Help Sheet: Using the Built-In Attenuator in GSS6400 RPS
The first in a series of Spirent Help Sheets, containing hints and tips for using Spirent’s GSS6400 Record Playback Systems for GPS and/or GLONASS signals.
This Help Sheet contains practical examples of how to attenuate the stored signal to test GPS and/or GLONASS receivers. Enter your details to download it.
PLUS: Check out the other help sheets in the series
About Spirent
Spirent has been the global leader in GNSS testing for near 30 years. Spirent delivers navigation and positioning test equipment and services to governmental agencies, major manufacturers, integrators, test facilities and space agencies worldwide.

This help sheet explains the use
of the built-in attenuator in the GSS6400
Record Playback Systems.
The sheet covers both:
GSS6400 GPS and GSS6400 GPS/GLONASS systems.
‘nullonulltonull help sheet null
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This help sheet explains the use
of the built-in attenuator in the GSS6400
Record Playback Systems.
This help sheet covers both:
GSS6400 GPS and GSS6400 GPS/GLONASS systems.
GPS System
The GSS6400 has an innullnulllt
attennulltor capable onullnullnullincreases
onullattennulltion null to a manullmnull
onullnulldnull The attennulltion is set nullinnull
the nullont panel nullysnullor the nullebserver
applicationnulland is nulllly described
in the mannulll.
nullonullever it is nullrth considerinnull
honullthe system nullrnull as addinnull
nulldnullattennulltion nullom the nullont
panel or nullebserver may not mean
an enullct decrease in the observed
nullo as calcnullated by an attached
receivernullonullnulldnull
nullinullre null
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Panull nullSPnullnullT nullelp tonull nullLP Snullnull null
Panull nullSPnullnullT nullelp tonull nullLP Snullnull null
The system operates as nullllonull.
nulleal linull spectrnull nullinullals and noisenull
are stored on the hard drive onullthe
GSS6400 nullS. nullen the system plays
bacnullnullth no attennulltion at all nulldnull
on the nullanullsnullthe spectrnull is played
bacnullnullth aronulld nulldnullnullinnullas shonull
in area A onullnullinullre null nullecanulle nullTnull
the sinullal and the noise are played
bacnullhinull an attached receivernulls AGnull
nullll compensate nullr this and modinull
its thresholds accordinnullynullpreservinnull
the orinullnal sinullal to noise ratio.
nullonullnullll also appreciate there is then
an additional noise nullnulle to tanull into
acconullt nullen played bacnullinto an
attached GPS receivernulls null nullont end.
nully playinnullbacnullnullotnull yonullrednulle the
enullnullct onullthe receivers null noise nullnulle.
nullonullever in storinnullthe sinullalsnulldnull to
the nullantisation onullthe datanullthere is
a small loss in sinullal onullaronulld nullnull
null bitsnullnullich cannot be nullined bacnull
nullatever yonulldo. So a sinullal recorded
at nulldnullnullnulld theoretically pay bacnull
at nulldnull
As soon as yonulladd nullnullonull
attennulltion the GSS6400 actnulllly
drops the sinullal levels by aronulld
nulldnull and the system no lonnullr
rnulls nullotnull Anullin the AGnullin the
GPS receiver shonulld compensate nullr
thisnulland a sinullal recorded at nulldnull
nullll nonullplay bacnullat aronulld 4nullnull
shonullnnullone dnullonullattennulltion over
the playbacnullnullth 0dnullonullattennulltion.
