Orders Open for the LimeFEA Carrier Boards, Extending the LimeSDR XTRX Ecosystem
Lime Microsystems is proud to open orders for the LimeFEA, a front-end adapter which accepts the LimeSDR XTRX mini-PCI Express (mPCIe) software-defined radio module and adapts it for use in full-size PCI Express systems - complete with two lanes of PCIe for optimal performance and a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio-frequency front-end (RFE), if desired.
Designed specifically for the flexible and powerful LimeSDR XTRX software-defined radio module, the LimeFEA dramatically expands compatibility with systems ranging from desktops and workstations to servers and powerful single-board computers. With a LimeFEA, the LimeSDR XTRX becomes a simple add-in board delivering full software-defined transceiver capabilities to almost any computer system with ease.
"With the LimeFEA, we are once again delivering on our mission to democratise access to high-performance radio technologies by dramatically expanding the number and type of systems with which the LimeSDR XTRX can integrate," says Lime Micro chief executive officer Ebrahim Bushehri. "The LimeSDR XTRX is a proven design, and being able to install it as a simple add-in board with integrated front-end lowers the barrier to entry for those seeking to implement leading-edge software-defined radio technologies - whether for commercial deployment or for experimentation and research."
The LimeFEA mPCIe Full, the flagship board in the LimeFEA family, includes an integrated 2×2 MIMO RF front-end. This offers 100MHz-6GHz transmit and 100MHz-4GHz receive frequency ranges (LimeSDR XTRX is specified from 30MHz-3.8 GHz), low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), and power amplifiers (PAs), making it simple to integrate the LimeSDR XTRX into a PCI Express compatible system without requiring additional hardware.
The board includes a SIM card slot, for operation on a cellular network, supports time division duplex (TDD) operation controlled from the LimeSDR XTRX's flexible general-purpose input/output (GPIO) facility, pulse-per-second (PPS) and reference frequency connectors, and a JTAG header for programming and debugging.
For those who do not need a RF front-end, the LimeFEA mPCIe Lite is a lower-cost option delivering adaption to a full-size PCI Express board and JTAG connector for programming and debugging. Both the Lite and Full variants feature a design which pulls excess heat away from the LimeSDR XTRX module, improving stability in hot environments.
Orders for the LimeFEA mPCIe Full and LimeFEA mPCIe Lite are open now on Crowd Supply, priced at $299 and $49 respectively; both require a LimeSDR XTRX, shipping now at $799. LimeFEA boards will begin shipping in mid-December.