Search Application Notes & Cards
Learn how to configure Rohde & Schwarz products to fit your application. Search our database by product, technology, or application to find relevant technical documents.
Search Application Notes & Cards
Learn how to configure Rohde & Schwarz products to fit your application. Search our database by product, technology, or application to find relevant technical documents.
1110 Results
This application note describes how to use the generic interface in R&S®AdVISE for remote operation.
19-Jun-2020 | AN-No. 1S002
This Application Note describes a software program that provides easy creation and transfer of Pulse Trains between a PC and the R&S SMB100A, R&S SMA100A and R&S SMF100A analog signal generators with the Pulse Train option; or between a PC and the ARB of R&S SMBV100A, R&S SMJ100A or R&S SMU200A vector signal generators.
10-May-2011 | AN-No. 1MA148
EW receiver mission data files can contain hundreds of emitters with thousands of modes and beams that must be tested by simulation at RF. Often, these emitters, their modes and beams are listed on intelligence databases and must be imported from a spreadsheet into to an emitter simulation application such as the R&S®Pulse Sequencer software. For this purpose, the R&S®Pulse Sequencer software offers an internal script editor which allows to import user data and automatically generate emitter, sequence or platform configurations that can then immediately be played into RF without any additional software. Furthermore, the R&S®Pulse Sequencer offers a SCPI recorder tool to collect manual entries during scenario data creation into a list of corresponding SCPI commands. This list of commands can easily be used to create user defined scripts that can either run in the internal script editor or an external software (e.g. Matlab, Python).
01-Jul-2021 | AN-No. 1GP131
Rohde & Schwarz signal generators can generate standard-compliant WLAN IEEE 802.11ac signals up to 160 MHz bandwidth with excellent EVM performance. This application note demonstrates the generator test solutions and explains step-by-step how to configure a test signal. Several measurements are presented to illustrate EVM performance.
26-Apr-2013 | AN-No. 1GP94
This application note is a systematic guide to help test engineers configure the Vector Network Analyzer in order to perform compliance test on Automotive Ethernet cables according to the Open Alliance TC9 standard.
13-Aug-2019 | AN-No. GFM323
R&S®Server-Based Testing helps reduce test times for workloads that can be parallelized. 5G New Radio (5G NR) multicarrier signals are an ideal workload because each component carrier can be analyzed independently and in parallel. In an example EVM measurement, scenario test times are reduced significantly even when receiving I/Q data from just a single instrument.
13-Sep-2021
Many applications in aerospace and defense as well as in mobile communication require a defined magnitude and phase relation between several signals, for example, to design a smart antenna array and it's distribution network, or to ensure accurate phase alignment between different transmitter or receiver chains of T/R modules. Magnitude can be measured with spectrum analyzers or power meters. For phase measurements, a vector network analyzer is the easiest, fastest and most accurate instrument.This application note shows how to measure the phase accurately between several signals using vector network analyzers of the R&S®ZNA, R&S®ZNB and R&S®ZNBT families.
11-Jul-2019 | AN-No. 1EZ82
R&S®CMWcards is an intuitive and user-friendly software application that makes NB-IoT OTDOA positioning design verification easier than ever.
26-Nov-2018
Enhanced Mobile Broadband, Massive Machine Type Communication, Ultra-reliable and low latency communication have been identified as the requirements to be supported by the 5thGeneration of Mobile Communication, short 5G. 5G is extensively discussed in the wireless industry. A lot of research and pre-development is being conducted worldwide, including an analysis of the waveforms and access principles that are the basis for current LTE and LTE-Advanced networks.In this application note we discuss potential 5G waveform candidates, list their advantages and disadvantages and compare them to Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), which is used in LTE/LTE-Advanced.
10-Jun-2016 | AN-No. 1MA271
conducted conformance testing according to TS 38.141-1, Rel. 16
3GPP defines the Radio Frequency (RF) conformance test methods and requirements for 5G NR Base Stations (BS) in the technical specifications TS 38.141. This application note describes how all mandatory RF performance tests (TS 38.141-1, chapter 8), according to Release 16, can be performed quickly and conveniently with signal generators from Rohde & Schwarz by either choosing manual operation or a remote control approach.In Addition, a new Python software library comes with this application note to enable the remote control approach of base station testing. This example requires the RsInstrument module which can be found on pypi.org or installed via 'pip' and is provided as is.
24-Oct-2019 | AN-No. GFM315
10BASE-T1S Ethernet enables the integration of diverse sensors into an automotive-Ethernet vehicle supply system, for example short-range radar sensors for detecting blind spots or ultrasonic sensors for the parking assistant. For reliable operation of the functions, data transmission over 10BASE‑T1S Ethernet must be assured at all times and in every climatic environment. Functionality must be tested during development and in production. Only 10BASE-T1S Ethernet interfaces that have passed compliance testing in line with IEEE 802.3cg can be deployed in vehicles. Consequently, vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers need measuring equipment that allows them to perform these tests quickly and reliably.
