# CaribouLite (CaribouLabs)

> A dual-channel software-defined radio built as a Raspberry Pi HAT, tuning up to 6 GHz, with an open FPGA.

- **Category:** Radio & mesh
- **Availability:** Sold out
- **Price:** US$149, checked 2026-09-18
- **Good for:** Turning a Raspberry Pi into a wideband radio you fully control.
- **You'll need:** A Raspberry Pi; check availability before planning around it.
- **Trade-off:** No longer available from Crowd Supply.
- **Page:** https://gadgets.sh/devices/cariboulite/

## Where to buy

| Shop | Status | Link |
|---|---|---|
| CaribouLabs | Sold out on Crowd Supply | https://www.crowdsupply.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite-rpi-hat?utm_source=gadgets.sh&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cariboulite&utm_content=api |

## Blueprint

**Open hardware.** Full rev2 KiCad-era design outputs are public: schematics PDF, production Gerbers, drill files, assembly drawings and BOM spreadsheets, plus separate open FPGA firmware and Linux drivers.

### Design files

- schematic: [CaribouLite rev2 schematics (PDF)](https://github.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite/blob/main/hardware/rev2/schematics/CaribouLite.PDF) (PDF)
- gerbers: [CaribouLite r2.8 production Gerbers](https://github.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite/tree/main/hardware/rev2/pcb/gerber) (Gerber)
- bom: [Full BOM (XLSX)](https://github.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite/blob/main/hardware/rev2/assembly/full_bom/cariboulite_bom.xlsx) (XLSX)
- datasheet: [CaribouLite board datasheet](https://github.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite/blob/main/docs/datasheet/CaribouLite_DS_R1.0.pdf) (PDF)

### Source repositories

- [cariboulabs/cariboulite](https://github.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite) — hardware, ★1335
- [cariboulabs/cariboulite_hw](https://github.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite_hw) — hardware, CC0-1.0, ★23

### Key parts

| Part | Role | Datasheet |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip/Atmel AT86RF215 | sub-6 GHz RF modem/transceiver |  |
| Qorvo RFFC5072 | 6 GHz up/down-mixer |  |
| FPGA (Lattice iCE40 family) | digital baseband / SMI interface to Raspberry Pi |  |

_Notes:_ Verified hardware/rev2/{schematics,pcb,assembly} tree via gh api on cariboulabs/cariboulite (1335 stars). Could not get a verifiable manufacturer datasheet link for AT86RF215 (microchip.com returns 403 to automated fetches on every path tried), so left that field out rather than guess.

### Raw source files

Direct links an agent or KiCad can open (the viewer on the page reads the same files).

- 3D model (STEP, 6.6 MB): [cariboulite full](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite_hw/main/hardware/rev2/3d/cariboulite_full.step)
- 3D model (STEP, 4.2 MB): [pcb](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite_hw/main/hardware/hat_power_monitor_r1.0/ExportSTEP/pcb.step)

## Specifications

### Core hardware

| | |
|---|---|
| Processor | FPGA with open firmware, as a Raspberry Pi HAT |
| Display | None |
| Radio | Dual-channel transmit and receive, tunable up to 6 GHz |
| Power | From the Raspberry Pi |

### Details from the project page

| | |
|---|---|
| Form | A HAT that turns a Raspberry Pi into a self-contained dual-channel radio |
| Openness | Full control of the hardware, the FPGA, its firmware and the supporting software |
| Variant | A CaribouLite ISM version was sold at US$79 |
| Availability | Both versions are marked no longer available on Crowd Supply |

### Buying

| | |
|---|---|
| Price | US$149 on Crowd Supply |
| Availability | No longer available on the day of review |

## Firmware & community

- [CaribouLite SDR](https://github.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite) — Dual-channel sub-6GHz SDR HAT for Raspberry Pi with FPGA signal processing and SoapySDR integration.

## Documentation

- [Crowd Supply project page](https://www.crowdsupply.com/cariboulabs/cariboulite-rpi-hat)
- [Crowd Supply](https://www.crowdsupply.com)

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Source: gadgets.sh · https://gadgets.sh/devices/cariboulite/ · JSON: https://gadgets.sh/api/v1/devices/cariboulite.json