Free eBook: GSS6400 RF RPS Application and Testing Examples

‘Live-sky’ testing of GNSS receivers is both expensive (as you need to go out on field trials) and flawed (as the same environmental conditions can never be replicated for repeated tests).
Now there’s a way you can capture the richness of the live-sky environment in a way that saves time and money, and can be used again and again.
Download a free eBook to discover the many ways you can use Spirent’s GSS6400 RF Record and Playback system to record real-world GNSS conditions for use in the lab. Example uses include:
• Chipset and product design
• Proving new algorithms for high-sensitivity receivers
• Production testing
Simply enter a few details opposite to receive your free eBook—and happy reading!
About Spirent
Spirent has been the global leader in GNSS testing for 25 years. Spirent delivers navigation and positioning test equipment and services to governmental agencies, major manufacturers, integrators, test facilities and space agencies worldwide.

GSS6400 RPS
Applications and Testing Examples
This document…
… describes the applications, uses and results that can be obtained
when using the GSS6400 signal Record and PlanullacnullSnulltem nullr the
denullelopment and test onullGnullnullASS and GnullS receinullersnull
Page 2SPIRENT eBook
The GSS6400 Record and PlanullacnullSnulltem reduces nullour testing,
trials and tranullel costs substantiallnullbnullallowing nullou to record real linull
GnullnullASS or GPS signals nullncluding the real world nulldes, multipath
and internullrencenullonto the internal hard drinulle onullthe unitnullnullnce nullou
hanulle this data nullou can then repeatedlnullplanullit bacnullinto nullour snulltem
under test in the comnullrt onullnullour own lab, without the need to return
to the nullld, sanullng nullou time and monenullnull
Figure 1
Spirent GSS6400
Page 3SPIRENT eBook
Typical Applications include
• Software and Hardware Testing
• Repeatability Tests
• Manufacturing Test
• Performance analysis
• System trials
• A-GPS trials
• nullnospnullric and interference monitoring
• Algoritnull studies
• Position
• Multipatnull
• Sensitinullty
Page 4SPIRENT eBook
Example uses for the GSS6nullnull
Chipset and product design
Tuning onullsonullware and algorithms to pronullde optimum pernullrmance
in real world situations occupies a lot onulldenullelopment timenullnulln
particular ennullronments the traditional approach has been to position
denullelopment resources on site and conduct real time trials whilst
denulleloping impronullements and solutions to problemsnullThis has the
added dinullcultnullonullnot recreating the exact conditions on subsenullent
tests, and renullired engineers to be awanullnullom mainstream
denullelopment nullr extended periods onulltimenull
Page 5SPIRENT eBook
nullith the RPS snulltem the GnullS signal ennullronment can be recorded
once, manulle at dinullnullrent times onulldanulland then used bacnullat nullasenull
nullr subsenullent denullelopment and testingnullnullnulllocal personnel are
anullailable nullr recording, then tranullel nullr denullelopment engineers is
eliminated entirelnullnull
Page 6SPIRENT eBook
Prove new algorithms, especially nullr new high sensitivity receivers
GnullS receinullers begin their testing and pernullrmance pronullng with
simulator signals and long test campaignsnullnullonullng to the nullreal worldnull
as experienced bnullend customers onullen renullires the algorithms to be
nullld tested, using repeated runs in nullown ennullronments such as citnull
areas and locations with high internullrence or obscurationnullnullnullholding
a librarnullonullprenullecorded signals nullom such areas, much onullthis wornull
can be achienulled without leanullng the bench, thus cutting both costs
and denullelopment timenullnullanges to algorithms are easilnullpronullen using
the same signals onuller and onuller, without the need nullr more
nullld testingnull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Production testing
Production testing usuallnullinnullolnulles the replanullonullthe same signal
scenario nullr each test run, or using onullnullair signals nullr testingnullThe
GSS6400 pronulldes a cost enullnullctinulle method onullpronullding repeatable
GnullS signals under the control onulla test Pnull or nullom its nullont panelnull
nullnce the test signal has been recorded nullrom a simulator or nullom
linulle snullnull consistent replanullcan then be obtained, nulleeing up the
simulator nullr other wornulland prenullenting linulle snull anomalies internullring
with testingnull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Reducinnullnullield Trial nullsts and
Position Repeatanulllity
A Spirent GSS6null0 simulator was used to generate a scenario in
nullnull nullnullG, using both GnullnullASS and GPSnullThe direct output nullom