15-May-2020
Using VISA (Virtual Instrument Software Architecture) several interfaces allow communication between your computer and instruments. This application note describes the usage of both - R&S® VISA- NI VISA running on Microsoft Windows 10™ with the following connection types: ► USB VCP (Virtual Com Port), also called USB CDC (Communications Device Class) ► USB TMC (Test and Measurement Class)► Ethernet Raw Port Socket► Ethernet in general e.g. VXI11 or HislipAll the examples are shown using the R&S® HMC8042 unless otherwise stated. There may be some difference when integrating other devices. As example some interface types are not available on every unit.This application note does not claim to be complete. All information has been compiled with care. However, errors can’t be ruled out.
28-Oct-2021 | AN-No. 1SL374
This application note has been replaced by application note .
28-Aug-2009 | AN-No. 1MA45
With the R&S®Pulse Sequencer radar simulation software, users can easily and intuitively create scenarios for simulation of angle of arrival (AoA). Together with multiple coupled R&S®SMW200A vector signal generators, this solution allows quick and thorough performance characterization of all types of direction finding equipment such as devices that use amplitude comparison, interferometric or time difference of arrival (TDOA) techniques. This document describes our test solution for testing devices that use amplitude comparison techniques.
02-Apr-2020
The Bluetooth® wireless standard has been an unparalleled success. It has found its way into virtually all smartphones, PCs, cars, entertainment hardware and wearables. Bluetooth SIG reports that more than 8 billion devices are currently in use. Bluetooth supports Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and direction finding methods, making it a sure bet for the future as well.This white paper summarizes the various Bluetooth technologies with a focus on the physical layer in line with core specification version 5.1.
05-Jun-2019 | AN-No. 1MA108
Phase difference is the key parameter when characterizing direction finding (DF) scenarios. To analyze DF equipment, the phase difference needs to be determined before measuring other parameters such as the bearing. The R&S®VSE-K6A multichannel pulse analysis software in combination with a Rohde & Schwarz oscilloscope provides phase difference measurements even in challenging environments, utilizing the test equipment’s advanced trigger capabilities.
02-Mar-2021
With the start and spread of 5G communications services and new form factors such as wearables and foldable phones, an increasing number of flexible printed circuit boards (PCB) that support high frequency signals are being produced. These boards must exhibit excellent frequency characteristics. In the past, a PCB’s frequency characteristics were subjected to sampling inspection using a test coupon. For flexible PCBs, a new method is needed to provide repeatable and proper verification. The Yamaha® MP Series combined with the R&S®ZNBT vector network analyzer measure the high frequency characteristics of a production lot at high speed and high accuracy, enabling 100 % measurement of mass produced rigid and flexible PCBs.
27-Jan-2020
Testing radar warning equipment in realistic scenarios is crucial to reliable field performance. This typically involved dedicated instruments or test systems. Commercial vector signal generators (VSG) such as the R&S®SMW200A from Rohde & Schwarz have become a very attractive alternative thanks to their increased available bandwidth and processing power.
13-Aug-2020
Many serial interfaces use Manchester or non-return-to-zero (NRZ) coding. Oscilloscopes typically offer dedicated software options for debugging and testing the communications interfaces for common standards such as I2C, UART or CAN. The R&S®RTx-K50 option expands the addressable range of interface standards by adding decoding capability for standardized and proprietary Manchester or NRZ coded buses. It allows customizable configuration of the protocol structure that has to be decoded.
19-Oct-2020
Energy efficiency of RF Frontends (RFFE), especially transmitters, continues to gain greater prominence.Meeting the efficiency challenge is increasingly difficult at higher operating frequencies and bandwidths, such as those proposed for 5G.There is a group of transmitter RFFE architectures whose signal output is constructed from two, or more, efficiently generated components. This signal construction in effect, means that such architectures use predictive, post-correction linearization. Their predictive nature enables distortion to be completely eliminated.The capabilities of multi-channel signal synthesis setups with R&S®SMW200A, in combination with the R&S®FSW analyzer enable measurement, hence development, of these types of transmitters.The document focusses on devices for the 3.5 GHz NR (5G New Radio) candidate band, but its findings are equally applicable to developments and measurements for, for example, K-band satellite applications or mmW NR candidate bands, where efficiency is an even more crucial design target.
01-Aug-2017 | AN-No. 1MA289
Software tool for fast and repeatable optimization of signal analyzer RF front-end settings
The signal conditioning in the RF front-end of signal analyzers is crucial to achieve the best performance with respect to image-suppression, noise-floor, dynamic range and other RF-key parameters.Precise signal levelling is especially important for complex measurements like Error-Vector-Magnitude (EVM). To minimize the measurement uncertainty from test system contributions over a wide range of different levels, the RF front-end needs to be adapted continuously according to the signal characteristics, signal power and frequency - ideally using an automatic levelling algorithm.This document describes the approach of a waveform specific, on-site characterization of the signal analyzer: For each waveform and frequency of interest, the instrument is evaluated in a first step. With this additional data, a fast and repeatable auto-levelling can be performed during the actual measurement.
