Product Introduction
PlutoSky P1 is a cost-effective entry-level Zynq software-defined radio launched by OpenSourceSDR Lab, fully compatible with official ADALM-PLUTO hardware and firmware standards. It adopts Xilinx Zynq XC7Z010 SoC + AD9363 RF chip solution, supports software hacking to unlock 70MHz–6GHz full frequency band, 2Tx2R full-duplex transceiver, maximum 20MHz instantaneous bandwidth, sampling rate up to 61.44MSPS. It is suitable for radio enthusiasts, student teaching, short-wave monitoring, simple signal generation and analysis scenarios, and natively supports Windows / Ubuntu cross-platform software ecology.
AD936x Series Chip Parameter Comparison
PlutoSky P1 ships with AD9363; users can modify U-Boot environment variables via serial port to emulate AD9361 (support 2T2R full duplex) or AD9364 to unlock low-frequency bands below 325MHz.
Core Chips and Hardware Parameters
Features and Performance Specifications
Windows System Usage Tutorial
This chapter serves as a complete practical guide for PlutoSky P1 on Windows systems. It sequentially covers core driver installation, custom network parameter configuration, as well as the installation, debugging and signal transmission/reception operations of various mainstream SDR software. Advanced operations including AD936X frequency band unlocking, firmware upgrade and full-band performance testing are also included, providing one-stop guidance for users to get started with PlutoSky P1 quickly.
Install PlutoSDR USB official driver
This section introduces the installation steps of ADI official composite USB driver, which realizes system recognition of virtual network card and serial port, and common hardware unrecognized troubleshooting methods.
Download & Install PlutoSDR-M2k-USB-Drivers.exe
First, locate the driver file PlutoSDR-M2k-USB-Drivers.exe in the resource package, or download it from the ADI website: https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto/drivers/windows. After opening the website, click the corresponding link, select the driver you wish to download.
Run the installer as an administrator. If Windows SmartScreen warning appears, click "More info" and then "Run anyway". Follow the installation wizard: click "Next", accept the license agreement, and then click "Install". The process takes about 30 seconds. Once completed, connect your PlutoSky P1 to the computer using a USB cable. Open Device Manager, and you should see "PlutoSDR Serial Console" under Ports and " PlutoSDR USB Ethernet/RNDIS Gadget" under Network Adapters
If the device does not appear automatically, right-click the unknown device, select "Update driver", and manually point to the driver folder inside the installation directory.
Note: If the device is not detected at all, it may be insufficient power supply. Try connecting both USB ports of PlutoSky P1 to your computer.
Install libiio core communication library
libiio is the underlying IIO communication library relied by all SDR upper software; without it, software cannot connect to PlutoSky P1 hardware.
Download libiio-setup.exe & Complete Installation
Resource Access：
Windows driver package directory: libiio-0.26.ga0eca0d2-setup.exe
Official GitHub release page: https://github.com/analogdevicesinc/libiio/releases
Installation Steps：
Run the installer with administrator privileges, select English as the display language, accept the license agreement, and complete the graphical installation process.
Command-Line Device Connectivity Verification
Open Windows CMD terminal, input the detection command:
iio_info -u ip:192.168.2.1
If the terminal outputs complete hardware information including serial number, chip model and firmware version without error reports, the communication link is normal.
PlutoSky P1 Network Configuration and Conflict Resolution
Factory default network parameters are pre-written to PlutoSky P1, default IP address 192.168.2.1, USB direct connection can be used directly without modification. The two most common daily faults: single-device network segment occupation, multi-device simultaneous identification conflict.
Single Device Network Segment Conflict Resolution
When the default network segment is occupied and device communication is abnormal, configure a static IP and modify the parameters in the [NETWORK] section, simply replacing them with an available IP address on the same network segment.
Set a static IP for PlutoSky P1
Shortcut Win+R, input ncpa.cpl and press Enter to open network panel
Right-click USB virtual network adapter → Properties, double-click IPv4 item
Select manual IP filling: 192.168.2.15
Subnet Mask:255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: Leave blank (No gateway required for direct USB connection)
Click OK for all pop-ups to save settings.