the simulator was nulld into a GPSnullnullnullASS receinuller and the positions
determined and output into Google EarthnullThe same scenario was
then recorded onto the GSS6400 and then subsenullentlnullplanulled bacnull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
The nullllowing picture shows
the tracnull onullthe positions as
calculated directlnullnullom the
simulator signal, and those
planulled bacnullthrough the
GSS6400nullThe green dots are
direct nullom the simulator
and the red anuller planullacnull
Figure null
nullerlanullonullcalculated positions direct
nullom a simulator, and planulled bacnullnullom
the GSS6400
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Figure null
Positions nullom simulator, and replanulled nulloomed innull
nullnullwe nulloom in nullrther we
can see the results between
the outputs direct nullom
the simulator and those
recorded and planulled bacnull
on the GSS6400 are within
a metrenull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Figure null
nullultiple replanull nullom the GSS6400
This is the same test again
but with nullplanullacnull nullom
the GSS6400, compared
with the direct simulator
output nullreennull This shows
that the signals planulled
bacnullnullom the GSS6400
can be used to produce
both AnullnullATE and
REPEATAnullE positions
nullom the stored GnullnullASSnull
GPS signalsnull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
nulle GSS6400 has several nullatures to manull the nullld recording simplenull
• Single box with no need to attach a Pnullor external drinulle
• null0Gnullinternal hard drinulle nullr null hours onullrecording
• nullo unnecessarnullwires
• An internal batternullthat lasts nullr nullhour while recording
• Simple one touch recording null long press on the nullont panel Enter
buttonnull see below
• nullnull and nullont panel controls
• nullornull with nullnullnullr power adapter, and no need to worrnullinullthis
power source inadnullertentlnullnullils as
the internal batternullwill seamlesslnull
tanull onuller
• nullrrnullcase and handle nullr walnullng trials
Figure null
nullront Panel Page nullSPIRENT eBook
Alnullorithm TuninnullnullPosition
Repeatanulllity nullBatch Testinnullnullnullnulluse
nullen GnullS tests are undertanulln in dense urban cannullons there are
nullwer obsernullations because onullthe obscuration onullthe satellitesnullThis
leads to the solution onlnullnullst hanullng enough satellites to be able
to manull a position determination, and the accuracnullis degradednull
Tnullicallnullin dense urban areas to obtain a position null at all nullou
hanulle to relnullon multipathed signals reaching the antenna nulla senulleral
bounces onullnullbuildingsnullnullith onlnulla nullw satellites in nullew it is possible
that the solution appears tens onullmetres onullnullthe true routenull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook
The GnullS receinuller also has to wornullnullernullhard to renullcnullire the
satellites as it monulles in and out onullareas onullsatellite nullsibilitnullnull The
sonullware will be searching in the time and nullenullencnulldomains in
order to renullcnullire a lost satellite, or nulld new ones, and will be
increasing its integration steps to allow it to acnullire satellites at
nullernulllow signal lenullelsnullSnulltem designers and sonullware engineers
therenullre spend a lot onulltime tuning the nullters and rerunning test
anuller testnull
nullnce recorded, the GSS6400 replanull exactlnullthe same signal each
timenullGnullS snulltem manunullcturers can therenullre use the GSS6400
to replanull, time and time again, the Rnullsignals stored during the
initial trialnullnullt allows the denullelopers to impronulle their tracnullng and
nanullgation sonullware so that the enullnullcts onullmultipath, internullrence
and nullding signals are minimisednull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook null
nullor example nullters manullhanulle to be tuned and acnullisition strategies
determined to get the best possible null while the unit under test
is being drinullen round a roundabout, while at the same time losing
locnullon the satellites and renullcnulliring the signals as it goes under
the nullnullnullersnull So instead onullhanullng to do the test in the nullld on
mannullan occasion, the GSS6400 can record then data once and
then it can be planulled bacnullmultiple timesnull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook null
nulln the nullllowing picture the nullehicle dronulle round the roundabout two
times nullhe white linesnullbut then the same signals were recorded and
subsenullentlnullplanulled bacnullnullom the GSS6400 a total onullsix timesnull
Figure null
Algorithm tuning
Page nullSPIRENT eBook null
nullor use in the nullnullthe GSS6400 has some nullnenullial nullaturesnull
null nulln be controlled bnullthe nullont panel null nullou can attach a Screen
