GNSS signal simulation - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2022, 10:24:30 am
content: At work, we have a requirement to evaluate the performance of some GNSS modules and antenna configurations in a repeatable environment.I think there are two ways to do this) Find a lab that can do this (UK, nearby EU okay) and pay their day rate) Buy a GNSS signal source and use with our existing anechoic chamberCan anyone make any suggestions for either option? I see that Tescom and Spirent make some equipment like this but would like to know if anyone has used anything in particular?We only need to simulate GPS and Galileo. It may be of benefit if we can simulate Beidou.

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2022, 10:32:09 am
content: How much is this?R&S SMW200A

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2022, 11:23:26 am
content: I suspect it's not cheap (look at that options list!) but I did send an enquiry anyway.

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2022, 11:27:09 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 21, 2022, 11:23:26 amNonetheless I think it would make you an happy man.

author: simba15
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2022, 12:32:05 pm
content: Rhode looks nice! We use a Orilia GSG-8 at the office but its costs are also quite high.If you can find a lab that will provide the service to you that would be a great alternative or look for used solutions.

author: pdenisowski
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2022, 05:10:21 pm
content: With regards to Rohde and Schwarz GNSS signal simulators: we offer different solutions depending on what kinds of tests you need to do.The SMW200A is our flagship vector signal generator and can simulate multiple, live GNSS constellations (including SBAS), moving satellites, moving receivers, obscuration, multipath, hardware in the loop, etc. If you want to test how a receiver would work under "real world" scenarios, this is the best choice. The SMBV100B has similar functionality, but doesn't have all of the advanced features of the SMW.In some cases however, people just want to test that their receiver can properly lock onto and decode GNSS signals, or test things like receiver sensitivity. In this case, a simpler scenario involving a single simulated satellite is often sufficient. The SMM100A, SMCV100B, and SGT100A can all do this type of simulation at a substantially lower cost.All of our solutions emulate all of the current GNSS and SBAS systems (GPS, Galileo, Beidou, etc.). They can also all be remotely controlled (remote GUI and/or programmatic control via SCPI).https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/us/products/test-and-measurement/digitals-standards/gnss-simulation_63493-1124871.htmlSome practical suggestions from my work doing GNSS simulation with many different customers: if you're radiating the signal into the DUT (+antenna), the place where people tend to have the most issues is proper adjustment of the constellation power. GNSS is one of those places where more (power) is definitely not better. It's also very helpful to be able to cold start or clear out the receiver before each test - some receivers "remember" things about the last constellation / satellites they saw, and may reject navigation data that seems inconsistent (e.g. some receivers will refuse to accept nav messages that have times earlier than the last time they saw). And if your DUT is still under development or otherwise "quirky," it doesn't hurt to have a reference or golden receiver (like one of the uBlox eval kits) to compare against.Hope that helps! If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know!