QM35825 cannot receive SP0 — but the datasheet says SP0 gives DW1000 compatibility

Wireless Connectivity Ultra-Wideband
,
1

Hello,

We are evaluating the QM35825 as a receiver and need it to receive existing
DW1000-based devices. Two Qorvo sources contradict each other on whether
this is possible.

QM35825 Production Data Sheet Rev. D (Sep 2025), §10.5:

“Packet configuration SP0 is a standard IEEE 802.15.4-2015 UWB packet
structure. This ensures backward compatibility with Qorvo’s DW1000 chip.”

But per Frame type SP0 error, the shipped
firmware reports SP0: Not supported in get_cap, and setting it returns
ErrorInvalidRFrameConfig.

Three questions:

  1. Is SP0 receive missing from the firmware only, or from the silicon as
    well?

  2. Is there any mode — PCTT, Radar, or proprietary — where the QM35825 can
    receive an SP0 frame from a DW1000 and report timestamps, CIR or AoA
    diagnostics?

  3. QORVO_FIRA_RANGE_DIAGNOSTICS_NTF encodes CIR per segment (IPATOV
    included) with a primary/secondary receiver indicator. In dual RX mode,
    does the device produce two IPATOV CIRs, one per receiver? If it does,
    PDoA would be derivable from the preamble alone, with no STS involved —
    is that available in any mode?

We have to select the transmitter-side radio before the next board
revision, so a clear answer either way is what we need.

Thanks.

2

Hi @leonardeuler,

  1. While the radio in QM35825 is compatible with DW1000 with the right settings, the only software provided by Qorvo for the QM35825 is a FiRa compliant software. FiRa does not allow the use of SP0 for the ranging portion as STS is needed which was added in 802.15.4z which is not supported in DW1000. A good alternative could be the QM33120W where you would have to develop your software to be able to range with the DW1000.
  2. Not for ranging. This could be possible with an FTM command.
  3. Yes this is possible. Please see PDoA mode 1 on p.31 of the L1 Configuration guide in the SDK here: Documentation/Specifications/UWB_L1_Configuration.pdf · main · QORVO_SDK / Public / DevKits / qm35-sdk · GitLab