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June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 1
RFSPACE
CLOUD-IQ
GETTING STARTED GUIDE
Table of Contents
Legal Notices 3
Supplied Accessories 3
Precautions 4
Hardware Specifications 5
Introduction 6
Front Panel 7
Rear Panel 8
Installation 9
SDRanywhere 10
Interface Specifications 11
Compliance 12
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 2
Legal Notices
This User Guide provides user information and is provided “as is.” RFSPACE and its affiliated
companies, directors, officers, or employees assume no responsibility for any typographical, technical,
content or other inaccuracies in this User Guide. RFSPACE reserves the right to revise this User Guide
or withdraw it at any time without prior notice. The latest version can be found at www.rfspace.com.
Warranty Period!
RFSPACE warrants this hardware product against defects in materials and workmanship under normal
use for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of retail purchase by the original end-user purchaser . If
a hardware defect arises and a valid claim is received within this Warranty Period, at its option and to
the extent permitted by law, RFSPACE will either (1) repair the hardware defect at no charge, using new
or parts equivalent to new in performance and reliability, (2) exchange the product with a product that
is new or equivalent to new in performance and reliability and is at least functionally equivalent to the
original product, or (3) refund the purchase price of the product. When a product or part is exchanged,
any replacement item becomes your property and the replaced item becomes RFSPACE’s property.
When a refund is given, the product for which the refund is provided must be returned to RFSPACE
and becomes RFSPACE’s property.
Supplied Accessories
The Cloud-IQ ships with a US or EU power supply, USB to 5.5mm power cable, ethernet cable, and
SpectraVue software installation CD. The pdf of this document, CloudSetup and SpectraVue manuals
are included in the CD. The power supply is 90-264 Volt capable and can be used with a plug adapter.!
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 3
Precautions
CAUTION! There are no user replaceable parts inside. "
CAUTION! Never put the receiver in any unstable place . This may cause damage to the receiver or
might cause personal injury."
CAUTION! Never exceed 5.5 volts on DC input jack. Internal circuitry will shut down the radio, but
damage might still occur."
CAUTION! Never transmit into the antenna input connector or transmit into antennas in close
proximity to the Cloud-IQ antennas. This might cause damage to the sensitive front end circuitry. When
using adjacent antennas, make sure an RF limiter or relay is installed on the RF input port. Damage to
input RF circuitry might result in costly repairs."
CAUTION! Never operate the receiver with wet hands. Make sure antenna does not touch high
voltage power lines."
WARNING! Do not store or operate the device at temperatures below 0°C (+32°F) or above +40°C
(+104°F).
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 4
Hardware Specifications
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 5
SPECIFICATIONS
Direct sampling frequency range
0.009 - 55 MHz
Usable 56 MHz +
Antenna ports
Dual antenna ports
remote selectable or auto
ADC Fs / SNR / SFDR
122.88 MHz / 74.2 dBFS / 91 dB
I/Q mode output sample rates
0.00375 MHz - 1.288 MHz
24 bit resolution
Spectrum analyzer I/Q modes
2.458 MHz - 12.288 MHz
16 bit / 16384 FFT points
Spectrum analyzer real mode
56 MHz wide / 122.88 MHz sample rate
16 bit / 32768 FFT point
Minimum discernible signal
-137 dBm/Hz / -135 dBm/Hz
in 500 Hz BW PGA on/off at 15 MHz
Clipping point
-15 dBm
at 30 MHz
Cloud mode audio compression
G726,G711, Raw
phase continuous
Cloud mode demodulation
AM,FM,WFM,SSB,CW,SAM,DSB,ASK,OOK,PSK31,RAW
IQ
Cloud mode audio rates
16 kb/s - 64 kb/s
audio is 8 KHz sample rate
Cloud mode RAW IQ
500 samples/sec - 16 ksamples/sec
at 8 bits resolution after AGC
Cloud mode spectrum display
0.001 MHz - 10 MHz wide / 2048 FFT points
with simultaneous demod
TCXO
<2.5ppm over 0-40 oC
Remote server boot time
10 seconds
availability online after power cycle
Power comsumption
5 Volts - 0.8 Amps
Compliance
CE, FCC, IC
Dimensions
4.8 x 4.0 x 1.2 inches
Serial Port
RS-232 levels for external radio control and debug
Warranty
1 year parts and labor. International shipping paid by
customer
Introduction
The Cloud-IQ radio is a high performance networked software defined radio with 0.009-56 MHz
frequency coverage. The Cloud-IQ uses a high performance ADC running at 122.88 MHz. The output
IQ bandwidth is configurable via software up to a maximum of 1.288 MHz at 24 bits. PC
communications are handled over a 100 base-T port using TCP control packets. The IQ streams to the
PC via UDP packets.
