1 RX1 Settings
Configure TX1 and RX1
2
TX2 RX2 Settings
Configure TX2 and RX2
3
Capture RX
Initiate RX capture according to RX capture
settings
4
RX Waveform Capture Settings
Configure the RX capture parameters
5
Recalibrate System
Force a transceiver recalibration

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Item
Name
Function
C
Switch to CLI
Switch to the command line interface
Please contact Vanteon for more information on the command line interface.
Type menu in the CLI to return to the menu-based application.
8.1.1 TX1/RX1 and TX2/RX2 Settings Menu
There are two submenus for configuring the TX1/RX1 and TX2/RX2 pairs. This section covers both submenus and refers
to TX1 and TX2 as a generic TX_, and RX1 and RX2 as a generic RX_.
Item
Name
Function
1
TX_/RX_ Frequency
Set the TX_/RX_ frequency (30 MHz to 6000 MHz)
2
Toggle TX_
Toggles transmit for TX_ on/off
PRIMED –Transmit disabled
ENABLED –Transmit enabled
3
TX_ Waveform Select
Go to TX_ waveform select menu
4
Digital Attenuation (dB)
Attenuation that is applied digitally to the transmit waveform
(0 to 100 dB)
5
TX_ Front End Atten (dB)
Sets the attenuation in the ADRV9004 (0 to 41.5 dB), value
can only be changed when TX is disabled
6
TX_ BOOST
Adds an additional 3 dB to the transmit
7
Toggle RX_
Toggles receive for RX_ on/off
PRIMED –Receive disabled
ENABLED –Receive enabled
The vProtean SDR evaluation kit is supplied with heatsinks on the FPGA and transceiver IC.
Under heavy processing and/or high output power levels additional airflow may be required to
ensure the components remain in the specified operating temperature range to prevent
damage.
The FPGA and ADRV temperatures displayed on the main menu should be monitored by the
user, and external cooling (for example, directed fan) should be applied as needed to prevent
damage.
The TX Waveform Select Menu configures the waveform that is transmitted when the TX is toggled on.When the transmit
is enabled, the selected waveform is transmitted repeatedly.
Item
Name
Function
-
Current Waveform
Display the current selected waveform
1
Zeros
Fills transmit buffer with zero waveform
2
CW
Single tone at carrier frequency
3
USB Tone, Offset=FS/32
Upper side band waveform, FS=sample rate
4
Dual Tone, Offset=FS/32+FS/8
Dual tone waveform, FS=sample rate
5
File
Go to file select menu to load waveform file from SD
card

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Item
Name
Function
6
Ramp
Transmits a waveform whose amplitude increases
overtime
7
Chirp
Transmits a linear FM signal
8.1.2 TX1 and TX2 File Select Menu
The File Menu allows the user to select a user defined file from the SD card that specifies the transmit waveform. Use the
UP and DOWN arrows on your keyboard to highlight the file you want to select and press Enter.
The format of the filename must have a “.iq” extension to show up in the file list.
The format of a transmit waveform is a .CSV file with one sample (IQ pair) per line with I and Q values separated by a
comma. Channel 1 and Channel 2 data is alternated in the file, where the first line is TX1. Values must be within the range
of -32768 to 32767, inclusive. See below for an example file format.
TX1
TX2
TX1
TX2
TX1
TX2
TX1
TX2
TX1
TX2
The TX waveform file must contain between a minimum of 512 samples and a maximum of 4,194,304 samples, inclusive.
The number of samples should be a multiple of 512. If the number of samples is not a multiple of 512, the TX waveform
will be zero padded to the next multiple of 512.
The evaluation kit should be powered down whenever mounting or removing the microSD
card.
8.1.3 RX Waveform Capture Settings Menu
The RX Waveform Capture Settings Menu allows the user to set the number of samples captured and the file to which the
samples are saved. It also allows the user to configure which RX channel will be captured.
The format of a captured waveform is a .CSV file with one sample (IQ pair) per line with I and Q values separated by a
comma. Channel 1 and Channel 2 data is alternated in the file. See below for an example.
Due to a known bug in version 3.4 the first RX2 sample should be discarded prior to post
processing

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RX2
RX1
RX2
RX1
RX2
RX1
RX2
RX1
RX2
RX1
If the captured waveform filename has an “.iq” extension it will show up in the TX waveform list if the capture was successful.
Item
Name
Function
1
Filename
The name of the file to save the RX
samples to. The filename can be up to 9
characters. The filename extension can be
up to 2 characters. It is recommended
that the filename extension be “.iq”
2
Samples
The number of samples to capture.
Must be a multiple of 512 IQ samples.
3
RX Channel [1,2,3]
Configure which RX channel the capture
should be performed on.
1 –Capture RX1
2 –Capture RX2
3 –Capture RX1 & RX2
9Customer Support
If you experience difficulty after reading the manual and/or using the product, please feel free to contact
[e-mail] for additional assistance.
Need support?
Vanteon offers contract engineering services and can assist you in implementing the
vProtean SDR into your system.
Need short term support?
Purchase a 2, 4, 8, or 40-hour block of engineering support to get access to a team of
engineers to support your needs. Engineering support blocks can be purchased directly
from our website with any major credit card. For more information visit our website at
https://vanteon.com/engineering-support-blocks/.

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10 Terms and Conditions of Sale
10.1 General Product Terms
All sales of product are subject to the terms and conditions described in “Vanteon Corporation – Terms and Conditions of
Product Sales”. Unless explicitly agreed to in writing, Vanteon rejects all modifications to these standard terms and
conditions.
10.2 One Year Warranty
Vanteon Corporation provides a One-Year Limited Warranty for all products sold. Should this product, in Vanteon
Corporation’s opinion, fail to be in good working order during the warranty period, Vanteon Corporation will, at its option,
repair or replace this product at no charge, provided that the product has not been subject to abuse, misuse, accident or
unauthorized modification or repair.
Products returned to Vanteon must be pre-authorized by Vanteon and sent prepaid, insured, and packaged for safe
shipment. Vanteon will return this product by prepaid ground shipment service.
Should the product prove to be irreparable, Vanteon reserves the right to substitute an equivalent product if available.
Full warranty details are included in “Vanteon Corporation –Terms and Conditions of Product Sales” available at
www.vanteon.com.
The above warranty is the only warranty authorized by Vanteon for this product. Under no circumstances will Vanteon be
liable in any way for any damages, including any lost profits, business revenue, special, indirect, incidental, exemplary, punitive,
or consequential damages arising out of the use of, or inability to use such product.
11 Copyright Notice
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Vanteon Corporation shall not be liable
for errors contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or
use of this material. This document contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved.
No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or translated to another language without the prior written
consent of Vanteon Corporation.
Copyright © 2022 by Vanteon Corporation.
12 Trademark Acknowledgement
Vanteon Corporation acknowledges all trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyrights referred to in this document
as the property of their respective owners. Not listing all possible trademarks or copyright acknowledgements does not
constitute a lack of acknowledgement to the rightful owners of the trademarks and copyrights mentioned in this document.