18
dBm
Advanced Channel Emulator
ACE9600
Operations Manual
Op e ra tin g S ta te s
P o we r u p a n d Re s e t
Upon power-up or preset, the instrument is set to the default static state.
The display will momentarily (10 sec) display a graphic while the
hardware is initializing.
S ta tic
Static (non-varying) values for link impairments are applied to the RF
input signal. Additional optional link impairments include additive
noise (AWGN), tunable L-band frequency control, and multipath
fading. Optional hardware impairments include gain compression,
AM/PM conversion, group delay distortion, amplitude ripple, phase
noise, and spurious signals. The signal propagates through the
instrument and appears at the output with the impairments applied. The
user can modify any of the link impairments by entering a new value,
or by using the Step+ key or Step- key. The step size is set in the Step
Size menu.
Dyn a m ic
Data files can be downloaded into the instrument through the LAN
interface and stored on a removable SD card. These files control the
values for each of the link impairment parameters. Each parameter type
in each channel can be loaded with the internally stored parameter data
files. Upon receipt of a Start command, the instrument sequentially
executes the values in the parameter data files. There are seven file
types per channel, and therefore up to twenty-eight files (for a four
channel instrument) can be implemented simultaneously and
synchronously with the same update clock. At each rising edge of the
update clock, the next data point in each file is executed.
When the Start command is issued, the instrument begins executing the
data files. A universal start command is simultaneously issued to all
channel hardware to insure a synchronous start. If no parameter file is
selected for a particular impairment, that parameter will remain at its
static value. When the Reset command is received via the LAN or front
panel, data implementation is immediately stopped and the instrument
returns to the initial data point. When a Pause command is received via
the LAN or front panel, data implementation is immediately stopped,
parameters are halted at that point, and the current parameter values are
displayed on the front panel of the ACE. When in pause mode the Step
Fwd key or Step Back key can be used to step through the parameter
files at a definable time increment. Pressing the
Start
key from the
PAUSED or READY state begins execution from the current point in
the file.