Modify PlutoSky P1 Configuration File
Keep USB connected, a removable PlutoSDR virtual disk pops up in This PC
Open root directory config.txt, edit the [NETWORK] block as below:
[NETWORK]
ipaddr = 192.168.2.5
ipaddr_host = 192.168.2.15
hostname = pluto
Ctrl+S save file, right-click the virtual disk and select Eject safely, do not pull the USB cable directly.
Wait 2~3 seconds for the device to reload parameters automatically; the file named SUCCESS_ENV_UPDAT appears in the disk means modification takes effect, re-plug USB cable to refresh completely.
Verification Methods for Effective Network Configuration
Quick Ping Connectivity Test
Run the Ping command in Windows CMD or system terminal with your updated device IP. Zero packet loss and stable network latency indicate valid configuration.
ping 192.168.2.5
Device Hardware Identification Verification
Execute the exclusive device detection command to accurately verify configuration status and online status; this is the core criterion to judge whether configurations take effect.
iio_info -u ip:192.168.2.5
Computer Software Visual Verification
Launch supporting upper computer software such as SDRangel, Gqrx or CubicSDR, and open the device selection panel:
The updated device name refreshes normally, and you can connect and start the device successfully after clicking.
Differentiation Scheme for Simultaneous Connection of Multiple Devices
Under USB direct-connect mode, libiio relies on the device's factory-unique hardware serial number for identification. As a result, IP conflicts do not arise even when all devices retain the default IP address of 192.168.2.1, eliminating the need for batch modification of network segments.
Operation Steps
Modify Identification Labels for Each Device One by One
Connect only one device to the computer at a time. Open the config.txt file in the virtual USB drive and modify only the hostname parameter in the [NETWORK] section. Name the two devices as pluto1 and pluto2 respectively, while keeping the default IP address (192.168.2.1) unchanged.
Save Configuration and Reload to Apply Changes
After modification, press Ctrl + S to save the file, then right-click the virtual USB drive and select "Eject" (or "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media"). Wait 2 to 3 seconds for the device to automatically reload the network configuration, then disconnect the USB cable and repeat the above steps for the next device.
Connect All Devices to the Computer Simultaneously
Once both devices have been configured, connect all device USB cables to the computer at the same time. In SDRangel, Gqrx, or other host applications, each device will appear as an independent hardware entry in the device list. You can directly select the desired device to establish a connection based on its custom hostname.
Pluto2
Pluto1
Device Verification Command
Execute the IP channel scan command to read the custom hostname, hardware model, and serial number information of all online devices at once, allowing you to visually distinguish between devices:
iio_info -S ip
If you need to connect to a specific device individually, it is recommended to use the underlying USB bus address for access, which is completely unaffected by network segments or IP addresses. First, use iio_info -S usb to find your device's bus address.
Then enter the following command to connect to the specified device:
iio_info -u usb:bus_address
Modify chip identifier to unlock full frequency bands
The device is factory-equipped with the AD9363 RF transceiver chip, which comes with a factory-limited tuning range of 325–3800 MHz, making it unable to cover the civilian FM broadcast band. Prior to use, you must modify the firmware configuration to emulate the chip as either AD9361 or AD9364 mode. This unlocks the full 70–6000 MHz frequency range, enabling normal reception of FM radio broadcasts.
Upgrade AD9363 to AD9364
First, locate the COM port assigned to your Pluto SDR via Device Manager (as shown in my case, it is COM10).
Second, configure the parameters below in PuTTY, then click Open to establish a connection to the Pluto SDR.
After connecting to the Pluto SDR, the following screen will appear. The username is root and the password is analog. Enter the commands below one by one and press Enter after each line:
fw_printenv attr_name
fw_printenv attr_val
After executing the two commands above, you will see the message Error: "XXX" not defined displayed. This is normal and can be ignored.
