RADX® Technologies, Inc. announced the new LibertyGT® SDR Solutions-- the first COTS, Software-Defined, Multi-Function, Real-Time, RF Test and Measurement (T&M) Solutions that employ Software Defined Radios (SDRs) to radically reduce the cost of real-time RF T&M systems used in developing and testing radios, IoT devices and wireless communication devices and in performing wideband spectrum analysis, recording and playback.

LibertyGT-SDR Solutions include LGT3000 (LibertyGT 3000) Integrated, Modular SDR-Based RF T&M Systems and LGT-SDR MSFS Software Kits (MSFS = Measurement Science Firmware & Software). LGT3000 Systems and LGT-SDR MSFS Kits are part of the LibertyGT Family and are compatible with, and use the same LGT MSFS, Apps and Application Programming Interface (API) employed by the RADX LGT1000 (LibertyGT 1000) Family of PXIe-based RF T&M Solutions.

“We’ve had many prospects fall in love with the real-time performance, software defined modularity and multi-function capability, reduced SWaP, touchscreen ease of use and easy programmability of our PXIe-based LibertyGT 1000 Systems,” said Ross Q. Smith, RADX Co-Founder, CEO and Occasional Angler. “But the price of the LibertyGT 1000 systems was often prohibitive, especially for cost-sensitive projects or for testing inexpensive products. The new SDR-based LGT3000 Systems and LGT-SDR MSFS Kits radically reduce the price for real-time RF testers and we think engineers and purchasing agents in the US and abroad will truly welcome the news.”

HOW IT WORKS. Conventional RF T&M instruments employ expensive RF-related subsystems including RF (analog), ADC, DAC, FPGA-based DSP and high speed digital interfaces that dominate the instrument’s costs. These subsystem costs are even greater for wideband, real-time RF T&M instruments that process RF signals continuously without loss of data, which is critical for engineers testing advanced communications components or systems or spectrum analysis applications.

Instead of using conventional RF-related subsystems, LibertyGT-SDR Solutions employ high-performance, commercial, wideband USRP™ SDRs from National Instruments™ and Ettus Research™. These SDRs include RF-related subsystems similar to those found in wide-band, real-time RF T&M instruments, but which are optimized for wideband wireless communications. Since NI/Ettus USRP SDRs are sold in high volume, a complete wideband, real-time SDR usually costs far less than a set of wideband, real-time T&M instrument RF-related subsystems. However, because of their differences, the SDRs, or the SDR-based T&M system in which they are used, must be adapted for such a novel use.

“To incorporate LibertyGT-SDR Solutions into the LibertyGT Family, we modified the LGT MSFS Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) to support the SDR’s RF-related subsystems and the new PC + SDR architecture without affecting LGT1000 App and API compatibility,” said Wade Lowdermilk, RADX Co-Founder and CTO. “We also add RF Interface Units (RFIUs) to address the signaling level differences between SDRs and RF T&M systems. The net result is that the LGT3211R-RTVST is functionally equivalent to and completely software compatible with our entry-level, PXIe-based, LGT1211R-RTVST, at about 1/3rd the price. And while the LGT3211R cannot match all the capabilities of the LGT1211R, with 160 MHz per channel bandwidth, 6 GHz upper frequency limit, removable RAID drives, and myriad configuration options, the LGT3000 systems should set the mark for low-cost, real-time RF T&M applications.”

PRICE-PERFORMANCE. An integrated LGT3000 system configured for testing 10 MHz to 6 GHz wireless transceivers with real-time communications bandwidths up to 160 MHz, including all hardware, software and accessories required for testing right out-of-the box, features a NAFTA MSRP of $39,999. No single-box radio tester has real-time performance to match the LGT3000 products, at any price. And a functionally equivalent, RADX LGT1211R PXIe-based system has a NAFTA MSRP of $111,000. A box instrument VSA/VSG configuration with equivalent real-time performance would cost even more.

Admittedly, there is no free lunch, and both the box instrument configuration and the LibertyGT 1211R, which is based on precision NI PXIe modules, will likely feature better phase noise and other characteristics. But, despite such differences, for a wide number of cost-sensitive applications, the capabilities of LibertyGT-SDR Solutions and their relative low prices represent an unprecedented value in real-time RF T&M system price-performance. Plus, as SDRs improve their frequency range, bandwidth and RF performance, LGT3000 Systems may be easily upgraded to benefit from the improvements.

“Using SDRs for cost-effective, real-time RF test is like using GPUs for high performance computing (HPC),” said Mahesh Lingareddy, RADX Advisor and Founder and Chairman of Smartron, India's first global IoT brand. “Initially, skeptics scoffed at using GPUs for HPC, but with the right software, like CUDA and OpenCL, GPUs have become essential for HPC applications like autonomous driving and machine learning, since GPUs are ubiquitous, inexpensive, and well suited to task. Similarly, SDRs combined with RADX LibertyGT-SDR software are well suited for cost-sensitive, real-time, RF testing of IoT and other wireless devices-- which has huge potential in India’s rapidly growing IoT market and elsewhere.”

LGT3000 SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS, PRICING AND AVAILABILITY. AA standard LGT3211R-RTVST configured for wireless transceiver testing to 6 GHz with 160 MHz of communications RTBW has a NAFTA MSRP of $39,999 and features a production lead time of 30 to 60 days ARO. The LGT3211R-RTVST and all LGT3000 Integrated Systems are fully configured with appropriate SDR(s), PC-based Server, RFIU3, Enclosure, 22” Touchscreen, appropriate LGT-SDR MSFS Bundle with USB License Key and Accessories and are factory integrated, tested and calibrated and ready for immediate use. Other configurations, hardware, accessories and LGT MSFS Apps, NI and 3rd Party Apps are available.

LGT-SDR MSFS SOFTWARE KIT AND RFIU3 PRICING AND AVAILABILITY. For those desiring to integrate their own LGT3000 equivalent systems or add LGT-SDR MSFS to existing NI USRP 2954, 2955 or X310 SDR(s), RADX sells LGT-SDR-RTVSA and LGT-SDR-RTVST MSFS Software Kits (for MS Windows 7 or 10 Pro 64) for $13,500 and $16,000 respectively. The Kits include appropriate Apps, 22” touchscreen monitor, USB Drive Installer and License Key and feature a lead time of 30 to 60 days ARO. Additional LGT MSFS Apps are available as options.

The RADX COTS RFIU3-3211-STD RFIU has a NAFTA MSRP of $6,000 and features a 90 Day ARO lead time. For details, available options, pricing and delivery information, please contact RADX. Also, please note that educational discounts are available for most RADX products.