Instruments and software address military needs
Autotestcon, September 18–21, Anaheim, CA. www.autotestcon.com.
Staff -- Test & Measurement World, 11/1/2006
Geotest (www.geotestinc.com) introduced a flurry of products during the Autotestcon show: the GX7100 3U/6U PXI smart chassis; the 3U PXI GX5292 module, which incorporates dynamic direction control on a per-pin and per-vector basis; the 3U PXI GX5733, which offers static TTL and configurable digital I/O channels with FIFO memory; and the 3U PXI GX2002 RF power analyzer card (developed in partnership with ZTEC Instruments), which performs CW and pulse-power measurements, frequency measurements, and pulse-repetition period measurements on RF signals from 100 MHz to 3 GHz.
Geotest also introduced the GP1616 (a replacement for the obsolete Hewlett-Packard 8116 function generator) and announced the release of ATEasy 6.0, an enhanced test executive that supports touch-screen applications, customization of user and group privileges, and .NET 2.0 components and LabView 8.0/8.20 VIs.
For its part, ZTEC (www.ztecinstruments.com) demonstrated its new ZT4610 family of digital storage oscilloscopes. Available in PCI, CompactPCI, PXI, and VXI formats, the ZT4610 family offers 4-Gsamples/s real-time sampling with an 800-MHz analog bandwidth; an equivalent-time (multi-capture reconstruction) or interpolated-time (single-capture reconstruction) mode can be used to achieve 200-Gsamples/s operation.
Data Translation (www.datx.com) announced an initiative to create an LXI-based software programming standard for synthetic instruments based on its Measure Foundry software. The company demonstrated a system consisting of bench and rack-mount instruments under Measure Foundry control; the software “deconstructed” the instruments and reconfigured them as required for different applications.
PrecisionWave (www.precisionwave.com) demonstrated its p1411A RF vector signal generator, which features a spectrum-analyzer display along with an internal IQ waveform generator. The instrument is available in bench or ATE configurations. Serving the 800-MHz and 1700-MHz cellular bands, the p1411A produces EDGE, GSM, IS-95, NADC, PHS, WCDMA, and CW signals.
BAE Systems (www.baesystems.com), National Instruments (www.ni.com), and Phase Matrix (www.phasematrix.com) announced that they are collaborating on a 26.5-GHz synthetic instrument based on PXI Express. Phase Matrix's contribution to the effort will be a 26.5-GHz PXI Express downconverter. BAE Systems plans to build the synthetic instrument using the new downconverter, combining it in a National Instruments chassis with NI controllers and IF digitizers.
Agilent Technologies (www.agilent.com) announced that its MXA signal analyzer and MXG signal generator will have options for LXI Class B compliance by the fall of 2007. The MXA and MXG are currently LXI Class C compliant. Other LXI proponents used the LXI Consortium (www.lxistandard.org) booth to tout LXI's benefits.
Amrel (www.amrel.com) introduced its SPD dual-channel 300-W to 360-W switch-mode programmable power supply, which fills what the company calls a gap in the 200-W to 600-W range. The company also demonstrated its new ZVL programmable 0–V electronic load, which comes in 100-W and 200-W, 0-VDC to 150-VDC versions.
Dow-Key Microwave (www.dowkey.com) demonstrated its DK-PXI-1001 18-GHz 4x4 nonblocking matrix and its 4104-4/10 DC to 18-GHz bidirectional coaxial RF switch matrix. Senariotek (www.senariotek.com), along with COM DEV (www.comdev.ca/codeone), demonstrated its e-trak smart RF switch matrixes, which provide for remote inline calibration correction based on COM DEV's CodeOne software. Virginia Panel (www.vpc.com) demonstrated its iCon connector modules, which accommodate up to 320 signal contacts and support signal, power, or coaxial connections in homogeneous or hybrid configurations.
Adlink Technology America (www.adlinktech.com), exhibiting in conjunction with the PXI Systems Alliance (www.pxisa.org), introduced its PXI 2016 data-acquisition card, which provides 12-bit, 1-Msample/s performance. The company also introduced its 14-slot compact PXIS-2670 chassis; a separate power partition accommodates 500-W power supplies by effectively dissipating heat and controlling radiated emissions.