Continue to run the following commands sequentially:
fw_setenv attr_name compatible
fw_setenv attr_val ad9364
reboot
After running fw_printenv attr_name and fw_printenv attr_val, the output shown below will be displayed:
This completes the process of reconfiguring the chip from AD9363 to AD9364 emulation mode.
Reconfigure AD9363 to AD9361 and Enable 2Tx/2Rx Mode
First, locate the COM port assigned to your Pluto SDR via Device Manager (as shown in my case, it is COM10).
Configure the parameters below in PuTTY, then click Open to establish a connection to the Pluto SDR.
After connecting to the Pluto SDR, the following screen will appear. The username is root and the password is analog. Enter the commands below one by one and press Enter after each line:
fw_setenv attr_name compatible
fw_setenv attr_val ad9361
fw_setenv compatible ad9361
fw_setenv mode 2r2t
reboot
After executing the reboot command, close the current window. Log back in via PuTTY, then run the following commands to verify whether the firmware update succeeded:
fw_printenv attr_name
fw_printenv attr_val
fw_printenv compatible
fw_printenv mode
fw_printenv maxcpus
cat /proc/cpuinfo
ADI Firmware Update
This chapter introduces the conventional automatic firmware upgrade method applicable to normally recognized devices.
Download the Latest Firmware Package
Open the repository link: https://github.com/analogdevicesinc/plutosdr-fw Navigate to the GitHub Releases section on the page, then download the latest firmware archive named plutosdr-fw-v0.39.zip. Fully extract all contents of the archive once the download finishes.
Hardware Connection
Connect your PlutoSDR to your computer via a data USB cable plugged into the central USB port of the device, then power on the unit. Once the computer recognizes the hardware, a removable USB drive labeled PlutoSDR will pop up automatically.
Firmware Flashing Procedure
Copy every extracted file in full and paste them directly into the root directory of the PlutoSDR removable drive.
Trigger Automatic Firmware Update
After all file transfers complete, right-click the PlutoSDR drive and select Safely Eject.
Wait for the Upgrade Process to Finish
Upon ejecting the drive, the LED1 indicator light on the device will flash rapidly, signifying the automatic firmware flashing is in progress. The upgrade is complete when the flashing stops, the removable drive reappears, and all previously copied files are erased from the drive.
Resume Normal Operation
Unplug and reinsert the PlutoSDR USB cable, and the device will be ready for regular use with the updated firmware.
DFU Firmware Update
This chapter covers DFU recovery, firmware flashing and dual verification for bricked devices.
Enter DFU flashing mode
Press and hold the device DFU button with a thin rigid object such as a toothpick or paper clip.
Plug in the USB cable to power on the device, then release the button to switch modes.
Mode identification: All device indicators turn off, only LED1 stays lit — this confirms DFU mode.
DFU
Device recognition check: Open Windows Device Manager. If USB download gadget appears under Universal Serial Bus devices, DFU mode is activated normally.
Download firmware files
Visit ADI official firmware repository: https://github.com/analogdevicesinc/plutosdr-fw
Download the latest firmware archive plutosdr-fw-v0.39.zip and extract it to a separate local folder.
Create flashing batch script
Create a new text document inside the extracted firmware root folder, rename it UPDATE.BAT, copy the following content into UPDATE.BAT，and store it in the same directory as the .dfu firmware file.
Run firmware flashing
Open Windows Command Prompt (CMD)
Execute UPDATE.BAT with the file path of pluto.dfu.
First, switch to your extracted firmware directory in Command Prompt with this command:
cd /d C:\Users\lvguo\Downloads\plutosdr-fw-v0.39
Then run the flashing command to update the firmware:
UPDATE.BAT pluto.dfu
The message Done! in the terminal indicates the firmware flashing process is completed.
Dual verification for successful upgrade
This section introduces two methods to verify successful firmware upgrade: checking IIO devices in Device Manager and confirming the version v0.39 via the info.html webpage of the PlutoSDR removable disk.
Method 1: Verify via Device Manager
Unplug and reconnect the device after flashing. If IIO-related devices show up under Universal Serial Bus devices in Device Manager, the upgrade takes effect.
