Free-of-charge RF and microwave workshops at EuMW 2009

Jul 01, 2009 - At this year’s European Microwave Week in Rome, Rohde & Schwarz will again offer free-of-charge workshops on highly relevant RF and microwave topics such as cutting edge standards of signal generation, power analysis, vector network analysis, and more. Rohde & Schwarz provides a wide variety of standard setting test & measurement instruments supporting all these fields and has been driving innovation in the areas of RF, microwave, wireless communications and many more for over 75 years.

European Microwave Week 2009, to be held in Rome from September 28 through October 2, 2009, is the largest conference and trade show on RF, microwave and wireless technology in Europe. For this event, Rohde & Schwarz has compiled an exciting three-day workshop program featuring the following highly relevant topics:

• Basics of modern signal generators
• Generation of microwave vector signals using external mixers
• Power analysis using a microwave signal generator
• Sophisticated pulsed signal generation
• Fast nonlinear characterization and PA design using VNAs

For an overview of the latest innovations from Rohde & Schwarz and to learn how these developments can be integrated into your business strategy, just visit our booth 739 and/or attend our free-of-charge workshops.

Related Links
Complete workshop program and online registration
Official website of European Microwave Week 2009

R&S® FSV signal and spectrum analyzer now up to 40 GHz

Jun 29, 2009 - Rohde & Schwarz has enhanced its R&S® FSV signal and spectrum analyzer family to handle measurements up to 40 GHz. Manufacturers of satellite, radar or military communications systems operating in this frequency range can now benefit from the R&S® FSV's unique measurement speed, high sensitivity and convenient touch-screen user interface. New options for noise figure and phase noise measurements are available for characterizing components such as amplifiers and oscillators. For scalar network analysis, the R&S® FSV provides an internal tracking generator up to 7 GHz. Microwave generators can be connected to attain frequencies up to 40 GHz.

Like all members of the signal and spectrum analyzer family launched in 2008, the R&S® FSV40 signal and spectrum analyzer features outstanding sensitivity, dynamic range and measurement speed. The low inherent noise of –139 dBm (1 Hz) at 40 GHz combined with a +18 dBm third-order intercept (TOI) allows measurement of spurious emissions without inherent distortions at high sensitivity even at high signal levels. The R&S FSV40 offers exceptional speed: It measures a 1 GHz span at 1 kHz resolution bandwidth in 2.5 s – compared with the 1000 s required by the preceding generation in this class. Measurement speed with remote control is also impressive – 1000 measurements/s – which means the R&S® FSV40 signal and spectrum analyzer ensures high throughput in production. The convenient touch screen and the on-screen keyboard make manual alignments easier.

Rohde & Schwarz is offering the R&S® FSV-K30 option for noise figure and gain measurements on receiver frontends, amplifier components and system modules. Adding this option makes an additional noise figure test assembly unnecessary. The R&S FSV K40 option measures single sideband phase noise on oscillators. This means that a single instrument – the R&S® FSV signal and spectrum analyzer – can determine the key parameters of an oscillator: output power, frequency and frequency stability.

Together, the R&S® FSV-B9 and -B10 options transform the R&S® FSV signal and spectrum analyzer into a scalar network analyzer. The internal R&S® FSV-B9 tracking generator covers the range from 100 kHz to 7 GHz. For higher frequencies, the analyzer uses external signal generators as tracking generators that are connected via the R&S® FSV-B10 external generator control option in order to measure two-port devices. This option also makes it easy to perform measurements on frequency-converting DUTs as well as measurements on frequency dividers and multipliers.

Explore extended features with the Rohde & Schwarz network analysis duo

Jun 22, 2009 - Rohde & Schwarz offers a combination of the R&S®ZVA24 vector network analyzer and the new R&S®ZVAX24 extension unit that allows faster and easier measurements on active components. With this network analysis duo, no additional equipment or rewiring is necessary.

