IoT, 5G test needs met by1GHz vector signal transceiver

11th July 2016

NI-Emerson

Mick Elliott

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A second-generation vector signal transceiver (VST) is announced today (July 12) by NI. The NI PXIe-5840 module is said to be the world’s first 1GHz bandwidth VST and is designed to solve the most challenging RF design and test applications. The NI PXIe-5840 combines a 6.5GHz RF vector signal generator, 6.5GHz vector signal analyser, high-performance user-programmable FPGA and high-speed serial and parallel digital interfaces into a single 2-slot PXI Express module.

With 1GHz of bandwidth, the latest VST is ideally suited for a wide range of applications including 802.11ac/ax device testing, mobile/Internet of Things device testing, 5G design and testing, RFIC testing, radar prototyping and more.

“Although engineers can use the second-generation VST to solve many advanced RF test applications right out of the box, its software-designed architecture enables engineers to uniquely customise the user-programmable FPGA,” said Charles Schroeder, Vice President of Product Marketing, RF at NI. “Using the intuitive LabVIEW system design software, engineers can transform the VST into exactly what they need it to be at the firmware level and ultimately address the most demanding test and measurement challenges. This instrument is an unparalleled example of a product that delivers the RF performance required for traditional test and measurement and the flexibility of a software defined radio.”

The 1GHz of instantaneous bandwidth is for advanced digital pre-distortion (DPD) test and wideband signals such as radar, LTE-Advanced Pro and 5G. The measurement accuracy enables systems based on the second-generation VST to measure 802.11ac Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) performance of -50 dB.

Measurement speeds are up to 10X faster than traditional instrumentation using FPGA-based measurement acceleration and highly optimised measurement software.

Other features include small size and tight synchronisation allowing for up to 8x8 multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) configuration in a single 18-slot chassis and a user-programmable FPGA that engineers can easily design with LabVIEW.