Method 2: Verify via onboard USB drive webpage
After device reboot, a removable disk named PlutoSDR will be detected by your PC.
Open the info.html file inside the disk with a web browser.
Navigate to Firmware -> Version Info on the page. If the displayed firmware version is v0.39, matching the version of your downloaded firmware package, the upgrade is fully successful.
SDRangel Installation and Usage
SDRangel is another powerful SDR software that offers a wide range of demodulators and analyzers. Let's set it up to receive FM radio.
First, the driver file is included in the resource package. The file is located in the " Software Package " folder. The file name is: sdrangel-7.23.0-win64.exe. Right-click on it. From the context menu that appears, select "Run as administrator". If Windows User Account Control prompts you with a dialog box asking "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", click "Yes" to proceed.
The installation wizard window will now appear. Click the "Next" button to continue. Accept the agreement, and then click "Install".
Before we start, we need to connect the antenna to the RX1 port.
After installation, launch the software. You will see a blank workspace. Click the "Add Receiver" icon and select "PlutoSDR" from the list.
In the device settings panel,set the Sample Rate to around 2.5 Msps,and enter the center frequency of a local FM station,for example 103.9 MHz.Click the purple play button to start the device.
Sample Rate
Center Frequency
You will see the spectrum and waterfall display. Now click the "Add Channel" button. In the pop-up window, select "Broadcast FM Demodulator" as the demodulator type. Adjust the channel parameters if needed, and you should hear the FM broadcast through your speakers.
Universal Radio Hacker (URH) Installation and Usage
Universal Radio Hacker, or URH, is a complete suite for analyzing and recording wireless signals. It works seamlessly with PlutoSky P1.
Install URH by running the Universal.Radio.Hacker-2.10.0-x64.exe installer. After launching the application, click the "File" menu and then the red "Record" button. In the recording dialog, select "PlutoSDR" as the device and click the green refresh arrow to detect it.
Set the center frequency to your target signal, for instance 103.9 MHz. Set the bandwidth to 4 MHz and the sampling rate to 2 MSPS. Adjust the gain as needed, perhaps starting with 20 dB. Click "Start" to begin recording. After 10 to 30 seconds, click "Stop".
You can now save the recorded IQ data to a file for later analysis or replay.
Installation and Use of SDR Console
SDR Console is a feature-rich SDR application with an intuitive interface. Let's configure it for PlutoSky P1.
After installing SDR Console, launch it. On first startup, the "Radio Definitions" window will appear. Click "Definitions", then "Add", and select "PlutoSDR" from the list. The default connection settings( IP 192.168.2.1) are usually correct. Then click "OK" and "Save". Click "start" and then close. The first time you use it, it might take a while to load, but it won't affect the normal connection.
Back on the main interface, click "Layout" and select "Broadcast" or a suitable preset. Enter the desired FM frequency, select "BC-FM" as the mode, and enable AGC. You should now be receiving the broadcast.
GNURadio Installation and Usage
GNU Radio is a powerful open-source signal processing framework widely used in SDR application development. Through its graphical interface GNU Radio Companion (GRC), users can build complex wireless communication systems without writing code.
Locate the "radioconda-2025.03.14-Windows-x86_64.exe" file in the software package. Double-click it and run the installation. GNU Radio allows us to build signal processing flowgraphs graphically. Let's create a simple FM receiver.
Creating FM Reception Flow Diagram Using GNU
Before we start, we need to connect the antenna to the RX1 port.
Search for "GNU Radio Companion" in the Start menu and launch it. In the block list on the right, find "PlutoSDR Source" and drag it onto the canvas. Set the IIO context URI to 192.168.2.1. Double-click it to set the center frequency to a local FM station, for instance 103.9 MHz.
Next, add a "WBFM Receive" block and an "Audio Sink" block. Set the Quadrature Rate of the WBFM block to match the sample rate, typically 2.4 MHz. Set the sample rate of the Audio Sink module to 96 kHz. Connect the output of the PlutoSDR Source to the input of the WBFM Receive block, and then connect its output to the Audio Sink.
