This document presents a simple procedure for network analysis that is more cost-effective than the use of scalar network analyzers. It allows the accurate measurement of the transmission characteristics of filters, amplifiers and frequency converters over a large frequency and dynamic range. In order to reach very high measurement speeds, Rohde & Schwarz signal generators are operated in 'List Mode', and Rohde & Schwarz power meters are operated in 'Buffered Mode.' The required programming for the signal gene­rator and the power meter is illustrated by excerpts from a Visual Basic program which is available, free of charge, upon request.

14-Jul-2006 | AN-No. 1MA101

The R&S®ZNA vector network analyzer with integrated LO output and direct IF input options is a simple, cost-effective solution for 2-port and 4-port measurements using Rohde & Schwarz mmWave converters.

27-Apr-2023

The R&S®ZNA vector network analyzer offers a dynamic range that is unbeatable on the market. This kind of sensitivity unlocks potential applications that previously could not be addressed with a vector network analyzer.

07-Jan-2019

This application note describes the noise figure measurement using the R&S Vector Network Analyzers of the ZVA and ZVT series. It explains the concept of measuring noise figure without the need for a characterized noise source. Furthermore, it discusses different measurement applications and the respective setup and implications. Some examples guide through the instrument setups and show measurement results as well.

27-Oct-2010 | AN-No. 1EZ61

With its small footprint, the R&S®ATS1000 antenna test system is the ideal direct far-field OTA system to test phased array antennas. The system tests and optimizes the radiation characteristics of any modules using the AiP technology from 18 GHz to 87 GHz.

12-Mar-2020

This application note explains how to convert different Rohde & Schwarz I/Q file formats among each other using the supplied software tool.

23-Sep-2015 | AN-No. 1EF85

Energy efficiency of RF Frontends (RFFE), especially transmitters, continues to gain greater prominence.Meeting the efficiency challenge is increasingly difficult at higher operating frequencies and bandwidths, such as those proposed for 5G.There is a group of transmitter RFFE architectures whose signal output is constructed from two, or more, efficiently generated components. This signal construction in effect, means that such architectures use predictive, post-correction linearization. Their predictive nature enables distortion to be completely eliminated.The capabilities of multi-channel signal synthesis setups with R&S®SMW200A, in combination with the R&S®FSW analyzer enable measurement, hence development, of these types of transmitters.The document focusses on devices for the 3.5 GHz NR (5G New Radio) candidate band, but its findings are equally applicable to developments and measurements for, for example, K-band satellite applications or mmW NR candidate bands, where efficiency is an even more crucial design target.

01-Aug-2017 | AN-No. 1MA289

This application note shows how to remote control the switching of RF and digital I/O signals by R&S®OSP Open Switch and Control Platform directly from a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) or from a Spectrum Analyzer (SA). The R&S®ZVA, R&S®ZVB, R&S®ZNB, R&S®FSW and R&S®FSV families are covered. The application note first describes the requirements and setup procedure. It is shown how to install the software and how to set up the system in order to get highest flexibility and best usability. It is then shown how to calibrate the entire configuration and finally some practical examples are provided. Switching is explained using VNAs as an example, the appendix 5.4 provides hints regarding the differences when using SAs in a similar way.

06-Dec-2013 | AN-No. 1MA226

Signal monitoring has proven an effective technique when it comes to identifying and correcting quality problems in transmitted TV broadcast signals during broadcast operation. For a DVB‑T2 signal using multiple physical layer pipes (multi-PLP), a separate receiver is required to analyze each PLP. The R&S®DVMS digital TV monitoring systems are extremely flexible and can be configured to meet customer's needs – from sequential PLP monitoring systems with a single receiver to systems providing seamless, parallel multi-PLP analysis.

24-Jul-2012

Secondary surveillance radar (SSR) bridges the gap between communications systems and classic radar systems. Despite the increasing capabilities of mobile communications, SSR remains a major component in airspace surveillance. State-of-the-art methods such as Mode S reply enhance SSR with broadcast-like capabilities and enable airports in remote locations to surveil the airspace even if no radar is available. More advanced techniques such as automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) utilize the infrastructure provided by a Mode S reply transponder to provide even more information for ground control and other aircraft.

17-May-2021

The Rohde & Schwarz Bluetooth RF test solution with the R&S®CMW and R&S®CMWrun is closely aligned to the Bluetooth RF Test Suite. Most of the tests can be performed with the equipment under test connected to a single CMW which is remotely controlled via R&S®CMWrun running on an external computer. Some of the tests require an additional signal generator. This document describes common setups for these tests and the required configurations.

