The rapid integration of wireless connectivity into existing products demands that today’s test engineers understand a breadth of RF & wireless test techniques from performing EVM and ACLR measurements to addressing complex MIMO applications. National Instruments provides a suite of test equipment and software to increase test reliability and accuracy, provide measurement flexibility, as well as reduce test times. Explore the RF measurement webcasts to learn the fundamentals of making and optimizing RF measurements.
- Fine tune your RF measurement technique and best practices
- Live measurement advice and answers to your questions
- Increase your productivity with the RF industry’s latest tools
1. RF Measurement Webcast Series
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GPS Receiver Test: A Comprehensive, Hybrid Test Approach
Duration: 40 minutes
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This webcast introduces common GPS receiver tests including sensitivity, TTFF, position and tracking accuracy. It demonstrates an innovative way of bringing GPS signals into the lab for comprehensive GPS test using a hybrid of simulated signal generation as well as real-world signal record and playback.
In addition to going over measurement fundamentals, we walk through hardware and software demonstrations of these GPS receiver tests using both simulated and real-world signals in the lab.
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| Presenter: Evan Prothro, RF Systems Engineer |
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RF Measurement Speed Comparison: PXI vs. Rack-and-Stack
Duration: 40 minutes
| Optimizing measurement speed is often one of the most important considerations when creating an automated RF test system. As a result, we have seen a growing trend for RF engineers to replace rack-and-stack RF measurement test benches with much faster PXI test equipment. In this webinar, we explore the fundamental technologies that enable PXI test equipment to achieve measurement times 5-10X faster than traditional rack-and-stack instruments. In addition, we walk through an exhaustive measurement speed and performance comparison between the PXI RF signal analyzers and the Agilent MXA and PXA RF signal analyzers. Finally, this session explains several tips to optimize measurement speed. |
| Presenter: David Hall, RF Product Manager |
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Advanced MIMO Testing for 802.11n
Duration: 40 minutes
| This session covers the advantages gained from using multiple antennas in a communications channel, using 802.11n as a real-world use case. Concepts such as OFDM, channel fading, and spatial multiplexing are covered in their context of the 802.11n WLAN standard, as well as a general overview of phase-coherent measurement systems and how they relate to MIMO applications such as 802.11n. A general demonstration of a 2x2 Tx / Rx system is performed with phase-coherent signal generators and analyzers, including a demonstration of actual multi-channel 802.11n measurements. |
| Presenter: Andy Hinde, RF Systems Engineer |
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Improving Automated Network Analysis
Duration: 40 minutes
| Making accurate, S-parameter measurements is challenging, even with modern test equipment and methods. The vector network analyzer (VNA) has become the instrument of choice for many RF measurements due to its exceptional accuracy and flexibility. This session addresses important considerations regarding calibration, measurement speed, and programming when adding network analysis to your automated test systems. Several advanced topics including pulsed S-parameter measurements, time domain analysis, and effective de-embedding techniques will also be introduced. |
| Presenter: David Broadbent, RF Product Manager |
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Optimizing Cellular PA Test
Duration: 40 minutes
| Testing cellular power amplifiers requires a suite of instrumentation and poses unique considerations. With over 1 billion mobile phones sold per year, many with multiple PAs per part, lowering test times to increase throughput is becoming increasingly critical. This session will provide an overview for both hardware and software solutions available from National Instruments to address cellular PA test. Several best practices to fully optimize GSM, EDGE, and WCDMA measurements for PAs will also be demonstrated. |
| Presenter: Abram Rose, RF Systems Engineer |
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Maximizing RF Test Throughput with Real Time, FPGA-based Signal Processing
Duration: 40 minutes
| Learn how PXI express technology is used with RF instrumentation for high throughput data streaming to a host PC or to an FPGA for processing. This session also explores ways of reducing software dependencies for processing by streaming data to and from one or more FPGA modules embedded in the PXI chassis for real time processing and spectrum analysis. |
| Presenter: Raajit Lall, RF Product Manager |
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