Save the flowgraph and click the "Execute" button. After a few seconds of compilation, you should hear the FM station through your computer's speakers.
Conducting Loopback Testing Using GNU
Build the following flowchart in GNU Radio. Install antennas on TX1 and RX1, and then click the "Start Running" button.
SDRSharp Installation and Usage
SDRSharp is a very popular software-defined radio receiver software for Windows. It supports many SDR hardware devices, has a clean interface, and offers powerful features. We'll learn how to configure PlutoSky P1 in SDRSharp, fix the common 'Unable to create I/O context 'error, and successfully receive FM radio.
Install SDRSharp
First, locate the SDRSharp.zip file in the software package we provided, extract and install it. Next, double-click SDRSharp.exe to launch the program, which is ready for immediate use.
Or visit the link https://github.com/Manawyrm/sdrsharp-plutosdr/releases. Download the dedicated plugin sdrsharp-plutosdr-0.5.4.zip from the Releases section of this page. Meanwhile, obtain the SDR# download URL https://airspy.com/downloads/sdrsharp-x86-noskin.zip from the same page and download the x86 version of the SDR# installation package.Extract the two installation packages separately with designated extraction paths, then copy all files from the plugin archive to the root directory of the SDR# program folder.Select to replace files in the destination.
Then locate FrontEnds.xml in the SDR# folder, open it with Notepad, add the line
<add key="PlutoSDR" value="SDRSharp.PlutoSDR.PlutoSDRIO,SDRSharp.PlutoSDR" />
right above the </frontendPlugins> tag, and save the file.
Use SDRSharp to receive FM radio broadcasts
On the top left corner, open the "Source" drop-down menu and select "PlutoSDR".
Note: If the software fails to detect the PlutoSky P1 device, the issue is most likely caused by incomplete plugin file copying or incompatibility between your SDRSharp version and the plugin. It is recommended to uninstall your existing SDRSharp, then redownload the matching software and compatible plugin from the specified webpage.
Then click the Configure button next to it. In the config window, find the URI or Connection String option. For USB connection, set the URI to usb. For network connection (e.g., IP 192.168.2.1), set it to ip:192.168.2.1. In the same config window, set Sample Rate to 4 MSPS.
Let's optimize the settings for receiving FM radio at103.9 MHz. Enter 103.9M as the frequency. Then, in the Radio dropdown on the right, select WFM. Adjust Bandwidth to 200000 (200 kHz). If the signal is weak, increase the Gain value. You should now hear the broadcast clearly.
Testing the cracking result of the AD936X chip
Finally, let's verify that our PlutoSky P1, which is based on the AD9363 chip, has been successfully modified via software to support the full 70 MHz to 6 GHz tuning range of the AD9361.
Using SDRangel, set the center frequency just above 70 MHz. You should observe normal spectral activity. Now slowly increase the center frequency up towards 6 GHz. You will see the spectrum change accordingly. Once you exceed 6000 MHz, the spectrum will no longer display valid signals, confirming that the device operates within the 70 MHz to 6 GHz range.
Ubuntu System Usage Tutorial
This section covers driver installation and basic dependency libraries for PlutoSky P1 devices.
Install Ubuntu Drivers & Base Dependencies
Open a terminal, update the package list, and install required tools and libraries.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install git cmake g++ libiio-dev libboost-all-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev
sudo apt install libiio-utils
Allow a few minutes for the process to complete.
Then clone SoapySDR from GitHub, build and install it.
git clone https://github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR.git
cd SoapySDR
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
Enter the following command to update the dynamic library cache:
sudo ldconfig
SoapySDRUtil -info
After success, the SoapySDR version and the plugin path will be displayed.
Install SoapyPlutoSDR Plugin & Verify Device
Enter the following command to return to the parent directory:
cd ../..
Clone and compile the SoapyPlutoSDR module.
git clone https://github.com/pothosware/SoapyPlutoSDR.git
cd SoapyPlutoSDR
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
Finally, perform connectivity verification and hardware detection for the PlutoSky P1 device.
