Does someone has experience with SDR analyzing a nRF9160 ?

RE: Does someone has experience with SDR analyzing a nRF9160 ?

Achim Kraus — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:43:15 GMT

That was long ago. My main interest was to see the device radio activity. As I wrote, at least the library I used (srsRAN) seems to be less maintained, large number of issues, only very few answers. So I'm afraid, that this will eat up too much time ...

RE: Does someone has experience with SDR analyzing a nRF9160 ?

barbiz — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:39:24 GMT

Hello Achim!

I am thinking to try this as well, and that's why I stumbled in your thread.

I was thinking to buy something like the limeSDR or bladeSDR to do some experiments.

My goal is to better understand the inner workings of the LTE standard, also to be able to better guess what happens in the field.

If you want, we can do some experiments together!

Marco

RE: Does someone has experience with SDR analyzing a nRF9160 ?

Achim Kraus — Tue, 23 May 2023 10:40:31 GMT

Just to close it for now:

I managed to setup srsRAN. I was only able to see some messages from the base-station, but none from the modem. I opened an issue there NB-IoT - decoding uplink data (data sent by the modem/ue)? in March, but I didn't receive an answer. So, for now, it's now way to see the modem's radio messages in the air.

RE: Does someone has experience with SDR analyzing a nRF9160 ?

Achim Kraus — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:03:35 GMT

Thanks for your answer.

> One of my colleagues did some experiments with SDR some years ago, and said that you had to be quite proficient with both Linux and LTE to get it up and running.

That's also my experience some years ago ;-).

> and isn't really something we can help you with.

Sure.

I asked it to see, if other users have experience with it.

RE: Does someone has experience with SDR analyzing a nRF9160 ?

Didrik Rokhaug — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:59:40 GMT

Hi,

We do have a Amarisoft Callbox at one of our tech.support labs, which uses similar principles as what you are linking to. It is in a quite different price class though...

One of my colleagues did some experiments with SDR some years ago, and said that you had to be quite proficient with both Linux and LTE to get it up and running. In the end, he had to give up.

In short, while it should be possible, it seems to require quite a bit of expertise, and isn't really something we can help you with.

Best regards,

Didrik