and nullenulloard and use the inbuilt nullebsernuller, which ginulles nullou nullll
control onuller the snulltemnull
Figure null
nullebsernuller Page nullSPIRENT eBook null
null The signals can also be attenuated to see the enullnullct that has on
algorithms under test, bnullup to nulldnullin nulldnullstepsnull
null nullata can be archinulled onto external SATA drinulles using the nullst data
transnullr nullnctions onullSATA nullnullnullnullnull
null nullata nulles recoded on one snulltem can be planulled bacnullon another
unitnull
nulle GSS6400 also allows you to automate your test process asnull
null Scripts can be written to automaticallnullplanullbacnullginullen nulles in a
ginullen order
null nulle controlled locallnullor remotelnullnulla the web to maximise the use
onullthe snulltem
null nullou can nullnullinto the snulltem nullr additional nullxibilitnull
Page nullSPIRENT eBook null
nullonullGSS6nullnullnullrksnull
The GSS6400 RPS emplonull a low noise amplinullr nullr optimum onullerall
snulltem noise pernullrmance prior to downnullonnullerting to null nullr digitisingnull
An AGnullcircuit caters nullr a wide range onullactinulle or passinulle antenna
gainsnullStandard antennas with gains onullup to nulldnulland nullnullnullnominal
null power can be used directlnullnull
The digitised null is stored on an internal null0null hard drinulle ginullng up to
nullhrs onullrecord timenullAlong with the data nulle containing the digitised
signals, an accompannullng innullrmation nulle is automaticallnullgenerated
containing details such as record time and datenullnullurther data can be
added to this nulle nullr record nulleping purposesnull
Page 20SPIRENT eBook
nullata nulles can be stored using two bit nullign and magnitudenullor one bit
nullign onlnull nullantisation, depending upon the renullirementsnull
nulln planullacnullthe null signal is recreated and then upnullonnullerted to Rnull
at the GPS null nullenullencnullonullnullnullnullnullnull, and the GnullnullASS centre
nullenullencnullonullnull0nullnullnull using a built in onullen stabilised local
oscillator nullnullnull nullr minimum phase noisenull
A common nullnullnullnullTnullnullis used as the clocnullnullr GPSnullnullnullASS
denullces to nullep nullnullsamples in phase with each othernull The nullnullis
sampled at nullnullnullnullr GPS with a nullter bandwidth onullnullnullnull, and at
nullnullnullnullr GnullnullASS with a nullter bandwidth onullnullnullnull
Page 2nullSPIRENT eBook
Carrier to nulloise pernullrmance
The GSS6400 nullithnullllnullrecords and planull bacnullthe Rnullsignals
obsernulled during a trial to within a nullw dnull onullthe nullalue obsernulled
directlnullin the nullldnullTnullicallnullnullr nullbit GPS or GnullnullASS recording the
dinullnullrence is nullst nullnull while at nullbit it is nullnull The recording includes
all the realnullinull nulldes, multipath and internullrence as seen in the
realnullorldnull
As we hanulle seen inullnullou compare the position output onullthe GPSnull
GnullnullASS receinuller used in real time and the output nullom the GSS6400
with the same receinuller the positions will match almost exactlnullnull
Page 22SPIRENT eBook
nulle can do a similar analnullis bnullloonullng at the nullrrier to nulloise ratios
onulla recorded, and then planulled bacnullset onulldatanullnulln this test we are
recording nullbit GPS signals onuller a period onullnull minutesnull
nullnullwe calculate the AnullRAGE
nullnullo nullom the Real time and the
Planulled bacnullonuller the null minute
period we hanullenull
nulln this null minute test the anullerage planulled bacnullnullrrier to nulloise Ratio
is 0nullnulldb below that onullthe real time signalnull
Figure null
nullrrier to nulloise comparison
Real nullime nullverage Cnullo nullnull Played nullacnullnullverage Cnullo nullnull
44nullnull 44null6
Page 23SPIRENT eBook
nullNnullnullInull
Tnull GSSnullnull record and playbacnullsystem can greatly reduce tnull cost
of nullld trialsnulland tnull time tanulln to denulllop new algoritnullsnull
by bringing tnull complenullties of nulleal-worldnullGnullS signals bacnullinto
tnull ofnullenull
Tnull GSSnullnull is nullgnully portable and self containednullallowing
easy recording in tnull nullldnullnullen used in tnull ofnulle nullwenullr it is
transformed into an nullgnully efnullient piece of laboratory enullipment
allowing GnullS signals to be replayed witnullaccuracy and repeatabilitynull
null is nullry nullnullblenullallowing automated operation for testingnulland can
be controlled remotelynull
Page 24SPIRENT eBook
nullnullnullou nullund this enullonullonullinterest we thinnullnullounullll also be
interested in downloading nullnull introduction to GnullS Record null
PlaynullcnullSystem Pt 2 null
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