24-Jan-2022 | AN-No. 1EF111
Verification of the spectrum allocation and in depth analysis of the transmitted signals is very important in many domains. For example, the IEEE 802.11ad standard makes use of approximately 2 GHz bandwidth in the 60 GHz frequency domain. Researchers and developers of Automotive radar discuss the 79 GHz frequency band with an available bandwidth of up to 4 GHz. Finally the upcoming 5G technology for cellular networks discusses the use of up to 2GHz signals in the cm and mm-wave frequency bands.This technical evolution already indicates the need of signal measurement and analysis in the mm-wave domain with high bandwidth.Therefore, this application note presents a method to measure and analyze signals with an instantaneous bandwidth of up to 2 GHz using new tools on the R&S®FSW Signal and Spectrum Analyzer platform in collaboration with an R&S®RTO Digital Oscilloscope.
16-Jun-2015 | AN-No. 1EF92
This document describes the direct test mode mechanisms for testing Bluetooth Low Energy devices and explains how the direct test mode connection is established. The R&S CMW uses a USB port for the direct test mode connection while the Equipment under Test (EUT) may provide a USB port, a serial port or even a 2-wire UART interface for this purpose. Installing or assigning the right driver for the EUT is the main configuration task on the R&S CMW. For EUTs with USB port, the R&S CMW provides a Bluetooth Low Energy USB driver which has to be assigned to the connected EUT.
14-Dec-2016 | AN-No. 1C105
This Application Note gives a short overview how signals with two different modulation schemes can be analyzed using the R&S®FSW (or R&S®FPS) using its Multi-Standard-Radio-Analyzer (MSRA) and Vector Signal Analysis personality. The Application Note focuses on DVB-S2(X) signals, but the approach may be used for similar signals as well, as e.g. used in microwave backhaul links.The Application Note also provides a software tool that automates the configuration and provides the variety of different constellations that are used within DVB-S2(X).
18-Apr-2016 | AN-No. 1EF93
More and more everyday items such as household appliances, vehicles, lights, etc. are now connected to the Internet, forming what is known as the "Internet of Things". Even clothing with sewn-in sensors to measure vital functions can now connect to the Internet and transmit data to cloud services. These different things use a variety of wireless technology standards to establish a connection. Due to its popularity, one of the most important standards is Bluetooth (or Bluetooth Low Energy). Before a new product with Bluetooth functionality can be launched, the qualification process defined by the Bluetooth SIG must be successfully completed. To save time and money, performance tests need to be performed in the development stage. This application note describes how to use the R&S CMW platform to perform the measurements defined in Bluetooth test specification version 5. As an alternative solution, we also cover how to perform almost all of the measurements with a spectrum analyzer and signal generator.The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Rohde & Schwarz is under license.
19-Jun-2017 | AN-No. 1MA282
With its small footprint, the R&S®ATS1000 antenna test system is the ideal direct far-field OTA system to test phased array antennas. The system tests and optimizes the radiation characteristics of any modules using the AiP technology from 18 GHz to 87 GHz.
12-Mar-2020
Simple, repeatable setup. Accurate, repeatable results.
25-Feb-2020
Radio frequencies in bands around 28 GHz are being discussed as candidates for mobile communications of the fifth generation (5G). Beam steering will be a key feature in the context of 5G. It will be a major challenge to test the beam steering capabilities of base stations and user equipment in every phase from research and development through production. Conducted measurements will be mainly replaced by over-the-air measurements of electromagnetic radiation. Rohde & Schwarz offers the R&S®NRPM Over-the-Air (OTA) Power Measurement Solution that perfectly fits such measurement needs.Part of this solution are the R&S®NRPM-A66 antenna modules. They have integrated diode detectors. Thus, there are no cables between the antenna and the detector as in traditional setups. This avoids high and potentially unknown RF losses. The R&S®NRPM-A66 antenna modules with their integrated diode detectors are factory calibrated, which means that the user does not have to calibrate them to achieve highly accurate measurement results.This application note contains theoretical background on OTA power and pattern measurements. It gives step-by-step instructions for the verification of the power level and the radiation pattern of a device under test (DUT) in comparison to a golden device, and it presents an approach for verifying the accuracy of beam steering.
29-Aug-2017 | AN-No. 1GP118
R&S®RTP, R&S®RTO, R&S®RTE, oscilloscopes, acquired waveform data, python How to work with acquired waveform data in Python using the R&S®RTP, R&S®RTO or R&S®RTE. Working with acquired waveform data in Python R&S®RTP, R&S®RTO, R&S®RTE, oscilloscopes, acquired waveform data, python How to work with acquired waveform data in Python using the R&S®RTP, R&S®RTO or R&S®RTE. Working with acquired waveform
12-Jan-2022