PlutoSky P1 Connectivity and Device Detection
ping -c 3 192.168.2.1
Read PlutoSky P1 hardware device information
iio_info -u ip:192.168.2.1 | head -n 40
s
Probe PlutoSDR Soapy driver status
SoapySDRUtil --probe="driver=plutosdr,hostname=192.168.2.1"
If you see PlutoSDR information, the driver is ready.
Install SDRangel
On Ubuntu, it is recommended to install SDRangel via snap.
sudo snap install core
sudo snap install sdrangel
The Snap version of SDRangel runs with restricted permissions by default. Without proper permissions granted, it will fail to detect USB devices, manage networks, access hardware information, record audio or demodulate signals. Please run the following commands to complete the configuration.
For the Snap version, run the following commands first to enable this feature:
sudo snap connect sdrangel:raw-usb
sudo snap connect sdrangel:avahi-control
sudo snap connect sdrangel:network-manager
sudo snap connect sdrangel:hardware-observe
If you encounter dependency issues, run:
sudo apt -fix-broken install
Launch SDRangel:
Sdrangel
Using SDRangel to receive FM radio broadcasts
Firs，we need to connect the device to the computer via a USB cable，connect the antenna to RX1.
Once SDRangel is open, add a receiver and select “PlutoSDR”.
Set the center frequency to your local FM station (e.g., 103.9 MHz) and sample rate to 2.5 MHz.
Click the purple triangle to start reception.
In the “Channel” area, click “+” and add a “Broadcast FM Demodulator”.
Adjust the volume and you should hear the broadcast.
Install Gqrx
First, install the required dependencies before proceeding with the main application.
git clone https://github.com/pothosware/SoapyPlutoSDR.git
cd SoapyPlutoSDR
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
sudo ldconfig
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libfuse2
Go to this website https://github.com/gqrx-sdr/gqrx/releases to download the latest Gqrx binary file.
Place the downloaded Gqrx-2.17.7-x86_64.AppImage from the official website into the apps folder on your desktop. Open a terminal and run the command below to navigate to this directory:
cd ~/Desktop/apps
Note: If the file is stored in a different location, replace the command with the corresponding actual path.
Grant executable permissions to the program file Gqrx-2.17.7-x86_64.AppImage to allow the system to run it.
chmod +x Gqrx-2.17.7-x86_64.AppImage
Create a system symbolic link
Run the following command to create a symbolic link, so you can launch the program directly from the terminal:
sudo ln -sf /home/nyq/Desktop/apps/Gqrx-2.17.7-x86_64.AppImage /usr/bin/abc
This command creates a symbolic link named abc in the system global directory /usr/bin/ pointing to the Gqrx executable located in the apps folder on your desktop. After configuration, you can launch Gqrx quickly by entering abc or the full filename in the terminal.
Using Gqrx to receive FM radio broadcasts
Connect the device to the computer with a USB cable and plug the antenna into RX1.
Launch Gqrx and select PlutoSDR as the device.
If the device is not detected, choose Other in the Device menu, enter ip:192.168.2.1 in the Device string field, then click OK.
The title bar at the top of the software displays device=PlutoSDR,driver=plutosdr,soapy=0,uri=usb:3.5.5, which indicates the PlutoSky P1 hardware has been successfully recognized via USB, eliminating the need to reselect the device. In the Frequency input box on the right panel, enter the target FM radio frequency point of 97400.000 kHz (equivalent to 97.400000 MHz). In the Filter width dropdown menu, select Wide to fully accommodate the full spectrum of FM signals. For the demodulation Mode dropdown, choose WFM (mono) — wideband FM demodulation for mono audio, suitable for regular FM radio reception.
Click the play button to start listening to the radio.
Reference
https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto/drivers/windows
https://github.com/analogdevicesinc/plutosdr-m2k-drivers-win/releases
https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto/prerequisites
https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto/users/firmware
https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/plutosdr-quickstart-guide/
https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto/users/quick_start
https://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/pluto/prerequisites
https://wiki.analog.com/resources/tools-software/linux-software/gnuradio