RF Application Development Course

Overview
The cost of RF test, including time to test, development effort and equipment cost, has become critical for wireless
device manufacturers in the 21st century. PXI offers flexibility, performance, and innovative features to reduce the cost of
RF test. This course focuses on how to use PXI-based RF hardware and software from National Instruments. It covers
the complete RF hardware and software architecture from National Instruments. Topics will span from GPS, WLAN,
MIMO, and cellular test to custom modulation formats and recommended programming practices for RF test. Students
work with real-world analog and digital transceivers/receivers in hands-on exercises to reinforce the lessons for the
National Instruments PXI RF hardware and software.

Duration
3 Days Registration
Register online at ni.com/training or call
Audience (800)433-3488 Fax: (512)683-9300
• New and practicing test/product engineers who are info@ni.com
involved with the production, test and development
of RF/wireless solutions in the DC to 6 GHz Outside North America, contact your local NI Office.
frequency range Worldwide Contact Info: ni.com/global NI can
• Engineers who are getting started with the PXI RF also hold this class on-site at your facility.
hardware and software platform
Part Number
Prerequisites 910805-xx
• Minimum – Core 1 or equivalent experience -01 NI Corporate or Branch
• Recommended – LabVIEW Core 1, Core 2, and -11 Regional
Core 3 or equivalent experience -21 Onsite
• RF Measurement Fundamentals or equivalent RF -69 Online
knowledge for RF design, test and measurement

NI Products Used During the Course Instructor Only:

• LabVIEW Professional Development System • PXI RF switching, PXI-5691
Version 2009 or later pre-amplifier, 2 x 2 MIMO VSA and VSG, FlexRIO
• PXI-5666E Vector Signal Analyzer (Peer-to-Peer Processing)
• PXI-5673E Vector Signal Generator • GPS receiver, WiMax transceiver, WLAN
• PXI-4110 Programmable Power Supply transceiver, FSK transceiver, FM antenna, WCDMA
• NI 5680 USB power meter power amplifier
• Spectral Measurements Toolkit
• Modulation Toolkit
• GPS, WLAN, WiMAX, GSM/EDGE, and WCDMA
Toolkits
• NI RF Reference Architecture 1.0.24 or later
• NI TestStand 4.2 or later

ni.com/training
RF Application Development Course
After attending this course, you will be able to: • Understand typical physical layer tests for WLAN,
• Configure and use the PXI-566x analyzers, WiMAX, GSM/EDGE and WCDMA
PXI-567x generators, PXI-569x pre-amplifiers, • Understand triggering, clocking, and onboard signal
NI 5680 power meter, PXI RF switches processing with VSA and VSG
• Measure custom and protocol-based RF signals • Perform a complete system calibration for RF test
• Create a modulated waveform and generate it as • Program effectively for RF test
an RF signal
• Perform spectral and power measurements Suggested Next Courses
• Record and playback RF signals • LabVIEW Core 3
• Understand how to configure and use a MIMO • TestStand I & II
based system • LabVIEW Connectivity
• Be familiar with device driver and toolkit palettes • Advanced Architectures in LabVIEW
for RF

Course Topics
Day 1 RF Acquisition and Generation
Introduction to NI RF Platform This lesson describes in detail the PXI-566x analyzer
Introduction to hardware and software covered in family and PXI-567x generator family. The lesson also
course. Sample RF solutions and configuration for covers clocking from internal and external sources plus
these solutions. Topics include: driver software implementation. Finally it describes the
• Overview of NI RF Hardware PXI-565x. Topics include:
• Overview of NI Software • RF Downconversion
• Solving application-specific RF systems – Power • IF Digitization
Amplifier Test and Universal Radio Tester • NI-RFSA Driver
• RF Upconversion and IQ Modulation
Introduction to Measurement and Automation • CW Generation
Explorer • NI-RFSG Driver
This lesson familiarizes you with the RF hardware • Reference Clocks and Triggering
configuration in Measurement and Automation Explorer • List Mode
(MAX). Topics include:
• How to connect your PXI-566x VSA and PXI-567x Spectral Measurements Toolkit
VSG This lesson covers the Spectral Measurements Toolkit
• Configuration of PXI-566x and PXI-567x in MAX and how to use it for common RF power
• Introduction to test panels for troubleshooting measurements. Topics include:
• Calibration of PXI-566x and PXI-567x • Zoom FFT
• Spectral Measurement Toolkits VIs
• Spectral Mode versus IQ Acquisition

