Anritsu and TRX Systems have introduced what the companies say is the industry’s first field solution providing 3D indoor and outdoor coverage mapping of 5G New Radio (NR) networks. The offering integrates Anritsu’s Field Master Pro™ MS2090A RF handheld spectrum analyzer with the TRX MA8100A NEON Signal Mapper.
The test solution enables wireless service providers and subcontractors deploying 5G NR or working with wireless protocols to measure more accurately than using conventional instruments using 2D, ensuring wireless networks meet performance requirements, whether outdoors or inside — rural areas, city streets, office buildings, trains, underground tunnels and large public spaces such as sports arenas, shopping malls and airports.
When used outside with GPS satellite coverage, the Anritsu/TRX solution uses GPS data to continuously track the user making measurements. Where GPS is not available, the TRX NEON mapper uses a tracking unit worn on the body with Android-based software to deliver 3D location and mapping of the measurement data. This works inside buildings, underground and in other areas without GPS coverage.
The NEON Signal Mapper provides exceptional indoor coverage mapping, eliminating the need to manually check in at each test point, providing more data than can be gathered manually, while removing errors from guessing the location in large buildings. NEON delivers data in areas not easily analyzed, such as stairways and elevators, providing the industry’s only geo-referenced 3D visualization according to TRX.
Anritsu’s Field Master Pro MS2090A has continuous frequency coverage to 54 GHz, real-time spectrum analysis bandwidth to 100 MHz, displayed average noise level (DANL) better than −160 dBm, typical third-order intercept (TOI) of +20 dBm and typical phase noise of −110 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset. The ruggedized design withstands the demands of field testing.
The Field Master Pro supports 5G NR demodulation and provides cell ID, beam ID, RSRP/RSRQ, SINR and EVM in all the 5G bands, whether sub-6 GHz or mmWave. It can be used to conduct compliance testing, including EIRP, spectral emission mask and time offset and harmonic and spurious testing. The real-time spectrum analysis to 100 MHz enables interference monitoring in the cellular bands or full ISM band.
