Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/4151-precisionwave-s-next-wireless-vsg-blasts-evm-price-barriers

precisionWave’s Next Wireless VSG Blasts EVM/Price Barriers

January 8, 2007

precisionWave Corp. (booth 626) continues its quick response to customer needs, introducing its next low cost, high performance RF vector signal generator. The new p1511A, priced at only $11,500 (US), generates digitally modulated and CW signals in the 800 to 1000 MHz and 1700 to 2200 MHz cellular bands for developers of cellular technology-based products.


The instrument’s I/Q generator produces high accuracy signals for any digital modulation scheme used in these bands. As examples, EDGE avg. RMS EVM is typically less than 0.8 percent, and GSM phase error is below 1°. With a wide -100 dBm to +20 dBm power output range, harmonic suppression is better than -40 dBc at +13 dBm, and spurious is below -80 dBc. The source’s 1 GHz CW phase noise is less than -100 dBc/Hz at 20 kHz offset, and at 2.2 GHz is better than -92 dBc/Hz at 20 kHz offset. Like all precisionWave instruments, the source is CE certified, and is fully warranted for one year.

The p1511A establishes a new industry price/performance ratio, particularly in the area of high accuracy, low error vector magnitude (EVM) signal generation. EVM is the industry standard for modulation quality measurements of digitally modulated signals. EVM measurements can reveal a wide variety of digital signal problems and can illuminate the causes of these issues. Signal sources must have low EVM output so designers and testers can properly evaluate the performance of chips, modules and devices for digital communication reception and transmission.

With an easy-to-use front panel, and 3U(h) x 19”(w) and 17”(d) dimensions, the p1511A is ideal for bench top use. The p1511A is also well-suited for ATE applications, having frequency and power switching times of only 15 ms and 2.5 ms, respectively. Included instrument libraries and APIs for Microsoft Visual Studio enable rapid development of LAN-based instrument control software.

precisionWave’s web-based waveform download capability affordably customizes the p1511A with the needed standard and custom waveforms. Users may also develop their own custom I and Q waveforms. The precisionWave p1511A is available now with eight week delivery ARO. The p1511A is priced at $11,500.00.