Wireless
devices using the 802.11ac standard will boast a 6X increase in network speed
over 802.11n. The 802.11ac devices are faster because they use a less congested
portion of the radio frequency (RF) spectrum, have wider bandwidth, and use more
advanced digital modulation techniques.
“We
continue to stay ahead of the market, offering measurement suites for the latest
wireless devices,” said Tim Carey, Product Manager for PXI, Aeroflex. “Our
ability to continue to evolve the PXI 3000 platform quickly through software
modularity is the key to its longevity and popularity with customers around the
world.”
Aeroflex offers both
transmitter and receiver testing for 802.11ac
Aeroflex
PXI 3000 Series supports transmitter and receiver testing within one compact
PXI modular RF test system.
The
system is designed for use by silicon vendors, WLAN board integrators, consumer
electronics device manufacturers, and contract manufacturers who need to perform
RF parametric tests on devices during manufacturing.
Aeroflex’s
PXI 3000 Series RF modules support wideband signal analysis and generation for
frequencies up to 6 GHz, easily covering the bandwidth and frequency requirements
of 802.11ac. Modulation schemes for 802.11ac are supported, from BPSK to
256QAM. Testing 256QAM demands lower EVM (error vector magnitude) within the test
equipment. Aeroflex provides excellent residual EVM to help customers pinpoint signal
degradation and identify the source of their problem.
About Aeroflex’s PXI Studio
and IQCreator® software
The
Aeroflex PXI Studio application software provides a graphical user interface to
generate and analyze 802.11a,b,g,n and ac signals. IQCreator application
software provides a graphical user interface to create WLAN 802.11a,b,g,n,ac
arbitrary waveforms for use in PXI 3000 modular instruments.
The
same analysis and waveform generation application software can be expanded to
support a range of other communication standards on the same PXI 3000 system
hardware including WiMAX, Bluetooth®BR/EDR/LE, ZigBee®, FM as well as all 2G,
3G and 4G cellular standards.
Remote
programming user interfaces are available to support integration into automated
test systems.
Price and availability
802.11ac
software for analysis and waveform generation is available for immediate
delivery. It is offered as an optional extension to the existing WLAN measurement
software supporting 802.11a,b,g and n.
The
recommended PXI RF hardware modules for 802.11ac testing are as follows:
- For transmitter measurement, PXI RF digitizers 3035C or 3036 with Option 103 (WLAN a,b,g,n) and Option 113 for extension to WLAN ac are required.
- For receiver testing, PXI RF signal generators 3025C or 3026C with Option 100 for WLAN a,b,g,n and ac are required.
Application
software can be downloaded from Aeroflex’s web site at www.aeroflex.com/ats/products/category/PXI/Application_Software.html.
IQCreator supporting 802.11ac is offered as a free of charge upgrade to all
existing PXI 3000 users with signal generator modules fitted with Option 100.
About Aeroflex
Aeroflex
Incorporated is a leading global provider of high performance microelectronic
components and test and measurement equipment used by companies in the space,
avionics, defense, commercial wireless communications, medical and other
markets.