VIAVI Signal Workshop RF Signal Creation, Capture and Analysis Software Suite

Software suite for RF waveform creation, playback, live signal capture and post-capture analysis with VIAVI CMP hardware.

Modulation Types: AM, AM suppressed carrier, AM signal-sideband - Upper / lower, with definable sideband bandwidth, FM, PM
Baseband: Up to 2 analog modulation tones, or .wav import

Datasheet

Overview

Signal Workshop is an integrated software suite from VIAVI for waveform creation, signal generation, signal capture and post-capture analysis. It is intended for finding and solving RF communications signal quality, spectral monitoring, interference and environmental RF issues.

Used with the VIAVI Configurable Modular Platform (CMP) system and/or the Software Communications Architecture (SCA) Development Suite, it operates as a general-purpose RF tool combining live and off-line signal simulation and analysis. Target applications include communications (SigInt, satellite), pulse (radar, EW), over-the-air (OTA) testing and electromagnetic environment (EME) characterization.

Software components

The Vector Signal Simulator (VSS) creates single waveforms or reproduces entire spectral environments, including mixed signals, realistic impairments and additive recorded signals. VSS computes the RF spectrum and Complementary Cumulative Distribution Function (CCDF) of created signals. Signal files are stored as a paired .txt text file and .dat data file.

The Vector Signal Player (VSP) provides the hardware interface for waveform playback on the AXIe-based CMP hardware, allowing signals to be played back at any frequency within the hardware's range and providing level control.

The Signal Vector Toolkit (SVT) captures live spectral environments in combination with CMP hardware, while SVT File provides post-capture analysis of saved files. Both share the same analysis functions, including spectrum/spectrogram/time plots, modulation domain analysis, analog and digital demodulation, burst analysis, pulse analysis, channel power, ACPR, environmental signal parameterization and a Spectrum Allocation Table. Captures can be trimmed in time and resampled to a custom bandwidth to manage file size.

Key Features

Extensive RF analysis tool to characterize the spectrum environment or the performance of RF systems
Live monitoring and capture of wideband RF signals
Vector Signal Simulator (VSS) to create arbitrary waveforms
Vector Signal Player (VSP) to play back captured or generated signals
Live monitoring and post-capture signal display, analysis and processing
Interactive spectrum / spectrogram / time plots
Results strip charting and data logging
Modulation domain analysis with basic modulation classification (AM, FM, CW, pulse, other)
Precision GPS latitude, longitude, time stamp
Bandwidth resampling engine and time-trim tools for capture file-size management
AM / FM / PM analysis
ASK / FSK / PSK / QAM analysis
ASK Burst / FSK Burst / PSK Burst analysis
Pulse analysis
Signal notepad for recording plots and data
Channel Power and Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR) analysis functions
Spectrum Allocation Table (SAT)
Environmental Signal Parameterization identifies and measures parameters for signals in the environment
Remote API control

Specifications

Waveform Creation / Generation (VSS / VSP) – Analog Modulation

Modulation Types	AM, AM suppressed carrier, AM signal-sideband - Upper / lower, with definable sideband bandwidth, FM, PM
Baseband	Up to 2 analog modulation tones, or .wav import

Waveform Creation / Generation (VSS / VSP) – Digital Modulation

Cell Technologies	WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, IS95
Generic Digital Modulation – FSK	BPSK to 512 FSK
Generic Digital Modulation – PSK	up to 256 PSK
Generic Digital Modulation – QAM	up to 1024 Modulation types include square nQAM (4 - 1024), nPSK (2 - 256), OQPSK, and Pi/r DQPSK
Generic Digital Modulation – ASK	ASK

Waveform Creation / Generation (VSS / VSP) – Pulse

Number of Pulses	User-definable
Pulse Configuration	User-definable
Manual	Pulse width, Pulse interval, Transition (Step / Interval / Raised Cosine), Rise Time, Fall Time
File	Pulse descriptor file for irregular pulse configurations
Modulation On Pulse (MOP)	Barker, Bits, Symbols (BPSK, BFSK, OOK)
Frequency	Linear FM (chirp)

