The Model 10282 from Weinschel by Spectrum Control is a 12 x 12 Handover Test System that operates from 0.8 to 3 GHz. It is constructed as a full fan-out network, meaning there is a non-blocked RF path between each input and output RF port. Each of the 144 paths includes its own individually controllable programmable attenuator, allowing the path’s signal to be adjusted in amplitude as desired. This provides for the ability to implement various fading or handoff scenarios to simulate signal handover between multiple BTS and user equipment. It uses solid-state attenuators which provide extremely fast attenuation state changes with no loss of signal, excellent repeatability, and essentially unlimited switching life. The handover system can handle an input power of 37 dBm and has an insertion loss of less than 35 dB. It provides an attenuation from 0 to 127 dB and has a switching speed of less than 1 μsec.
The Model 10282 can be controlled via Ethernet, RS232, and USB interfaces. The USB port provides a USB Communications Device Class device (CDC) interface that allows programming via a virtual COM port using the same text-based commands as the serial port. The system is available in an enclosure with N-type (female) connectors and is suitable for 3G/4G LTE testing, handover testing, link simulation, MIMO simulation, and mobility test scenarios, implementation of static or dynamic test simulations, and engineering support for wireless test lab environments.
Handover test systems are used to assess the performance of interconnected wireless devices under real-world operating conditions in a lab environment. Device manufacturers and network engineers can use handover test systems and their various signal attenuation mechanisms to simulate the complex effects of variables like distance and interference. This helps to improve the robustness of their network and optimize the performance of their RF equipment.