04-May-2015 | AN-No. 1MA261

This application note describes three ways of generating multicarrier signals with high dynamic range for testing power amplifiers of 3GPP radio base stations. The corresponding sets of waveform (*.wv) files are delivered with this application note. The WinIQSIM™ software is used to download these files to the signal generator(s).Tips for optimizing spectrum analyzer settings in order to measure the Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) are given.

17-Feb-2005 | AN-No. 1MA48

Test time is a critical parameter when it comes to evaluating the cost of test.This application note describes typical spectrum analyzer measurements in production environments and discusses different approaches to speed them up.

17-Nov-2014 | AN-No. 1EF90

TDMA communications systems like GSM, DCS 1800 or PCS 1900 make effective use of the frequency spectrum by assigning several subscribers to the same frequency channel. Each subscriber has access to one predefined time slot for transmitting information. With GSM eight subscribers share one frequency channel with a bandwidth of 200 kHz. In order not to disturb the other users of the 200-kHz channel it has to be ensured that, for instance, a mobile sends in the assigned time slot only and that no power is emitted by the transmitter at other times. For this reason the transmitter power is practically switched off in the transmission intervals.

16-Jan-2002 | AN-No. 1EF18

Rohde & Schwarz recognizes the potential risk of computer virus infection when connecting test instrumentation to Windows®-based computers via local area networks (LANs), or using removable storage devices.This white paper introduces measures to minimize malware threats and discusses ways to reduce risks while ensuring that instrument performance is not compromised. The paper also discusses the use of anti-virus software in combination with Embedded Linux based instruments.

23-Nov-2016 | AN-No. 1GP112

Automotive radars are essential to safety systems such as collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control. The radars are a pillar of ADAS/AD systems and an important part of sensor fusion. The effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of automotive radar sensors is the total power emitted from radar antennas and a comprehensive measure of signal strength and coverage capability (essential to assessing automotive radar sensor performance). The AREG800A automotive radar echo generator makes for easy EIRP measurements when validating automotive radar sensors.

06-Aug-2024

This white paper introduces a novel attribute based architecture for VXIplug&play instrument drivers. The presented architecture uses the attribute based concept of IVI-C instrument drivers to introduce a two-layer design for VXIplug&play instrument drivers. Moreover the use of attributes is shown for the Rohde & Schwarz Spectrum Analyzer (rsspecan) instrument driver.

01-Dec-2012 | AN-No. 1MA170

Rogue cells pose a significant threat to cellular networks. They need to be addressed as quickly as possible to avoid damage to network integrity, especially for critical infrastructure. R&S®NESTOR cellular network analysis (CNA) software lets users efficiently detect and locate harmful cells in the network environment through base station analysis (BSA) in order to protect sensitive areas.

02-Aug-2024

This application note describes different measurement techniques and methods for an automotive lighting module based on a hybrid controller design. Of course, a lighting module in such an environment has to fulfil requirements according to the automotive standard, which is typically a relatively high-level standard compare to the industry standard. The oscilloscope is a perfect tool for this application to verify the set of requirements because time domain signals (analog and digital) are present in the whole design. Furthermore, measurements in the frequency domain have to be performed, which a modern oscilloscope can fulfil. In addition to the oscilloscope, a programmable power supply supports the measurement in several measurements. The set of requirements are the main reason why a hybrid controller from Microchip is a great choice for this design because it provides tremendous analogue and digital capabilities. The hybrid controller provides beside the analogue functions like an operational amplifier digital functions like analog-to-digital converter and interface functions like UART, CAN or LIN to interact with other systems. The programmable software part is hosted in the digital part. The digital part of the controller implements the communication interface and provides status information to the outer system controller. The light source itself has to avoid any flicker and shall be capable to dim to different lighting levels. Wide input voltage variations and efficiency have to be taken into account during the design of a converter dedicated for automotive applications. Nevertheless, the measurement considerations presented with the design are valid and applicable in other professional lighting industries as well.Thanks to Mr. Andreas Reiter and Mr. Milan Marjanovic from Microchip who provided us with hardware and software and their great expertise to create this application note.

08-Jun-2020 | AN-No. GFM339

Batteries are dynamic energy sources that diverge from ideal voltage sources. The R&S®NGM-K106 battery simulation option recreates battery models on the R&S®NGM200/NGU201 does far more than standard models.

02-May-2023

Electronic systems like electronic control units (ECU) must pass several stringent qualification tests in order to be approved for automotive use. These tests include a reverse polarity test which is specified as part of ISO 16750‑2. In line with the specification, the electronic module must withstand a negative supply voltage for a specific time without suffering any damage. The R&S®NGU401 source measurement unit (SMU) is ideal to perform this task, plus it provides automated testing capability.

