National Instruments has introduced the world’s first RF vector signal transceiver (VST), the NI PXIe-5644R. The so-called “first software-designed instrument” combines a vector signal generator and vector signal analyzer with a user-programmable FPGA into a single PXI modular instrument. Built on FPGA technology the device is fully programmable with LabVIEW and easily expands to support multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) configurations or parallel testing in a single PXI chassis.

 

The product features up to 6.0 GHz frequency coverage, starting at 65 MHz, and 80 MHz instantaneous RF bandwidth. It enables for instance testing the latest wireless standards such as 802.11ac and LTE. The device is more than 10 times faster measurements than comparable solutions and can replace multiple traditional instruments at a fraction of the cost and size. The VST is fully supported in LabVIEW 2012 with 100% open-source drivers.