$ show IgrikXD/Easy-SDR
This repository is an open-source hardware collection of RF front-end modules for low-cost RTL-SDR receivers, not a software application or data research pipeline. It is classified as application because its primary deliverable is a set of manufacturable PCB designs, schematics, and assembly documentation for discrete SDR building blocks. The repo contains complete design packages for an HF upconverter, multiple low-noise amplifiers with bias-tee powering, an SPDT antenna switch, a Mini-Whip active antenna, a balun, a PI attenuator, an RF power limiter, and fixed-voltage coax power supplies. Each module follows a consistent directory pattern: EasyEDA source files, Gerber exports, PDF schematics, component lists, datasheets, assembly guides, and enclosure model files. The RF signal flow runs from antenna through Mini-Whip, upconverter, filters, LNA, and protection stages into an RTL2832U-based SDR, with power injected over coax via bias-tee circuits. The real value of this repo is its modular, reproducible hardware architecture: well-documented bias-tee/power-over-coax designs, Mini-Circuits-based LNA and limiter circuits, and reusable RF layout techniques such as via stitching, ground pours, and controlled-impedance traces. The EasyEDA JSON files are tool-specific but self-contained and importable, and the Gerbers are ready for fabrication. Markdown guides cover component sourcing from LCSC, PCB ordering from JLCPCB/PCBWay, and Linux RTL-SDR setup, including known pitfalls like rtl_biast breakage after sudo make install. The project is explicitly described by the author as a final stable release with support ended, though recent commits in 2026 added new balun and RF power limiter designs, so the repository remains active. Limitations: this is hardware design data, not executable software, so there is no code to run, test, or integrate. The EasyEDA JSON format and .ftr filter design files are proprietary, some component choices (BF998, J310, ADE-1+, DF782, TC9-1+) are at risk of obsolescence, and the repository mixes EasyEDA editor versions from 2020 and 2026. For an engineer, the most reusable assets are the bias-tee power supply schematics, the balun and LNA reference designs, and the consistent module packaging pattern that makes each board a drop-in SDR building block.
The LLM identified 4 files worth highlighting for reuse:
Self-contained EasyEDA PCB design for injecting a regulated 3.3V supply onto a coaxial RF line using a Mini-Circuits TCBT-14+ bias tee and LP5907 LDO. Includes PTC fuse protection, ferrite filtering, SMA edge connectors, and a USB-B power input. This is a reusable power-over-coax pattern for active antennas and remote LNAs, extractable into other RF front-end projects with minimal adaptation.
Compact EasyEDA schematic for a 50-ohm unbalanced SMA to balanced two-terminal output conversion using a Mini-Circuits TC9-1+ balun. Includes a DNI resistor for impedance adjustment and a TVS diode for ESD protection. This is a clean, self-contained reference circuit for antenna feeds, mixers, and differential RF stages, and the JSON source can be imported directly into EasyEDA.
FilterSolutions design file for a Bessel bandpass filter with lumped-element values, part of the HF upconverter's IF filtering stage. The .ftr format is tool-specific, but the design itself documents a complete, professionally synthesized filter topology (component values and order) that can be recreated in any RF simulator or EDA tool. Useful as a reference for SDR upconverter and receiver front-end filtering.
EasyEDA schematic for a low-noise amplifier module powered entirely through the RF coax via a bias tee, using Mini-Circuits PGA-103+ or PSA4-5043+ amplifiers. The design is adapted for a standard 50x25x25mm aluminum enclosure with N-Type connectors and includes dense ground via stitching for RF integrity. This is a reusable LNA front-end pattern for SDR receivers, with a clear bias-tee powering scheme that avoids separate DC wiring.