If your work involves designing or maintaining RF systems and radios, it’s likely that you’re accustomed to utilizing multiple pieces of test and measurement equipment for accurate testing and verification. Even though this translates to greater cost and increased complexity, it’s also likely that you’ve simply accepted these challenges as inherent to the nature of the beast.
The CX700 ComXpert is designed as an all-in-one solution for RF design and maintenance. Source: Viavi Solutions Inc.But Viavi Solutions Inc. has just introduced a new all-in-one instrument that it believes will “revolutionize” testing for radio manufacturers as well as depot-based and field-deployed military personnel. According to Viavi, the CX700 ComXpert radio test system is uniquely designed to provide a comprehensive and versatile communications test system that includes 100 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth, phase noise performance from 9 kHz to 6 GHz, the fastest industry-standard data transport mechanisms and a built-in power supply for the devices under test (DUTs).
According to the company’s radio test director, Edward Latimer, the CX700 leverages an intuitive GUI first introduced on Viavi’s CX300 ComXpert communications service monitor, a field-portable device billed as “capable of testing everything from portable radios, to complex infrastructure, to broadband networks.”
With a two channel 125 MHz oscilloscope, 6.5-digit digital multimeter (DMM), real‑time record and playback, and frequency hop burst power meter capabilities, the CX700 is designed to test analog and digital hopping frequency radios, as well as the newest software-defined radios (SDRs).
The instrument is also designed for maintainability and upgradeability, with a global navigation satellite system-enabled “no-cal” chassis time base, user-replaceable modules, and an integrated ruggedized keyboard, touch screen, and trackpad for system testing in remote-deployed environments. The system meets MIL-PRF-28800 Class 3 environmental requirements (visit GlobalSpec’s standards library for more information).
Key features of the CM700 include:
- Frequency range from 9 kHz to 6 GHz
- 100 MHz instantaneous bandwidth
- Standard AM/FM/PM/SSB modulation and demodulation modes
- Power meter, spectrum analyzer, audio generator, distortion meter, sinad meter, audio analyzer, frequency counter and frequency reference
- Fully programmable 168‑pin zero insertion force (ZIF) connector with 6.5-digit DMM
- Collapsible high-resolution touch‑screen display and keyboard/trackpad
- Multiple tab user interface, similar to an internet browser
- Intelligent color‑coded meters for at‑a‑glance test verification
- MIL‑PRF‑2880F Class 3 packaging with rack mount option available
“The CX700 ComXpert is the culmination of our team’s hard work constantly pushing the cutting edge of radio test design,” Latimer said.
