Software Defined Radios (SDRs)

Tampere University Foundation sr (Contracting authority) is publishing direct award notice for 'Software Defined Radios (SDRs)'.

BACKGROUND INFO Tampere Wireless Research Center (https://research.tuni.fi/wireless/) is internationally recognized with 12 professors and around over 100 researchers, all focusing on fundamental basic science and applied research related to different wireless systems and networks. Center develops new technology, e.g., for 5G and 6G mobile cellular networks, Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet applications, including new algorithms, hardware, protocols and networking solutions. NEED Software Defined Radios (SDRs) have become critical enablers of contemporary wireless communications research, allowing flexible and reconfigurable experimentation across a wide range of frequencies and protocols. Current state-of-the-art research in 5G-Advanced and emerging 6G systems relies heavily on SDR platforms to investigate ultra-wideband transmission, massive MIMO, integrated sensing and communications (ISAC), and AI-assisted radio optimization. These advanced use cases impose strict requirements on experimental hardware, including very high instantaneous bandwidth, deterministic multi-channel coherence, and precise synchronization. As wireless research progresses toward higher frequency bands and wider bandwidths, particular emphasis is placed on the FR3 frequency range (7–24 GHz), which is a key focus area for early 6G research. Experimental validation in FR3 requires radio platforms capable of wide tuning ranges, high bandwidth, and coherent multi-channel operation—capabilities that are not achievable with conventional SDR systems. The Ettus Research USRP X420 SDR uniquely addresses these requirements. It provides continuous frequency coverage from 10 MHz up to 20 GHz, directly enabling experimentation across sub-6 GHz and into FR3 and adjacent bands, as well as satellite and non-terrestrial network (NTN) frequencies. The system supports up to 1 GHz instantaneous bandwidth per channel, allowing real-time processing of wideband signals necessary for 6G waveform prototyping and high-resolution sensing applications. The X420 includes two transmit and two receive channels with phase-coherent operation enabled via shared local oscillators, making it suitable for advanced multi-antenna techniques such as beamforming, massive MIMO, and direction-finding. It supports real-time signal processing and hardware acceleration of complex algorithms directly on the device. Combined with high-speed host interfaces such as dual 100 GbE connectivity, the platform enables low-latency streaming and integration with high-performance computing infrastructures. For precise experimental control, the X420 integrates advanced synchronization features, including a GPS-disciplined oscillator (GPSDO), external 10 MHz reference, and pulse-per-second (PPS) inputs, ensuring accurate time and phase alignment across channels and distributed systems. These capabilities are essential for distributed radio experiments and coordinated sensing-communication systems. The platform operates within the widely adopted UHD (USRP Hardware Driver) ecosystem and supports development environments such as GNU Radio, Python, and C/C++, ensuring seamless integration into existing research workflows. CONCLUSION FOR DIRECT AWARD A direct award is justified as no alternative SDR solution offers the same combination of FR3-capable frequency coverage, 1 GHz instantaneous bandwidth, phase-coherent multi-channel architecture, FPGA-based real-time processing, and high-speed interfacing within a single integrated system. Alternative platforms lack either the required bandwidth, frequency range, or synchronization capabilities, leading to significant compromises in research accuracy and scope. In conclusion, the Ettus X420 SDR is uniquely positioned to support advanced wireless research, particularly in the FR3 band for 6G development. Its acquisition through a direct award is therefore technically justified and essential to ensure the successful execution of current and future research activities. In Finland, the official reseller of X420 is CN Rood, which has been selected as the provider of these instruments.