23-May-2022

The R&S®SMBV100B vector signal generator can be turned into a multi-frequency, multi‑constellation GNSS simulator for receiver tests in the lab.

22-Aug-2019

The aim of this application note is to provide information regarding Rohde & Schwarz instrument drivers. This paper shall help application engineers and software developers to easily get an understanding of advanced techniques to develop test and measurement (T&M) applications by utilizing Rohde & Schwarz instrument drivers. Furthermore the nomenclature used for Rohde & Schwarz instrument drivers will be explained.

01-Jan-2013 | AN-No. 1MA153

conducted conformance testing according to TS 38.141-1, Rel. 16

3GPP defines the Radio Frequency (RF) conformance test methods and requirements for 5G NR Base Stations (BS) in the technical specifications TS 38.141. This application note describes how all mandatory RF transmitter tests (TS 38.141-1, chapter 6), according to Release 16, can be performed quickly and conveniently with signal or spectrum analyzers from Rohde & Schwarz by either choosing manual operation or a remote control approach. Moreover, some test cases require additional signal generation equipment from Rohde & Schwarz.In Addition, a new Python software library comes with this application note to enable the remote control approach of base station testing. This example requires the RsInstrument module which can be found on pypi.org or installed via 'pip' and is provided as is.

27-Jan-2021 | AN-No. GFM313

The R&S®SMBV100A vector signal generator offers a remote emulation feature that makes it possible to control the instrument by commands other than the built-in native SCPI commands. This feature allows the user to replace signal generators, e.g. from other manufacturers, with the R&S®SMBV100A without having to change the remote control code. This application note describes how to use the remote emulation feature in general. Furthermore, it describes in detail the remote emulation for each supported instrument, limitations of the individual emulations and the remaining differences between the emulated and the original commands.

11-Oct-2016 | AN-No. 1GP91

This application note illustrates the upgrade from the available wireless TV standard ATSC to its expansion ATSC Mobile DTV described in the new standard A/153 (ATSCM/H), in which Rohde & Schwarz has played a major development role. An upgrade package makes it possible to efficiently extend existing ATSC infrastructures for ATSC Mobile DTV services. A central component of the ATSC Mobile DTV equipment is the R&S®AEM100 multiplexer. Together with the R&S®AVE264 H.264 Encoders, digital TV exciter (R&S®SX800) and Transmitters, it forms a complete ATSCM/H system.

22-Sep-2009 | AN-No. 7EB02

Integrating the R&S®SMBV100B GNSS simulator into the AVL DRIVINGCUBE™ toolchain creates new possibilities for validating advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving functions at the vehicle level. Combining a complete vehicle on a vehicle test bed with physical sensor stimulation results in fast, reproducible and cost-efficient testing. All possible driving scenarios can be executed under realistic and safe conditions.

09-Jan-2020

In accelerator physics, pulsed signals frequently need to be measured. The digital trigger and low noise frontend of the R&S®RTO/RTP digital oscilloscope make it possible to perform the high precision measurements needed to characterize the experimental setup. Several measurement functions specially developed for accelerator physics labs support detailed signal analysis.

17-Dec-2013

Test Solutions Based on R&S®CMX500 Platform

The evolution of mobile communication enters 5G New Radio (NR) era with pivotal features. Voice call service is however still considered as an indispensable element for mobile devices and worldwide network operators continue to maintain the voice service for their subscribers. In comparison to other Over-the-Top (OTT) voice services, such as WhatsApp©, Teams© etc., Voice over NR (VoNR) and Voice over LTE (VoLTE) maintain QoS, support well established handover mechanism and emergency call, and do not require to pre-install OTT app on the phone.In order to provide premium voice service and enhance the superb user experience, audio tests on mobile devices are essential before the product launch. Different audio test aspects among which acoustic, functional, performance and field tests need to be considered.This application note describes the performance test with focus on VoNR audio quality measurement via electrical interface of the mobile device. The test solution is based on R&S®CMX500 with its integrated POLQA algorithm.

26-Jul-2023 | AN-No. 1SL401

More functions, greater processing power and growing data rates make high-speed system-on-chips (SoCs) power designs challenging. The increasing number of power rails that supply the various function blocks of modern CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, ASICs and such require precise sequencing during power-up and powerdown. Supply voltage levels are also lowered to reduce power dissipation inside the SoC. Power integrity requirements are stricter and more supply current is needed on power rails. Multiphase buck converters continue to grow more popular for high-current power rails. The converters have many benefits, but designers also face challenges when it comes to power design and validation testing.

13-Jan-2025