Trending RF & Microwave News Stories this Week(17-21 Sept, 2018)

R&S GNSS Simulator Now Equipped with GPS L5 & Galileo E5 Simulation Capabilities

Rohde & Schwarz has added simulation capabilities for GPS L5 and Galileo E5 to its R&S SMW200A GNSS simulator. The R&S SMW200A is the ideal tool for efficient test and characterization of multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS receivers.

Today, an increasing number of GNSS receivers are capable of receiving signals on multiple different frequencies, such as L1, L2 and L5. Although this multi-frequency capability, as well as having to process signals from diverse navigation systems such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo or BeiDou, make the receiver design more complex, they ensure a better quality of service for the end user. Multi-frequency and multi-constellation processing not only improves positioning accuracy, service availability and robustness, it also makes the positioning process less vulnerable to interference, jamming or spoofing attacks. Click here to read more.

Miniaturized Device on a User's Tooth Enables Hands-Free Radio Calls

Sonitus Technologies has developed a new audio interface using near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) technology. This innovative technology makes voice communication immune to a user’s operating environment and decouples it from protective equipment. A small wireless, hands-free, ears-free device clips to a user’s teeth and creates an unbreakable personal communication link for speaking and hearing that is compatible with existing radio, phone or intercom solutions. The new audio path eliminates the need for ear pieces, microphones and wires on the head. Click here to read more.

Cypress Introduces Bluetooth Audio Solution to Provide Better User Experience for Wireless Earbuds

Cypress Semiconductor has introduced a Bluetooth audio offering that brings leading-edge performance to wireless earbuds and hearables. Based on the new Wireless Audio Stereo Synchronization (WASS) application and the CYW20721 Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Audio microcontroller (MCU), the solution provides robust connections for differentiated performance in wireless earbuds.

The MCU features a link budget that is 6 dB better than competing chips, resulting in up to twice the range. The extended range and the WASS application combine to enable superior cross-body performance, giving users uninterrupted audio on their earbuds with their smart device in their back-pocket or on their wrist. The MCU also operates at nearly 50% lower power consumption than competing chips, enabling twice the playback time or the use of smaller batteries in sleeker form-factors. The novel WASS application is available in Cypress’ WICED Pro software development kit (SDK), the latest version of its all-inclusive WICED SDK that provides developers with a turnkey solution to get products to market quickly. Click here to read more.

World's First OTA Test System for Simultaneous 5G Sub-6 GHz

EMITE has launched the very first OTA (over the air) test system capable of simultaneously testing 5G FR1 sub-6 GHz frequencies (from 3 to 6 GHz) with FR2 mmWave frequencies (24 to 110 GHz).

The new 5G SA/NSA FR1+FR2 OTA test bed is based on the 3GPP-permitted Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) OTA test method, achieving unheard-of capabilities for OTA testing of 5G NR Standalone (SA) or Non-Standalone (NSA) carrier aggregation (CA) or dual-connectivity (EN-DC). The new 5G SA/NSA FR1+FR2 OTA test bed has been developed at the EMITE 5G Lab in Cartagena, Spain. Click here to read more.

Lockheed Martin Receives GPS III Follow-on Contract from US Air Force

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin with a fixed-price production contract worth $7.2 billion for 22 GPS III Follow-On satellites. According to Secretary of the Air Force, Heather Wilson, these satellites will provide greater accuracy, and improved anti-jamming capabilities, making them more resilient.

The USAF currently operates a total of 77 satellites vital to national security that provide communications, command and control, missile warning, nuclear detonation detection, weather and GPS for the world. Since Mission Desert Storm, their joint and allied warfighting team has relied on uninterrupted position, navigation and timing signals to employ precision on and over the battlefield. This investment in GPS III will continue to advance the USAF’s capabilities into the future. Click here to read more.