Hardware checklist¶
This page is the short top-level hardware go/no-go guide for the course.
Use it as the single entry point before any board-level, RF, RTL-SDR, or IQ-capture lab. The detailed procedures remain in the linked pages; this checklist tells you what to open next and what evidence must exist before the lab is considered reproducible.
1. Pre-lab route¶
| Stage | Main question | Open this page |
|---|---|---|
| Host readiness | Can the local workstation run docs, labs and HDL smoke checks? | Hardware bring-up checklist |
| RF safety | Is the TX/RX path safe and attenuation assumptions documented? | RF safety guide |
| Measurement discipline | Are uncertainty, gain and capture assumptions recorded? | Measurement uncertainty guide |
| IQ metadata | Can the capture be replayed and interpreted later? | IQ recording metadata guide |
| Final reporting | Is there a standard structure for conclusions and evidence? | SDR measurement report template |
2. Minimum go/no-go before touching hardware¶
Do not start the experiment until these conditions are true:
- The frequency plan is written down.
- The TX gain or expected signal level is documented.
- The RX path and attenuation chain are explicitly described.
- The receiver input protection assumption is clear.
- The sample rate, bandwidth and center frequency are recorded.
- The expected output artifact is known in advance: FFT, constellation, BER/EVM, or measurement report.
3. Minimal reproducible hardware pack¶
For a hardware-backed lab, the repository or report should contain:
- setup description;
- board and receiver configuration;
- IQ metadata;
- one generated figure or report;
- one short engineering conclusion.
If any of these are missing, the lab may still be educational, but it is not yet portfolio-ready.
4. Fast role-based entry points¶
| Role | What to open first |
|---|---|
| Student | Student path |
| Reviewer | Reviewer path |
| Instructor | Instructor guide |
5. Recommended sequence for first real RF lab¶
- Review RF safety guide.
- Check the board and receiver setup in Hardware bring-up checklist.
- Prepare capture fields from IQ recording metadata guide.
- Run the experiment and save one reproducible artifact.
- Write the result using SDR measurement report template.