Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pis are inexpensive. Newer models can handle the GNU Radio signal processing needed for radio astronomy.

• Supported Raspberry Pi Devices
• Installing Ubuntu image with radio astronomy preinstalled on a Raspberry Pi
• Setting OS and installing software from scratch
  • Operating system requirement
  • Installing Ubuntu on Raspberry Pi
    • Prerequisites
  • Post OS Installation actions
    • Interacting with the Raspberry Pi
    • Installing gr-radio_astro

Supported Raspberry Pi Devices

All devices must have RAM greater than 4GB

1. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
2. Raspberry Pi 400

Installing Ubuntu image with radio astronomy preinstalled on a Raspberry Pi

This image requires a minimum of 16GB of space on the SD card.

1. Download the image here
2. Unzip the .zip file.
3. Use Raspberry Pi Imager to install this image.
   1. Insert SD card into your card reader on your computer
   2. Open Raspberry Pi imager.
   3. Click Choose OS, and choose Use Custom.
   4. Select the correct image file downloaded in step 1 and 2 from your system.
   5. Click Choose storage and select your inserted SD card.
   6. Click write.
   7. More info here and a video
4. Insert SD card to Raspberry Pi and power it up.
5. The default user name is pi, with password raspberry. Change the password after first boot.

Setting OS and installing software from scratch.

Use the sections below to choose an operating system, install Ubuntu, and set up the radio astronomy software.

Operating system requirement

1. Ubuntu for Raspberry Pi Click here for more Info

This historical setup guide describes older GNU Radio versions. For the maintained library and classroom applications, use the software guide.

Installing Ubuntu on Raspberry Pi

Prerequisites

1. Support Raspberry Pi
2. A microSD card (9GB minimum, 16GB recommended)
3. A computer with a microSD card drive
4. A micro USB-C power cable
5. A monitor with an HDMI interface (Optionally for installing Ubuntu Server)
6. A micro HDMI cable (Optionally for installing Ubuntu Server)
7. A USB keyboard and mouse (Optionally for installing Ubuntu Server)

Instructions from Ubuntu to install the OS on the Raspberry Pi 4

NOTE: Firstly, for Ubuntu desktop a monitor and mouse and keyboard is required. For command-line access without Ubuntu’s desktop interface, install Ubuntu Server. See instruction for Ubuntu server installation here. Secondly, Raspberry Pi is built on an ARM based architecture any version of Ubuntu will not work. The OS has to specific to the Pi.

Post OS Installation actions:

Interacting with the Raspberry Pi

1. Using a monitor and mouse and keyboard like any other desktop.
2. Using SSH:
   1. This method can be used on any machine with ssh server enabled.
   2. Install X server on your computer. VcXsrv on windows and XQuartz for macOS.
   3. Power up the Raspberry Pi and connect your computer via ethernet cable
   4. First we need to determine the IP address of the raspberry PI: How to determine Raspberry PI IP address
   5. If the determined IP address is <IP address> then in the terminal type ssh -Y pi@<IP address>
   6. More info on SSH here
3. Using PuTTY on Windows:
   1. Download PuTTY.
   2. Add IP address in the hostname field.
4. Using VNC: More info here

Installing gr-radio_astro

Installing gr-radio_astro

Notes: run volk_profile after installing everything to make sure GNU Radio is optimized to work on your device.

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