The Cloud-IQ is compatible with the" SpectraVue, SDR-Radio, SDR#, CuteSDR and other software. The
SpectraVue software includes demodulation and I/Q capture of spectrum at up to a 1.2288 MHz BW.
For those interested in writing their own applications, RFSPACE supplies a fully documented protocol
for communicating with the hardware as well as an open source application for MacOS, Windows and
Linux. There is no need to calculate the downconverter DSP parameters. The Cloud-IQ just needs the
center frequency, attenuator, output sample rate and mode to begin streaming data. The Cloud-IQ
utilizes straight TCP/IP and ethernet for all communications. This offers the highest possible
performance due to the highly optimized ethernet drivers on PC, Mac and Linux systems.
The Cloud-IQ packets are fully routable. This means that the receiver can be placed at remote
locations. Multiple receivers can also be combined and it’s data transported over a higher data rate
ethernet pipe using simple switches and routers. In this application, each Cloud-IQ can be set to a
different IP address or port.
The Cloud-IQ includes a low bandwidth internet mode for remote operation. In this mode, the radio
performs all demodulation and spectral FFTs onboard. The compressed data is then sent to the client
over a TCP link. This allows the placement of the Cloud-IQ anywhere in the world with an internet
connection. The RemoteSDRclient and Android SDRanywhere applications are used as clients.
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 6
Front Panel
1. Mode LED indicator. Used to indicate if the receiver is booting or operating in IQ or Cloud mode.
2. Status LED indicator. Used to indicate if the receiver is connected and active.
3. Clip LED indicator. Blinks red if the ADC full scale level is exceeded. Select the minimum attenuator
required to minimize clipping. Do not exceed max input levels to prevent input circuitry damage.
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 7
Rear Panel
4. Antenna 1 input SMA connector. This is the main RF input connector for 0.009 - 56 MHz. This
connector is user selectable or can be configured to automatically switch based on a user specified
frequency range.
5. Antenna 2 input SMA connector. This is the secondary RF input connector for 0.009 - 56 MHz. This
connector is user selectable or can be configured to automatically switch based on a user specified
frequency range.
6. Bidirectional RS-232 3.5mm jack. This port is used for debug and external radio control. Connection
diagram shows wiring used to connect to PC. Switch pins 2/3 to connect to a radio or use a null
modem adapter.
7. 100 Base-T Ethernet connection. Connects to PC or router for IQ mode. Connects to WAN or router
for Cloud mode.
8. Power input. Apply 5 Volts at less than 1 Amp. Do not exceed 5.5 Volts or radio will power off.
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 8
Installation
The Cloud-IQ ships configured for IQ streaming mode and with DHCP turned on. This mode is the
most common mode of operation. In this mode, the radio streams the raw IQ stream to the PC where
software like SpectraVue processes the data.
Connect the Cloud-IQ Ethernet port to the router and connect the power cable to the Cloud-IQ and a
PC USB port. Some USB ports might not offer enough current to power the radio. In this case, use the
included 5V USB power supply. The radio will obtain an IP address from the DHCP server. Open SpectraVue and select the Cloud-IQ Setup. The Find button will search for the Cloud-IQs present in the network. Select the Cloud-IQ you wish to operate and click OK. Exit the setup menu and start SpectraVue
by pressing Start or F12.
If you need to configure the Cloud-IQ with a manual IP address or you wish to connect the Cloud-IQ
directly to a PC, follow the instructions for the CloudSetup application included in the CD.!
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 9
SDRanywhere Android App
The SDRanywhere application is an Android app that allows remote operation of an RFSPACE Cloud-
IQ radio from anywhere in the world. The SDRanywhere application receives the demodulated audio
and waterfall information from a remote radio.
To download. Browse to http://www.sdranywhere.com and install the .APK file from your Android
device.
This file and instructions are also included in the install CD.
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 10
Cloud-IQ Interface Specs
Please contact info@rfspace.com for the latest version of the Cloud-IQ Interface Specification
Document. This document is available under NDA.
CuteSDR "
RFSPACE supplies a simple, open-source application for the Cloud-IQ radio. This application is written
using the QT framework and will compile for MacOS, Windows and Linux operating systems. This
software is supplied with a free license to be used by RFSPACE customers wishing to create their own
applications. "
"
information at : http://sourceforge.net/projects/cutesdr/ "
"
RemoteSDRclient "
RFSPACE supplies a simple, open-source application for the Cloud-IQ radio operating in the low
bandwidth Cloud mode. This application is written using the QT framework and will compile for
MacOS, Windows and Linux operating systems. This software is supplied with a free license to be used
by RFSPACE customers wishing to create their own applications. "
"
information at : http://sourceforge.net/projects/remotesdrclient/files/"
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 11
Compliance
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device as
applicable, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference
to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. The user must use
the accessories and cables supplied by the manufacturer to get optimum performance from the
product.
FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE
June 2015 RFSPACE, Inc. Cloud-IQ User’s Guide 12
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