ni.com/training
RF Application Development Course
Phase Coherent Generation and Acquisition Record and Playback
This lesson phase coherency as it relates to MIMO, This lesson describes RF record and playback. It shows
beam forming and direction finding. Topics include: how to build your own record and playback system with
• Understanding Phase Coherency insight into methods and architectures. Topics include:
• Hardware Architecture of Multi-Channel System • Overview of a record and playback system
• Phase Coherent Test Instrumentation Hardware • Data sizes and types for record and playback
Architecture applications
• System Variables Affecting Phase Coherency • Storage media – RAM, Solid State, Mechanical
Drives, RAID
Day 2 • Memory considerations
Additional RF Hardware • Introduction to RAID (Redundant Array of
This lesson covers accessory RF hardware. Overview Inexpensive Drives)
and software programming of the RF pre-amplifier, • Bus technology
switches, frequency counting and power meter are • Introduction to continuous data streaming
described. Topics include: • Software architecture for data streaming
• Pre-amplification of RF signals • File I/O methods for data streaming
• PXI-569x pre-amplifier and NI 5690 driver • Solutions for data streaming
• Power measurements • Applications and considerations for data streaming
• NI 5680 power meter and NI 5680 driver
• Frequency counting with PXI-566x VSAs RIO, FPGA and Peer-to-Peer Communication
• RF switching considerations – insertion loss, This lesson is an introduction to FGPA development in
VSWR, isolation, cross-talk RF test applications. Topics include:
• RF and microwave switches in PXI • NI RIO Technology
• IF Transceiver
System Calibration • Peer-to-Peer Technology
This lesson covers end to end system calibration for • RF with Peer-to-Peer
achieving greater accuracy and repeatability in your RF
test system. Topics include: Digital Modulation
• Introduction to System Calibration This lesson provides an overview of digital modulation
• Simple Approach Using RF Analyzer methods and how to implement them with the
• Improved Approach Using RF Attenuation Modulation Toolkit. Topics include:
• Advanced RF System Calibration • Introduction to Digital Modulation Toolkit
• Modulation and demodulation functions – FSK,
ASK, QAM, PSK, CPM, MSK
• Modulation visualization – Constellation, Trellis, Eye
Diagram
• Digital modulation measurements – BER, MER,
EVM, Rho, Burst Timing
• Channel coding
• Modulation impairments

ni.com/training
RF Application Development Course
Day 3 Cellular Test
Reference Architecture and Best Programming This lesson describes the GSM/EDGE and WCDMA
Practices Toolkits from NI. Topics include:
This lesson introduces the student to the RF Reference • Industry and Devices
Architecture. The RF Reference Architecture is • Common Standards
described in detail as a template for best practices for • Testing Methods
RF Test. Topics include: • NI Cellular Toolkits
• RF Application Design Considerations • Applications for Cellular Test
• NI RF Reference Architecture Blueprint
• Signal Generation with Reference Architecture GPS Test
• Signal Acquisition with Reference Architecture This lesson introduces the student to Global Navigation
• Test Application Design Satellites Systems (GNSS) and the NI GPS Toolkit.
• niBasic Review Topics include:
• NI TestStand with Reference Architecture • Introduction to GNSS
• Receiver Test
Modular Chapters (Student & Instructor Election) – • GNSS Test from NI
Day 3
Analog Modulation WiMax Test
This lesson provides an overview of different analog This lesson introduces the student to the IEEE 802.16d
modulation methods and how to implement them with Fixed WiMax and IEEE 802.16e Mobile WiMax
the Modulation Toolkit. Topics include: standards and the NI Toolkits for WiMax. Topics
• Overview of analog modulation and where it is used include:
• Amplitude Modulation • The WiMAX Standard
• Frequency Modulation • WiMAX Technologies
• Phase Modulation • Introduction to the WiMAX Toolkit
• Analog Modulation Toolkit • Transmitter Test
• Receiver Test
WLAN Test • Software Architecture
This lesson covers WLAN or IEEE 802.11 test. Topics
include:
• The 802.11 Standard
• Introduction to the WLAN Toolkit
• Transmitter Test
• Receiver Test
• MIMO for 802.11n
• Interpreting Results
• Optimizing Test Times

ni.com/training