Rohde &
Schwarz has added new functionality to its R&S®SMU200A vector signal
generator: Equipped with the R&S®SMU-K77 option, the R&S®SMU200A
simulates dynamic fading scenarios for testing military radiocommunications
equipment. This makes it possible to verify the performance of military radios
and optimize their hardware to enable smooth operation under harsh receiving
conditions such as dynamic fading and multipath signal propagation. Fading
simulation enables precise and repeatable tests in the lab and eliminates the
need for expensive field or flight tests.
The state-of-the-art R&S®SMU200A vector signal generator offers
– in a single box – all the necessary tools to generate the desired test
signals and interferers, and to simulate a radio channel. Together with theR&S®SMU-K77 option, the R&S®SMU200A
supports high Doppler speeds and dynamic scenarios including:
- Tower-to-aircraft mode, simulating radiocommunications during aircraft take-off, fly-by and landing
- Ship-to-ship mode, simulating radiocommunications between two ships traveling on straight paths
- User-defined mode, providing ultimate flexibility in transmitter and receiver trajectory simulation
The R&S®SMU200A vector signal
generator provides flexible signal generation. Users can select from a wide
range of predefined communications standards and define custom modulation
modes. In addition, they can create, load and play any arbitrary waveform
generated with MATLAB®, for example.
Military communications systems (such
as on-board radio or tactical radio) mainly operate in the VHF/UHF range. In
the past, small bandwidths of only a few kHz and typically analog modulation
modes were used. This has gradually changed to include digital modulation
techniques such as higher-order phase shift keying (PSK) or quadrature
amplitude modulation (QAM), which employ higher bandwidths (several hundred
kHz). Channel simulation and fading were minor issues, since the narrowband
analog signals were rather resistant to these types of interference. Modern
military communications systems, by contrast, are no longer immune to multipath
and fading effects.
In modern military radiocommunications,
it is beneficial to verify the performance of radio equipment using channel and
fading simulators during the development and qualification stages. The
communications standards must be selected and the communications hardware
designed to optimally match the environmental conditions encountered in
operational use. In contrast to mobile radio, there are no fixed standards to
test such military communications equipment. Manufacturers either perform
expensive drive or flight tests or rely on past design experience. The risks
associated with these approaches can prove very costly in the long run.
The R&S®SMU200A vector signal
generator has a frequency range from 100 kHz to 2.2/3/4/6 GHz for its first RF
path, with an optional second RF path operating in the range up to 2.2 GHz or 3
GHz. The dynamic scenario simulation option is also available for the (R&S®AMU-K77).
The R&S®SMU200A and the
R&S®AMU200A support all modern standards such as EUTRA/LTE, 3GPP
FDD/HSPA/HSPA+ and WiMAX™, and include a baseband generator with a realtime
coder and an arbitrary waveform generator.