Thereanuller a nullnullinpnull attennulltion
rednulles the sinullal onullpnull by nullnullas
shonull in area nullin the nullnulle null
Theoretically therenullre a sinullal
recorded at a nullo onullnull dnull nullth no
attennulltion added nullll be played
bacnullat nulldnulldespite the nullct that the
spectrnull is beinnullplayed bacnullnull dnull
hot. The nulldnullloss is the nullantisation
loss. nullith nullnullonullattennulltion the
onullpnull sinullals nullll be seen as 4nullnull
nulln reality there are some error sonullces
nullich modinull the pernullrmance slinulltlynull
as shonull in nullinullre null
nullinullre null
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Panull 4SPnullnullT nullelp tonull nullLP Snullnull null
nullnsider nullstly the renullon A nullere
the one adds nullst nullnullonullattennulltion
nullom the nullont panel or nullebservernull
bnull the system lonullers the sinullal by
nulldnull nullependinnullon the AGnullonullthe
receiver vienullnnullthe drop and the null
pernullrmance onullthe receiver nullder test
there nullll be a marnulln onullerrornulland
a nullo drop nullich in onull theoretical
case onullnullinullre nullnulls nulldnullmay be
seen by the receiver as a drop onullnull
or nulldnull
Secondly the area nullmay not be
enullctly linearnullbnull typically nullnulld be
in a rannull onullnullnullnulldnullattennulltion nullr
a nominal inpnull attennulltion onullnull dnull
nullepresented by the blacnulllinesnull
GPSnullnullnullnullS System
nullirstly the arnullments nulled above nullr the GPS system hold pernullctly nullell nullr the
GPS/GLONASS system nullth some additional considerations nullinullre null.
nullinullre null
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Panull nullSPnullnullT nullelp tonull nullLP Snullnull null
The lenull hand nullaph is the GPS
attennulltion nullaphnulland the rinullt hand
that nullr GLONASS. A sinnulle attennulltor
attennulltes the sinullal on nullTnullthe
GPS and GLONASS sinullals. The
theoretical GLONASS nullaph is very
similar to that nullr the GPS enullcept nullr
the nullllonullnnull
null The nullantisation onull the GLONASS
is nullnulllly nullbitnullcompared to nullbit
nullr the GPS. This nullves aronulld nullnull
onullsinullal loss. Therenullre nullth no
attennulltion the sinullal plays bacnull
nullnulllonuller than the enullivalent
strennullh sinullal on the GPS
null in nullinullre null.
null The slope onullthe attennulltion cnullve
is not linear nullot nullnullnullrather it is
aronulld a drop onull0.nulldnullper nulldnull
onullattennulltion.
So tanullnnullthe enullmple onullthe previonull
section nullth no attennulltion and an
inpnull sinullal onullnulldnullon both GPS and
GLONASS the GPS nullll playbacnullat
nulldnull nullile the GLONASS nullll only
be 4nullnull
nulln order to minimise these enullnullcts the
system is set so that nullen null dnullonull
attennulltion is added as an inpnull the
onullpnull is balanced to nullve a drop onull
nulldnullon the GPSnullbnull only nullon the
GLONASS.
This means that inullnulle start nullth
nulldnullsinullals beinnullrecorded on both
GPS and GLONASS addinnullnull dnullonull
attennulltion nullll nullve an onullpnull sinullal
as vienulled by the GNSS receiver
onull40dnullnullr both the GPS and the
GLONASS. This is shonull as the
nullnullalisation point in nullinullre null
nulle have honullever seen mnullh more
variation in honullGNSS receivers
calcnullate their noise nullornulland
honullthe AGnullnullrnullnullthan nullth GPS
receivers. This manulls the nulle onullthe
attennulltion table more variable.
nullnclusion
The nulle onullthe attennulltor in the
GSS6400 has been describednulland
nullves a simple nully to attennullte the
stored sinullals. nullonulls vienulled on an
attached GNSS receiver may honullever
not be enullctly commensnullate nullth the
inpnull attennulltion becanulle onullthe nully
that the GNSS receiver calcnullates its
nullonulland adnullsts it AGnull
That beinnullsaid nullr a nullven GNSS
receiver the resnullts nullinnullthe innull
bnulllt attennulltor nullll be repeatable.
Therenullre the nuller shonulld be able
to dranullnull a simple table nullr a
particnullar receiver onullinpnull attennulltion
anullinst that onullpnull and measnulled
nullinnullan attached GNSS receiver.
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