This duo from Rohde & Schwarz is a scalable and compact test and measurement solution. It can be equipped with combiners, harmonic filters, pulse modulators and power couplers as required by the application. For use in development and production of active components, usually no extra equipment is needed. This solution will benefit, in particular, developers and manufacturers of amplifiers for mobile phones and base stations, as well as of components for the automotive sector such as car radar. It can also be used in aerospace and defense and for testing antennas or amplifiers under pulsed conditions. The duo includes the following features:

• Intermodulation measurements
• Pulse modulators
• Group delay measurements
• Harmonic and interference test filters
• Couplers

To learn more about linear and nonlinear measurements on active components with the scalable T&M solutions consisting of the R&S®ZVAX24 extension unit and the R&S®ZVA24 vector network analyzer or any other R&S®ZVA network analyzer or R&S®ZVT network analyzer, read the article in the June edition of Microwave Journal [PDF] 2.2 MB.

As an extra bonus, you can win one of five books on network analysis from Rohde & Schwarz. To participate, click here. Deadline for participation: July 15, 2009.

Long Term Evolution: LTE TDD Technology Overview

Jun 15, 2009 - LTE moves from theory to reality, as the industry is progressing implementations for commercial products. Rohde & Schwarz is at the very edge of developing LTE test and measurement solutions.

LTE uses both frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) as duplex modes. This article describes the LTE TDD (or TD-LTE) technology in detail and highlights any differences from the LTE FDD technology.

Download the whole article LTE TDD technology overview [PDF] 228 kB.

The R&S® DVSG generates video and audio signals for the development and quality assurance of the latest TV generation

Jun 15, 2009 - Thanks to a new option and two software features, the R&S® DVSG video signal generator from Rohde & Schwarz now supports the development and quality assurance of the latest TV sets and projectors. The R&S® DVSG is a cost-effective one-box solution that is already capable of generating all audio and video signals required for deep-color equipment. Adding the R&S® DVSG-K10 AV generator option allows the R&S® DVSG to test displays with up to 12-bit color depth. In addition, the R&S® Multi-Motion test sequences enhance picture quality by checking motion blur, deinterlacing and film detection. Rohde & Schwarz has also added new audio functionalities to the AV generator to enable the assessment of sound quality.

State-of-the-art TV sets with deep-color support enhance the color depth and offer the viewer unprecedented picture quality. They must also be tested for quality features such as brightness, contrast, color, viewing angle and motion artifacts. When equipped with the R&S® DVSG-K10 AV generator option, the R&S® DVSG video signal generator provides the signals needed to test these features. The AV generator outputs uncompressed video content with a maximum resolution of 1080p and PC resolutions of up to 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA). Timing is variable so that all relevant refresh rates can be configured for the resolutions supported. The comprehensive test signal library of the R&S® DVSG video signal generator supports the timing values that vary from country to country due to different standards.

The R&S® DVSG video signal generator with the R&S® Multi-Motion test sequences is the first reference test and measurement solution available on the market for assessing motion artifacts in TV sets. Thanks to the moving sequences provided, the R&S® DVSG video signal generator helps to pinpoint specific weak spots in LCD and plasma TV equipment as well as projectors. Measurements of motion blur, deinterlacing, film detection and overscan are reproducible and enable a uniform quality assessment of the picture processing unit in the devices under test.

The R&S® DSVG video signal generator is the only instrument on the market to offer such a large variety of interfaces and test signals in a single box. Another innovative feature is a set of new audio functions in the base unit for testing the sound quality of the TV receiver also via the HDMI interface. The new test signals make it possible to measure total harmonic distortion, frequency response and signal/noise ratio. For measurements, up to eight audio channels can be played so that even surround sound systems can be tested. The synchronization of picture and sound can be fully checked using ready-made test sequences.

T-Mobile selects Rohde & Schwarz as its exclusive supplier of network optimization test and measurement equipment

Jun 08, 2009 - Mobile communications operator T-Mobile International has chosen the Rohde & Schwarz group as the exclusive supplier of its standard drive test systems. The contract includes the delivery of R&S® ROMES software and associated mobile radio scanners to five European countries. T-Mobile International will use the drive test systems from Rohde & Schwarz to test the transmission quality of channels in its mobile radio networks. This will enable the network operator to ensure interference-free mobile communications coverage.

The drive test systems’ performance and cost effectiveness made T-Mobile International decide in favor of Rohde & Schwarz. The company’s T&M solution is the fastest on the market and can simultaneously analyze the quality of both GSM and UMTS radio channels. This is a key advantage for T-Mobile International because the drive test systems can handle all of the standards relevant to its networks.

