Category: Electronics

Using a Software Defined Radio to Debug LoRa Communication Problems

As part of my ongoing “Introduction to IoT” series, in this article you’ll learn how to use a cheap software defined radio (SDR) to diagnose problems between different LoRa radios and drivers. SDR can be invaluable when diagnosing LoRa link problems, especially when using new and untested hardware and software. What follows is an account of the many problems I...

Getting Started With Lattice IceStick FPGA Using Open Source Tools on MacOS

The Lattice IceStick evaluation board is a great way into the exciting new world of FPGAs. It has opened up the traditionally closed world of FPGA development to hobbyists and makers. But working out how to install a development toolchain can be daunting, especially for Mac users. This tutorial is a step-by-step guide on how to bypass the official tools...

What’s an SoC? Defining system-on-chip is harder than you think.

As gadgets get more advanced, the technology inside them has been subtly changing. Not too long ago, microcontrollers were the mainstay of most battery-powered gadgets and appliances around the home. But over the last decade or so this has started to shift, and ever more devices are now based upon system-on-chips (SoCs). But what exactly is this new class of...