- It’s been a long time since NI (formerly National Instruments) launched an instrument in the PXI format, which it invented in 1997.
- In January 2018, the Texas-based company simply announced an evolution of its source and measurement unit in PXI format.
- Nearly four years later, as PXI celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, NI is this time announcing a frequency upgrade of its PXIe format vector signal transceiver.
NI has announced the launch of the third generation of its PXI vector signal transceiver, the PXIe-5842 series VST (Vector Signal Transceiver).
Compared to the second generation VST, the third generation offers a frequency range from 50 MHz to 23 GHz, and doubles the instantaneous bandwidth from 1 GHz to 2 GHz.
The increasing complexity of wireless communication technologies, standards, and frequencies, coupled with pressures to bring products to market faster, requires that test instruments cover an ever-expanding frequency range.
In particular, the PXIe-5842 format vector signal transceiver enables measurement of EVM (Error Vector Magnitude)
for Wi-Fi 7 and 5G NR signals.
The PXIe-5842 module occupies four slots in a PXI chassis. It is available in several bandwidth and frequency variants up to 8 GHz, 12 GHz and 23 GHz depending on the model. It can be used for applications ranging from VHF to K-band. It can also be used for parametric testing and validation of radar, satellite communications and electronic warfare systems.
# Key features of the PXIe-5842 VST:
- Continuous frequency coverage from 50 MHz to 23 GHz
- 2 GHz generation and analysis bandwidth
- Tx/Rx Amplitude Accuracy : ± 0.4 dB typ.
- Tx/Rx flatness: ± 0.45 dB typical (2 GHz BW)
- EVM (5G NR) <-54 dB (100 MHz, loopback, measured)
- EVM (802.11be) <-49 dB (320 MHz, loopback, measured)
- Maximum output power <+20 dBm typical (CW @ 5 GHz)
- Tuning time <230 µs
- Baseband conditioning modes optimized for wide bandwidth or high dynamic range
- Wideband digital RF data transfer via high-speed digital serial links enables real-time and closed-loop signal processing, as well as wideband signal recording to hard disk
- Up to four PXIe-5842 modules can be integrated into an 18 slot PXIe chassis.