Waveform Creation / Generation (VSS / VSP) – Noise and Tones

Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN)	Features include Bandwidth, Noise Seed, Duration
Noise Power Ratio (NPR)	Pedestal Width, Frequency Accuracy, Phase Seed, User-definable Notches
Tone Comb	Standard, Phase Modulated

Waveform Creation / Generation (VSS / VSP) – Common Waveform Fields

Carrier Frequency	User-definable, Carrier Plan: Absolute or Relative Actual carrier frequency may be redefined at time of playback in VSP
Start delay	User-definable
Impairments	Filter - superimposes user defined filter on complete waveform; Phase - user defined phase impairments
Multi-carrier / RF environment	VSS includes a remixing engine that automatically re-samples the composite mix, allowing multi-standard signal mixing
Hop	Frequency Start / Stop / Spacing, Dwell Time, Hop Sequence - random / file / sweep, Assignable frequency gaps
Import – I/Q	Interleaved binary, twos complement, signed integer with either one or two bytes per sample If two-byte samples are used, endian format must be known
Import – Real	Binary, twos complement, signed integer with either one or two bytes per sample If two-byte samples are used, endian format must be known

Signal Capture (SVT)

Monitor Mode	Alternates between capture and post-capture analysis features Results may not be contiguous
Capture Mode	Provides uninterrupted (contiguous) capture Analysis is provided on an as-available basis, similar to monitor function
Controls	Center Frequency, Capture Bandwidth, Capture Mode - Normal (offset), or Zero IF, Input Level, Port, IP Address, Play, Stop, Rewind, Step Forward, Step Reverse
Scan Rate	playback can be sped up or slowed down, or movement may be measured in time or samples

Signal Analysis (SVT and SVT File)

Main Displays	FTT, Time, Spectrogram (Waterfall), Strip Chart
Analog Demodulation (AM / FM / PM)	Includes AM USB, LSB, and suppressed carrier
Digital Demodulation Types	LTE Downlink, ASK, ASK Burst, FSK, FSK Burst, PSK / QAM, PSK / QAM Burst, PSK / QAM Est, PSK / QAM Gain / Phase
ASK	BASK, OOK, 4ASK, Bit level demodulation
FSK	MSK, BFSK, 4FSK, Bit level demodulation Datasheet prints 'Bit leve demodulation'
PSK / QAM	BPSK, OQPSK, pi/4, DQPSK, (8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256) PSK, (4, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024) QAM Rectangular or Root Raised Cosine measurement filter; includes eye plot and eye closure measurements, as well as bit level demodulation
PSK / QAM Est	PSK / QAM Estimator
PSK / QAM Gain / Phase	Gain / Phase / Group Delay
Channel Power	User-definable list
Environmental Parameterization	Modulation estimation tool
High Resolution Spectrum Analyzer	Tunable for focused analysis within capture band
Pulse	Carrier, Frequency, power, pulse width, PRI and modulation characteristics (chirp, Barker, etc.), rise and fall times, Doppler, TOA, time rate of change over time, and more.
Signal Allocation Table (SAT)	Provides a pre-definable table of frequency definitions, useful for monitoring / quickly identifying frequencies of interest.
Import – I/Q	Interleaved binary, twos complement, signed integer with either one or two bytes per sample If two-byte samples are used, endian format must be known
Import – Real	Binary, twos complement, signed integer with either one or two bytes per sample If two-byte samples are used, endian format must be known
Import – Multi-Channel	Interleaved binary, twos complement, signed integer with either one or two bytes per sample If two-byte samples are used, endian format must be known; actual limitations are dependent on hardware

Compatible CMP Hardware

Instantaneous bandwidth mA-6806	up to 200 MHz Generation and capture on AXIe-based VIAVI CMP hardware
Carrier frequency mA-6806	up to 6 GHz
Onboard capture mA-6806	up to 500 M samples
RAID streaming storage mA-3A01	up to 9.6 TB Over 2.5 hours of continuous recording or playback at full bandwidth