T-Mobile International provides wireless telephony, messaging and data services to 128 million customers. "Our service teams are constantly doing field work to make sure that we provide optimal network coverage, voice quality and data transmission. They rely on Rohde & Schwarz drive test systems, which have proven to be excellent solutions," said Kai Schatton, Vice President Radio Networks Automation & Quality at T-Mobile International.

Significantly lower acquisition and operational costs compared with other solutions also helped persuade T-Mobile International to partner with Rohde & Schwarz. In addition, the systems provide a high level of investment protection: "Rohde & Schwarz is the leading supplier in drive testing. This will enable us to offer T-Mobile International a long-term, future-safe solution," said Hubert Meichelböck, Head of the Systems and Projects Subdivision at Rohde & Schwarz.

T-Mobile International and Rohde & Schwarz have enjoyed an excellent partnership for many years, particularly in Germany.

Related links
- R&S® ROMES software

AWR Announces AWR Connectedâ„¢ for Rohde & Schwarz

Jun 07, 2009 - R&S® WinIQSIM2 standards-based signal generation partners with visual system simulator™ software.

AWR, the innovation leader in high-frequency electronic design automation (EDA), today announced AWR Connected for Rohde & Schwarz, which integrates the capabilities of R&S® WinIQSIM2 simulation software from the leading test and measurement manufacturer within its Visual System Simulator (VSS) system analysis software. The complete range of digitally-modulated signals generated by R&S® WinIQSIM2, along with those already present within VSS, ensure that the same real-world test signals can be used throughout the design cycle.

The integration of R&S® WinIQSIM2 gives VSS access to today’s modern communication signals (including those for 3GPP LTE, 3GPP FDD/HSPA/HSPA+, and WiMAX). Having such accurate representation of signals in the VSS simulation environment ensures engineers are simulating their designs with the same signal as the device will encounter in service.

For cross-domain simulations, hardware components can easily be integrated into any simulation. The signals generated by the instrument are sent back into VSS so the device under test can be optimized in VSS to meet the performance goals of specific wireless network standards. The solution works with the Rohde & Schwarz high-performance vector signal generators such as the R&S® SMU200A, which offers outstanding RF and baseband performance and also provide signal processing capabilities such as real-time fading required for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) measurements.

R&S® WinIQSim2 simulation software joins the AWR Connected product portfolio, which includes LTE-specific Rohde & Schwarz measurement solutions within VSS. Together with AWR’s Test Wave solution for linking measurement hardware and software, these tools provide the industry’s most complete solution for evaluating communication systems and subsystems using both basic RF signals and standards-compliant waveforms.

AWR Connected for R&S® WinIQSIM2 will be previewed at IMS 2009 in Boston week of June 8 in AWR Booth 1418.



Compact EMC test solution

- The new R&S® R-Line test chamber from Rohde & Schwarz combined with the R&S® TS8996 test system delivers an EMI/EMS test performance and accuracy for wireless devices that is comparable to that of systems 10 times larger. During development this compact solution replaces a complete anechoic chamber and complex setup for the critical frequency range of 800 MHz to 18 GHz. It is as effective up to 40 GHz. The R&S® R-Line fits into any lab and will significantly reduce infrastructure investments for manufacturers and test houses.

The Rohde & Schwarz solution meets all S-VSWR validation requirements defined in the CISPR16-1-4:2007 standard. This translates into a compact and economical solution for measurements in the microwave range that can be used in the R&D lab.

The benefits of this compact, high-performance system are numerous, including the ability to optimize factors such as radiated spurious emissions during the development phase. This can eliminate complex modifications during the final conformance tests, which significantly reduces time-to-market.

Further test capabilities in the microwave range can be added with software upgrade packages. This allows designers to determine parameters such as radiated power and sensitivity and to carry out free-space, over-the-air (OTA) performance measurements. As a result, comprehensive RF OTA characterization of the wireless device can begin while the device is still in development.

The R&S® TS8996 test system consists of tried-and-tested instruments from Rohde & Schwarz that stand out for their unsurpassed measurement accuracy and reliability: A typical system includes the R&S CMU200 mobile radio tester, the R&S® FSP or R&S® FSU spectrum analyzer, and a signal generator for calibration.