Latin America. Rohde & Schwarz has expanded its portfolio for the generation and analysis of 5G signal waveforms. For 5G base stations, RF test solutions for the 5G FR1 (450 MHz to 7.125 GHz) and FR2 frequency ranges up to 44 GHz will be demonstrated.
Customized solution for FR2 OTA testing
For over-the-air (OTA) testing on 5G base stations in the FR2 range, Rohde & Schwarz is launching a unique solution based on the R&S FE44 front-end modules, which support signal generation and analysis in the low-frequency IF band. This enables the transmission of low signals from 5G signals and the use of cost-effective T&M instruments by avoiding the need for equipment designed for the millimeter wave range.
The R&S SMW200A vector signal generator generates the 5G signals, and the R&S FSVA3000 provides the correct analysis functions. Both are ideal for 5G testing thanks to their excellent RF features. The frontend modules can be mounted near the DUT antennas in the OTA test chamber.
In the direction of transmission, 5G signals generated in the IF band by the R&S SMW200A are converted to the FR2 range up to 44 GHz. This ensures that the high output power is generated exactly where it is needed. On the receiving side, the R&S FE44A converts the FR2 signal at the antenna inputs to the IF band and sends it with low attenuation losses to the R&S FSVA3000 for analysis. This solution is suitable for production test systems.
Server-based production testing
For speed-optimized production testing of 5G base stations, Rohde & Schwarz has developed a scalable, high-performance server-based test analytics platform. The R&S SMBV100B vector signal generator and the R&S FSVA3000 spectrum analyzer are used as RF test solutions.
R&S QuickStep executive test software is used to automatically monitor test settings and verify test results. The solution is using a 10 Gigabit Ethernet network, where the combination of server-based approach and parallel processing allows for extremely high measurement speeds. The infrastructure consists of commercially available components. The combination of R&S SMBV100B and R&S FSVA3000 is also ideal for flexible testing of WLAN, cellular and IoT components and devices in R&D, verification and production.
Cross-channel measurements with up to 4x4 MIMO
Rohde & Schwarz also offers a new test solution for base stations and small cells that enables cross-channel measurements of up to 4x4 MIMO in 5G transmissions in the FR1 range. The solution consists of the R&S SMW200A signal generator, two R&S SGT100A vector RF sources, the R&S RTP164 high-performance oscilloscope used as a measurement receiver, and the 5G analysis options of the R&S VSE vector signal scanning software running on a laptop.
The R&S SMW200A generates the 3GPP-compatible 5G test signals, which can be transmitted on up to four channels using the two additional vector RF sources. The oscilloscope provides consistent phase acquisition of all four signals, a basic prerequisite for cross-channel measurements. The R&S RTP164's integrated hardware-accelerated digital downstream converter mixes signals with the baseband in real time. R&S VSE software performs measurements in line with 3GPP specifications. Users can also perform specific MIMO measurements and flexibly compile test results. The solution is suitable for testing during the development and verification of 5G base stations.
