Rohde & Schwarz SMW200A VSG microwave options

Rohde & Schwarz has added new microwave frequency options to its R&S SMW200A high-end vector signal generator to support development applications requiring complex multichannel scenarios up to 40 GHz.

The three new options cover microwave frequency ranges from 100 kHz to 12.75 GHz, 100 kHz to 31.8 GHz and 100 kHz to 40 GHz. An option covering the range between 100 kHz and 20 GHz has been available since the summer of 2014. The SMW200A combines a baseband generator and RF generator with fading, AWGN and MIMO capabilities in a single box.

The 40 GHz version of the SMW200A enables users to completely cover the K and Ka bands. The generator’s integrated baseband offers an RF modulation bandwidth of 160 MHz with good I/Q flatness and EVM, making it possible to generate signals of the highest modulation quality in the microwave range. It is even easy to generate CW signals with multiple carriers for component tests and wideband QAM-modulated carriers for satellite receiver tests.

The new frequency options enable the instrument to cover the frequency ranges that are currently the focus of 5G development. Its internal baseband section can handle all important digital communications standards including LTE Releases 8 to 11. The signal bandwidth of the SMW200A can even reach 2 GHz when external I/Q signals are used.

The LO coupling of the SMW200A now makes it possible to set up a compact system with up to three phase-coherent outputs up to 40 GHz for beamforming applications used to measure active antenna systems.

The SMW200A now also generates high-quality digitally modulated signals up to 40 GHz for direct microwave link applications. The instrument’s integrated test case wizard enables users to configure even complex WCDMA and LTE test scenarios such as blocking tests at the push of a button. The 12.75 GHz frequency option also offers a wear-free electronic attenuator.